Commercial Espresso Grinders
Commercial Espresso Grinders
A high-quality grinder is an absolute must-have at any serious restaurant or cafe serving premium espresso. They provide the grind quality and volume that allow commercial facilities to thrive.
How to choose a grinder?
While there are many different brands of grinders in today's market, we recommend you choose a grinder based on three important factors:
- Burrs Size
- Burr Shape
- Motor Power
Burr Size
Burr size may be the easiest way to explain the difference between grinders. In general, the bigger the burr size, the better (meaning the more cutting area available). A greater diameter burr means that for any quantity of beans, there will be fewer rotations of the burr set to grind them thoroughly. This leads to a faster dose of ground coffee and a quick result (not via rapid spin). When talking about espresso grinders, faster usually means cooler. The quicker the grinder, the more rapid the dose, the less chance for static electricity to build between the grinds, which leads to clumping, uneven distribution and inevitably, channeling.
Burr Shape
The burr shape often goes hand in hand with the burr size, as conical burr grinders have far more cutting surface than a flat burr for the same given diameter. Also, they can spin slower, as they do not rely on centrifugal force to dispense the grounds: gravity takes on that load. Burr shape is somewhat up to personal preference.
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Conical burr grinders can create more "fines" than flat burr grinders. "Fines" are smaller coffee particles that dissolve more quickly in the cup - bringing out the lighter, more floral flavors.
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The flat burr grinders tend to have a more uniform particle size which allows the coffee particles to extract at a more consistent rate. This absorption lends itself to a more balanced, traditional type of espresso.
Conical burr grinders retain fewer grounds in the burr set - as they rely on gravity to "clear" them. This can certainly affect the taste, as flat burr grinders - which rely on centrifugal force, will retain grounds in the burr set once the spinning stops.
Motor Size
Motor power is straightforward. Big motors = big power = better espresso.
