Grinding system
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Knives. Grinding system based on the use of a rotary knife (s) — blades rotating at high speed. The main advantages of such a system are low cost combined with good efficiency. At the same time, its capabilities are quite limited. So, the degree of grinding in knife coffee grinders depends on the operating time and in most models it is regulated exclusively manually, turning on for the right time (which requires a certain skill and getting used to the features of the device). And even if a separate adjustment of the degree of grinding (see below) is provided in the design, the product is less homogeneous than when processed with millstones. In addition, knife grinders require caution when working due to the presence of the knives (however, most modern devices have appropriate security systems). Nevertheless, in terms of the combination of price and features, such devices are considered optimal for domestic use.
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Millstone. In such systems, grinding is carried out by grinding coffee beans between two rotating disks (metal or
ceramic) — millstones. This allows you to adjust the degree of grinding with great precision and provides greater homogeneous than in knife models. In addition, grinders with millstones are safer and have a larger capacity (see below) on average. On the other hand, such devices are significantly more expensive.
Bean compartment capacity
The maximum number of coffee beans that the grinder can hold and process at one time, without "refilling". Note that we are talking about the maximum capacity — a smaller amount of coffee can be loaded into the grinder.
The standard portion of coffee per cup is 5-7 g, and the capacity of a pack of coffee is 100 g. Accordingly, it is worth choosing a model according to capacity, taking into account how much coffee you need to grind at a time. For domestic use, a capacity of 100-200 g is considered quite sufficient, but in professional models designed for coffee shops, bars, etc., this value can reach 1.5 kg or even more. There are coffee grinders that allow you to grind only part of the coffee loaded into them.
Power
The maximum power consumed by the device during operation. In coffee grinders, productivity is primarily associated with this parameter: the higher the power, the faster the grinder handles with the task (ceteris paribus). The suitability of the coffee grinder for working with solid products also depends on the power — more powerful models are better suited for these purposes.
Buying powerful models for everyday use in life is hardly justified: they are expensive, and the time savings are small. But in the professional sphere (for example, in a cafe), where the speed of preparation is crucial, high-power coffee grinders are very useful.
Number of grinding levels
The number of grinding levels provided in the coffee grinder.
For different cases may require different degrees of grind, see “Adjusting the grind” for more on this. The same parameter determines how many fixed settings are provided in the coffee grinder. The more of them, the wider the capabilities of this device, the more accurately you can choose the option for a particular situation.
Note that this characteristic is given only for models with millstones (see "Grinding system") — it is not relevant for knife devices. In the most advanced models, the number of grinding degrees can be in the dozens.
Timer
The presence of a
timer in the design of the coffee grinder — a system that automatically turns off the engine after a certain time. In coffee grinders with different designs of the grinding system (see “Grinding system”), the features of the timer also differ. In models with knives, it actually plays the role of a grinding degree regulator (for more details, see “Adjusting the grind”). Models with millstones have a separate grinding degree control, which is independent of the operating time. Therefore, in this case, the timer plays the role of a kind of dispenser — you can set the coffee grinder so that it does not process the entire volume of the loaded coffee, but only part of it. This is useful given that it is freshly ground coffee that is considered the most delicious, and it often makes sense to prepare coffee for 1-2 portions, rather than large volumes.
Dispenser
The presence of
a dispenser in the design of the coffee grinder. This device is designed to dispense ground coffee in portions. Most often, this portion is 7 g (the standard for one cup of espresso), however, there are models where the volume of the dispenser can be changed at will. Coffee grinders with a dispenser will be useful for lovers of exact recipes, as well as in cafes, restaurants, etc., where both strict accounting of coffee consumption is required, as well as compliance with each portion of the specified standards.
Compartment for ground coffee
The presence
of a separate compartment for ground coffee in the design of the device.
In this case, it is precisely the additional compartment into which the finished ground coffee enters. In other words, coffee grinders with this feature have two compartments: one for beans, the second for the finished product.
The convenience of this function is obvious: the finished coffee comes in its own container, it is separated from the unground product, and the user does not need to look for a separate storage container — he can store the ground coffee directly in the coffee grinder. Many models are even equipped with dispensers (see the relevant paragraph) that allow you to measure out small portions of coffee — this is convenient, for example, when filling the holder of an espresso coffee maker directly from the coffee grinder.
Compartment for cord
Compartment for placing the power cord directly in the coffee maker. This feature greatly simplifies storage: when the device is not in use, the cord can be hidden inside the case, and it will not get tangled and interfere. Some models may have devices for uniform winding of the wire, which prevents bending and possible fractures.
