# OK to use blade grinder to grind for espresso?



## Ensoluna SA (Jun 20, 2018)

I own a decent Burr grinder. Not the top of the line, but around $70 range which we use for brewed coffee, AeroPress, Chemex, V60 and French Press...EXCEPT espresso.

even at the finest level, it does not grind fine enough for espresso making.

so, I have been using a blade grinder for home use.

If I buy a more expensive burr grinder for espresso grind, will taste be better than using blade grinder?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

The trouble with most blade grinders is reproducing results. So even if it does taste OK once in a while, you might struggle to be consistent.

A burr grinder will be more consistent. So when you dial in your recipe, it will be more repeatable and taste better more often.

So, yes, get a burr grinder (hand, or electric - especially if making doubles) that goes fine enough.


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## Ensoluna SA (Jun 20, 2018)

MWJB said:


> The trouble with most blade grinders is reproducing results. So even if it does taste OK once in a while, you might struggle to be consistent.
> 
> A burr grinder will be more consistent. So when you dial in your recipe, it will be more repeatable and taste better more often.
> 
> So, yes, get a burr grinder (hand, or electric - especially if making doubles) that goes fine enough.


oh, yes, I agree with what you said. however, few years ago, I did some comparison between burr vs blade by using magnifying camera lens to take photos (I did it for coffeeforums, not UK, but USA one). all other methods grinds except espresso grind, of course, there were huge differences in consistency, but in espresso grind, I could not see much of grind size differences at all. I guess burr & blade both being very finely grinded...

so, what you are saying is that still there is taste difference between blade & burr with espresso method?

if there is, will the difference in taste big enough for a regular person to notice?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Ensoluna SA said:


> oh, yes, I agree with what you said. however, few years ago, I did some comparison between burr vs blade by using magnifying camera lens to take photos (I did it for coffeeforums, not UK, but USA one). all other methods grinds except espresso grind, of course, there were huge differences in consistency, but in espresso grind, I could not see much of grind size differences at all. I guess burr & blade both being very finely grinded...
> 
> so, what you are saying is that still there is taste difference between blade & burr with espresso method?
> 
> if there is, will the difference in taste big enough for a regular person to notice?


What you can see doesn't tell you much, let's say your average grind is 0.4mm, it might be perfectly normal for the largest particles to be 1.6mm. But there would be just a few (

Fine grinds always look more even, this is because the smallest particles are always dust/a few microns & the biggest particles are still fairly small too. In a coarse grind the smallest particles are still dust and the largest might be a few mm wide. This looks less even, despite the 'quality' essentially being the same.

Burr grinders have a gap that determines the average size & somewhat limits maximum size. Most blade grinders have no set gap, so even if you get plenty of particles the desired size you can still get great big chunks in there. Try to reduce the size of the big chunks, by grinding longer and you then also increase the dust & now maybe you have changed the average grind size prior to what you last used? Inconsistency in brewing ensues.

I daresay that there are ways to make a blade grinder that works for espresso, but as a consumer it's easier to just buy the tool for the job, rather than spend lots of excess time/wasted coffee on attempts to get a typical blade grinder to do the job acceptably.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Ensoluna SA said:


> if there is, will the difference in taste big enough for a regular person to notice?


Your prep, good coffee, having a realistic & repeatable target are most important for taste. You can make bad coffee with anything, but if you do the same thing consistently, over & over again it will stay bad. If you are very variable it might sometimes taste good, but you want to be consistently good surely?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Ensoluna SA said:


> I own a decent Burr grinder. Not the top of the line, but around $70 range which we use for brewed coffee, AeroPress, Chemex, V60 and French Press...EXCEPT espresso.
> 
> even at the finest level, it does not grind fine enough for espresso making.
> 
> ...


Can i use a blade grinder ? You can use anything , crush the coffee with a hammer, it wont bit fit to make half decent espresso from half decent coffee with half decent machine. I wouldnt use a blade grinder for filter either.

Will a burr grinder make it taste better- if you use some simple techniques ( weighing, scales , decent coffee , useable machine ) then it should yes IMHO.


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## tobyjrn6 (Dec 22, 2016)

I almost think we're being too forgiving here, blades bludgeon your beans into an inconsistent overheated mess.

I used one for about the first few weeks of my coffee journey back when i had a pressurised delonghi machine (so less dependant on a good grind) and whilst the machine definitely did technically produce espresso, it was pretty crappy espresso. Obviously there were a lot of other factors in there but it shouldnt even be up for debate that a blade grinder isnt appropriate for espresso if you actually stop and think what it does to make the bean into grounds


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## ncrc51 (Mar 14, 2018)

Espresso will taste better with a quality burr grinder.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

@Ensoluna SA are you a roaster then? do you supply to cafes and the like ?


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## Ensoluna SA (Jun 20, 2018)

Mrboots2u said:


> @Ensoluna SA are you a roaster then? do you supply to cafes and the like ?


yes, we are a roaster, distribution company, have two cafeterias and coffee school and green bean exporting company... all in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. we supply roasted beans to cafes, hotels in our city.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Ensoluna SA said:


> yes, we are a roaster, distribution company, have two cafeterias and coffee school and green bean exporting company... all in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. we supply roasted beans to cafes, hotels in our city.


And you asking if a burr grinder is better than a blade grinder?


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

There is information about on modifying various cheap burr grinders for espresso use - some way of altering the innards to allow them to grind finer. Having tried this on a version of one style that there is lots of information about on I would say it can help but there is still likely to be a need to go finer. The one I tried it on is this one

https://www.solis.com/com_en/solis-kaffeemahlwerk-scala

If some one happens to have a grinder of some make or style etc that people do modify it might be worth trying. There are several about that look like the Scala but it's internals are different. Youtube is usually the best source of info on that style and a few others.

I've brewed coffee all sorts of ways over a rather long period. I gave up using blade grinders for any method many many years ago. The only control they have really is run time. On the other hand I do know some one that uses one for an aeropress and is happy with pretty weak tasting results that wouldn't suite me. I suppose some one could beat beans to death with one for espresso but I would expect the results would be the same as a burr grinder that had loose burrs - terrible taste in as much as what the drink should taste like. One of the burrs on my Barista Express loosened and the result was lots of fines and a very muddy tasting drink that would tend to make all beans taste the same. Burr grinders do the same sort of thing if they choke up and need cleaning. A higher degree of grounds get done finer than they should be.

John

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## MogCoffee (May 12, 2018)

Pretty good answers on here. From my limited experience you certainly get what you pay for....except in madebyknock which are pretty darn good for price ...if you can get hold of one and can be an arse to grind more than 45g etc.


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