It’s a fact that coffee grinders are very expensive, especially high-end grinders. A superior quality grinder may cost over a thousand bucks, but it’s worth every penny for quality coffee lovers. But why are they so expensive?
The high-quality materials used in the manufacturing of coffee grinders contribute to the price. Metal, ceramic, and stainless steel are various materials used to ensure quality and durability. In addition, advanced technology in creating the grinders and ensuring they work as expected affects the price considerably.
Let’s explore the coffee grinder world to understand why they are so expensive.
The Benefits of Grinding Coffee with a Coffee Grinder
The first step in understanding the worth of something is by determining whether you need it and why. In this case, why do you need to grind coffee with a grinder? What are the benefits?
Let You Brew Quality Coffee Any Time You Want
One benefit of using your own grinder is that you can always brew coffee anytime you need it. As long as you have coffee beans in your house you can get a cup of coffee within minutes.
You can Grind Coffee Beans to Your Desired Sizes
Because the grinder allows you to adjust the size of coffee grounds, you can brew a coffee of your liking. If you like fancy coarse coffee grinds, you can adjust the setting accordingly and save them for future use.
Frees You From Storage Troubles
While it’s possible to store your grounded coffee for up to two weeks, fresh is always better. [1] With a grinder, you can prepare fresh coffee grinds anytime you want to brew a cup and stop worrying about storage.
Why Quality Matters When Buying a Coffee Grinder
One of the reasons coffee lovers invest in expensive grinders is the quality of the grounds they make. But why does quality matter?
Quality Grounds Equals Quality Coffee
While coffee makers are vital in coffee making, the grinder plays a bigger role. Without a quality grinder, even the best coffee makers and espresso machines won’t make quality coffee.
Quality Coffee Grinders Have Different Adjustments
With a quality grinder, you can make various sizes of grounds to suit your preferred coffee type. Most importantly, you have a uniform particle size distribution when grinding the coffee beans with a quality grinder.
Durability
A durable grinder can serve you for years before needing a replacement. Durability relies heavily on the materials used in making the grinder.
Factors That Affect the Price of a Coffee Grinder
Here are the various factors that affect the price of a coffee grinder. They include-
Number of Adjustments
The ability to grind different textures affects the price of a grinder significantly. The more adjustments a coffee grinder has, the more expensive it is since it has superior technology.
Design
A quality grinder is reliable and effective, two qualities that are heavily dependent on design. A lot of effort and time are used to create a quality design, which affects the price.
Quality materials
The materials used to create a coffee grinder also affect its price. Most modern coffee grinders use more metal, ceramic, and steel parts rather than plastic. The materials contribute to durability as well as ease of use.
Different Types of Grinders and Their Costs
There are various things buyers can use to consider the grinder that will suit them. Among the determiners are price and quality. Also, you can opt to use a grinding method or materials used to make the grinder.
Price vs Quality for Different Coffee Grinders
The section covers different prices and the coffee grinders and their qualities.
Less than $25
The grinders that fall under this category are the cheapest and available in both manual and electric. They do well in grinding the coffee, but the quality is low as grind sizes are inconsistent.
Black decker coffee grinder one-touch push-button control is among the grinders under this category. It costs around $20.
Between $20 and $80
Grinders within this price range are more advanced with different crucial features. The grinders under the category are built with more durable materials and can have a lifespan of several years.
Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind falls under this category, costing around $60.
More Than $100
Grinders under this category are for coffee lovers looking for quality and perfection. Coffee grinders in the category can grind coffee of different sizes as per the owner’s requirement.
MiiCoffee DF64P Premium Single Dose Grinder is among the grinders in this price range, costing around $699.
Blade vs Burr Grinder
There are two grinding methods of grinding coffee beans, and they can be used to determine the grinder you buy. They include
Blade Grinder
Most cheap grinders are blade grinders, which use rotating blades to chop coffee beans. Though they can grind the beans, they don’t make the uniform grounds needed to prepare quality Espresso cups.
Burr Grinder
A burr grinder is a high-quality grinder that operates by crushing coffee on two serrated burrs. The burr grinder can grind coffee beans consistently in a uniform texture. With the same grinding settings, you can get your desired coffee grind sizes every time you use it.
Ceramic Burr vs Steel Burr
Materials are other things to consider when determining the grind to use. Some of the common materials include;
Ceramic Burr
Ceramic burrs are harder than steel and have a higher lifespan. However, ceramics are rare, and only a few are manufactured. Also, ceramic can be damaged easily by tiny hard rocks that may be present in the beans.
Steel Burr
Steel burrs transfer heat faster, which makes them ideal for dispensing heat away when grinding. Steel burr is readily available and among the most commonly used.
Advantages of Spending More on a High-End Coffee Grinder
The following are the advantages of investing in a high-end coffee grinder.
- Quality and uniformly ground coffee
- The grinder is durable and serves you for years
- You can save settings and grind the kind of coffee you like every time
- Ability to adjust burrs and grind coffee to grind texture of your liking
Conclusion
Understanding why coffee grinders are expensive can help you decide what to buy. If you’re after quality, the price may not be the concern. However, if you’re budget-oriented, you can use manual grinders that also make quality coffee grinds at the expense of your energy.
Some of the reasons coffee grinders are expensive for, the quality of materials used and the advanced technology. The article also covers the cost and quality of different coffee grinders to help you understand.
Coffee Gears that I Use Daily
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
This is my favorite grinder when I’m at home to start my day with the perfect cup. It delivers excellent grind consistency & offers versatile settings. The price is also reasonable. I recommend this grinder to all my fellow coffee enthusiasts. Check it out on Amazon now.
VSSL JAVA Manual Hand Coffee Grinder
I travel a lot, but can’t take Baratza with me. So, I carry this fantastic manual hand coffee grinder made by VSSL. It’s compact, lightweight, and its crank handle comes with a convenient carabiner feature, making it the perfect on-the-go companion for me. Get yours on Amazon today.
Coffee Scale
I rely on my trusty digital scale to measure the exact amount of coffee grounds and water for the perfect flavor and strength. Whether I’m at home or on the go, this scale is a must-have. Available on Amazon, get your hands on one and elevate your coffee game to the next level.
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