There’s no better way to kickstart the morning than with a cup of coffee (or two or three) – and if you’re as obsessive about your caffeine as we are, it’s important to get those cups of coffee just right. That demands precision and accuracy in everything from the water temperature to the grind of the beans you use. The easiest way to ensure that accuracy is with a manual coffee grinder, like this one from JavaPresse.
As it turns out, the exact grind of bean you use is one of the most consequential parts of the Perfect Coffee Equation. According to the Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee, “the single most important piece of gear in the espresso-making chain is the grinder. So buy your grinder first.” It doesn’t matter how good the beans are if you can’t get the grind size right, and extract all that flavor and caffeine properly.
Burr Grinder vs Blade Grinder
Burr grinders are usually preferable over blade grinders, especially for coffee aficionados like us. This is because instead of small metal blades that cannot be adjusted in size, burr grinders use small, revolving abrasive “burrs” – usually made from ceramic. This design ensures that every single bean is ground to the exact same size, something that blade grinders cannot do. That makes for a much smoother consistency – vital for finer drinks like espresso our pour over coffee. Burr grinders can usually be adjusted to the exact fineness or coarseness of grind you prefer.
Electric burr grinders are plenty, and are better if you prefer making high volumes of coffee or value speed and convenience. But for precision control, many self-appointed coffee snobs prefer a manual coffee grinder – which also has the added benefit of being packable and portable.
JavaPresse Stainless Steel Manual Burr Grinder
Crafted from 100% stainless steel and outfitted with ceramic combo burrs, the JavaPresse coffee grinder is capable of 18 settings and grind sizes – so it works with whatever brewing style or apparatus you’re using: drip machine, French Press, pour over, Chemex, espresso; you name it, the JavaPresse can grind beans to match it.
The best part? It’s super quiet; the hand crank mechanism is about 90% quieter than your average electric grinder. if you’re making coffee at before sunrise (or for a late-night pick-me-up) and don’t want to wake anyone, you’ll love the discreetness a manual grinder offers.
It’s also packable, fitting your backpack for hiking and camping, and easily disassembled (with the crank removed) for further compactness. And – this should go without saying – but since it’s manual, you can operate it anywhere. (Stainless steel is durable, and JavaPresse says the ceramic burrs last 5x longer than steel blades. So this thing is built to last).
Is there much else you need to know? Not really. This is a solid, well-made and reliable stainless-steel manual coffee grinder that makes a good grind, goes with you anywhere you go, and lasts a long time. And did we mention it’s cheap? That pretty much covers all the bases.
