5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GRIND YOUR OWN COFFEE
So here's five reasons why we're encouraging you to grind your own coffee and take your coffee to the next level.
1. Whether it's bread, cereal or your morning coffee - stale food isn't enjoyable. Coffee happens to stale very quickly, especially after grinding. Keeping the beans whole until the last minute ensures you'll always have the freshest coffee, which then equals the best tasting brew. And who doesn't want that?
2. A pot of gold isn't only found at the end of a rainbow - it should also be in your morning cup of coffee! Pre-ground coffee means you miss out on that magic. When you add hot water to freshly ground coffee, you get a chemical reaction which creates a beautiful golden, bubbling crema and delicious aromas. Add hot water to stale coffee, however, and prepare to be disappointed with a white, washed out brew. Boring!
3. Bland coffee? Eck! Coffee beans contain natural oils, and these oils are water soluble (obviously - no one wants an oil slick sitting on top of their brew!). They help to create the delicious flavours and aromas we all enjoy. When your coffee is exposed to moisture, however, those beloved flavours begin to diminish - and ground coffee means even more surface area is exposed to moisture, meaning even more flavours disappear. Don't blame us guys - it's science!
4. We've all made the mistake of leaving a banana in our lunchbox with our sandwich for a little too long, resulting in gross banana tasting bread. Coffee is actually no different. Once ground, the flavours of your coffee can actually be contaminated by other odours in your kitchen. Left some chicken breasts in your fridge a little bit too long alongside your ground coffee? Prepare to have those not-so-delicious aromas soak right on into your morning brew!
5. We're not saying that size always matters - but it does when it comes to ground coffee! You need to take control of every aspect of your beans, and the way you grind your coffee depends on your brew method. Making espresso? You'll need a finer grind. Opting for plunger? You'll want a coarse grind, and all the other brewing methods sit somewhere in-between. Dial your own grind in based on your own preference, and your coffee will always be more enjoyable.
And believe us when we say grinding your own coffee is not as difficult as it sounds. Below you'll find some amazing tools we recommend that will make grinding coffee at home as easy as 1, 2, 3 - simply rise, grind and enjoy!
Compak K3 Push Matt Black - $514.95
Pro - Long burr life, accurate grind and has everything you need.
Cons - Bench space and on the pricier end - it is a commercial grinder you'll find in cafes after all!
Sunbeam Conical Burr Coffee Grinder - $199.00
Pros - Great entry level grinder with similar features to the Compak.
Cons - Can be a little messy and lacks the rugged reliability of a pro model.
Breville Dose Control Pro - $159.95
Pros -A good grinder for those on a budget and will do everything you need.
Cons - With any compromise on price, there's always a compromise on quality - parts in this machine will wear out a little more quickly than the models listed above.
Sunbeam GrindFresh - $99.95
Pros -Same features as the Conical Burr and on a budget and will get the job done.
Cons -A much cheaper build and finish than it's more expensive counterpart. May need adding or removing of washers under the bottom burr to achieve desired grind.
Rhino Hand Grinder - $59.95
Pros -Compact, lightweight, portable and precise. Ceramic burrs and slow grinding make the flavour better as they don't heat the beans as it grinds.
Cons - Takes 3 minutes to grind 42 grams of coffee without breaking a sweat - but think of it as a quick and easy bicep workout every morning!
Sunbeam Multi Grinder II - $44.95
Pro -Super affordable and compact, and does the job you'd expect for the price.
Cons - Easy to miss your desired grind setting without careful attention, resulting in over or under grinds, and inconsistent grinds.
Do you grind your own coffee? Or would you like to learn how? Talk to us on our Facebook or Instagram pages and let us know how you grind your coffee!