Bean grinders

[analogdino]

Burr coffee grinder questions for coffee forum.

For some years I have used a Cuisinart “Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill”. The problem is that, while the average grind size adjustment is very good, the burr rotates too fast. This produces an excess of “fines” due to “impact breakage”... leads to “muddy” coffee with plastic filters (but not with a paper filter.)

It seems that the Cuisinart unit has a direct drive-motor, likely a 2-pole shaded-pole type. On a 60 Hz AC supply these motors run very fast, typically 3,400 rpm under light load. However, they are low cost to the manufacture and thus are found in many consumer products.

I recently acquired a cheap burr grinder from Walmart, model MS-202527, aka Intertech 5020218. I paid about CAD$44 plus tax for it.

The “good news”...
The burr is alleged to rotate at only 450 to 500 rpm, which is why I bought it... much better for grinding as far fewer “fines” are produced.
It seems to run slower than the Cuisinart unit.
The grind setting adjustment is similar to the Cuisinart (but not as robust.)
Low cost (if it lasts!)

The “bad news”...
It's a bit flimsy.
It's Chinese made.

I called “tech support” and left some the questions, but no reply received to date.
My questions:
-- Is the burr really running at 450-500 rpm (it says so on the box, but not in the manual.) It certainly runs slower than the Cuisinart, but I have no simple way to measure it.
-- If it is 450-500 rpm, how do they do it? Obviously a gearbox off a 2-pole motor (7 to 1 ratio) would work, but at what cost?
-- Does this unit use a direct drive multi-pole motor? This would be quite expensive... multi-pole motors cost much more to make than 2-pole.
-- So, any ideas how they get the 450-500 rpm?

All comments gratefully received.
Merry Christmas!
Roger (Thornhill, Ontario, Canada)

PS. Here's the Walmart on-line advertisement:

Mainstays Burr Grinder, Black - Walmart.ca

Buy Mainstays Burr Grinder, Black from Walmart Canada. Shop for more Coffee Grinders available online at Walmart.ca

www.walmart.ca

It claims...
" At the heart of this grinder is a 40mm stainless steel conical burr that operates at a controlled 500 RPM, helping reduce heat and static build-up to preserve the full flavor and aroma of your coffee beans. The 200-watt AC motor provides steady power for consistent results...."
Likely not a cheap 2-pole motor.

 

[analogdino]

Considering the attention paid here to decent grinders I am surprised that no-one has weighed in on this (to date/time).
Very best,
Roger

 

[Mathwiz]

Depending on how important getting the best flavor out of your coffee is, the grinder you use is absolutely paramount. If you just like “coffee,” then a cheap grinder will get you caffeinated. However, if you truly enjoy the flavors found in well-purchased, well-roasted, well-ground, and well-brewed coffee, then much more attention must be paid to the details.


Grinders are like sports cars. How fast do you want to go—or, more to the point, how much does delicious coffee mean to you?


My story is that I learned early on that blade grinders (which are really more like choppers) are not suitable for breaking down roasted coffee beans into a form that allows proper flavor extraction. That realization brings us to burr grinders. These are the only type of grinder that should be considered if someone wants good—or great-tasting—coffee.


I started with a Baratza Encore. I later gave it away and purchased a Fellow Opus conical burr grinder. It had conical burrs. I think they were 40mm. I used that for about a year before selling it to purchase a Fellow Ode Gen 2, which I currently use. At the same time I bought the Ode, I also purchased a 1Zpresso K-Ultra hand grinder. I consider the Ode with its stock brew burrs to be an entry-level option for someone serious about coffee flavor. The Zpresso is in the upper tier of hand grinders. Without a doubt, these grinders produce a more uniform grind size and fewer fines. I agree that slower rpm's are better.


Now I find myself standing at the precipice of purchasing an “end-game” grinder. In other words, my sports car is about to go much faster. Ultimately, it all comes down to the Benjamins.

Anyway, that's my .02¢ on the subject.

 

[analogdino]

Thanks for your reply. I agree about blade grinders... horrible idea!
I checked some of your named grinders... at least one has a gearbox to reduce burr speed.
My "cheap" Walmart grinder has not broken yet!
Happy New Year!
Roger

 

[froze]

Cuisinart stopped making good stuff at least 20 years ago when they moved production to China. I made the mistake of buying a Cuisinart countertop air fryer oven, and the darn thing failed after just 4 years, my last one lasted 19 years just for a reference point, it was a Cuisinart made in the USA back then.

As far as grinders are concerned, I too prefer manual grinders because today's electrical stuff won't last long, and most grinders run too fast and heat up the beans as their grinding, which isn't good for the coffee flavor. I bought a Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro, been using it for about 2 years and it works great. I chose that one because I make Turkish coffee which requires a powder like grind, all the way to cold brew which requires a course grind.

One poster mentioned the 1Zpresso K-Ultra, that is a better grinder than mine, but I seriously doubt anyone in a blind taste test making various types of coffee if they could reliability pick out the coffee that was ground using the 1Zpresso K-Ultra.

The question becomes, is the 1ZPresso K-Ultra worth $170 more than the Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro, for me the answer was no, but if you want a better build quality with no noticeable difference in the coffee the answer may be yes.

Both grinders use a stainless steel burr grinder, both will last roughly 20 years. 1ZPresso says they can do 20 grams of coffee for a pour over in 1 minute, mine takes about 35 seconds to do 25 grams, not sure why the difference in time, the 1Zpresso should be faster than mine. The Timemore burr set is not replaceable, when I bought mine, they said it was, not sure if the new model was changed. The 1Zpresso does have a replaceable burr set.

If you grind 20 g a day, that’s 7.3 kg a year, so even if burrs last only 150–300 kg, that’s 20–40 years of home use. While the 1Zpresso is replaceable you either might not be alive to replace it or the housing paint is trashed from years of use and might want a new one anyways.