The Coffee Grinder

People often ask me, when they see how we make our espresso, why their coffee at home often runs through too quickly. I always ask them what kind of coffee grinder they have at home. The coffee grinder is the crucial element in making the perfect cup of coffee!

Brewing Time

The perfect cup of coffee you brew with an espresso machine has a brewing time between 20 and 30 seconds. Depending on the type of drink, the grind size also determines the amount of product. That sounds more complicated than it is. But to clarify: an espresso is a coffee drink of approximately 3 to 4 cl that you brew with an espresso machine in 20 to 30 seconds with 7 to 10 grams of coffee per cup. A regular coffee is a coffee drink of approximately 10 to 15 cl that you brew with an espresso machine in 20 to 30 seconds with 7 to 10 grams of coffee per cup. We then call this last one a "Lungo".

Ordering Coffee

So despite a number of constants, you can still make different coffee drinks. And the variable in this is the grind size: if you want more coffee product, for example a Lungo, you will have to grind coarser. And vice versa.

That's one. But there's more. Depending on the force with which you tamp the coffee, it will also run through faster or slower. However, we assume that this always happens with the same force. The environment in which the coffee is located also determines the flow time of the coffee. In a humid environment, the beans behave very differently than in a dry environment. In a humid environment, the beans expand and you have to grind coarser. I've been to people's homes who had the coffee grinder right next to the hob. In the morning, the coffee had to be ground finer than in the afternoon. A pan of steaming potatoes was the cause. So pay close attention to where you place your coffee grinder and machine. But even then you will regularly have to adjust the grind size, because weather conditions can also have an influence!

Coffee Grinder

Finally, a very tricky one. There are coffee grinders that simply don't grind fine enough! Even if you do everything else right. A blade grinder is actually a chopper. You will never achieve a fine, even grind with it. And that is a prerequisite for a good espresso. So never spend your money on that. A good coffee grinder grinds with ceramic or hardened steel grinding burrs, conical or flat. And you can also adjust these grinders, stepped or stepless. But even that is no guarantee.

A somewhat suitable grinder is often more expensive than the espresso machine itself! It is wise to get advice from a specialist shop. Fortunately, Kaldi has enough specialists to help you make the right choice.

Once you have purchased a good coffee grinder, keep it clean. A contaminated grinder often grinds less finely than assumed. Coffee oils are then the culprit.

Ground Coffee

If you prefer to buy pre-ground coffee, know that you are dependent on the person or company who ground the coffee for you. You therefore have no influence on the grind size yourself. And then I'm not even considering the freshness of pre-ground coffee!

Blog by Henry de Bruijn, former owner of Kaldi Delft.