Gone are the days when coffee was ground by hand on antique grinders. These coffee mills ground the beans unevenly, so the taste wasn't distributed well. Next, the coffee was often boiled, leaving a sour, acid taste in the brew.

Types of Coffee Grinders

Today, coffee grinders are very advanced and are available in many brands and sizes. The best coffee grinders are burr mill grinders. These have two notched blades that produce an even ground. Burr mill coffee grinders are the ones that coffee aficionados swear are the best. They can cost several hundred dollars. However, I found a nice Cuisinart model at Kitchen Universe for under $100.

The second type of grinder, and much less expensive type, is the blade grinder. The blade grinder has one propeller that whirrs around and grinds the whole coffee beans. The drawback with a blade grinder is that it may heat the coffee beans, releasing some of the oils and substances that you want in your coffee, not in your grinder. However, they are adequate, and if you must choose between grinding your own whole bean coffee with a blade grinder or buying coffee already ground, choose the blade grinder.

Once coffee beans are ground, they should be used immediately for the best flavor. The blade grinder still produces better flavor than store bought grounds. Cuisinart has a blade grinder for sale at Kitchen Universe for under $20. That's a big difference in price.

If you choose to use a blade grinder, grind the whole coffee beans in 10 second bursts to avoid heating the beans. Never grind them for more than 30 seconds. Also, grind them in small quantities, four or less scoops at a time. This allows them to be ground most evenly. A rule of thumb is to grind the coffee as fine as sugar for a drip brewer, as fine as powder for espresso, and as coarse as cornmeal for a french press.

Best Coffee Brewing

Coffee brewing isn't hard if you know what to do. Most important, never boil coffee. Percolators boil coffee, allowing it to become bitter. The best ways to brew coffee are through a drip system by hand or with a drip coffee maker. Run the heated water through the coffee grounds once. A gold-washed metal filter gives the cleanest taste.

If you use a french press, choose a coarser grind for your coffee. Since the coffee sits in the water for 6-8 minutes, the coarser grind is best for french presses.

When brewing coffee, use purified water. The goal of great coffee is to let the flavor of the beans come through, without any added tastes from the water. Whether you are using common arabica coffee beans or specialty gourmet coffees, you want to taste the nuances of the flavorings.

For a review of a personal coffee brewer, check out my FoodieMama article about the Brew'n'Go by Black and Decker.

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