Coffee Grinder Vs Spice Grinder: A coffee grinder can be purchased either with the coffee or separately, it doesn’t make any difference as well – the most important thing is to get your coffee beans ground using the most suitable coffee grinder.
Table of Contents
Understanding the difference between coffee grinder and spice grinder
How does a coffee grinder work
The Blade Coffee Grinder
The coffee grinder works with blades in a similar way a blender does or in an exact way a spice grinder does.
The Burr Coffee Grinder
The burr coffee grinder works in a manner of grinding the coffee beans into two flat rings that give them even size. The rings face each other from the serrated side and rotate in an opposing direction as a way of grinding the coffee beans.
The beans are usually dropped at the top of the grinder and then pulverized.
The Disc and Conical Coffee Grinder
These grinders work in a similar way with the burr grinders but instead of living the coffee beans evenly flat, turn them into conical shaped sizes.
Drop the beans into top of your grinder, angling toward the down part of the cone as you crush the coffee beans and grind against the stationary force and the moving burr.
How does a spice grinder work
A spice grinder is simply used for grinding various types of spices such as pepper, cinnamon, Chinese five spices, cloves, cumin, and coriander and so on.
Spice grinders are simple tools most of the time but they can give you amazing performance when it comes to grinding your spices.
You can grind tough, dried whole spices using a spice grinder. They can give you different textures such as coarse or fine.
Since some of the grinders are in form of bottles, when you want to use the spice whole, gently remove the lid, and then pour it out.
In the other hand, when you want to use the spice ground, turn the jar upside down and then turn the lid, and it will grind the spice out for you.
If your grinder is the type that has catch mechanism on its top, that’s where the ground ingredients will fall into.
Types of Coffee Grinders
There used to be only one type of coffee grinder which is the blade grinder, but as there comes a big change in technology, there are now three types of coffee grinders namely; blade coffee grinder burr coffee grinder, burr disc and conical coffee grinder.
The Blade Coffee Grinder
The blade coffee grinder operates in a similar way with blenders since they do the grinding using small blades. The problem is that they cannot give an even grinding to a coffee bean.
These types of grinders are not expensive due to the simple technology they apply in grinding coffee
A blade coffee grinder is commonly recommended for people that drink coffee casually not minding whether there is a special type of coffee styles or not, or whether there is anything like fine or coarse coffee.
You can also use a blade coffee grinder to chop or grind other ingredients particularly spices.
Burr Coffee Grinders
This is the middle type of coffee grinder; it is now more populated and utilized compared to the blade grinder. It is more preferable and more highly recommended than the blade grinder.
Unlike its counterpart the blade coffee grinder, a burr grinder will grind your coffee beans evenly living you with one of the best taste in the coffee arena.
The size of these particular types of coffee grinders is an advantage over the blade grinder, and apart from that, they are more efficient in grinding larger amount of coffee just like I identified earlier in the last paragraph.
The burr grinder will not burn the coffee beans even when it is overused. You can adjust the size of a grind as you serve yourself the delicious beverage as the case may be.
Disc and Conical Grinder
These are the most advanced of the three types of grinders; they can provide you with more precise and best grinding experience.
They are grinders characterized by grooves that can be located in the crones of discs. It allows the coffee bean to easily find its way into the grinding bowl for a better grinding experience.
The result of using disc and conical grinder is that it gives an improved coffee grind as a result of the sharp edges of the grooves that can aid in cutting the beans more evenly and effectively.
Due to this high technological performance, disc and conical coffee grinders are rated the most expensive and efficient types.
You can also feel the heat merely reading this comparison. If you need more coffee experience, you have these types for yourself.
Why are coffee Grinders so important
Coffee grinders are very important as they play a vital role in bringing out the aroma, quality, and delicious taste in the ground coffee.
Mortar and pestle can do the job of grinding coffee beans in two different consistencies which are coarse and fine but the energy and time consumption will discourage many, so, the best alternatives are the spice grinders either manual or electric will do a perfect job for you.
Frequently Asked Questions On Coffee and Spice Grinder
We are already doing the comparison between coffee grinders and spice grinders; let us see if there is any similarity between them. Can we use one in place of the other? These question section will solve every puzzle around them.
Can a coffee Grinder be used as a spice grinder
As the case is now, a coffee grinder is, without doubt, identical with a spice grinder, which is the reason why it becomes a great substitute for mortar and pestle.
This means you can use a coffee grinder to grind your spices. The most important thing is that you should ensure that you clean your coffee grinder before and after use.
How does a coffee grinder grind spices like a spice grinder
In order to avoid confusion, there is a need to explain how a coffee grinder can grind spices as a spice grinder.
The coffee grinder, in particular, is not the two types of burr grinders but the blade coffee grinder. It uses its blades that are designed in a similar way as the spice grinder to crush and grind spices.
This is the very reason why it is the best alternative for a spice grinder if you don’t want to use mortar and pestle.
As for mortar and pestle is also a great alternative in the absence of a spice or coffee grinder. This is an ancient tool and yet will continue to remain an ideal kitchen tool anytime, any moment.
Can a spice Grinder be used as a coffee grinder
There is no much difference between a coffee grinder and a spice grinder; therefore they can be used in place of one and another.
Most of the blade spice grinders are also marketed as coffee grinders, the kitchen appliances can be used to grind coffee but it will be better off to use a burr coffee grinder for coffee beans.
How can a spice grinder grinds coffee beans as a coffee grinder
There is no difference in the way these devices grind the ingredients contained in them. The way the coffee grinder grinds coffee beans using its small blades to crush and grinds is the same way a spice grinder does.
That’s the reason behind why a coffee grinder can be used to grind essential spices like cinnamon and the rest.
How to grind spices using a coffee grinder
If at all there is no spice grinder available for you to grind your spices, you can as well decide to use a coffee grinder if it is available, otherwise, use a mortar and pestle or a thick knife to crush.
While you are preparing to grind your spices, don’t forget to toast them so that the aroma will be maintained. How do you do the toasting? Every step is illustrated along the grinding process here:
The Grinding Process of spices using a coffee grinder
- Get a frying pan and pour your seed spices or smaller pieces of spices into it
- Keep the contents on fire without any oil and fry for 2 minutes
- Remove the contents and appreciate the aroma
- Then get your coffee grinder either manual or electric and grind it
- Start grinding the spices with the coffee grinder and in a few minutes or seconds you are done.
Illustrations of how to grind coffee beans using a spice grinder
All you need to do here is to get a strong spice grinder, ensure that it is well coupled, clean and set to grind your coffee beans. The next step is to:
- Measure your coffee beans in small batches
- Pour the measured coffee in the spice grinder and cover the lid
- Switch on the spice grinder and keep grinding
- As you grind, do pulse and on the
- method until you are completely done with your grinding process.
- Repeat same in every batch
How do you clean the coffee grinder after using it to grind spices
It is a good habit to clean whatever you use in the kitchen or generally speaking, you have to learn how to take good care of your environment to look clean and healthy.
I am going to teach you how to clean your coffee grinder after using it to grind spices.
- The first thing you do is to make sure you lose the head of the coffee grinder, and then remove every residue remaining on the motor top to avoid waste of food.
- If there are excess spices in the coffee bowl, kindly fix back the head and grind them out by turning on the grinder once again.
- Once it stops grinding, the next step is to clean it up
- To remove the top or bowl or head once more
- Get a brush and scrape away the spice dust remaining on the motor top
- You can use a sucker to suck out particles from it if you so desire
- Get a clean towel, and clean both the inside and outside of the coffee grinder until you are satisfied
How do you clean spice grinder after using it to grind coffee
Definitely, after using your spice grinder to grind coffee beans, there will remain some stains or dust in the grinder, in order to clean it properly to be used next time, you must learn some hacks about it. I am going to take you through the hacks now.
- After using your grinder for coffee beans, kindly pour out the powder from the grinder
- Get white rice and then pour it in the grinder as if you want to grind it too
- Cover the grinder with its lid and then turn it on to grind the white raw rice
- Shake as you grind and allow the grinding to go on until fine, then shake again and stop the machine
- Check the grinder, and you will find out it is pretty clean, then wipe out the rice residue using a clean handkerchief
Conclusion
Spice grinders and blade coffee grinders are just the same. There is no difference between them except the names.
What I want from you is that you shouldn’t be confused by this topic, I am telling you that spice grinders are not the same with burr coffee grinders.
Sometimes, you may not have a spice grinder available if you have a coffee grinder, don’t hesitate to use it to grind your spices and then prepare whatever meal you intend.
The same thing can be done when a coffee grinder is not available, but that’s if you don’t care about how the grinder grinds coffee beans unevenly.
You already know that there are various types of coffee grinders, and I am recommending some of them to you which you can get on the Amazon store, you may also want to find out about some mortar and pestles that can be useful too.