What Is The Best Way To Clean My Coffee Grinder
The most commonly recommended cleaner for grinders (including burr grinders) is to run a batch of minute rice through the grinder. The rice will help to pull the oils and other trash out of the system. I usually disassemble my grinder and brush it out before the rice is used but if you clean with rice often enough that may not be necessary. Minute rice is softer than regular rice so many people (myself included) feel that it is less likely to dull the burrs of a grinder. A small amount of residual rice dust in the grinder after cleaning should not add any noticeable flavor to the coffee.
One manufacturer of a commercial grinder cleaner claims that rice can cause issues in a grinder so another option is to use a product specifically designed for cleaning coffee grinders.
Mazzer was founded in 1952 outside of Venezia, Italia, by Luigi Mazzer. They manufactured coffee grinders, and quickly became one of the premier names in coffee grinders in the Italian market.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the company worked hard to establish markets in countries around the world. By the early 1990s, Mazzer grinders were available in over 50 countries. They produce a substantial amount of grinders and related appliances globally - the company claims some 30,000 appliances made in 2001. Their products are also ISO9001 certified.
Too many people unknowingly purchase a coffee grinder that will keep them from enjoying a great coffee experience. The grinders are in a league of their own. From the Major to the Mini, these coffee grinders have no equal for the home user. Being “Burr” type grinders, they grind consistently equal grounds with a “stepless” adjustment feature. That is to say, an unlimited amount of settings for the exact grind consistency you are seeking.
From coarse to fine, this grinder will give you grounds without variation of the setting you dialed in. OEM burrs are rated for over 600 pounds of coffee beans before needing to be replaced. To some, 600 pounds may not seem like much, but when you do the math of grinding even 2 pounds of coffee per week, this means years before you need to replace the burrs. Burrs are relatively inexpensive considering their longevity.
Comments
Yeah the grinder cleaner product is the best to use. Urnex makes a great grinder cleaner called Grindz. I got mine at works great for me and it doesnt leave the coffee tasting like anything afterward.
1) if you have a blade grinder, dump it and get a good burr grinder
2) if you have a burr grinder, the issue isn’t the old grounds, it’s the oily residue that eventually accumulates. I’ve disassembled some older but regularly used burr grinders that have had some pretty nasty sticky residue in them from years of grinding. A couple of times a year, I run rice (uncooked!!) through, then grind some crappy beans to clean out the rice residue.
Urnex makes a product, Grindz Grinder Cleaner, that I’ve heard good things about but never tried.
All Mazzer grinders are fairly quiet. Much quieter than the lower priced models. You can actually carry on a normal conversation while standing next to one as it grinds away. For anyone familiar with the noise of a $50 grinder, this is appreciated by those of us who were able to throw away the ear plugs.
Mazzer grinders aren’t for everyone. Some don’t like the appearance and others would argue with statements of it being the best (which I suspect will reflect in the “helpful” rating of this review, when published). Only the true coffee lover can appreciate the quality of the Mazzer, but grinder owners will have their favorites for different reasons. Once having purchased one though, you’ll wonder why you wasted money on cheaper burr grinders or, God forbid, a blade grinder.
Tags: coffee beans, coffee experience, coffee grinder, Coffee Grinders