How to grind coffee beans at home

Coffee history: how people used to grind beans

Are you wondering how long coffee grinders have been around? Of course, coffee was originally ground by hand, in the primitive style of a mortar and pestle. It’s still crushed by hand in a bowl in certain places around the world — especially in traditional coffee ceremonies.

Grain mills were later developed and in the 15th Century, manual spice grinders were used to grind the beans. The first dedicated coffee grinder was invented in the late 17th Century, with a handy drawer to catch the ground beans underneath the blade.

Coffee grinders later became electric and have evolved to become more and more precise and efficient, matching the various brew methods that people know and love today.

Types of grinders: blade vs burr coffee grinders

Blade grinders use rotating blades to chop the coffee beans. The blade flies quickly around and chops up the beans as it whirs. While they’re simple and convenient for basic use, the beans don’t split evenly which means you can’t control the grind size. Check out the KitchenAid Go Cordless coffee grinder with stainless steel blade if you want a speedy way to grind for your brew, wherever you are. 

Burr grinders are at the top of the list for coffee connoisseurs. They work differently, grinding the beans precisely between two conical burrs. The grind is even, so you can choose the exact size that best suits your brew method - with 70 grind sizes to play with. 

How to grind coffee beans at home

If you grind beans at home, you’ll experience a fresh and robust taste that will have you hooked. It's definitely one of life's little pleasures. You can either use a coffee grinder, or opt for a coffee machine with an integrated burr grinder, like the KitchenAid espresso machines. Just pour in your favourite beans and the espresso machine will precisely grind for you! The Fully automatic incorporates the beans to make your drink, and the Semi automatic delivers the beans into the portafilter ready for extraction.

The benefits of grinding your own beans

The smell of freshly ground coffee is famously irresistible. But that’s not the only benefit to finding out how to grind coffee beans. Here’s why you should give it a go:

• you can select the precise grind size and consistency for your type of brew

• fresh coffee beans are packed with antioxidants that may improve health and reduce the risk of certain diseases

• grinding just before brewing means the precious oils stay intact inside the bean for as long as possible, so the taste is at its fullest

• you can experiment with tiny changes to the grind size to affect your coffee’s flavour

Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back…

How to choose the right grind

Getting the right grind depends on the type of coffee you’d like to make. Here’s a rough guide to how it works:

• Coarse grind – looks like coarsely cracked pepper, good for a cold brew coffee maker

• Medium coarse grind – about the size of sea salt, perfect for French press or percolator coffee

• Medium grind – the most common grind setting, ideal for filter coffee machines

• Fine grind — the consistency of ground cinnamon, best for espresso machines.

The importance of precision grinding

Is precision really that important? Yes! When coffee is brewed, all the amazing flavours and essential compounds are released from the grounds as they come into contact with hot water. This is called extraction. The coffee grind size determines the speed at which that process can happen. And the speed that process happens affects the taste, aroma, texture and the end result… so it must be a perfect match for your chosen brew method.

Why different coffee brews need different brew times

It's all science. Coarse grinds let water through quickly, and have less surface area to extract flavours from. This means the water needs longer to bring the goodness out. A fine grind is packed tighter and has a larger surface area, so needs less time in contact with the water.

This is why brew methods with a short brew time, like espresso, need a fine grind – and longer brews, such as French press, need a coarser one. Experiment to find your favourite.

Discover the different types of coffee

Tweaking the grind for the best flavour

Coffee can taste slightly bitter or empty, which is all down to the grind. If your grind size is too fine, you get an over-extracted brew that tastes bitter. If the grind size is too big, then the coffee will taste weak and empty. Coffee break is too important to let this happen! You’re able to make tiny adjustments with a KitchenAid espresso machine. The Semi automatic has 15 grind sizes which you can explore on the dial, achieving a flavour that does those beans justice. The Fully automatic machines include a burr grinder with 7 grind sizes, which are selected automatically for a delicious drink in your cup.