Freshly grinding coffee is one of the easiest ways to brew better coffee at home. If you aren’t already grinding your own coffee, almost any burr grinder will greatly improve the quality of the coffee you make. If you are using a burr grinder to grinder your coffee immediately before brewing, here are some tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of your coffee grinder.
1. Clean Your Coffee Grinder Frequently
Coffee grinders, like coffee makers, need to be cleaned regularly. We’ve previously published a detailed post on how to maintain burr coffee grinders. In general, you should:
- brush excess grounds off your coffee grinder each day
- wipe out the grind chamber and hopper of your grinder every week or two
- deep clean your coffee grinder every three to six months
2. Use the Proper Grind Setting
Every method of brewing coffee calls for a specific grind. Make sure you’re using the correct grind setting for your brew method, and be sure to adjust the grind anytime you change how you’re brewing.
Even if you think you’re using the proper grind setting, you might want to check out our Comprehensive Coffee Grinding Guide to make sure. It lists and describes the correct grind setting for most brew methods.
3. Remove Stuck Beans from Your Grinder
Anytime a bean gets stuck in your coffee grinder, which can happen fairly often, you should dislodge it. Sometimes you can poke it free with your finger or a pencil. (Unplug your grinder before putting anything in it.) If that doesn’t work, try turning your grinder upside down. As a last resort, you may have to disassemble the grinder to remove a bean. If you do take the grinder apart, you might as well deep clean it.
4. Keep Your Grinder Dry
Of course, your grinder should remain dry. Automatic grinders, like all electric appliances, shouldn’t get wet at all. Even manual coffee grinders, however, won’t grind coffee well if they get wet. The grounds will stick to the grinder and won’t flow through it easily. Even if you can get a wet grinder to run, it’ll clog up with clumps of grounds.
5. Grind Great Coffee
Of course, a grinder will only produce grounds that are as good as the beans going into it. For great coffee to grind, sign up for one of our subscriptions. We’ll ship you freshly roasted whole beans that will brew a delicious cup of coffee once ground.
