Ceramic Vs Steel Burr Grinder

High speed vs low speed grinders.

Ceramic vs steel burr grinder.

Contrary to popular belief steel burrs are not just designed for brewing. The lifespan of a burr grinder depends on its quality and the burr material. Ceramic burr are less thermally conductive than steel this means these burrs transfer less heat than steel burrs see below on heat. By barbara chacon monument co a chemex brewer and kyocera hand coffee grinder.

The two types of grinders used in automatic coffee machines these days are either manufactured. If you re brewing mostly espresso you might steer more toward a ceramic burr grinder. That means your first steel grinder probably isn t going to be your last one. In these cases using a grinder with a ceramic burr is recommended.

The main thing that impacts the cost of a grinder is whether it is automatic or manual though not the blade material. In general the low speed high rpm motors are in less expensive 200 range grinders. Ceramic vs steel burr coffee grinders. Image courtesy of wikipedia.

They are great for blends and particularly coffees roasted for espresso. Specifically ceramic burr grinders usually last through 1 000 to 1 500 pounds of coffee. In general ceramic burrs tend to last longer than stainless steel burrs. Stainless steel burr grinders typically make it through 500 to 1 000 pounds of coffee.

I normally use a french press and just yesterday bought an aeropress. It s just my husband and i at home but for when company comes i was thinking of getting a large chemex. Ceramic burrs are more brittle than steel so you could chip the ceramic burr if a very hard rock was hiding in the beans. Ultimately as with the burr shape the ceramic vs steel issue is going to be about personal taste.

They also have the capability of grinding for espresso. With regards to tasting espresso specifically we have noticed that the ceramic burrs produce a traditional espresso flavor profile. Ceramic vs stainless steel burr grinders. Steel burrs will blunt over time from heavy use but cannot really chip in household setting it is unlikely you will see a steel burr become blunt but this is not the case for use in an office or commercial environment.

On the other hand stainless steel burr grinders tend to cost less up front but their blades will warp and become blunt faster than ceramic ones. The cup flavors are complex and usually have more body and mouth feel in comparison to the steel burrs depending on the coffee.