The Aerobie????

[mrgnomer]

Found it, thanks!

http://www.urnex.com/grindz.htm

Why would a company thinkg a home user would not want to clean the burrs? If I don't clean them.....I assume they'll become dull with usage.

After I am doen this round of beans.....I'll see what it takes to clean.

I don't think coffee sticking to the burrs affects their sharpness although I've read some people say their grind improved after cleaning out the burrs. Grinds that sick can get packed into the burrs a bit.

I think the concern is the grinds left behind going stale and how that affects grind freshness. It's also not a bad idea to clean out you burrs and check them at the same time.

Higher end grinders are designed to allow for disassembly, parts cleaning and replacement. Lower end grinder manufacturers probably don't think the people buying them know or care about burr sharpness or cleanliness. If a low end grinder has parts that are pressure fit together and wasn't designed to be taken apart you might even damage it by trying to get at the burrs.

Cost is pretty proportional to quality when it comes to grinders.

 

[richedie]

I have a $50 Cuisinart burr grinder. I can't seem to remove the hopper to get to the burrs. My mother in law runs the coffee business at Fantes in Philly but never has a grinder at home because she just grinds some beans at work every few days. She recommended the Cuisinart even though they sell the Solis Maestro.

 

[mrgnomer]

I have a $50 Cuisinart burr grinder. I can't seem to remove the hopper to get to the burrs. My mother in law runs the coffee business at Fantes in Philly but never has a grinder at home because she just grinds some beans at work every few days. She recommended the Cuisinart even though they sell the Solis Maestro.

I think the Cuisinart burr is one of those not meant to be taken apart grinders. The commercial grade grinders like a Rocky Rancilio, Mini Mazzer, Macap range in price from about $300-$500. They're designed to fine grind with precision without heating up the grinds or charging them with static which is makes for a good espresso grind. Since extraction is critical to espresso I agree that the grind is as important, even more important, than the machine. That is, you'll make better espresso with an excellent grinder and an o.k. machine than with an o.k. grinder and an excellent machine.

Sure, it seems crazy to spend so much on a grinder but espresso extracted on a capable machine at 8+ atmospheres of pressure is like trying to take pictures with a super telephoto lens- even the slightest variance in the density of the packed coffee grinds for what ever reason will be magnified and spoil the shot just like the slightest movement of super telephoto will blurr and spoil the image.

That's why, getting back to the topic of the thread, the Aeropress' claim that it makes espresso is misleading if you subscribe to the technical definition of espresso. There's no method of extraction that produces coffee with character as rich and deep as well made espresso. The Aeropress makes strong, smooth, rich tasting coffee but for depth it doesn't come close to espresso nor can it given that the pressure generated by the Aeropress is only a fraction of espresso's.

 

[richedie]

So, how do I keep the burrs clean? I always notice when a grinder, coffe maker or anything associated with making the coffee needs a cleaning becaus it affects the taste. Maybe I'll buy the GRINDZ and try the white rice periodically. Not sure if this would flush out old grinds. Also, remeber I am only making coffe, not espresso. At least for now.....

So I guess the Solis grinder is similar in that there is no way to take it apart.

 

[richedie]

So, how do I keep the burrs clean? I always notice when a grinder, coffe maker or anything associated with making the coffee needs a cleaning becaus it affects the taste. Maybe I'll buy the GRINDZ and try the white rice periodically. Not sure if this would flush out old grinds. Also, remeber I am only making coffe, not espresso. At least for now.....

So I guess the Solis grinder is similar in that there is no way to take it apart.

Looks like I am going to order the Grindz product because it is designed to clean without disassembly but it only mentions for cleaning
espresso grinders once a week and for shop grinders once a month. No mention of home coffee grinders.

 

[mrgnomer]

So, how do I keep the burrs clean? I always notice when a grinder, coffe maker or anything associated with making the coffee needs a cleaning becaus it affects the taste. Maybe I'll buy the GRINDZ and try the white rice periodically. Not sure if this would flush out old grinds. Also, remeber I am only making coffe, not espresso. At least for now.....

So I guess the Solis grinder is similar in that there is no way to take it apart.

Looks like I am going to order the Grindz product because it is designed to clean without disassembly but it only mentions for cleaning
espresso grinders once a week and for shop grinders once a month. No mention of home coffee grinders.

Running Grindz through the grinder or white rice is a good way to keep it clean. I think those who use Grindz find it better than white rice. I don't know if the top of your grinder is round. If it is, something like a clik clak lid that fits would let you push down and blow grinds out. Even a soft plastic lid would let you push air down through the grinder.

I think the Grindz company assumes only commercial grinders and enthusiasts would care about keeping their grinder clean. You can ask them but I would think Grindz is safely cleans all burr ginders.

The Solis Maestro, I believe, was marketed as an inexpensive grinder capable of grinding for espresso. I think you can take it apart but it's one of those you get what you pay for deals. There was some talk about it for a while as a way to go to save some bucks but there's not much talk about it now. The verdict seems to be that it struggles to be capable and falls short next to higher quality grinders.

 

[richedie]

Remember also that right now I am not makine espresso.

Anyway....I checked and Grindz makes a specific Grindz cleaner just for homr grinders.

 

[mrgnomer]

Remember also that right now I am not makine espresso.

Anyway....I checked and Grindz makes a specific Grindz cleaner just for homr grinders.

I didn't know Grindz made cleaner for home grinders. I'd have thought one cleaner would cover them all.

Yes, I remember you're not making espresso....yet. In case you think about getting into espresso knowing about good grinders and why they're not only good but worth the cost when compared to cheaper alternatives might help. Yeah, the cost of the grinders espresso enthusiasts endorse seems excessive but I believe they not only make excellent espresso possibe they pay for themselves over time. They're easier to use, easier to maintain, reliable and with care they'll last a life time. I went with an o.k. grinder but if I had to do it again I'd drop the $100 extra or more without hesitation on a better one. Live and learn.

For drip I've heard the opinion that since the extraction time is longer and it's a steep the evenness of the grounds is not such a big factor. I don't know if I agree. I do know that when I switched over from a blade grinder to a conical burr the taste of the coffee became noticably smoother and richer. I'm more inclined to believe that even extraction benefits all brewing methods and the more even the grind the better.

 

[richedie]

One thing that stops me from buying the Aerobie is the fact that too much plastic touches the coffee and hot water!

 

[mrgnomer]

One thing that stops me from buying the Aerobie is the fact that too much plastic touches the coffee and hot water!

The recommended brewing temp with an Aeropress, according to the taste testing research the inventor did, is about 175F. That's water just before it reaches a rolling boil so it's not really hot. Still, that's a good concern about the all plastic nature of the Aeropress.

I brought an Aeropress along with me when my wife and I went over to visit my sister and brother in law. I used their grinder and their beans, mostly because the Aeropress takes so much grinds and I was too cheap to bring my own fresh roast but also because I wanted to see what they would think of the Aeropress' coffee using their stuff to brew it. They were very impressed. My sister is ordering one now. So it does make noticably better coffee than a drip. Whether it makes better coffee than a french press, vacuum press or other manual method of brewing is a matter of taste. IMHO it can't touch espresso but that too is a matter of taste.

 

[richedie]

I am thinking rather than spend money on the Aero, I could spend a bit more and get the Eva Solo CafeSolo. The reviews are incredible. It seems the Aero uses a lot more grinds and that stinks! I would end up wasting a bit more cash.

Personally I have been able to get incredible coffee from a drip if I do it correctly with a manual drip.

 

[mrgnomer]

I am thinking rather than spend money on the Aero, I could spend a bit more and get the Eva Solo CafeSolo. The reviews are incredible. It seems the Aero uses a lot more grinds and that stinks! I would end up wasting a bit more cash.

Personally I have been able to get incredible coffee from a drip if I do it correctly with a manual drip.

The Eva Solo CafeSolo looks like a pretty neat design. From the info on it it seems to be a drip style maker that allows for full saturation and steep and strains grinds out when you pour.

Yes, looks like the variables worked out for the Aeropress to give you a strong but smooth cup of coffee favour not only a low water temp but a high amount of grinds extracted over a shorter amount of time when compared to say a vacuum press or french press. It works for the Aeropress: the coffee is strong and smooth but it does cost in beans. You could lower your coffee quantity, grind coarser maybe and steep longer but I haven't tried that. I wonder what affect it would have on the coffee. Still, one thing I like about the Aeropress is the bit of pressure you get on the plunge and the affect of that pressure on extraction. It does make the coffee distinct tasting, IMHO.