54 out of 54 people found this review helpful.
Welcome to my class: Coffee Bean Grinding 101 and why you should buy this grinder!
Date of Review: Nov 30, 2006
The Bottom Line: I love coffee! This is one of the best coffee grinders on market for the price, but the static cling of the grinds is frustrating. Still highly recommended!
Reaching to the Outer Limits
You about to be educated on coffee grinding. There is nothing wrong with your computer monitor. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. I am controlling the transmission. For the next few minutes I will control all that you see and hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from your inner mind, olfactory scents, and taste buds to the outer limits of coffee grinding.
You may ask: There's a difference in coffee grinders?
Yes, java breath, there is. Three different kinds of grinders: blade, flat wheel burr, and conical burr.
Blade Grinders
Blade grinders are the cheapest. Generally they don't grind evenly and if you like espresso this type of grinder just won't do! Some snobs (not including me) say that blade grinders cause a lot of friction when grinding and that friction give the grinds a burnt taste. I can't comment on it. I have no experience with those kind of grinders.
Flat Wheel Burr Grinder
Next up the ladder is the flat wheel burr grinder. I have read that they are the one of the best methods of grinding coffee. There are multiple disks, one, which stays still, and one that spins. The beans are crushed between the two. Since the disks spin more slowly than the blades, theoretically there's less friction, no burnt taste and the grind is more consistent. My last coffee grinder which was a Braun which lasted me almost 30 years was this type. Unfortunately, the model is no longer made!
Conical Burr Grinder (or Conehead for short, lol)
At the top of the coffee grinder ladder is the conical burr grinder. This grinder produces the most consistent grind. They use a conical shaped grinding surface. It is also the most expensive type of grinder and is also the type I have just purchased.
Why should anyone care if the grind is coarse or fine?
Fine! Don't get course with my long-winded review!
Different types of grinds are needed for different types of brews. The finer the grind the longer it takes the water to pass through and the stronger the coffee. Espresso done in an espresso pump machine, for example, requires a fine grind, while the very strong Turkish coffee requires a very fine grind.
Of COURSE (coarse!) I will get to the review of the grinder!
I wanted to give a crash course (coarse) in coffee grinders, first! I did a LOT of research into replacing my old Braun. Without question the Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder came out on top in just about every review I read.
The grinder comes in two basic types: Chrome finish and the other is a plastic housing. I paid $90 for the plastic housing model which is almost 3 pounds lighter and $40 cheaper than the other model. The reviews I've read indicated that there's no difference in the way they work or how long they last.
The Daily Grind
Count off: 1,2,3,4! ….14,15,16!!! 16 different grind settings! Four different grinds each for coarse, medium, fine and extra fine. The recommendations from Capresso are (in case you want to use this for your current grinder)
COARSE
French press coffee makers
Percolators
MEDIUM
Steam Boiler Espresso Machines
Drip Coffee Makers. When using the GoldTone filters use a somewhat coarser setting; When using filter paper, try a finer setting.
FINE
Espresso pump machines
Fully Automatic Coffee Centers
Stovetop mocha machines
Manual filters with manual brewing
EXTRA FINE
Some espresso pump machines
Manual preparation of Turkish coffee (two finest settings)
Can you hear me talking????
One of my biggest complaints with some of the coffee grinders I've seen (including my old Braun) was that they were so loud that you couldn't talk over them. The Capresso seems to have a muffler built in as it's one of the quietest grinders I've seen.
Oooops!! Time for a Coffee Break!!!!
Two woman are fighting in the supermarket. One quickly gets the Folgers coffee, and dumps it down the other woman's shirt. The lady asks why she did that? Her response was, "There's nothin' better than waking up with Folgers in your cup."
CONSISTENCY!
I need consistency and I found it with this coffee grinder. It is amazing how well this grinder works and how evenly those burrs grind the coffee exactly the same. It's perfect! Each of the grind settings is always consistent!
How much coffee can a coffee grinder grind when a coffee grinder can grind coffee?
The bean container holds just over 8 ounces of beans and the coffee container holds about 4 ounces of ground coffee. Now the instructions tell the user to ONLY grind what will be used at that time because left over coffee loses its taste.
The grinder has a timer which is supposed to allow you to set to grind from 5 to 60 seconds. I haven't actually paid attention to the timer to see how accurate it is. The instructions also tell you to clean immediately afterwards so the oils left behind don't get rancid and ruin the grounds for the next batch. Well, I grind enough for about a week's worth of coffee and clean the grinder after each time. Cleaning this baby is a bit of a chore. I do have a special brush used to clean the burrs and the chamber from which the coffee grounds fall to the container.
Don't give me any static!
If you've read any of my reviews you know that I am rarely completely satisfied with any product I buy. This grinder is no exception. The only other Epinions review of this has the title I didn't know coffee had static cling Well, this is true and something that really annoys me about the grinder. I had also read this in just about every review on the Capresso. I don't know if it's the grinder or because of the type of grinder but the coffee grounds cling to everything. It makes it more difficult to clean the inside of the grinder and also makes it difficult to get ALL the grounds out of the coffee container.
Coffee Break!!!
Ways to know if you drink too much coffee
1. You answer the door before people knock.
2. You ski uphill.
3. You get a speeding ticket even when you're parked.
4. You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse.
5. You just completed another sweater and you don't know how to knit.
6. You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without using the timer.
That's about it. If I've left out any important information about the grinder let me know. I purchased it from Amazon.com for $90 and did not pay tax or shipping. I haven't really seen it anywhere else cheaper than this after taking into consideration that I didn't pay the tax or shipping.
