The life of a coffee grinder

[teejaywhy]

This is what I've been using: Breville Smart Grinder Pro.

 

[Powder High]

So I may consider a burr grinder as opposed to my trusty 20+ year old blade grinder, if it ever wears out. Which I don't think will ever happen (kind of like my 30 y.o. Panasonic microwave, still going as strong as ever and never any issues). The one below has my attention.

We've had a Cuisineart DBM-8 for at least 10 years. It's tank and I hesitate to even guess at how many pounds of coffee have been ground. The beans we like are oily so it does require cleaning when the grounds build up.

In addition, musts are:

--Very reliable over many, many years.
--Doesn't need replacement parts.
--Doesn't need any maintenance, except maybe a quick and easy rag cleaning every few months.
--Simple with few moving parts.
--As reliable as a Toyota.
--Under $70

Any such quality product?

 

[Jwrags]

ok so water boiling temp has nothing to do with the actual temperature of extraction, In other words, water rolling vs still has no effect on the actual coffee . this is a much debated topic but the physics of it proves there's no need to adjust the temp. I pull shots for expresso at 200* (my water boils at 199) . I have done tests going down to 198 and up to 203. The only differences are the same differences at seas level, the higher the temp, the faster the extraction (meaning less time to achieve peak extraction) and depending on the roast and origin, lower temps draw out more fruit flavors, higher will bring out more deeper flavors (eg, chocolates) and typically more body. I find most espresso roasts get too thin and lack "mouthy" feel below 199. I settled in at 200* for a blend of complexity and body. But, you might prefer a degree or 2 lower or higher but I wouldn't go any lower than 196 and higher than 202.

Since I know nothing about coffee/espresso, if your water boils at 199 then is your maker pressurized so you can get the temp to 200(or higher)?

 

[jmeb]

Since I know nothing about coffee/espresso, if your water boils at 199 then is your maker pressurized so you can get the temp to 200(or higher)?

All espresso makers (which @Ron is brewing on...cause of course he is) are pressurized. To make espresso you need a machine making 5+ bars...but the "standard" is 9 bars (130PSI).

That said, "brew" temperature is quite variable depending on where you measure the water -- machine? puck? head?

 

[jmeb]

--Very reliable over many, many years.
--Doesn't need replacement parts.
--Doesn't need any maintenance, except maybe a quick and easy rag cleaning every few months.
--Simple with few moving parts.
--As reliable as a Toyota.
--Under $70

Any such quality product?

If you're willing to wake yourself up with 20-30seconds of manual grinding, some hand grinders fit this criteria..

I find it therapeutic. People who hate mornings might not.

 

[Tony S]

So I may consider a burr grinder as opposed to my trusty 20+ year old blade grinder, if it ever wears out. Which I don't think will ever happen (kind of like my 30 y.o. Panasonic microwave, still going as strong as ever and never any issues). The one below has my attention.


In addition, musts are:

--Very reliable over many, many years.
--Doesn't need replacement parts.
--Doesn't need any maintenance, except maybe a quick and easy rag cleaning every few months.
--Simple with few moving parts.
--As reliable as a Toyota.
--Under $70

Any such quality product?

Well, Toyotas need maintenance and replacement parts to work as designed, just like any machine does that gets use. You are looking for the fictional knife that never needs sharpening.

Of course you CAN continue to use a knife indefinitely without sharpening it, just like you can still drink beer out of the rain in the cabin of your Toyota after the threadbare tires burst and the engine seizes up. For that matter you can still bludgeon your coffee beans with an old blade unit. If the coffee meets your needs and desires then save the money and put it toward a ski trip. That would be totally rational.

 

[Ron]

That said, "brew" temperature is quite variable depending on where you measure the water -- machine? puck? head?
That said, "brew" temperature is quite variable depending on where you measure the water -- machine? puck? head?

it really only matters at the Group Head. I use (of course) a PID to control and regulate the temperature.

 

[scott43]

I suddenly feel a lot of sympathy for all those people getting a double-double from Tim's....