# Coffee grinder or food processor



## coffeebean00 (Jan 29, 2017)

Hi,

As I previously mentioned in my other thread, I'm pretty new to using pump espresso machine. A friend gave me coffee beans but I don't have a grinder yet, would you use a usual food processor to grind them or dedicated coffee grinder?

Is there any difference whether you use food processor or coffee grinder?

Thanks


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Use a coffee grinder! Helps with uniformity of grind. A food processor won't.


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## benjbob (Apr 25, 2016)

Hi @coffeebean00 i would certainly use a dedicated grinder as the are completely built for purpose for you to get the very best out of the coffee your grinding.

A processor wouldn't grind it nearly fine enough or even enough for you to get a decent shot out of your machine, my very first grinder was a blade spice grinder from argos as that was all i could afford at the time but very quickly realised that a proper grinder was in order and moved onto a sage smart dose then just recently moved to a macap mkx and the difference in my shot quality has improved 100 fold the higher the quality of grinder i use.

Espresso does need to be ground finely and evenly to help extract the oils essential to make a good cuppa joe. My advice Is to spend more of a budget on a high quality grinder than the actual espresso machine


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## coffeebean00 (Jan 29, 2017)

benjbob said:


> Hi @coffeebean00 i would certainly use a dedicated grinder as the are completely built for purpose for you to get the very best out of the coffee your grinding.
> 
> A processor wouldn't grind it nearly fine enough or even enough for you to get a decent shot out of your machine, my very first grinder was a blade spice grinder from argos as that was all i could afford at the time but very quickly realised that a proper grinder was in order and moved onto a sage smart dose then just recently moved to a macap mkx and the difference in my shot quality has improved 100 fold the higher the quality of grinder i use.
> 
> Espresso does need to be ground finely and evenly to help extract the oils essential to make a good cuppa joe. My advice Is to spend more of a budget on a high quality grinder than the actual espresso machine


Haha glad I haven't opened the beans and used a food processor yet, I wouldn't want to waste the beans from starbucks aha. I found a grinder from Currys which cost about £35 I think, I tried a very fined grind ground coffee earlier and it taste way better than the other ground coffee we have which isn't finely grind I think its between fine and medium coarse. Just didn't want to spend so much yet as I'm just starting.


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## benjbob (Apr 25, 2016)

I can completely understand that as that how i started out







i totally forgot about the krups i had for about 6 months which did the job okish that was around the £40 mark


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

coffeebean00 said:


> Just didn't want to spend so much yet as I'm just starting.


that may change!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Welcome and happy grinder hunting - Dont worry about wasting beans from Starbucks, they are probably already waaaaaay past any roast date that would make them fresh, and waaaaaaaaaaaaay past any acceptable level of roast that would make them tasty


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## coffeebean00 (Jan 29, 2017)

Mrboots2u said:


> Welcome and happy grinder hunting - Dont worry about wasting beans from Starbucks, they are probably already waaaaaay past any roast date that would make them fresh, and waaaaaaaaaaaaay past any acceptable level of roast that would make them tasty


 Oh really? where do you all get your beans from?


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## coffeebean00 (Jan 29, 2017)

coffeechap said:


> that may change!


 Aha yeah, just want tasty coffee







haha.


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## benjbob (Apr 25, 2016)

If your a little over whelmed with the whole coffee thing which heaven knows i was when i first started. Try ordering some good fresh beans from coffeecompass , rave coffee, north star roasters there are loads i could go on also you could try asking advice from the roaster you decide on. Due to the main chains always advertising and being there everytime you turn around people seem to think its the way to go and for some people yeh it is but from all the people on here and barists across the land well definitely tell you other wise


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

coffeebean00 said:


> Oh really? where do you all get your beans from?


Click on any of the forum banners as they are usually roasters.

Check out places like Rave, Foundry, Coffee Compass, Carvetii etc.. A search of the forum will bring up a list of UK based coffee roasters. A good starting point would be to start a thread saying where you are from and ask about local roasters to you. I've found when you contact a good roaster they will recommend beans to suit your preferences.


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## coffeebean00 (Jan 29, 2017)

Rhys said:


> Click on any of the forum banners as they are usually roasters.
> 
> Check out places like Rave, Foundry, Coffee Compass, Carvetii etc.. A search of the forum will bring up a list of UK based coffee roasters. A good starting point would be to start a thread saying where you are from and ask about local roasters to you. I've found when you contact a good roaster they will recommend beans to suit your preferences.


 Thanks, I clicked one of the banners and found one is around my area (Farnborough Hampshire) http://www.giveitthebeans.co.uk/.

Unless anyone else know any places around or near Farnborough, Hampshire area where I can get coffee beans than buying pre-grind coffee from tesco/asda.


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