Author Topic: This coffee grinder up to job?  (Read 7182 times)

This coffee grinder up to job?
« on: 27 December, 2012, 01:36:23 pm »
Any thoughts on if this grinder is OK; seems uber inefficient.   I took it apart and reassembled.  See below for coffee amount ground...  Any tips on how to use properly..?


P1150767 by ao, on Flickr


P1150768 by ao, on Flickr

50 turns of the handle, gives this much... (the ring of ground coffee).


P1150770 by ao, on Flickr
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #1 on: 27 December, 2012, 02:50:52 pm »
I think it takes me a couple of hundred turns of my porlex handle to get enough for a decent double shot out of my aeropress. As I've said before, hand grinders lead to guests drinking instant. Too snobby to buy ground, too lazy to go through the palaver for them. My excuse is that I'm a cyclist and can't afford to bulk up.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #2 on: 27 December, 2012, 03:24:34 pm »
I think it takes me a couple of hundred turns of my porlex handle to get enough for a decent double shot out of my aeropress. As I've said before, hand grinders lead to guests drinking instant. Too snobby to buy ground, too lazy to go through the palaver for them. My excuse is that I'm a cyclist and can't afford to bulk up.

Thanks.  Perhaps I have the adjustment set for too fine a grind - just takes forever to get any where.  Normally I use this cheap mini 'blade' grinder, I also shake the unit while grinding.  I actually bought it because the manual one was such hardwork, so just revisiting the old burr grinder again...
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #3 on: 27 December, 2012, 03:28:28 pm »
I'll echo DrMekon's thoughts on hand grinders. I haven't touched my Porlex since I got my Iberital a coupla weeks ago. The Porlex takes ages to do a large espresso, hence replacing it.

To answer your question, it's a conical burr grinder, so should be OK. The key to the whole thing is the grind consistency, which seems to be set by the gnarled nut. What brewing method are you using? Your grains seem too large for espresso, but it's hard to be sure from the pic. One tip would be to fill the bean reservoir to the top and not just what you need for one brew. That will allow gravity to apply a little more pressure on the beans about to be ground and stop some of them flying around. Put what you don't use back into a sealed container though.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #4 on: 27 December, 2012, 04:13:18 pm »
The burrs don't seem to be very efficient and the grinds are rather large. A much finer grind, but larger than espresso with 14 grams of beans should take about 120 turns of the handle to finish and just over one minute. Alternatively, Japanese burr hand grinders are quite cheap and a sensible investment if you want to make nice tasting coffee. You will of course also need a temperature gauge, litte digital scale and a few more bits and pieces. I have recently changed from making  pour overs to the inverted Aeropress method with promising results.
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John Henry

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #5 on: 27 December, 2012, 05:32:48 pm »
Is that a Zassenhaus? I've got one - looks similar. Mine's quite efficient, but I don't make espresso at home so I don't need the very fine grind. I think you may just have the nut screwed right down and it's getting nowhere.

I rather like it, but even grinding quite coarsely it's a slow old job, particularly when there's more than one of you. We bought an electric grinder for this reason.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #6 on: 27 December, 2012, 06:17:37 pm »
Yes looks identical to this... (without name plate)
http://www.coffeetypes-info.com/zassenhaus-coffee-grinder/
I've tried it coarse and fine - doesn't seem to make much difference.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #7 on: 02 January, 2013, 11:44:38 am »
I can grind enough for a large espresso in less time than it takes to boil the kettle. That's using a porlex on fairly fine grind.

Don't hold it down on a surface. Hold it in the air, move both hands in circles. Much easier and quicker.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #8 on: 02 January, 2013, 12:03:30 pm »
I can grind enough for a large espresso in less time than it takes to boil the kettle. That's using a porlex on fairly fine grind.

Don't hold it down on a surface. Hold it in the air, move both hands in circles. Much easier and quicker.
Same here, I use about ~18g of beans in a Porlex mini for a full Aeropress which makes a good mugful of very strong rich coffee, it's no big deal to grind (but plays havoc with the tennis elbow!).
Andy, if you want a play with the Porlex/Aeropress Union Revelation combo, you're welcome to try mine out.

It's sitting on my desk right now and I'm feeling the need to grind my beans  :o

Nick H.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #9 on: 31 May, 2013, 02:07:06 pm »
There seems to be lots of coffee grinder porn these days - lots of people on the interweb going on and on about burr grinders etc. Look at this page...positively fetishist
http://www.kwilson.fsnet.co.uk/burrs.htm

Anyway, I don't want to become a grinder nerd , but I do LOVE good espresso.  I'm also in love with my 50 year old Kenwood Chef and would like to buy a grinder attachment for it...but are they any good? I don't think anybody cared much about coffee in the '70s. ISTR everybody drank Nescafe. So here's one of the grinders you can get for the Chef.  The blurb says "continuous action...For grinding coffee beans varying from fine to coarse setting. The grinder really does grind the beans, squashing them up and squeezing out the oils. This produces much better coffee than modern mills which just cut the beans up with sharp blades."
www.kenwoodchefrestore.co.uk/shop/kenwood-A724-coffee-grinder-chef?filter_name=coffee

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #10 on: 31 May, 2013, 02:27:31 pm »
£62 for a second-hand attachment!

You really need a burr grinder for it to be worth bothering. Blade grinders are inconsistent, so if you try to get a fine grind (essential for espresso), you end up with absolute powder mixed with grit.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Nick H.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #11 on: 01 June, 2013, 06:15:54 pm »
Fair point.  ;D But are there any good. affordable burr grinders?

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #12 on: 01 June, 2013, 06:52:58 pm »
I'm happy with our Porlex. no doubt if I had to produce multiple cups I wouldn't be
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #13 on: 01 June, 2013, 06:56:12 pm »
Yeah a Porlex can make you selfish. Fortunately, caffeine gives my wife panic attacks. Mate is less fortunate so tried it out before buying. He got an iberital mc2 instead.

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #14 on: 01 June, 2013, 07:07:38 pm »
I have a wall mounted Spong which seems to work pretty well. I also use it for grinding spices which sometimes makes for interesting coffee when used afterwards. Mind you, I occasionally grind cardamom with the coffee anyway.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #15 on: 02 June, 2013, 12:22:52 pm »
If you like swapping bean types, think carefully before getting an Iberital. I love mine, but it is a faff to get the settings right. By the time I'm getting it right, I'm almost down to the last beans of a bag. I've found Monsoon Malabar and use that almost exclusively now. If that runs out, I use the Porlex.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Nick H.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #16 on: 02 June, 2013, 12:46:50 pm »
Anyone tried a pestle and mortar? I want one of those anyway, for crushing the cat's pills. Not that she's taking anything at the moment. But I really wished I had one last week when she was on antibiotics.

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #17 on: 03 June, 2013, 01:40:37 pm »
I think I'd die of lack of caffeine before finishing grinding using a mortar and pestle.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #18 on: 03 June, 2013, 04:16:12 pm »
Simple, relatively inexpensive blade grinders work perfectly well provided you tilt them while grinding to ensure no large bits remain under the blades.

Charlotte

  • Dissolute libertine
  • Here's to ol' D.H. Lawrence...
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Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #19 on: 03 June, 2013, 04:48:59 pm »
Porlex hand grinder.  Electric drill with keyless chuck.  Sorted.


n.b. This may not actually work  :D
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RJ

  • Droll rat
Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #20 on: 08 June, 2013, 10:41:21 pm »
Get your hands on a Spong.

Don't hold it down on a surface. Hold it in the air, move both hands in circles. Much easier and quicker.

Sound Porlex hand-jiving technique - but the approved method for Zassenhaus-style grinders like that in the OP is to sit down and grip the grinder between your thighs.  We have a couple of nice-looking but duff no-name grinders of a similar shape.  Dr RJ had a great one flat when we first met, but that might have been a flatmate's.  Key potential weak points seem to be (a) the burrs and (b) often cheesy handle/spindle interface.  Neither is an issue with the Spong - but you wouldn't want to take one camping  ;)

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #21 on: 08 June, 2013, 10:57:15 pm »
Dunno what I'm doing wrong with my porlex technique - I've had two handles go wobbly in less than a year. Love the drill idea. Both work their way up and fly off unless I repeatedly move them down.

RJ

  • Droll rat
Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #22 on: 10 June, 2013, 10:38:02 pm »
I think it takes me a couple of hundred turns of my porlex handle to get enough for a decent double shot out of my aeropress. As I've said before, hand grinders lead to guests drinking instant. Too snobby to buy ground, too lazy to go through the palaver for them. My excuse is that I'm a cyclist and can't afford to bulk up.

Anyway, I rather like the hand-grinding ritual ...

Re: This coffee grinder up to job?
« Reply #23 on: 24 September, 2023, 04:29:34 pm »
I am very pleased with my recently acquired Kingrinder K6. I predict it will lead to an increase in coffee consumption, as I no longer need to consider the racket emitted by my electric grinder when contemplating a caffeine hit.