If you usually buy prepackaged coffee grounds, you are missing out on the genuine goodness of coffee. Fresh coffee grounds make a more aromatic and flavorful brew than store-bought coffee grounds.
However, most people avoid grinding coffee beans from home. One reason people avoid grinding their own coffee beans is the lack of grinders and knowledge on how to use them.
If you are such an individual, consider using grocery store coffee grinders. They will ease the coffee grinding process for you until you can afford a home grinder.
What are Grocery Store Coffee Grinders?
The term grocery store coffee grinder may be new to some people, but they exist. These are large coffee grinders located in major grocery stores such as Costco, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods that you can use to grind coffee beans after purchase.
These stores allow customers to grind their own coffee to be sure of the freshness of the grounds. If you buy whole, fresh coffee beans and grind them yourself, you are unlikely to complain a grocery store has sold you stale coffee grounds.
Grocery stores usually have GrindMaster coffee grinders that are easy to use. You can use them to grind coffee beans into various grind sizes based on your preferred coffee brewing method.
While they offer convenience, grocery store coffee grinders can expose you to health risks. They are handled by many people shopping for coffee beans at these stores, which could expose them to bacteria. These coffee grinders could also have traces of allergens such as peanuts and soy that may endanger the lives of those allergic to these substances.
In spite of these facts, grocery coffee grinders are an easily accessible means of grinding coffee beans. Most grocery stores have them for customers who buy coffee beans from them. If you decide to try one, here is how to use it.
How to Use a Grocery Store Coffee Grinder
1. Buy Fresh Coffee Beans
Grinding stale or old coffee beans is a waste of time. You should also minimize the quantity of beans you purchase. Preparing a large batch of grounds is a waste of time because ground coffee goes bad fast.
Pick the kind of coffee beans you want to grind, depending on the coffee you want to brew. Dark roast coffee beans are ideal for Espressos, while light to medium roast beans are best for Drip coffee.
2. Measure the Coffee Beans You Want to Grind
Always measure the amount of coffee ground you need by the coffee you drink daily.
It takes 22 gms of coffee beans to make a 12-ounce cup of coffee. Using these estimates, you may decide how much coffee beans to grind using the grocery store coffee grinder.
If you take 3 cups of coffee a day, you may grind 100 to 200 gms of coffee to last about three days. This amount of grounds will stay fresh if you store it in an air-tight container.
3. Pour the Coffee Beans into the Coffee Grinder
Grocery store coffee grinders are usually GrindMaster coffee grinders. They are powerful and grind coffee beans to a uniform consistency. These grinders come with a cleaning lever.
Once you scoop your coffee beans into the grinder, use the cleaning lever to remove any coffee grounds left by previous customers. That will ensure your grounds are free of any particles from previous grinding sessions.
4. Select the Coffee Grind Size You Require
Choose the size you want to grind your coffee beans to from the grind machine general settings option. You can grind your coffee beans coarsely, to medium grind consistently, or finely. Some store grinders have settings such as Drip coffee grind, Turkish coffee grind, and percolator grind,
You can determine the grind setting by the type of coffee maker you use.
- Fine coffee grounds are best for Espresso coffee makers, Moka Pots, Turkish coffee, or drip coffee.
- Medium – fine coffee grounds work best for coffee machines such as Kalita Wave, Hario V – 60, and Aeropress.
- Medium coarse coffee beans are best used in Chemex coffee makers and Clever drippers.
- Coarse coffee grounds are best if you prefer using a French press, vacuum brewers, and percolators.
- Extra coarse grounds are ideal for cold brew coffee making.
5. Clean the Grocery Store Grinder Again
Once you finish grinding your coffee beans, make sure you clean the grocery store grinder by brushing off any grounds. Leaving coffee grounds in the grocery store coffee grinder can dull or prevent it from working correctly. It may also spoil the taste of the next person’s coffee grounds.
6. Enjoy Your Coffee Grounds
Once you’ve completed your coffee grinding session, go home and enjoy your batch of coffee grounds. You’ve now found an excellent way of getting fresh coffee grounds anytime you need them.
If you feel these instructions are too hard to follow, you can always ask the grocery store attendant to help you grind your coffee beans. They are more adept at using the store’s coffee grinder and will complete the task for you fast. You may also check the grocery store grinder for instructions.
Other Easy Ways of Grinding Coffee Beans
If you need to grind coffee beans but cannot access grocery store coffee grinders, there are other simpler options you can try. For example, you could use a food processor or Nutribullet blender.
A mortar and pestle may also work. Some people also crash coffee beans using a rolling pin.
These items are usually available in most kitchens. If you have one of them in your home, try grinding or crushing coffee beans with them.
You could also go to your local coffee shop and ask them to grind coffee beans for you. Some Starbucks outlets provide these services to their clients.
If these solutions are not satisfactory, you’ll just have to buy a good quality grinder to grind your coffee beans. Coffee grinders are an excellent investment for anyone who loves coffee.
Burr grinders are best because you can use them to grind coffee uniformly. They are unlikely to leave large chunks of beans in your coffee grounds. These grinders also produce minimal noise and heat as compared to other grinders, such as flat burr grinders.
Some great examples of burr grinders you can buy are Hario Coffee grinders, Cuisinart automatic burr mill, Baratza Encore Burr Grinders, and OXO Stainless steel conical coffee grinders. Manual hand grinders such as Hario Mini Mill are also a great option.
Conclusion
Now you know how to use a grocery store coffee grinder. These grinders are always available, and they are easy to use too. They are one of the best solutions when you need to grind coffee beans away from home.
It’s good to note that while fresh coffee grounds make the best coffee, they are not the only option. You can also brew coffee from whole coffee beans. It works well when brewing cold brews because you get to steep the beans in water for a long time. Try that the next time you find yourself without a coffee grinder.
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