A coffee grinder is an essential piece of equipment found inside houses of coffee lovers. Grinding coffee is one of the key elements in making good quality, better-tasting coffee. If you aren’t buying pre-ground beans, then the question is going to be what type of coffee grinder you are going to get to handle that.

Here is everything that you are going to want to know about manual vs electric coffee grinders, including the various types that you can opt for to create the perfect texture for your beans. You are going to want to know the factors that you are going to want to consider as well before you make the final choice.

Here is our comprehensive guide to help you make the best decision about which type of coffee grinders to buy for creating the right textured beans for your home usage, so keep reading on to find out more.

Read More:

What is Coffee Grinders?

 

The first thing that you should know before you start thinking about which option to go for when you are looking at manual vs electric coffee grinders is exactly what these machines are.

They are small machines that would allow you to make a coarse or fine crushed texture of any of the beans that you purchase. These can be used at home if you want to have the freshest cuppa in the morning and you can find them in different types as well as capacities.

 

What to Know About Manual Coffee Grinders

Manual vs Electric Coffee Grinders

You should make sure that if you are looking for something that isn’t automatic that you are aware of what manual vs electric coffee grinders is available. Read Here: Best Manual Coffee Grinders

Here are some of the non-automatic types, which means you have to do the crushing by hand, that you should be aware of, including:

  • Burr – This is one that you would have to do by hand and it will give you a good consistency in terms of the texture that you are getting. This will allow the grounds to dissolve around the time to ensure that you are getting a delicious, smooth brew. If you are searching for something that is going to be portable and small, then these are the best options.

This is the most common type of machine that you can choose from and from there you are going to have to consider the material it is made of and much more. There are some pros and cons that you are going to want to know about when it comes to this type as well, such as:

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Consistent in terms of texture
  • Mechanics are simple
  • Affordable
  • Portable
  • Doesn’t need the power to work
  • Durable
  • Simple to clean
Cons
  • Requires muscle to operate
  • Takes some time
  • Not good for crushing larger amounts of bean at once
  • Can’t make any micro-adjustments

 

View Price on Amazon

 

The more you know about this type of crusher, then the easier it would be for you to make the right choice for all of your needs. Go ahead and think about if you want to have freshly ground beans while you are traveling or even camping.

 

What to Know About Electric Coffee Grinders

Manual vs Electric Coffee Grinders

Another thing to know about when you are considering manual vs electric coffee grinders and which one to go for is the one that is automatic. These are famous for the consistency of the texture for the beans, but this type of convenience means you are going to end up paying more for the machine.

Also, these are going to be larger in size and would need to be plugged into work, which means it won’t work as well if you were planning to take it with you. However, this is going to be ideal if you are planning to crush a larger amount of beans quickly and without as much effort. Read Here: Best Electric Coffee Grinders

For those who have larger families and would need to crush more beans daily, then this would be a great option. Here are some of the pros and cons that you need to know about with these machines, such as:

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Wide variety of texture settings
  • Convenient
  • Consistent in the texture of ground beans
Cons
  • Hard to clean
  • Bulky
  • Needs to be plugged in
  • Expensive Noisy

 

View Price on Amazon

 

You are going to need to make sure that you are taking these into consideration when you are trying to decide what machine is going to work the best for the needs that you have.

 

 

Factors to Help Chose the Right Coffee Grinder

Manual vs Electric Coffee Grinders

Also, when it comes to manual vs electric coffee grinders you want to make sure that you are aware of the factors that would help you to make your choice easier. If you know what these are beforehand, then you can use them to narrow down your choices in advance and some of them include:

  • The texture of ground beans

You need to consider the texture of the ground beans that you are going to need, which nearly as crucial as buying the fresh beans. You want the grounds to all to be similar in size so that they are dissolving in the water quickly and at the same time. If they don’t all dissolve together, then you are going to end up with grounds that are either over-extracted or under-extracted, which adds bitter or sour flavors.

  • Ease of use

Another thing to consider is just how easy the machines are going to be in terms of usage and effort. If you have extra money sitting around, then you can go for the power-based ones, which will do everything automatically for you. These are going to be much easier to use since you just need to fill the holder with beans, which means they are very easy to use.

However, you are also going to want to think about the non-automatic ones since if you are doing a small amount of beans at once, then it isn’t too hard. These are going to be great if you just need to make enough for one serving, but they aren’t ideal for larger batches. This means that you not only need to consider how easy it will be to use, but also how many batches you are going to need to make.

  • Machine size

You should also consider the size of the machine and how much space you are going to have on the counter. If you are going to be putting it in the cupboard every day, then you need to ensure that the machine would fit into the area. Measure the area that is available and think about if you want to go with the larger automatic machines or a smaller non-automatic one. You need to measure in advance to ensure that you have the right amount of space for the model you are purchasing.

  • Mobility

Also, you are going to want to consider the mobility of the machine that you are looking for. If you are going to be traveling a lot and want to be able to take your machine with you, then you want to go with a non-automatic model. This is because they are smaller and don’t require you to plug them in for them to start and they are also going to be much more lightweight and easier to carry around. They are perfect for those who are always going on business trips but don’t want to deal with an instant brew or settle for something that they don’t like.

  • Noise level

You would also need to consider just how loud the machine is going to be when it is operating. This is vital since you don’t want to wake everyone else up in the morning if the machine that you are using is overly loud. If you need something that is quiet, then the non-automatic models are going to be ideal.

However, if the noise level isn’t something that will bother you too much or if you are the only individual in your home, then that is another thing. You can go for the plugin models since they would be louder, but they would get the job done without you needing to do anything.

  • Bean capacity

Ensure that you are thinking about how much beans you are going to need to have ground on a daily basis and how much the capacity is of the models. If you are looking for something that can handle one or 2 cups worth of ground beans, then the non-automatic options might be good for you. However, if you need to have a good amount of beans crushed every day, then you are definitely going to want to check out the automatic ones to get it done faster.

  • Price

The next thing that you are going to have to think about is the price, so figure out how much you can afford to spend. If you don’t want to spend a lot on these machines, then you are going to want to go with a hand model since you can get a high-quality one for an affordable price. However, if you have a higher budget, then you can easily purchase the automatic ones to make everything easier for you.

These are just a few of the top factors that you are going to need to consider when you are checking out all of the machines that would crush the beans for you based on the texture you want or need.

 

Read More:

 

Frequently Asked Questions

There are also a few questions that you might have in regards to the manual vs electric coffee grinders and you are going to want the answers. Some of the top questions include:

  • What level should I set the beans at in the basket?

The first thing you are going to need to be aware of is how full you are going to want to fill the beans. You should add the amount of the beans and then tamp it down so the beans are level and around 5 to 6 millimeters under the basket rim. This is to allow the dose time to be properly programmed based on the amount of beans you have added, which can increase or decrease.

  • How long do the automatic machines take to crush the beans?

The non-automatic hand based machines are only going to take you around 1 minute to get enough ground beans to brew a large cup. This does require a bit of effort, but you can easily grind a small amount within a minute or even a few minutes if you need to grind more beans.

  • What is the quickest way to clean the machine?

There are plenty of times when you are going to need the clean your machine and you are going to want to brush out the dust or crumbs with a soft, small brush daily. However, there is a more in-depth cleaning that you are going to have to every so often and these steps include:

  • Placing the removable parts on the top-rack of your dishwasher using the gentle cycle or wash them by hand with soapy warm water
  • Remove all of the ground particles from around the blades and the lid using a cloth or soft, small brush
  • Wipe down the inner part of the blades and lid carefully using a damp cloth
  • Dry everything completely before you put the lid back on
  • Wipe down the base of the machine with a damp clean cloth with a small amount of water

 

Ensure that you are cleaning the machine every day to avoid the build-up of the ground beans, but you only need to do a more in-depth cleaning once a week or every few weeks based on usage. Never store a dirty machine for a long time, but instead clean it thoroughly before placing it in storage.

 

Read More:

 

Final Thoughts

There is so much that you need to think about when you are looking at the manual vs electric coffee grinders and the models that are available. The more you know about which model and type of machine are going to be the best for you, then it can make the decision easier about which one to buy.

You should think about the price, the bean crushing capacity, the noise level, mobility, and much more when you are trying to figure out what model to buy.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR