Why Aren’t You Grinding Your Own Coffee Beans?

And you call yourself a coffee fanatic…

I have met plenty of people who can’t stand coffee.

I used to dislike the stuff myself.

But I haven’t met a single person who dislikes the smell of coffee.

There is nothing quite like opening a bag of fresh coffee for the first time, allowing one of the most pleasing aromas to fill your entire home.

What’s not so pleasing is when that bag is full of pre-ground coffee.

Worse yet, maybe you’re tossing a pod into the machine and pressing play.

Look, I get it, the idea of grinding coffee every morning might sound…

Tedious.

But I think you should give it a try.

If like me, you can’t begin your day without brewing a fresh cup of coffee, this post is for you.

(If you prefer to swing by your favorite coffee joint instead, you may want to skip to the next story.)

I’m here to change your tune around your morning routine, advocating for an investment into your morning ritual, if you will.

See, coffee is inherently an investment into your day, directly impacting your mood, your productivity, your family, and your colleagues.

Coffee is an investment in yourself.

With that being the case, wouldn’t you want to get the most out of every drop?

Why grind your own coffee, anyway?

Let’s keep this short and sweet. There are a plethora of benefits to buying whole bean coffee and grinding it yourself, but I’m only going to call out 5 key reasons to go the extra mile each morning.

1. Access to peak freshness.

Even bulk store-bought whole bean coffee beans will be noticeably fresher than anything pre-ground. Even if you are running your coffee through an old-school Mr. Coffee, you’re going to taste the difference.

2. More control over your end cup.

Grinding your own coffee allows you to “dial-in” the grind to fit both your flavor preference and brew method. Prefer a stronger, bold cup? Grind finer. Want to lean more towards a delicate flavor? Use a coarser grind. Prefer to use a drip coffee maker but occasionally like a French Press? You can use the same whole bean coffee for both.

3. You can easily experiment with different brew methods.

My coffee journey began with an old drip brewer before I finally got my first French Press. A year or so later I acquired a Hario V60 manual dripper, only to now use an Aeropress on a daily. With a grinder you can easily switch between different brew methods and techniques, discovering what style you enjoy the most.

4. You can justify a more premium coffee bean.

Going to your local roaster to buy premium coffee, only to get it pre-ground is somewhat of a waste. Sure, it will be a better overall product, but it will become stale more quickly and still force a one size fits all approach to brewing. A coffee grinder gets the most out of premium coffee, enabling it to stay fresher longer and letting you tailor it to your preferred brew method. It makes the extra money spent on premium coffee well spent.

5. The experience!

Look, you don’t need me to tell you how incredible freshly ground coffee smells. Combine that with a cup of coffee tailored to your liking, unlocking a flavor you have never tasted before. That’s a heck of a way to start your day.

Okay, Jeff, you convinced me. What should I buy?

Great question. This can get very nerdy, but we’ll keep this high-level and cover the basics. If you’d like to get into the weeds, you must watch James Hoffmann’s (coffee industry legend with excellent hair) beginner’s guide to coffee grinders.

To summarize, there are 3 primary types of coffee grinders available:

1. Blade grinders ($)

These grinders use fixed blades to chop coffee beans into pieces. Generally speaking, they are not recommended due to grinding size inconsistencies. An inconsistent grind causes your brew to be unbalanced, with some coffee extracting more than other parts. The results are not ideal and it’s best to avoid a blade grinder.

2. Conical burr grinders ($$)

Burr grinders use two cutting surfaces to pulverize coffee into uniform bits. The conical variety is shaped like a cone and is a great option for drip coffee and French Press. They create a consistent grind but aren’t always the best option for espresso because they lack the ability to grind fine enough for the needs of espresso brewing.

3. Flat burr grinders ($$$)

Like their conical cousins, flat burr grinders use two cutting surfaces to grind coffee with extreme accuracy. The biggest difference is flat burr grinders place these two surfaces flat against each other. In short, they are better equipped to grind fine enough for the needs of espresso, delivering an exceptionally consistent grind size. Flat burr grinders are the most expensive option and for most, would be overkill for a first coffee grinder.

But what should I BUY?!

If you are making your first coffee grinder purchase, I’d recommend buying a conical burr grinder. They are going to give you a very consistent grind size and enough flexibility to experiment with a plethora of brew techniques.

You don’t want to go too cheap though, as the cheap options can actually do you a disservice instead of providing a net benefit (I learned this the hard way, having owned a grinder in James’ video).

Here are two excellent options to get you off and running with coffee grinding:

1. Baratza Encore — $170

Baratza is synonymous with coffee grinders. Grinders are all they do and it shows. The Encore provides an excellent cup of coffee for the cost, while also being nearly bulletproof. It can make an excellent French Press, pour-over or Aeropress, while also being capable enough for espresso in a pinch. Baratza also has superb customer service, giving you peace of mind with your purchase. The Baratza Encore is the first coffee grinder for many.

2. 1ZPresso JX — $130

The 1ZPresso JX (pronounced EZ-Presso) holds a soft spot in my heart. It’s the one I personally own and adore. A caveat is the JX is a hand grinder, so you have to put a bit more work into your morning cup. However, the results are outstanding. The 1ZPresso JX can compete with coffee grinders double its price, providing extreme precision, exceptionally wide grind size abilities, nearly zero retention, fantastic durability and quality, and a genuinely pleasant user experience. Yes, you have to grind the coffee yourself, and there are cheaper hand grinders out there, but dollar for dollar this is a fantastic way to start your day.

In summary

If you’ve never considered adding a coffee grinder to your morning ritual, my hope is you’ll take the plunge and give it a go.

Sure, it’s a bit more work, a bit more tedious, but I truly believe it’s an investment into your morning and overall happiness.

I would also strongly suggest passing up the sub-$100 grinders and going with a more quality option. It doesn’t have to be one of the two recommended above, but a quality grinder will make the investment a worthwhile one.

Have you been intrigued by grinding your own coffee but have yet to take the plunge? Did you recently get a coffee grinder and if so, how has it changed your morning brew? Comment below and most importantly, keep the caffeine flowing!

I love coffee and I also have a passion for mental health. That’s why you should read this piece by Michael Hunter MD who discusses the relationship between the two in his piece, “Does Coffee Help with Mental Health?”

For more from me, here are suggestions for further reading: