#3 in Kitchen & dining accessories
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Reddit mentions of Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill - "Skerton"
Sentiment score: 145
Reddit mentions: 234
We found 234 Reddit mentions of Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill - "Skerton". Here are the top ones.
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Manual coffee mill grinds beans to your desired textureCeramic conical burrs ensure a precise, uniform grind.Nonslip rubber base keeps the mill in place during grinding.Ergonomically designed crank handle detaches for compact storage and easy travel.Stepped grind adjustment mechanism is easy to use and change
Specs:
| Color | Coffee |
| Height | 13 inches |
| Length | 16 inches |
| Number of items | 1 |
| Size | Original |
| Weight | 1.25 Pounds |
| Width | 11 inches |
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Get some beans, and you'll have better coffee than 95% of campus.
If you want to move to a Chemex instead of the aeropress, you totally could, but remembering dorm life, I'd absolutely pick an Aeropress.
Here's a pretty good setup if you're willing to get whole beans and grind them yourself:
French Press ($12), Hario Skerton hand grinder ($40) - if you have a pot to boil water in this is all the setup you'd need for great coffee at only $52.
If you don't have a pot, add on an electric kettle for $20 and you're still only at $72 total.
That's a Hario burr grinder (dear god why do I know that?). Mostly used for coffee.
Edit: link to product
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ
Get a hario skerton for $29...the one at world market is likely crap
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ
Drink better coffee.
I started drinking black coffee when a friend bought me a grinder and an Aeropress. I started buying different beans from gocoffeego and now get 2 bags a month. Have never looked back to cream and sugar.
From reading this subreddit for a couple days, this sounds like what /r/coffee would recommend:
Hario Buono kettle and either the Hario Skerton or Porlex. Use the rest to buy a scale if you don't have one, or a pour over if you don't have one, or a bag of beans :)
A nutribullet probably uses blades like a spice grinder or blenders. You’ll get a huge difference in the consistency of the grind using a burr grinder. You can pretty easily get a manual burr grinder from amazon and even the cheap ones will be a lot better than a blade one. The Hario Skerton is on the less expensive side and will definitely be good enough for a french press starting out. Not sure what the price is like in Ireland though.
That's a pretty terrible grinder. Coffee snobs won't like it.
In this price range, for a coffee geek, you're better off getting them a nice cup, like this or a manual grinder like this. An AeroPress would be amazing as well.
For the best value, get a hand grinder. Electric you are paying for convience and the motor. Hand grinder usually has better quality to warrent the price. I recommend Lido 3 (best but a little expensive, $200), Porlex Mini, or Hario Skerton
https://prima-coffee.com/equipment/orphan-espresso/lido3
https://www.amazon.com/Porlex-Mini-Stainless-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0044ZA066
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ
I'd go for an aeropress. It's what got myself, and later on my girlfriend, into coffee, and it's pretty cheap. It will make a strong, small batch of coffee each time, somewhere between an espresso and a french press (in my opinion).
I'm guessing the macchiatos your fiance is talking about is the Starbucks variety. Macchiatos are supposed to be an espresso shot with very little milk added.
Anyway, continuing on the assumption that the drink she likes is 1-2 shots of espresso and a mug of foamed milk (and flavoring), I would start by making a copy of that at home with the aeropress.
The way I did that is I'd warm up a mug of milk while I'm boiling the water, and use a handheld frother to froth the heated milk. (This won't create the same caliber of foamed milk as you'd get from an espresso machine/steamer but I'm guessing you don't want to drop the cash on one quite yet)... Once the milk is frothed and the water is heated I'd add freshly ground beans(important that they're fresh!) to to the aeropress, and then water, and brew the coffee right into the mug of frothed milk.
At this point you have a pretty close replica to a latte. Since you are newcomers to coffee, you might want to add some sort of flavoring to it. I rarely do, but when I did, I'd just add a little vanilla extract and sugar.
Tips:
You're going to want to grind your beans at home. Buying preground beans almost guarantees they're going to be stale.
Gear:
Beans: (Places I've tried)
Mugs:
If you have any questions, or if I'm wrong about something let me know! I think this is all for now.
The Harios are decent hand-grinders
... but since it's a gift, electric is a very nice thing to have if you're up early in the morning:
There are others for under a hundred, but this is an ok place to start.
Thanks for the update. That's plenty of money to start.
The two big things you can do to drastically improve your cup is 1.) fresh WHOLE coffee beans (check the roast date); none of that pre-ground stuff. If you are looking for speed and cheap this is a decent grinder that will meet your needs, however if you have the time, (effort) and want to do it right. I would strongly recommend something like this. It is a burr grinder and will give you MUCH better results (rather than chopping beans you are actually grinding them. Burr grinder = squeezing out the best aromas and flavor into your coffee). You can buy one for ~$40 (along with ~$30 for a decent french press).. Get the beans whole and grind them before each use (two scoops of coffee per 6 ounces of water); don't let the beans sit for more than a month. They lose freshness and aroma/taste each day after it's been opened. 2.) use good water. You don't have to use bottled, Brita is fine or tap if you have good water.
and that's it. From there you can explore the types of roast you like, the different regions, blends, etc since you will be making consistent coffee each time this way (very few variables unlike many of the methods of brewing- but hey, isn't that half the fun? Although most would suggest getting a scale right away, I would recommend holding off. A scale can then help you fine tune your technique, but is IMHO a bit too complicated to start with. Instead, I would take the money saved and check out some good coffee shops in your area, particularly ones that roast their own coffee. You'll quickly learn what you like and what you don't.
Good luck, have fun and feel free to msg me if you have anymore questions.
Also: you can try to adjust the grind for the strength of your coffee (to taste). More fine = stronger. More coarse = less strong. That will affect not just the strength, but also the body and "mouth feel" of the coffee (if you do go with a french press, you want a "coarse" grind).
Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton Storage Capacity (100g) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_BSZkybT322R3V
I appreciate the feedback- this is the grinder and it is inexpensive. Do you recommend this one? Will get myself one!
Beginner's Kit around here is pretty much going to be a grinder, scale, and Aeropress.
For a grinder, unless you want to jump into the depths of coffee, I'd probably suggest a Porlex, or either a Hario Mini Mill or Skerton.
For a beginner's scale, you can use whatever you have on hand, if you already own one. If you need one, American Weighs are highly recommended.
And the Aeropress! Despite all of the gear I've picked up, I still come back to this method. It's clean, simple, and fast.
But don't forget the fresh coffee. That's going to make the biggest difference.
I love my Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001802PIQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'd go for an Aeropress, a decent hand grinder and an electric kettle. You will have far superior coffee, you can use the kettle to make all sorts of food (boxed mac and cheese, ramen noodles, cous cous, etc.), you will save some money and you will be able to explore all sorts of amazing freshly roasted beans.
You'll be in Seattle, what's the problem again? Oh, funds.
For dorm use a French Press and an electric kettle + a manual grinder should do you and not break the bank.
If espresso is more your thing, look into the aeropress, but the grinder and kettle recommendations stand.
That is basically the cheapest good burr grinder that's not manual. Of course the manual ones work too--the grinder you linked is basically a knockoff Hairo Skerton:
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
I started with the Hairo Slim, but it got old eventually and I purchased the Encore.
I'd have to recommend looking away from a pod based machine. Because it's pre-ground the coffee is stale already when you buy it. In addition to using stale coffee these machines aren't capable of producing enough pressure (9 bars) to produce real espresso. Instead of opting for a machine I'd get an aeropress.
An [Aeropress,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GXZ2GS/) [grinder,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PE85xb5KY6678) [scale,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004164SRA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NG85xb8VP81H3) and [kettle] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8J85xbF33PVD0) will be cheaper than the Nescafe and will produce significantly better coffee.
The nice part about the aeropress is its simplicity and versatility. You can use it as an espresso substitute for Lattes and milk drinks, drink it black for a clean, bold cup, or dilute it to an americano for a traditional cup of coffee. Make sure to get some fresh beans from a local roaster too!
Hario Skerton Hand Grinder - $40 manual burr grinder. Some people have complained in the past about getting plastic shavings in their coffee, although this may be a fixed issue. An excellent alternative to blade grinders on the lower end of the price range.
kettle: http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Variable-Temperature-Electric-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417710975&sr=8-2&keywords=bonavita
Scale: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Drip-Scale-Timer/dp/B009GPJMOU/ref=pd_sim_k_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=04WC4XNEDPNT7K81849C
Hand mills (good to take with the aeropress while traveling):
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1417711031&sr=1-2&keywords=hario+mill
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Canister-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B003EEGDSM/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1417711031&sr=1-3&keywords=hario+mill
Or if you want to go all out you could get a small roaster and some green bean samplers to have some fun with.
Hario Skerton: Baseline manual grinder
Baratza Encore: Baseline electric grinder
Hario v60
Kalita Wave
Clever Dripper
Pick a grinder, pick one of the pourover methods (or get a French Press) and filters, and you're set. You can get a gooseneck kettle if you want for a better pour.
Here's a link to it. I have this one, and I love it, but I have noticed that the size of the grounds isn't as consistent as I was led to believe it would be. It's not really an issue for me, but I'm not the most refined connoisseur, either.
When buying new gear like this, I often find it worthwhile to buy the good stuff from the beginning. It'll cost more upfront, but in the long run you save money by not sinking it into gear that you're just going to upgrade away from. I know you're looking for a starter kit, so I'll outline some entry level stuff and then some recommended upgrades.
For a burr grinder, a decent entry level manual grinder is the Hario Skerton. One complaint with this is inconsistent coarse grind size, which is what you'll be using with a French Press. Orphan Espresso makes an upgrade kit that fixes this problem, but personally I feel that if you're going to spend $40 on the Skerton and $15 on the upgrade kit, you should just spend a few more bucks and get something like the Capresso Infinity. This grinder is going to be way more convenient, versatile, and consistent than the hand grinder. For one last option, there's the Baratza Encore. This is probably the best grinder you'd want for French Press, because anything better / more expensive would just be overkill as they're primarily aimed at espresso.
The Press itself isn't too important. Bodum is usually the recommended brand.
You'll also need a way to heat water. You could go with a stovetop kettle, but I think electric kettles are more convenient, and are roughly the same price anyway. You can get a pretty standard one for less than $25. But getting a gooseneck kettle is going to help control your pour better and ensure the coffee grounds are completely saturated. If you don't want to worry about getting the perfect temperature for brewing, a variable temperature kettle will take care of it for you.
Other than that, you might want a kitchen scale to get the right coffee-to-water ratio, and a thermometer to check your water temperature.
You're not going to find any good electric grinders for under $100. Hand grinders are still great as long as you aren't doing espresso.
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ
I bought a Hario Skerton about 2 years ago before moving onto an electric one and it's great! Every time hand grinders come up on the subreddit, the Hario Skerton is always recommended for beginners.
Hope you enjoy!
Are you broke and patient? Or broke and impatient? The hario is a manual grinder that allows you to control the grind size, admittedly with some trial and error.
Replying to confirm that I make the best coffee I've ever had with a skerton and v60. Here's my entire set up. These aren't necessarily the best in their class, but they do me well.
-Digital scale (or anything that measures in grams)
-Gooseneck kettle (they make ones that are electric, as well)
-Flow restrictor for kettle (not required, it's just what I have)
-Hario skerton burr grinder
-OE mod for skerton (not required. again, it's just what I have)
-Hario v60 02 (I have the clear plastic one)
-Gerber Pure water (available at Walmart, any "spring water" is what I recommend. My tap water smells of chlorine, so even Britta water is gonna be a bit better than my tap water. You want water that's not too hard, nor too soft. So don't use distilled or RO water or "mineral" water.)
-Digital timer (not required, but I like to time things)
-Hario filters (there's a couple different kinds, try any you want. Mine are the white without the "tabs")
-I'm not linking my mugs/servers. But whatever one(s) you use, I recommend preheating them.
(Edit to add: I have other methods of making coffee. This is just my personal overall favorite.)
This is what I use, and it's wonderful.
I just bought a hand grinder, makes a damn fine pot of coffee but it is a lot of work. I bought this one Amazon has it marked under review for some reason. Before that I had a blade grinder, which is much easier but your coffee won't be anywhere near as good. Pretty much the #1 rule I hear is that the grinder is the single most important piece of equipment for a good cup so it isn't something to skimp on.
Never do a blade grinder. It will burn off the oils in the coffee. I started off with this guy:
http://www.amazon.com/KRUPS-Electric-Coffee-Grinder-Stainless/dp/B00004SPEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425611192&sr=8-1&keywords=blade+grinder
Coffee tasted pretty bad, switched to this guy:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425611218&sr=8-1&keywords=burr+grinder+manual
And the coffee tasted great, but the grind was a bit inconsistent. I used it for about a year, but just bought this guy used on Craigslist:
http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Virtuoso-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B00LW8I45C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425611248&sr=8-1&keywords=baratza+virtuoso
Now I'm complete.
So I got a coffee mill but then decided not to grind the beans the night before. So I was rushing get things together and the first grind came out way too weak and I had to buy coffee because there wasn't time to get another pot together. But tomorrow should be good. Day off, will be experimenting until it's where I want it.
If we're backpacking. I couldn't care less about fresh grounds. I want something hot and that sweet sweet caffeine. We've all switched to instant packets. It's light weight and is less trash to pack out.
if we're car camping, depending on who's going, we either pregrind or bring the grinder. i'm also not above preground beans in a bag. but my hand grinder is glass (older version of this (Hario Skerton)), so it just seems silly and heavy to bring on a hike in.
Grind by hand like a masochist.
I've got a Hario Skerton (http://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ) and it's easily stashable. If you're really tight on space, you could get the Hario Mini, but you might be limited on the volume of beans you'll be able to grind at once.
Burr grinder gives you a more consistent grind when you grind, and since you can set the coarseness of the grinder, you can easily recreate the same coarseness. With a blade grinder, the coarseness can be affected by how long you hold the button down for, the volume of beans, etc. Lots of variables. Also, super pain in the butt to clean.
For ceramic vs stainless steel, Baratza has a good post explaining it while discussing heat generation in the grinding process: https://www.baratza.com/blog/steel-vs-ceramic-burrs-and-heat-generation-the-lowdown/
If you want to get in on the ground floor, so the speak, start with a [french press] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ADS5FO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aeh3xb6XXSXTYand) and/or [pour over] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YA7OUK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Xhh3xbR6CNMZ4), and a [grinder] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_njh3xb7MY9XAP).
Those are all very entry level versions, there is better everything avaliable of course, but you would barely break $50 for all this stuff and have plenty of opportunity to learn and upgrade as you go!
Brutally honest answer: not worth your time and your money to make this work because you wont ever get the results you want.
More informative answer: The amount of extraction time during the brewing of a K-Cup is not enough to properly get the full flavor of the coffee. Additionally you have no control over water amount or grind amount. When I had a Keurig I bought one of the reusable holders and despite it saying 2Tbsp I could barely fit 1 1/4Tbsp. The most control you have is the water temperature and even then the temperature is not ideal. Also Keurig's are kind of junky, I had one fail after a year and the replacement was acting up within two months. No matter the grind, temp, bean, etc the coffee will always come out under extracted and not enjoyable.
90% of this sub hate keurigs, myself included, but we often do understand the appeal of them. However you need to be aware with that appeal comes major drawbacks like your experiencing now. They are meant entirely as a no frills way of making coffee for people who just want a cup of a coffee.
This would be my recommendation: If you like the appeal of a no frills coffee setup but want to experiment with different beans then I would consider selling the Keurig to a friend or family member. I would use that money to pick up a higher quality drip machine and a hand grinder. If you don't like the idea of using a hand grinder than maybe consider buying a Baratza Encore but it will cost more (FYI watch the Baratza site, every Thursday they restock the refurbs store so you could get a deal).
Hario Skerton
Fellow college kid here, I went with this Hario hand mill. Sure it takes a little more effort to get your coffee, but its not nearly as bad as people make it sound. It takes a few minutes and I usually do it while heating up the water. I also hear good things about Hario's mini slim.
I don't know snakes from dildos about that, but most folks go for either the Hario Mini or what would be called the Skerton in the US. In the US those would be $25 and $32, respectively.
I'd say this one.
How did you measure your coffee and water? What kind of filter did you use? What beans did you use and how old are they?
Would it be possible to squeeze The Skerton into your budget?
I store my beans in an Airscape and really like it. Keeps the beans fresh, protected from air, temperature, light, and moisture, looks good, and I think it's reasonably priced. I would assume that it does a similar job of storing ground coffee, but I just don't really see the point.
Once you grind the coffee, it begins to go stale much quicker than it does in whole bean form. I totally understand your desire to not wake up your girlfriend by grinding each morning, but grinding the night before is going to drastically reduce the quality of your morning brews, regardless of what you store it in. I would suggest a hand grinder like the skerton or LIDO for grinding fresh each morning without making noise. Actually, the skerton comes out to roughly the same price as the container, so if you already have some way of storing beans (really anything works as long as you're putting it in something airtight and in a dark place), I think buying a hand grinder is the better solution.
I have been using the Hario Skerton with my Clever Dripper, and it is a solid grinder. I grind about 21 grams of beans daily, and it is not too bad.
My college setup is going to be a Hario Skerton, Hario V60, and a Bonavita Electric Kettle. It may seem like a lot of money, but after that initial investment you'll spend about 90 cents per cup. Also, the V60 is much easier to clean than a french press.
So what you are going to gather here is that you aren't going to be able to obtain "espresso" for that price range. However, if your girlfriend likes strong coffee in milk there are other options that would get you there without breaking the bank.
For the coffee:
For the grinder:
Hand burr grinders from Hario or Porlex are great and have a good following. You can get a knockoff on amazon for a lot less but it may fall apart after a while. Depends on your estimated use.
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1480362440&sr=8-6&keywords=porlex
For the milk:
Frothing Pitcher: https://www.amazon.com/Gourmia-GMF215-Detachable-Stainless-Non-Stick/dp/B01MD0AAVJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1480362139&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=frother&psc=1
Frothing wand: https://www.amazon.com/Ikea-Milk-Frother-303-011-67-Black/dp/B013S27CLQ/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1480362139&sr=1-9&keywords=frother
Both of these together should get you where you need to go and make a nice gift bundle (maybe with some beans if you have a few bucks left over.
I hear that the nespresso are ok but I really have to take a stand against the waste and concept. Putting together a bundle gives you a ton of flexibility and is a more thoughtful gift in my opinion.
Hario Skerton $31
Bonavita Variable Temp $50
American Weigh Scales LB3000 $25
Total: $106
You're not going to be able to get an electric burr grinder with your budget. The cheapest, generally acceptable, burr grinder is the Capresso Infinity and it's $100.
You're going to get MUCH MUCH MUCH better flavors if you grind it right before you brew it. The oils on coffee, that give it the majority of its flavor, start to degrade very quickly (in a matter of seconds for fine grinds). You will get so much more flavor coming out of your beans if you buy them whole and then use something like the Hario Skerton to grind them right before you use them. This is usually the largest improvement when getting started out.
It depends what you're looking for and what your budget is. Personally, I make my coffee with an AeroPress, which makes a beautiful, clean-tasting cup of coffee. I actually use a super fancy grain grinder leftover from the prepping days of Mormonism. Be sure that no matter what grinder you get that it's a burr grinder, not a blade grinder. A blade will give you inconsistent sizes which will lead to over- or under-extraction of the beans. If you want something relatively inexpensive but still good, you should get a manual grinder. The Hario Skerton or Mini Mill is a good place to start. But it really depends on your budget what you should get. Electric, you might go with the Baratza Encore. You might make your way over to /r/coffee for a better answer, but that's my advice.
In my opinion, you notice the most difference with:
I'd say the most important thing is a grinder. You can go for a cheap electric blade grinder, or you could go for a slightly more expensive adjustable hand grinder. The hand grinder is great quality for the price, with the tradeoff being it can take you 3-5 minutes to grind your beans.
Start with a french press or an aeropress. Both are quick and easy, and you shouldn't have to spend more than £25 for one.
I would say that the grinder is one of the most important part in brewing a good coffee because a good grinder ensures that you have the same grind size, which means that you have an even extraction. If you buy the beans pre-ground, the beans usually oxidizes and loses some of it smell and taste. I would say that I has a lot of effect in the taste and the smell.
Grinder option:
When you say "cheap" how cheap is cheap? If you want to use a manual grinder, I would recommend a Hario Skerton https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
If you want an electronic grinder, you can buy a Baratza Encore https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1510625247&sr=1-2&keywords=baratza+encore&dpID=31mL3pz0NrL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
To any uninformed readers: the grinder OP links to is a knockoff of the Hario Skerton. If you buy a grinder of this style, make sure it is a real Skerton. Here is an Amazon review illustrating why.
First thing you need is the Hario Burr grinder (if you're on a budget).
Here is the one I use camping and at my boathouse:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ
If you're new to the coffee scene, I recommend subscribing to a coffee service like Blue Bottle Coffee until you develop a taste for what you like. It's a little pricey, so if you're on a budget buy a variety of locally sold beans.
Next, get a water kettle. I bought a variable temperature one 4 1/2 years a go and it still works great and accurately (got a new thermometer and themalcouple for Christmas and just ran an accuracy test just for this comment!)
http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Variable-Temperature-Electric-Gooseneck/dp/B005YR0F40
For the budget coffee drinker, microwave your water to a boil and measure the temperature with a $5 Walmart kitchen thermometer. Pour on your grounds at 185-195 degrees F.
If you want to get very precise, get a scale that measures to a tenth of a gram. A timer is also useful, but usually don't need to buy once since you can use your phone, microwave, watch, etc.
To add: get a good burr grinder; it releases more flavor oils by shaving the beans, rather than chopping them up. If you don't want to dish out the money for an electric (which can run well over $100), you can get a Hario-style hand grinder for $30-40. There is even a slim version for smaller hands.
Treat your awesome beans right with a good grinder and it will pay itself off in excellent coffee for years.
You can get a great hand grinder, just know it will add time to your morning routine. If you want to go that route, this is currently on sale and comes highly recommended from this board. http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1415047292&sr=1-1&keywords=Burr+grinder
The Bodum Bistro (which I use at present) is a good entry level grinder. It's expensive now but JC Penney had a ton on clearance earlier this year (maybe last year) for $45-50 so I wouldn't be surprised if you could find them private party for cheap. http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0043095WW/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1415047292&sr=1-11
Heck, I would even consider selling mine so I can upgrade.
My recommendation would be
Hario Skerton for grinding
Clever Dripper for brewing.
Aeropress is another option, but IMO the Clever is a little less clean-up to do at work. Clever gives press-like steep with filter for no sediment and easy clean-up. Either is a good option though.
Hario Skerton
I know what I'm about to say is against what you want in coffee, but the gold standard for people starting out, is the Skerton and the Aeropress.
Skerton: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1450636608&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=hario+skerton&dpPl=1&dpID=415JCWEK1sL&ref=plSrch
Aeropress: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0047BIWSK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1450636649&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=Aeropress&dpPl=1&dpID=517aTTC-7pL&ref=plSrch
Its no automatic all-in-one, but for the price, you really can't beat it for starters.
Despite spending upwards of 300$ of gear for coffee, out if the three brew methods I have, the aeropress is my go to.
Its very easy to use and there is a million different "ways" it can make coffee.
There is some effort per cup, you grind beans right before you brew and you have to find a recipe to go by, again, millions, but it makes a very very good cup.
Just my 2c
It's a [Hario Skerton] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ?pc_redir=1407652097&robot_redir=1)
I have a Hario Mini Mill, but if I had to do it over again, I would buy the Hario Skerton instead (slightly larger).
The finer the grind in these, the more even it is. I usually have mine set to ~5 clicks out from being all the way in. I get a few tiny boulders in my grind, but it's nowhere near what my cheap blade grinder had. For the Aeropress, you can actually turn a few clicks in for a finer grind, and you get extremely even results.
The finer the grind, the more cranking you're going to have to do, but it's so worth it. Assuming you're only making one or two cups, you can grind the coffee in less time than it takes the water to boil.
The hand mill is also awesome if you ever plan on travelling with it. The mini mill is small enough to throw in with your gear if you're going camping and is made out of plastic (minus the actual grind mechanism - which is ceramic), so you don't have to worry about it breaking as much. The Skerton is made of glass, so just be careful if you travel with that.
EDIT
Also, if you want to go through the trouble, you can pick the boulders out of the grind and run them back through to break them up, but that's more trouble than it's worth, in my opinion.
Yes. Most people in this sub will tell you to get a burr grinder.
If you're on a budget they'll tell you to get a hand grinder (that uses ceramic burrs) and such.
It depends on how much time you'll have and how much you're going to enjoy the process and how deep you wanna get into coffee. My advice is find the best burr grinder for however much you're willing to pay. (they go as cheap as $30 all the way up to $200-300+, then they go way way higher if they are supposed to be able to grind for espresso). Keep it simple for now. get whatever makes sense for you but most would steer you away from blade grinders, they just do a poor job and the grind is an important part of the process.
For automatic grinders that aren't too crazy expensive, many prefer this one.
Once you get the grinder, you gotta find some good coffee to go with it. Try not to cheap out and buy the stuff at the super market unless it has a "roasted on" date that is fairly recent. Look for craft coffee in your area or some online roasters that will ship coffee to you. coffee subscriptions can be nice but maybe just start slow and look around for a 3rd wave coffee joint that can sell you their recently roasted stuff.
It'll be much better than anything you can get in the store and it will probably even be cheaper than they sell it in the store. There's always places like Blue Bottle, Stumptown, Intelligentsia, etc. that will sell their coffee to you online but you'll get it a bit cheaper if you can go to a local cafe to buy their stuff.
Have fun and don't be afraid to ask more questions in /r/Coffee everyone here is really nice... usually.
It seems like others have pointed it out, but just a heads up: that's a blade grinder. If you like the cup of coffee that you're getting out of it then it's fine. There's no reason to pay more for a grinder if you're content with what you have.
BUT! If you want to try to get a better cup of coffee, then you should look into getting a burr grinder. The go-to starter for a lot of people is the Hario Skerton. It's what I used for a few years until I decided to upgrade to a better grinder (Lido-E). A burr grinder will give you a bit more consistency in your grind than a blade grinder will ever give you (try to get a coarser grind in a blade grinder and you'll end up with a lot of fine particles along with coarse bits). Here's an example of the grind produced by a burr grinder's different settings. You can see that for each setting, all of the grounds are about the same size which will lead to an even extraction when you brew.
Not OP but:
Grinder
Coffee
Brew_Method
Brewing_Gear
Edit: I should note that these beans are roasted. Roasting your own can be a whole new game. Also you will want to get a Water_kettle
Your best bet in that price range might be a hand grinder.
One in that price range is the Hario Skerton currently at $30 dollars.
Just know that it might be a lot of work to hand grind beans. If you think you can't handle this, I would save up for a Capresso Infinity or Barazta Encore or make do with the inconsistent grinds.
A hand grinder for french press is rough. You can get something like the Hario Skeron, but you wont get very consistent grinds at the french press level. I would recommend getting the Orphan Espresso mod to improve the grinder. Without overwhelming you with details, it provides more support for better consistency.
bodum french press is cheap and goodc
($10). hario hand grinder is relatively cheap and good ($40). glass tea kettle to boil water ($10). $60 total for nice tasting coffee. i did this setup for 2 years or so, no problems, but you'll use a little muscle grinding.
https://www.amazon.com/Medelco-12-Cup-Stovetop-Whistling-Kettle/dp/B000V5X826/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1500248291&sr=1-3&keywords=glass+tea+kettle
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1500248316&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+coffee+grinder
https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-BRAZIL-Coffee-Maker-French/dp/B000KEM4TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1500248377&sr=1-1&keywords=french+press+bodum
Gooseneck kettle is a must for pour overs if that's what you see in your future! I have the Bonavita 1L electric kettle. Looking back, I would have invested in the more expensive version that lets you vary temperature, but I've had great results with mine regardless.
I started out with a v60, then a Chemex, then the Aeropress. Of the 3, I use the Chemex the most often; it gives the best quality brew with the highest quantity (37g @ ~600mL of water). It took me quite a while master the pour, but it was definitely worth it!
Hope this helps and good luck on your coffee journey!
EDIT: For grinders, I have the Hario skerton. It takes a while to grind the beans, but was marvelous for my budget at the time. Once I have the money though, I'm going for the Baratza Encore. It's cheaper than the Virtuoso, but an old roommate had the Encore and I LOVED having all my beans ground in such a short amount of time.
Just some food for thought!
This is the grinder that I bought when I was first starting. Cheap and great for beginners!
Nice work going with that kettle! I have the same one.
A couple things:
1- Yes, your grinder is an issue. I call the result of the grind by that style of blade "dust and boulders". Some coffe will be over extracted, other coffee will be under extracted.
2- What kind of water are you using? Does it taste good?
3- A hand operated burr grinder will run you about 30-40 dollars ([Hario] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ)) , but I suggest you pinch a few extra dollars and go for a decent quality electric one. Your grinds will be much more uniform!
4- Have you tried properly ground coffee that's fresh? Have a local place grind a small amount before you take it home. Compare your grind and the other.
5- Do you know what kind of coffee:water ratio you prefer? How are the local places with their ratios? Ask your barista next time you get a pour over...
Good Luck!
Throw away that coffee tin and grinder. For french press especially you need a consistent coarse grind that your not going to get with a blade grinder. Get this grinder instead
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=pd_sim_k_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=19DE06SVG74MQS538Q21
Also an electric kettle will be a lot better than microwaving.
$19 will get you better coffee for years. You'll need a grinder too, but I really don't see this stuff breaking any time in the next 10 years.
Thanks for the contest. Now go and kick some ass!
Here's my entry.
Got bought one of these for my birthday, does anyone have suggestions on good places to get beans? I'm central based, and I was just going to head down to Espresso Workshop and buy some.
Alternatively, what's a good way to get into coffee snobbery in Auckland?
Aeropress
Grinders come down to price. Bare minimum Hario Skerton if you want electric I would go for Baratza Encore moving up in price Lido 2 or 3 or others of like the Helor other electrics would be Smart Grinder Pro or the Baratza Vario.
Grinder: Hario Slim ~$25 or mini mill ~$29 (looks too expensive to go for the mini mill)
Option 1: Aeropress and filters, may be just under or around $50 with the grinder, might overshoot by a few bucks. ~$29 for Aeropress and paper filters, steel filter available but not within budget (~$15-18).
Option 2: melitta pourover cone and filters, need a pyrex to heat/pour your water, but every kitchen should have one of those anyway. ~$13 for cone and filters.
Looks like going the pourover route (before shipping and whatnot) will cost you a total of ~$38, while the Aeropress will be ~$54. The pourover route will mean you don't have as great a control over the brew (many people like an expensive gooseneck kettle, but whatever), but will be significantly under-budget. The Aeropress will be slightly over budget, but you won't have to worry about pour control.
Can't comment on that grinder, but it looks like the Hario Skerton which I do have, and does a pretty good job. Not the greatest when it comes to course grind, so if you want a french press, look elsewhere, unless you do the mod, but then you can't get very good fine grinds.
I have to set aside a good 10min to do a V60 pourover, which includes boiling water on the stove, and grinding with my Skerton. I'm sure it could be done quicker with the right stuff.
For pourover look into a gooseneck, a scale, a grinder, and a pourover device (Kalita Wave/V60/Chemex).
Edit: And that grinder would be a good investment if you have the money.
I almost missed it! I've got a few upgrade from my last post! Here is my gear.
From left to right:
What's next you ask? Well with my neck paycheck, I'm buying the following:
Any recommendations for other gear? Specifically, scale recs?
Edit: Added Amazon links for anyone interested.
I have this one. Just make sure when you purchase, it says that the order will be fulfilled by Amazon. I didn't get a fake.
Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton Storage Capacity (100g) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/
Ok, so if you want a consistent grind that you can dial in accurately, you're going to want a burr grinder. Really any should be sufficient for a moka pot, because the only problems might be on the extremes of the grind size. Stay away from those whirly-blade spice grinder type of grinders.
For your low-price options, you're going to be looking more at hand grinders. They're perfectly fine (and some think they actually give a more consistent grind than the electric counterparts), they just take a little more work. A good one at a low price point would be the Hario Skerton mill ($31.58).
If you have a bit more to throw around, you might want to try an electric grinder. Some of the better ones in the middle price point are the Bodum Bistro ($140, though you can sometimes find them on a good sale). Or, you could go with the Baratza Encore ($130).
If you're looking for something more than that, I'm probably not the one to ask. But, if you're just doing moka pot coffee, those should do just fine.
Others are more than welcome to weigh in here, though!
I have the black one and i can really recommend it, the only thing is that don't trust the grinding dots on the regulator they don't really work all that well to the kinds of coffee you want to brew, especially the espresso grind. They shouldn't even have put a espresso grind choice on this one because it doesn't even grind as fine as espresso should be grinded. BUT the aeropress grind works perfect for aeropress so if you want to only grind aeropress buy it.
Or you could buy a hand grinder it's a little cheaper and you can regulate the grind of your tasting.
This is what I use. But I swear I got it for around $20.
Not sure. I'd go with the Virtuoso for every thing except Turkish and get a Link: https://amzn.com/B001802PIQ
Edit: shortened URL
I've been into this world for about 2 months now , what i can help you with are some suggestions for what i've been using lately
And about the beans , im pretty sure you can find a local roaster here or there . I used to say the same and i was totally convinced that we have 0 roasters ( regardless of whether they're good or not ) but after some research and asking around i found 4 ! Its just a matter of asking the right people .
Making good coffee i believe is a long process of trial and error , you'll get there eventually but first you have to have decent tools at your disposal. If you're able to spend a little bit over your limit and get those two pieces of equipment you're more than ready to get started with the process , you just have the other half to deal with , which is the coffee beans . Of course if you ever need help with recipes , techniques , tips , whatever . You can come to this subreddit , really filled with great people who have a lot to say so just ask !
And finally, welcome to this beautiful world !
You talking about this one? Been a while since I used it but dont remember having too many issues with inconsistent larger grinds.
Just got this. http://i.imgur.com/duwBXU0.jpg
What grinder are you using? If you have a blade-type grinder, while they're much better than using preground coffee, they make consistency both from batch to batch and within the same batch nearly impossible. I'd recommend dropping $20-30 on one of the Hario manual burr grinders.
More than just an expensive grinder you want a quality grinder. The two are not always the same. I have a Hario manual burr grinder. It gets very consistent grinds and isn't much work at all.
Link to what I have: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ/ref=mp_s_a_2?qid=1325167220&sr=8-2
I do cold brew for my weekend coffee, and it's wonderful. Less acidic, smooth, and rich. I use a Hario 1000ml pot and use a coffee mill to medium grind my beans (~100g). Espresso blends are a good place to start, flavor-wise. Slowly pour filtered cold water over your grounds. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours. Discard the grounds and enjoy.
My typical cold toddy is:
Simple syrup is crucial if you want sweetness. Even castor sugar doesn't dissolve enough. Simple syrup is... Simple. Bring equal parts (by weight) of water and sugar to a boil, stirring until fully dissolved. If you want flavors, just simmer for a while with either vanilla bean, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, honey, lavender, or whatever. Cool and then store. You can even do fancy stuff like buy caramel or chocolate sauces.
Good luck!
Edit: The Hario pot is about $20,and a coffee mill can be had for $20-40. Get some Mason jars or spring-top jars from Goodwill/SA. Get good beans and make your own syrups. Cheap investment for the best coffee you've ever had.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001VPXEBU?cache=4ea5976e2c9e936ae8b097d6c5d0065c&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1411452831&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ?cache=4ea5976e2c9e936ae8b097d6c5d0065c&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1411453722&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
For iced coffee I generally steep in a french press overnight. Plunge & serve/store. Works pretty well. As for grinders, definitely go with a burr:
-Cheaper manual: Hario Skerton
-More expensive automatic: Capresso Infinity
Mühle und Wasserkocher
Wenn du aber schon einen Wasserkocher hast, kauf bitte nicht extra einen neuen. Die Temperatur für Tee und Kaffee ist zwar wichtig aber "kocht seit zwei Minuten nicht mehr" reicht bei den beiden Getränken echt aus mit Präzision.
If you ever make coffee for friends or like brewing a few cups at once, I recommend this one instead.
The Skertron comes up a lot whenever anyone asks this question. Also, check out the Mini Mill.
The aeropress makes good coffee, but it has always been fickle for me. The Clever Coffee dripper, OTOH, is great and around the same price.
Also, I just got a new grinder (link below). Ceramic conical burr, but no motor. I don't mind doing some work for so much cheaper.
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ
It's hard to beat the affordable and durable Hario Mini Mill or Hario Kerton hand grinders. They aren't the best grinders around, but for below $40 and a little work, it's well worth the minor investment.
If you happen to choose the Mini Mill, check out the mods that are easily installed and your grind consistency will improve significantly.
Yes, I have the Porlex mini. It's not cheap at $42, but be glad you're not paying CDN prices - for me it was $60. The Porlex JP-30 Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder is larger, It says 30g capacity. I thought it held more. My mini holds 25g easily, which is a common dose for a single pourover.
The Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton is often recommended here and is slightly cheaper at $37, but I don't have any experience with it. I like that the porlex seems more durable as there is no glass. the Porlex mini also fits inside an aeropress. But you're going for the pourover first right?! ;)
The Lido is another option but maybe beyond your current budget. You can see what /r/coffee thinks about it here
You gotta be sure to use Fakespot these days. Lots of companies using shady tactics to get their review average up. This one is definitely a risky buy.
Put a bit more cash into it and get a Hario Slim or even a Hario Skerton.
Honestly, the easiest way to start is probably an Aeropress and a decent kettle. Get a gooseneck early, then you won't have to buy a second kettle later if you decide to start playing with pour-overs. If you want to make boiling water a little more passive, get an electric one. I have this one and it works like a charm.
Another cheap starter option for brewing is the V60 and its various clones. The original is plastic, but this one is ceramic and only $20. It takes some practice to get pour-overs just right, but it's worth it. And for $20, it's not a bad way to give it a shot or just to have in your collection.
Grinders are a whole discussion. I have a Baratza Encore that I really like. It's easy to maintain and Baratza's support was pretty good to me when I needed them. If you want to go a little cheaper, you might consider a Skerton or Mini Mill.
For beans, have fun. There are a ton of places to get decent beans, and part of the fun is finding new places. There are a number of redditors that roast and will probably sell beans to you if you like. (Including me!) I would suggest some, but I actually skipped this part and went straight to roasting.
EDIT: Oh, and good luck. You're opening a door to a rabbit hole, now.
The common answer will be the hario skerton
a hario hand grinder will do a decent job if you don't want to fork over 300 for an electric burr grinder, won't get it quite as fine as you want but it will be ok until you can upgrade. skip the blade grinders entirely these will make your coffee sad.
also /r/coffee
To answer your question, the strength of your coffee is mostly influenced by how much coffee you're using versus how much water. For a strong cup with your Keurig, go with the setting with the smallest amount of water. The Keurig is by no means the "best" method to make coffee, but it will make coffee. If you decide to get a manual brewer (French press, Aeropress, Kalita Wave, etc.) the brew time has some leeway, but I'd recommend just using more coffee than trying to push the recommended brew time too far. Coffee can/should be strong without being bitter, and keeping the water and coffee together too long will create bitterness.
What follows is everything you need to know about making great coffee. Warning, this may be overwhelming:
and 2) Those are your best bet. Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, you can get an automatic blade grinder if you might have an issue with manual grinding/don't want to drop a lot of money. I will mention that darker roasts are easier to grind manually so there's less worry for your wrist. The problem with blade grinders is you get a bunch of differently sized bits, which makes it more difficult to get consistency and figure out a grind size/brew time you like.I would recommend a French press (1 2 3 4) or Aeropress for someone just getting into coffee. They're much more forgiving than pour-over methods, meaning you're less likely to make a bitter cup. They each have their own drawbacks, too. An Aeropress is easier to clean up, but can only make one cup at a time. A French press takes more time to clean, but can make about 3 cups at a time. (By cups I mean a standard 12-ounce mug.) Definitely get a grinder, too (see above). A scale (1 and 2) is optional but recommended. For beans, seek out a local roaster/coffee shop, but there are tons of online options available, too.
Welcome to the wonderful (and sometimes crazy) world of coffee!
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ
I had pretty good results with this when I used it years ago.
7 hours in and not a single link, huh? Anyway, not sure about the most useful but the one I'm most in love with at the moment is my new coffee grinder and it's getting quite a lot of use. This thing is really the best. A true quality grinder will set you back an embarrassing sum and this little thing outperforms electric grinders at 5 times the cost. Get it.
I have a set up that i love that was only like 50 dollars and makes great coffee.
I have this french press
http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Coffee-34-Ounce/dp/B005ADS5FO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1450216508&sr=8-5&keywords=french+press
and this grinder
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450216551&sr=8-1&keywords=coffee+grinder+hario
It is sorta labor intensive but makes way better coffee than most machines that are way more pricey.
Also the key is to have good, fresh beans.
I also have a hario v60 for when i want to make coffee quick.
Also keep in mind grinding. Not a problem if you buy pre-ground, but if you buy whole beans, just get something like this. https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
Alright, I'll lay out two set ups for two different price points.
Cheap Set Up
Hario Skerton This is the most basic entry level grinder possible, grinds enough for one person pretty easily, and gets "good enough results for a poor college student
Aeropress You can make full cups of coffee or pseudo-espresso that you can mix with milk for a pseudo, its easy to clean, and probably the most forgiving coffee making tool.
And then any kettle and any scale. Look for cheap on both, were going for cheap here, and were not doing rocket science, should be another 25-30 total for both of these, which lands you just under $100 total for this set up. You don't need to bother roasting beans yourselves, and if you're in a college town theres probably a local roaster around that you can get good quality roasted beans from and be happy with. For cold brew just throw grounds and water in jar in you fridge for a day in a 8:1 ratio, then strain the goop the next day for a solid cold brew concentrate
The pricier beginner college set up
Baratza Encore. If you can afford this, then get it. The things great, does everything but espresso grind really well, and because its not manual its doesn't take that long and it doesn't require any real effort on your part. I love mine, but the $140 price tag could be steep (I wouldn't have bought it when I was in college, I was poor as shit).
Brew Methods: I still recommend at least an Aeropress, but pair it with a 1LFrench press too for when you want to make a lot of coffee at once, or coffee for friends. you can also make cold brew in a French press instead of a jar, and you can use it to strain it out. Also, if you really want to make the closest thing to espresso that you can without blowing $300 dollars, get a 3-cup moka pot. You can find a cheap one at your Ross or Home Goods equivalent.
For kettle, you can get a variable temp one if you want to spend the money, people recommend the Bonavita Variable Temp Gooseneck but I still just use my cheap 15 dollar kettle and am doing fine.
As far as scales go, I still just say find a cheap scale that works well enough.
Bits and Bobs
Hand held Milk Frother for frother hot milk for lattes. Sounds like something you would like.
Depending on how much coffee you drink, a Hario Mini Mill or a Hario Skerton is probably your best bet. There's really no replacement for a burr grinder if you want consistency, and the Harios have high quality ceramic burrs and are both <$50.
I ceramic hand grinder works well. This seems like a popular one. I have this one and it works pretty well. If you drink coffee pretty regularly, then you should probably go with an electric one. This Baratza is considered really good for the price.
You absolutely need the following to enjoy coffee out of a chemex:
The scale is the least necessary, but the other two are absolutely essential to make decent coffee out of the chemex.
Once you have those, watch a couple demonstration videos and mess around to find what you like! Below is the video I watched when I first started using this method:
Overall, it's a bit of an investment, but it's so worth it! The chemex is a great method, and I use it often! Good luck!
My [Hario Skerton] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ) with the [Orphan Espresso mod] ( http://www.orphanespresso.com/OE-Lower-Bearing-UPGRADE-KIT-for-Hario-Skerton-Kyocera-CM50-Hand-Grinders_p_4066.html) isn't half bad at a coarse grind. I use it for my French Press daily.
Grab one of these. On sale for 27 bucks.
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415137856&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hario+grinder
Next step is good beans. Finding the best beans is of preference choice, you'll have to explore that on your own. I started with Stumptown, Intelligentsia, Counter Culture, and Collectivo and found my favorites from there.
My recommended way of making coffee would be the Aeropress for starters, and moving on to a Moka pot for some really good espresso if you can find a hot plate.
I got recommended the porlex mini and the porlex JP-30. Both are the same expect for size and use burr grinders. Got the JP-30 and I think its great. Also heard the Hario Skerton and Hario Mini are pretty good.
Aeropress gives you a lot of freedom on the taste of your coffee, so I recommend that. There is also no need for a lot of additional equipment with it unless you want to get info coffee more in the future. Quality of your coffee is equally as important as your method, so you don't have to break your bank, but try to get your hands on locally roasted single origin beans. (Best result is if you can buy your own grinder to make the freshest coffee, but if your budget doesn't allow for that, then ground coffee will do).
Aeropress - $35
Electric grinder - $37 (decent, takes no time at all)
Hario Skerton hand grinder (more reliable, takes some time, don't cheap out on the $15 dollar amazon version if you want a decent grind) - $39
If you go this route I also recommend looking at the World Aeropress Championship recipes and following in their lead to emulate a world-class cuppa joe.
The Baratza Encore is one of the most recommended grinders over at r/coffee. $140 for a very reliable grinder with great customer service. If that's still expensive, then a hand grinder, like the Hario Skerton, is a great alternative at $40.
I don't understand this... If you make tasty coffee in the morning it is a wonderful way to start your day. The caffeine is my least favorite part of coffee (though I don't really experience much effects of it). If you have a good pour over or french press in the morning it is such a wonderful beverage. I drink it for the flavor; I didn't have any for the month and didn't experience any withdrawal effects. Get some freshly roasted beans, a grinder and a clever dripper. Once you have good coffee you won't go back.
Start looking here, https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
if you have the coin Orphan Espresso makes some badass hand grinders.
I use a refurbed baratza virtuoso cause I'm lazy and dont want a workout with my morning ritual.
I have a Hario Mini Mill which I like and it gets the job done, but I'm really looking for something electric. If you're doing french press, it doesnt take much time to grind beans but if you're doing anything finer than that it probably takes me 5 minutes to grind 45-50g of beans which just isn't what I wanna do right after I wake up. I've heard good things about the Hario Skerton as well.
For electric grinders, I've heard that the Baratza Encore is the best bang for your buck. Also, I would get an adjustable temperature kettle (people perfer goosenecks but I just have a regular one) and a kitchen scale! The scale is super useful for cooking in general and I think they're good to have, especially for coffee.
Also, I have a Chemex and love it. I don't think I could live without it.
I would advice against buying that electric grinder. It won't be very good and pretty hard to make consistent tasting coffee with.
This one uses blades. Blades to grind coffee is like using a rock to cut vegetables. Yes it gets "the job done" but with a lot of compromise.
Blade grinders (as opposed to burr grinders) are unable to grind coffee in consistent size particles. Meaning hot water won't extract your coffee evenly. Which makes a huge difference.
Cheapest "good" hand grinder is the Hario Skerton or Hario Mini Mill. A step up from that is the Porlex Mini which offers a bit better grind quality, alluminium instead of plastic, and fits inside the aeropress.
If you want to go electric the cheapest good option is this Bodum grinder but at that point you might as well go with the Baratza Encore which is a great iconic grinder that is a great grinder for everything up to espresso.
Manual grinding isn't too bad. If you enjoy "the ritual". Grinding for the Aeropress takes about 1 minute. The thing is, if you want to start brewing more, for say French Press or V60, you really want to invest in an electric grinder. Because grinding for 4 cups of coffee by hand suuuucks! Also, early in the morning, you really appreciate an electric grinder.
Ideal is to have both. But I know that's kinda crazy. Electric at home, manual for at work/while travelling.
Not sure about availability and pricing in Germany so everything here is in US dollars. If pricing over there is a straight conversion from dollars to euros ( $100 = 105€) you'll be pretty close to 100€.
In terms of grinders, you'll be in the manual grinding arena with Hario Skerton, Hario Mini or the Porlex JP-3 if you want to spend a bit more. Just be aware these are good enough for a single person but if you're doing more, be prepared to grind in batches.
Since you're doing a pour over, you're going to need a gooseneck kettle to help control your pour. You're out of the range for electric kettles with temperature control, however you may be able to find electric goosenecks without temperature controls. Again, Hario is a popular option but I've heard mixed reviews about them, namely poor heat retention and debate over whether to use it directly on a stove top. The Stagg Kettle is well regarded and can fit into your budget if you choose a less expensive grinder.
Orphan Espresso has an upgrade kit for the Hario Skerton (or Kyocera CM-50CF) which makes it suitable for press, but it also makes it more difficult to adjust to finer settings. The reason they have the upgrade kit is because otherwise the burrs rattle around on the spring mechanism when working with coarser grinds, resulting in unevenness (though definitely better than a blade grinder). The Skerton + the OE upgrade is likely the best bang for your buck in terms of hand grinders which perform well at coarser settings!
I have this grinder and I love it. Definitely go for Hario.
Hario makes quite good manual burr grinders.
I think you answered your own question. If you have been using and enjoying a french press then stick with it there is a whole range of size and price options and even places like Target sell them. As far as other inexpensive options there are a variety of pour over devices that use paper filters which may be easier to clean up. I have a Cilio #4 that I use at work with a Hario Skerton grinder and a cheap electric kettle. The Cilio is porcelain and has held up well but there are some stainless ones. There is also the Aeropress which is a fun little gizmo and makes great coffee. The Porlex grinder nests nicely inside the Aeropress plunger so it takes up very little space in a bag.
A burr grinder & high quality beans are essential if you want to make excellent coffee. Here's the most minimal & least expensive burr grinder that I know of...
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ
I'm satisfied with mine, but every so often I feel lazy and yearn for the expensive, massive burr grinder that I sold.
The one in OP's pic looks like a Hario Skerton
There is lots of info at /r/coffee ..... my recommendation based on my research and my use is the Hario Mini. The Skerton has some downsides as compared to the mini which swayed me to the mini. It's been almost 2 years since I researched so I don't remember exactly the differences.
As for the Aeropress in OP's picture, it is a very fine coffee maker and I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend a Chemex. I use my Chemex daily and the Aeropress frequently.
/r/coffee should have all the info you need.
The best beans in the world will only go so far if you grind them at the store weeks in advance then run them through a Mr. Coffee. If you want to up your coffee game at home, I'd highly recommend an Aeropress plus a cheap burr grinder (automatic or manual).
i'd say at that price try to find something used. this way:
1.)if you get a cheap pump-driven pressurized portafilter machine, you're not going to regret it after moving up and realizing you spent so much on something that would have little value later (for resale, or just keep as a "backup")
2.)you may be able to find a decent used machine. not sure what the UK market is like but here (vancouver, canada) you can find stuff like the old starbucks machines (with the non-pressurized PF) comfortably in that price range.
either way, if you get used make sure the owner can show you how to pull a shot on the machine. the reason is it can be quite involved (especially for better machines), and it also shows if machine is in good shape (the gaskets, especially). on cheaper machines it may be close to impossible to replace. (i picked up a bar32 for $5 at a thrift sale to play with, and it leaks like crazy. =)
as to the grinder, this article is making more and more sense the more i'm getting into espresso. there is a minor loophole: the hario hand grinders here and here can actually get you to pretty close to the grind that works on most machines.
TL;DR- machine: try get used. grinder: hario hand grinders
Ok I am going to try to answer every question
Lastly, and most importantly, BUY A GOOD BURR GRINDER. Freshly ground truly does make all the difference. A good starter is the Hario Skerton availiable on Amazon, or a Hario mini mill, also on Amazon.
I hope this helps! Good luck man!
Can I recommend the AeroPress width this hand grinder?
Clean up is much easier than french press. The coffee grounds come out as a puck you can just direct into the trash. One thing though! The AeroPress does not make espresso as advertized. In fact, their instructions are not really worth reading. Instead, go to BrewMethods.com and find an AeroPress method you like.
edit: grammar
Amazon link.
They do at my work as well, but it's my K-Cups.
The solution is lame, but it's effective, and produces a better cup IMO:
1.) I have a pourover coffee maker. http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/three-cup-classic-series-coffeemaker.html
2.) I bought a hand crank grinder. https://smile.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ?ie=UTF8&amp;sa-no-redirect=1
3.) I have a gooseneck kettle.
I just make hot water in the keurig, have it drip into the gooseneck, grind up some beans, and do a pourover, slowly at my desk.
Everyone stopped taking my coffee. Plus with some locally-roasted beans, it beats the shit out of anything Keurig.
For ease and lower cost, I'd recommend getting a hand grinder like a Hario Skerton and a Clever Dripper. If you have a little extra cash, step up to an electric burr grinder like the Baratza Encore. Any kind of electric kettle will be your best way of boiling water.
In a basic coffee system, grinding fresh before you brew is likely to make the greatest positive impact and electric is super easy. A hand grinder might take 30-45 seconds to grind for a batch of coffee, but that's a small time investment for a large return. In terms of brewers, lots of folks like the Aeropress for its portability and its ability to produce fantastic coffee, but I like the Clever because it's also very easy and tends to produce a normal cup of coffee rather than a more intense and concentrated cup that you get from the Aeropress.
Seriously, get a grinder! A Skerton is all you need for cafetiere, and it's only £23.
As the other guy mentioned, Hasbean is a great place to buy beans. There is also Rave and Pact and numerous other roasters selling beans online, too many to mention. The advantage of getting your beans from these guys rather than in the supermarket is that they're freshly roasted, whereas the supermarket stuff was probably stale before it even left the warehouse.
I second the Hario Skerton or the Slim. Those are the best grinders you're going to be able to find at that price range. Absolutely steer clear of any blade grinders whatsoever.
I have the previous iteration of this hario and it works great. Be sure to order the metallic filter like keith_is_good recommended, even more savings and cleaning is a not an issue
No problem! You can always get the Hario mini mill for ~$22 if you want a cheaper option; that's what I'm using right now until my LIDO 3 comes.. which will hopefully be sometime soon.
A step up from that would be a Porlex grinder for $52. From what I've read, the mini actually fits inside the Aeropress which will be good for travel. I think it has better grind consistency than the mini mill, but there are pretty cheap mods you can do to the Hario Mini Mill (tape and rubber band) and the Skerton (someone sells a 3d printed mod attachment). The Porlex is made of metal, though. Which may be worth the extra, if that's your thing.
If you're looking for an electric grinder that's good for everything but espresso, you can look for a Baratza Encore, which is widely recommended on /r/coffee. It's ~$120, but can last you a long time. Baratza also sells them on their site refurbished for ~$90 from time to time. Though, shipping costs will kill you and make getting a new one almost more worth it. I was thinking about getting one for myself but I opted for the more expensive LIDO since I anticipate living with roommates for a few years and electric grinders are loud. If I were older and settled down, I probably would've opted for this or a Virtuoso. I'm planning to get myself a Baratza Sette 270W when I actually make money, though :p
I think a lot of people don't know what technology is readily available to them, and even more people don't take a long enough view of things to realize how much money the initial investment in equipment will ultimately save them. You can get a good hand grinder (http://amzn.to/OF5wp8) and french press for around $60 total and enjoy excellent coffee every morning. (Digital thermometer might be needed for some people as well.. after a while you can tell when the water is the right temperature by the sound of your kettle.)
Ultimately, you'll find a group of nerds who are into coffee. It takes a certain amount of energy to read up, refine your palate (my current struggle), and develop your skill. It is also easier (in my opinion) to experiment with coffee than with cooking, as it takes only a few minutes and little money to pull a shot. There are tons and tons of variables that effect coffee much more, depending on what you're cooking (humidity, pressure, temperature, beans, etc) but the variation in a lot of those variables can be minimized by pulling many shots in the same session with the same beans, in the same weather, with the same machine.
In the Boston area, it seems that the awareness of good coffee has been spreading and is becoming more popular.
Can't go wrong with an Aeropress and a [Hario skerton](
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ). You could also substitute the skerton for a Hario Mini Mill, same basic thing, just different sizes.
would this Hario be a decent starting grinder in your opinion?
This is the right answer! I love the aeropress. I'll only add that you can get a hand-grinder that isn't that expensive, and it is a great complement to the Aeropress. You can really get close to that espresso taste and texture with a finer grind and an Aeropress. (But above comment is right, you could totally skip it and still have a really enjoyable imitation latte.)
Thanks for the info. I have a French press and the grinder is adjustable, but it doesn't have numbers on it. This is the one I have. So I've had to adjust it and use trial and error. I'm happy enough with it instead of the pour-over style.
> A higher quality grinder will give you a more consistent grind.
I agree, I have a $36 Hario burr grinder that I love.
Sorry people are being jerks. It's definitely not good to reuse the grounds, especially if you're going to drink it black. I would recommend maybe getting a metal filter, so you can just rinse it out after each use and you should use fresh grounds every time. If you want to step up your game a little, you could get a grinder and use whole beans (they taste way fresher). You can either get an electric one like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JFHHMN2/ref=s9_topr_hm_b1DNO_g79_i1
Or you could get a hand grinder like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ/ref=s9_topr_hm_b1DNO_g79_i8
The electric one is more convenient, but the hand grinder will give better results (and it really isn't that time consuming). Beyond that, there's an entire world of stuff to look at - chemex, aeropress, moka pots, hario pourovers, better beans, better grinders, a hot water kettle... It's all just a matter of how much time / money you want to put in. Good luck and I hope this helps!!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001802PIQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
This one. I'll definitely do that. There is a local roaster who goes by the name "Bald Guy Brew" who roasts coffee for most of the local shops. I might get a pound or two from him.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001802PIQ/
It was this one. The issue, I think, is not the listing itself, but who is doing the selling since they're all fulfilled by Amazon. Mine was from Master Brewers, which appears to have been shut down. The current batch seems to be sold by Tokyo Blue Sea Market. I have no idea if theirs will be real or knock-off. I think I'm just going to avoid this listing altogether now.
For a lower price grinder I would go with a burr hand grinder. Something like this one Hario Skerton for $40
For electric, I've been using what seems to be the lowest recommended for anything other than espresso. A refurbished Baratza Maestro (Looks like now it's called the Maestro Plus) which is $95.00 from Baratza -Maestro Plus be sure to click refurb and not new for the cheaper one.
On another note, I really enjoy my coffee, however it has always been due to the amount of work I get done relative to cups I have. Rather than taste. I'm trying to get more into the taste side, so it can be another aspect that I enjoy.
With that said I have a Modo Mio to make espressos, a french press for normal black coffee. I'm still in the phase of buying pre-ground beans..
I'm looking to make espressos from beans, is this the right tool Bialetti Brikka to make one? and is this the right grinder to grinder Hario the beans to the specific fineness?
Thanks for the reply! I edited my above post just after your reply, with what you said being the case, would you still recommend me going for this grinder if I go that route? Some reviews stated that it was hard getting a coarser grind with this because of how it was made, but I saw a "hack" in a review where they replace the handle with a 6m connector nut and used a drill on a low setting to grind the beans, which sounds hilarious to me. My above post was edited to include a coffee dripper and server, as well.
I only plan on brewing one or two cups at a time, so I'm unsure of whether I'd want a carafe. Would you recommend one for someone who has no idea what they're doing? I've forgotten that I'd end up needing a scale as well if I go for a maker that requires practice, so that'd have to be added to the cost.
Also, since you've stated that a gooseneck kettle isn't completely necessary, would you recommend that I go ahead and grab a coffee dripper like I've linked above, a french press and a grinder and then go from there?
Sorry for completely bombarding you with questions, by the way. I'm going to be getting a substantial amount of free coffee beans on Sunday and I'm curious on the best way to use them up. The only coffee maker in the house is a Keurig and I'd really like to step my game up and hopefully introduce the others to better coffee.
This one?
Or this one?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001802PIQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HBCVX0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
There are some very affordable burr grinders out there, and it's worth the investment. You'll use it pretty much everyday. Hand grinders can be very cheap, and work great. Hario Skerton is a popular choice (I've seen it around for cheaper, but this is at least what's on amazon). Plenty of options, all varying in price. There's a pretty decent burr grinder from Kona I've used before, which I got for like $20.
But manual grinding can take some time. And if you're like me, and you want some quick coffee in the morning, then it's worth investing in an electric. There are some pretty decent electric burr grinders out there. You really don't have to pay a fortune. Here are a few cheap options:
Capresso Infinity
Bodum Bistro
Baratza Encore
But you can get far snobbier than just grind...
What kind of water are you using? Hopefully filtered, not tap. And definitely not distilled, since you want some of those minerals for flavor. Now, if you want to get even fancier, try using these mineral packets. I think each packet mixes in with 1 gallon of distilled water. I haven't tried it myself (I just use a brita) but I've heard good things. The quality of water makes a huge difference. This was the first "eureka" moment for me, when I moved from tap to filtered.
Next, how are you making your coffee? There are some great, cheap equipment out there. In this sub, here are some pretty cheap and popular choices:
Aeropress
Chemex
Pour-over
French press
We're getting pretty deep in the rabbit hole, right? Not yet! How about measuring the weight of the coffee? Consistency is important. You need the same, proper coffee-to-water ratio for the best cup. You can find people debating over the best scales, some costing hundreds. I'd just get a cheap one if I were you. You can find some decent cheap ones from like $10 to $30. If you want the best bang for your buck, look into American Weigh Scales.
I guess I can mention temperature of water as well. You can get thermometers or even electric kettles with built-in thermometers (like this). I think temperature matters so much more for tea than coffee, but it's something you need to keep in mind for coffee as well.
Here's probably the most important thing, in my opinion: where are you getting your coffee? What is the roast date? Unless you're buying your coffee directly from the roaster, you're probably not buying freshly roasted beans. It makes a world of difference. Try finding a local roaster and getting your beans from them, freshly roasted.
I'm sure there's plenty of other ways you can splurge money on coffee, but I'll let you figure it out!
(edited to fix the links)
The best investments you can make are in a quality grinder and a decent scale. I would suggest you don't waste your time with a blade grinder. As others have said, Hario makes a few great hand grinders:
Hario Slim
Hario Skerton
You can use any cheap scale. This is the one that I suggest to most people.
Since you are on a budget I would lean towards an aeropress or a french press. They are close to the same price (~$30) so it depends on the style of coffee that you enjoy. You can certainly use a pour over, but I feel that to get a consistent cup you will also need a goose neck kettle which might put you over your budget.
I've been contemplating this one since I have a tiny kitchen and all the electric ones are too big.
The blade you have will be easier to use, but you should find you get better coffee using the burr grinder. I started out with this guy because they had it at Kitchen Kapers, and I needed something quiet (manual-only) and burr.
I wouldn't recommend that one. The Kyocera doesn't have a lid, so you have to be careful to keep it upright and not grind too fast or beans fly out. Looks like the Hario version of the one I bought has a lid so it would do better, but I see the one you linked as many people's preference, so I'm sure that'll be great.
I stopped using my hand grinder because I'm lazy, and I just ordered my coffee ground for the last couple years, but then last month I bought an Baratza Encore and have been quite happy with that so far and think that will keep me satisfied for as long as it lives.
If you're like me and having to hand grind your coffee results in you not making coffee when you would have otherwise, then just buy it pre-ground and save up for a nicer electric burr grinder.
I personally don't have any experience with hand-grinders, but I've never heard of the brand that you linked to.
For the same price, you can get the Hario version, which I've seen mentioned many times around here or elsewhere.
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1367909303&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=kyocera+grinder
Not a pepper mill per se, but it works brilliantly as one. The Hario Coffee Hand Grinder Skerton uses a ceramic milling mechanism. I use it for coffee and other things that require grinding. Very adjustable/versatile/BI4L worthy.
I really love the Hario Skerton hand grinder. Great for grinding coffee for 1-2 cups and it's cheap.
1.21 Gigawatts
I really want the coffee shop people looking at me like a criminal when I ask them to grind my beans . . .
If you want a conical, ceramic burr grinder you can get a Hario Skerton for pretty cheap.
Coffee should be brewed directly after it's been ground. Know how amazing coffee ground smell after they've been ground? That's the flavors and aromas exploding from the grounds!
I make room for a good coffee setup!
Hario V60
V60 filters
Hario Ceramic Grinder
/r/coffee represent!
Is this the 25 skerton you're referring to?
https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Grinder-Capacity-Espresso-Brewing/dp/B010UJZ5XW/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479422952&amp;sr=1-6&amp;keywords=hario+skerton
I just ask because this is the one that I've been mostly seeing.
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479422952&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hario+skerton
What's the difference? Is the $15 worth the extra?
Yeah, a grinder is probably the most important piece and should constitute the majority of your budget. I mentioned the Hario Skerton and the Capresso Infinity as two possible options within your budget.
That's a really great deal. Purchase that and if you're not on a super tight budget grab a grinder like the Baratza Encore or something similar. If you are on a tight budget then grinder wise you could pick up a Hario Skerton for cheap and most people will recommend you this scale as it's very affordable and very accurate. Also has the option to plug into the wall so you're not burning through batteries all the time but I would recommend just picking up a set of rechargeable batteries.
$13 for the solo fill cup http://www.amazon.com/Solofill-Refillable-Keurig-K-Cup-Brewers/dp/B005K0L2U2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1377875628&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=solofill
$39 for the hand grinder http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1377875651&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hario+skerton
I hand wash my solofill cup... not sure if it can go in the dishwasher.
I will check it out! Also is this the grinder you have? It got good reviews and I am thinking of getting it. Can't really see how big it is.
Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill (100g) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_4QjTDb4467BFB
Buy my coffee from Thomsons in the South Side (Giffnock). And then use a Hariog grinder and Aeropress to make the coffee.
Aeropress is ok, but you can get similar results with a simple single-cup pourover.
You can find one of these plastic filter holders for $3-6 at any big grocery store: https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6
Then get some #2 paper cone filters which are also very cheap.
The part that gets expensive (if you want it to be!) is a coffee grinder. I have a nice electric one at home that I paid about $300 for. But when I'm on the road I use a hand-grinder: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ. The Hario one is $35 but you can find similar ones for $20.
You could also just spend $10 on a shitty electric blade grinder. The fresh-ground coffee will still taste better than the pre-ground stuff but you might not get full flavor extraction if the grind is inconsistent.
To boil water I use an electric kettle, but you can also just use a propane stove or microwave or whatever you have available. I heat my water to anywhere between 190oF and 205oF, actually boiling water is too hot for coffee.
The most important single thing you can do for awesome coffee is simply grinding the beans fresh and then making the coffee. Everything else that coffee snobs do as part of their coffee ritual don't add too much more unless you have a really refined palate and are serious about coffee. Some people need to have their beans uniformly ground at the right diameter, use water at an exact temperature, and have a drip process that lasts for a precise amount of time. They aim for consistency so they spend a shitload on expensive grinders and kettles. They'll only use beans that were roasted within the past week.
But for me, as long as the beans were roasted within the past couple of months (pro-tip: don't buy a bag of coffee beans if it doesn't have the roasting date on it), I grind them fresh for coffee, and use water-that-isn't-boiling-yet, I get a cup I can really enjoy.
You cannot get a quality burr grinder, but for someone new to coffee, the Hario Skerton is perfectly adequate.
Well this is gonna get kinda long and will only scratch the surface but I'll break down the pros and cons of some of the most popular entry-level gear in as un-confusing of a way as I can. First up, let's look at grinders.
First off, you want a burr grinder, particularly a conical burr grinder because those blender-y blade grinders they sell at wal-mart for $5 don't get any kind of a consistent grind. Varying sizes in a grind means varying levels of extraction in the cup and that means off flavors. Because burr grinders are more expensive, hand crank conical burr grinders are commonly recommended to beginners because of their lower price point compared to similar quality electrics. They're cheap and work well but do have some drawbacks beyond the extra effort involved in grinding. First, most of them don't have actual grind settings and you adjust the grind size by twisting a wheel until it looks as fine/coarse as you want it to. If you use different brew methods and switch grind size a lot, this can be a bit of a pain. Second, most hand grinders aren't ideal for french press because of the way the burrs are stabilized; they'll give fantastic fine/medium grinds but the coarse grind is a tad inconsistent. That said, I use a hand grinder for french press all the time and am relatively happy with the results. A few common ones are:
The Hario Skerton. I personally have one and love it. As I said, not perfect for french press but it's a durable daily driver that never lets me down and can do an espresso grind damn near as well as a $300 baratza
The hario mini is essentially the same grinder in a different, smaller package. Perfect for travel
The porlex JP-30 is a tad more expensive but has grind settings that, while unmarked, do "click" into place making adjusting grind coarseness a bit easier
If you wanted to go the electric route, I've seen refurbished Baratza encore grinders for around $100. This will give you a mediocre espresso grind but a perfect and much easier drip and french press grind
Next up: preparation methods
French presses use a metal mesh filter, which gives you all of the oils in the cup and lets a tiny bit of really fine coffee solids through, which gives the cup a rich, full-bodied, velvety character They're also very easy to use as there's pretty much one accepted way to brew in them. And here's Philly's own Todd Carmichael demonstrating it. As far as which one to buy, they're all pretty much the same: a glass tube with a stick in it and some mesh on the end of the stick. I like my sterlingpro a lot but the bodum chambord is hugely popular and looks just as nice. Even a cheapo will do the job just as well, though, even if it doesn't look as nice.
pourovers do essentially the same thing as a drip coffee machine just with a lot more input from you, which is good because all but the most ludicrously expensive drip machines are very inconsistent and don't work as well as just doing it your own damn self. With a pourover, you're going to use a kettle or measuring cup with a spout to pour the water over the grounds in a set amount of time (3-4 minutes depending on the grind size) and usually in a very specific manner. Because these use a paper filter, there are no oils or insoluble solids in the cup so the coffee is clearer, tastes cleaner and usually a bit brighter than french press coffee. Popular models include the Hario v60 which is one of the more finicky models. If you decide on one of these, be sure to use a gooseneck kettle like Mr. Carmichael was using in the french press video above. Slightly more forgiving are the kalita wave and the melitta both of which would work fine with a normal kettle so long as it has some type of pour spout. If you want something with very thick filters, so as to produce a very clear cup, and also looks very nice, the chemex is a beautiful thing that produces great coffee, has a built-in carafe, and can make more than one cup at a time. Really more of a replacement for a large-volume drip machine than most pourovers.
The Aeropress is an absurdly popular, extremely versatile, and very well priced coffee brewer which is essentially a huge syringe with a paper filter instead of a needle. There's a thousand recipes online with different ways to use it, all of which produce a different cup.
Also worth noting is that you may want a kettle with temperature control, coffee should be brewed at 195-205F, so knowing what temp your water is helps reduce a lot of the headaches of cooling off boiled water for a vague amount of time. This bonavita is a little on the pricey side but has temp control and a gooseneck, which is always useful
Amazon, with free shipping
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1335546940&amp;sr=8-1
I've never used either the Javapresse or any other manual grinder, but the Hario Skerton is usually brought up when people ask about manual grinders, and it's a little closer in price to the Javapresse (~$35). Just another one to think about.
Eh. I can do $60, or maybe a couple bucks more. I have amazon prime, so at least I won't need to worry about shipping.
Here's what came up when I searched for Hario Skerton - does that seem right?
Here's the highest rated aeropress - how does it look?
Mainly convenience. If you can't afford that burr grinder, buy this:
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
I just wanted to plug the Hario (or Kyocera) hand burr grinder. Two other people have mentioned it, but since you said you're brewing a cup a day, it is perfect. The quality and construction of the actual burr is equivalent to what you would find in a 2-300 dollar electric burr grinder. The high prices you're paying then are for the unit and the motor. Blade grinders are crap, and a $50 burr grinder has such a low quality grinding apparatus you're not much better off than using a blade grinder.
Also - I find the grinding process quite pleasant in the morning while I wait for the water to boil. It's quiet and smooth, and it really doesn't take long even for a large french press.
The only downside is that switching between an espresso grind and a Keurig grind will take a bit on the hand grinder. I use mine for my french press, Bialetti, and Keurig - and I keep the same grind for all three, which works great.
Linkage: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1346279157&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=hario+grinder
A bunch of people said get a grinder, but only one mentioned what kind.
You'll want a burr grinder, which will get a much more consistent grind than a blade grinder. There are electric ones (expensive) and manual ones (less expensive). The sidebar has a wiki with more information than I can type on mobile, but generally they point you towards one of two manual burr grinders.
They are:
The Skerton is bigger than the mini, but has some consistency problems with coarser (?) grinds. It's fixable by either purchasing or 3d printing a piece that you replace manually.
There are also electric burr grinders, but they are expensive and I don't have one, so I can't offer much advice there.
Anyway, good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ
This grinder (the slim you listed is probably great too), and anything from Counter Culture that says something along the flavor pallet of "Earthy". If he does not like Ethiopian he does not want something acidic most likely. Any brand like Crema, Barista Parlor, Counter Culture, thats from South America would probably interest him. I could get more complex but those will be easy sites to order from.
Stay far away from that blade grinder!!! It's good for spices, not coffee. If you want to keep it cheap, get a hand burr grinder. I've been happy with my Hario Skerton and there's a 3D-printed mod on the front of /r/coffee right now that will improve coarse grind consistency.
I'd honestly stay away from that cheap electric burr grinder too. The Hario is kind of a pain because it's by hand, but you're not buying anything quality for $35 in an electric.
Get an Aeropress, no brainer there. If you camp/hike/travel at all, the Porlex JP-30 (left) fits nicely inside the Aeropress. I have heard good things about the Porlex but don't have one. I do have a Hario Skerton and used it everyday for 2 years to make coffee in a job trailer during out of town work. I continued using it at home until I bought my Bodum Bistro about 6 months ago. I still take it camping but it's bulky and fairly delicate with the glass bottom. Also make sure you get or use a thermometer for your water. Don't just boil and pour.
I made a video on this with the almost exact same title a few months back, but it was more focused on the "lazy" aspect haha. But I don't think you need to spend $100 for personal (single cup) use, you can get an Aeropress for $25, a
Hario Skerton for ~$40 OR a Hario Mini Mill for ~$30, and
a scale that measures grams for $10 (American Weigh Systems makes cheap digital scales)
All on Amazon-- but the scale is really only important until you get enough practice, and you'll start to eyeball everything. That's basically all you need other than the coffee. Specialty coffee is tough to get under $20/bag, maybe cheaper with a subscription. With the coffee, it's less than $100, albeit not by much.
For what it's worth even if you don't use specialty/single origin coffee, you can still get better coffee out of an Aeropress and a Skerton using fresh ground whole bean bulk coffee from say, Wholefoods, than you could with a Mr. Coffee machine and some Folgers.
Completely agree with /u/milehighmischief 's comment though, if you're using old or burned coffee, you're gonna have a bad time.
Coffee has a lot of interesting natural flavors, and you can easily and inexpensively step up your coffee game for even better coffee that has it's own nutty or caramel notes, that will be even tastier than Starbucks or Duncan Donuts. :)
Honestly though the great thing is you can pick ONE of these things and have better coffee, and each thing you do will improve your cup. And then you can go to /r/coffee and go down the rabbit hole of "the perfect cup". I'm kind of a coffee-snob poser: I get my beans from Trader Joe's and don't own a grinder. But what I get from my French Press is miles ahead of what I used to drink, it allowed me to cut out sugar or sweeteners.
You can buy one of those hand grinder. They're pretty cheap and make pretty consistent grind. So just grind as you drink.
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1418254756&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hario+grinder
Wait...what is your budget? Are you willing to spend £150?? If so, we could probably put together a great beginners setup for your boyfriend.
I'm thinking:
Aeropress
And Baratza Encore but that's a little over 150. Instead of an Aeropress, a Clever would work, too, but you would also need #4 filters.
Actually, if you want to give him a lot of options for 150, you can get him the Aeropress (23), Clever (18), #4 filters (4), Hario Hand Burr Grinder (22), and a Mocha Pot (23) for a grand total of ~90 quid. I'd also add a .1 gram digital scale for 15 extra. So 105 for quite a good introductory setup for coffee (and I'm assuming you have a kettle for boiling water).
this one?
I currently use this one
I have owned the Hario Slim and the Hario Skerton grinders, they are both very recommendable products. Lots of adjustment and pretty fast. They each take around 300 turns to grind depending on your grind size. The slim is small and ideal for 1 cup, but I'd recommend the Skerton if you want to process more grounds at a time. I think the Skerton produces a better quality overall grind too. Both make delicious coffee.
I use one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ as it's not electric (marginally lower electrical bill) and it doesn't consume any/much counter space. Also I only ever grind enough coffee for what I'm using at that moment.
Hario Ceramic Grinder - $40
Nice adjustable grind. Mine lasted 5 years of daily use. I'm on my second one now.
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
This one? This is going to end up in a bag pretty often. I don't think I'm comfortable putting glass in there. I travel. Airport's aren't great about glass.
Hi David! Huge fan of your show, btw.
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If you want something simple, go with a Rancilio Silvia, which you can find here. https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/rancilio-silvia-espresso-machine-version-m. It’s not as high tech as something that Saeco or La Marzocco would put out but when paired with a Rancilio Rocky grinder they are a great duo worth their price.
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On the higher end of the price range, the Saeco Superautomatic Xelsis is literally all you will ever need. Anecdata here: a close friend of mine uses it, and it's great. It's fully digitized, it's smaller, it looks great, and the performance is second to none for home espresso IMO. https://www.amazon.com/Saeco-SM7684-04-Automatic-Espresso/dp/B07G3XYR3R. ($2,399)
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My personal espresso machine I have used for the past 5 years is a Gaggia Classic Semi-auto espresso maker. I can't find it on amazon, however the Gaggia Anima is very similar and actually a bit better than mine. https://www.amazon.com/Gaggia-Automatic-Macchiato-Cappuccino-Programmable/dp/B016RYODRS/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=gaggia+classic&qid=1558640715&s=home-garden&sr=1-4 ($899)
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As for grinders, I would definitely recommend getting an automated burr grinder. I personally hand grind my coffee just because I like the control it gives you, but it is time consuming. If you want a good hand grinder, start with the Hario Skerton. https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=hario+skerton&qid=1558640805&s=home-garden&sr=1-2 ($40)
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For an automated grinder, I would start with the Baratza Virtuoso. It's roughly $250 USD and the quality is up there
Hey all,
Just had a question about grinders. I currently use a French Press and am looking into buying a grinder. I am stuck between the [Hario Skerton]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=psdc_14092841_t1_B013R3Q7B2) and this conical [JavaPresse] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013R3Q7B2/ref=psdc_14092841_t1_B001802PIQ). I was wondering which would be better for my current setup. I don't really plan on brewing more than two cups at a time. If you have any other suggestions I'd be open to those as well.
Thanks for your help
Many folks concur that the grind can make or break a brew (with good beans, of course). For this purpose, burr grinders (which use two cones fitted together to break up the beans to evenly sized pieces) are much better than blade grinders (which just chop up the beans unevenly, like a blender).
For under $70, your best bet is likely the Hario Skerton hand grinder, or their Slim Mill grinder. This would leave you plenty of cash for a french press— most brands will be perfectly fine, Bodum included.
If you wanted to go a different route, the Aeropress is a popular option. Compared to a french press, there are less leftover coffee grinds in your cup and it tends to taste cleaner, but it's a little more finicky in the brewing process. People often dilute Aeropress brews, like an americano.
Check out the side bar for more recs. Cheers to the rabbit hole.
I have had this one for over 3 years now. Love it.
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539025043&sr=8-3&keywords=hario+grinder
Grinding beans just before brewing is highly recommended, you should notice a distinct difference in taste quality. Every morning I would grind my beans using a ceramic conical burr coffee mill for my AeroPress (french press) which tasted much better than pre-ground. But over time that process became tedious and I have since switched to the faster, more convenient (and better tasting) Lavazza espresso maker.
I see the various hand grinder recommended a lot
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HeIwCb8JE9R6N
Would this one be significantly better than my current one?
I'd recommend the Clever. It is easy to use and like it says, it will make ~18 oz. Make it a little strong and dilute with 2 more oz of water for your 20 oz mug. This sub plugs the Hario mini mill or skerton for hand grinders as well.
I have recently invested in some budget coffee equipment for making pour over coffee (iced and hot):
Questions:
Standard coffee cooling too quick. Should I heat up full decanter and my cup before brewing? Or should I just get a ceramic dripper and save the decanter for iced coffee?
My coffee enthusiast friend told me to use spring water and what a difference it has made! That being said, I'd like to avoid wasting it as much as possible. Would it be gross to use near boiling spring water to heat up decanter and cup, then pour it back into the jug with other spring water? Any other advice for using non-tap water?
The Hario Mini is pretty good for grinding enough beans for 1 or 2 cups:
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mini-Mill-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/
or a Hario Skerton which is a bit bigger:
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/
They have nice ceramic burrs and a smooth motion. Additionally they are quite popular so it's easy to find a ballpark figure for what setting to use for different brew methods.
For brew method, I would probably say aeropress is your best bet. Other good budget options are Clever Dripper, Moka Pot, french press, Kalita Wave, Melitta. Most of these methods work reasonably well without any additional equipment.
These methods all produce different cups, so it depends what you like. Anything with a paper filter tends to lead to a smooth cup without much body, the thicker the filter the more tea-like the cup. French press uses a metal filter so lets a lot of particles into the final cup, which makes it a lot more thick and soupy.
Hey man, saw you over in the P5 thread and wanted to help you out over here!
Like the other guys said, check the sidebar first. As for roasting, I wouldn't recommend roasting as a beginner. Roasting can be a trial in patience, and there are already a ton of variables you need to focus on when learning how to brew to your liking. A lot of the people on this sub sell roasted beans, and like you said, there are definitely lots of roasters in your area of the world if you can find them.
Since you're getting invested in this, I would definitely recommend an electric burr grinder -- hand grinding gets old quickly, and you definitely want it to be a burr grinder and not a blade grinder. If you can't purchase the electric grinder, this one is also highly recommended. I also recommend a kitchen scale. Even though I don't really use a scale anymore, it helped when learning to understand about how much coffee and water I preferred when brewing. As far as the brew method goes, I usually tell my friends to start with an Aeropress, but since you've been playing P5, I think a V60 or Kalita Wave might fit your fancy. You can check out more information on how to brew each of these here. If you're going to use this method, just know that a gooseneck kettle will be preferable to a kettle with a small spout.
Good luck!
I just bought the Delonghi EC702:
http://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-EC702-15-Bar-Pump-Espresso-Stainless/dp/B001CNG7RY
It's basically the same machine just a the steam wand is a little better. I have a Bodum Burr Grinder:
http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0043095WW/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332696852&amp;sr=1-1
Works very nicely. However if i could have done it over again i would have bought the Baratza Maestro instead:
http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Black-Maestro-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0002OQNVO/ref=pd_sbs_hg_15
If you are looking to go cheap i would buy the Hario Mini Mill:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332696967&amp;sr=1-3
The Mini Mill is nice because it has a lid, unlike it's larger borther the Hario Skerton:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332696967&amp;sr=1-5
The Skerton is also a bit harder to hold and grind with (i've tried both). Since your basket will only hold about 12-13 grams you should be fine to use the mini mill.
Just wanted to add links for those sourcing their own kit...... (cough cough like me for example). Obviously there are cheaper alternative sites out there where you can source everything if you like.
http://www.amazon.com/Mypressi-Twist-Portable-Espresso-Maker/dp/B002L16IRU
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332473309&amp;sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&amp;field-keywords=espresso+cup
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_gnr_fkmr0?rh=i%3Agarden%2Ck%3Aespresso+tamper&amp;keywords=espresso+tamper&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332473497
http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Signature-AWS-100-Digital/dp/B0012LOQUQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332473557&amp;sr=8-2-fkmr0
http://www.amazon.com/Plano-Protector-Single-Pistol-Case/dp/B000P3WPHI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332473744&amp;sr=8-1
Thanks. This one?
Hario Medium Glass Hand Coffee Grinder with Ceramic Burrs https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2--YAbNRD0ZSY
Because it is just you that is making the coffee, you might want to consider a hand grinder. These take longer to do the job, but they can output the control needed for quality espresso. Porlex, Hario, Lido, and others are available. You should be able to adjust the grind to get the flow of the espresso to be correct.
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=hario+coffee+hand+grinder&qid=1562606990&s=home-garden&sr=1-4
The links didn't work for me -- this one is the the one I've seen before, but the slim (which is the one I think you linked to) will work great too. Since these burr grinders are manual they will get you better than any automatic (since no money goes to the motor).
There are some that are going to disagree and say that the Hairo won't do what you need. And there is a certain degree of truth to this, but the bottom line is that this will be a huge step up from buying ground coffee.
It's the Hario Skerton. I like it a lot but it doesn't work so well for courser grinds like for French press or cold brew. I think you can adapt it though but I'm no good at DIY. It's also good for a mini-bicep workout :)
Edit: grammar and formatting
Whoops, just assumed you were American haha. Are you referring to the Skerton? If so, the Skerton has a slight edge on the Mini Mill, but they're roughly comparable. In that case it may very well be the grinder that's holding you back. If you can, I'd spring for a Baratza Virtuoso (electric) or LIDO 3/E/E-T (manual). The Virtuoso is a significant upgrade from the Hario and also noticeably better than the cheaper Baratza Encore. It has the same burrs as the more expensive Preciso. The LIDO is better than all of these, but can take quite a bit of force to turn compared to your current grinder, so do your research and watch some videos before you make a commitment to 20-second arm workouts every morning...
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=pd_lpo_79_bs_t_2?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=30YS8QXGG43A28E5R30Z
I have that one.
>the hissing part adds a lot of bitterness so that's why you do not want it in your cup
instantly better coffee! Thank you!
I used an inexpensive blade grinder to chop up cinnamon once. Big mistake - everything had that taste after. I Ended up throwing the thing out. Perhaps you could use something crazy like vinegar to try and clean it out and then wash it well, but to be honest, if it's a cheap grinder - especially if it's a blade one, you should invest in a manual burr grinder like the Hario Skerton. (I was a bit worried the manual only thing would be a pain but I found it only takes about a min for a full french press of grinds) so, not too much effort, time or expense plus it's a better grinder for sure.
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ
Just to confirm, you guys are referring to this grinder? https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
I don't hate cheap electric grinders ~as much~ as a lot of the users on this sub. I think you can get something that will make adequately coarse grinds for a french press for around $25-$30. However, the Hario Skerton is fairly popular on this sub as a cheap grinder.
If you truly want to put money into a grinder, I would start with a Baratza Encore. When you start going cheaper than the Baratza (ie a Capresso 560) you start getting inconsistent grinds. At that point I'd rather just save my money and keep using the hand grinder or cheap blade grinder.
I was using this for three years up until January when I finally decided I had to get an electric one. I'd like to try out the Sauvie Island coffee, though. That sounds like it would be close to me, but I'm not able to find Good Coffee in Beaverton on the Googles.
Also, is this grinder better than the one in the picture?
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ
That'd be a Hario Skerton, I really like mine.
Acquire some whole roasted beans, that pre-ground stuff isn't very good. Get one of these to grind, as it is adjustable and allows you to achieve different grinds with consistent results. I recommend either a 2-cup French Press or an AeroPress.
Experiment with different brew times and methods. If you get an AeroPress, google the 'Inverted AeroPress' method. I prefer it a lot more than the standard method.
yeah...that thing.
Or rather this thing specifically:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1371768721&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=hario+coffee+grinder
Do you mean a Hario grinder?
> I have a bag of Kona Hawaiian coffee and a coffee grinder but it makes my kids cry when I use the grinder. What to do?
Get a hand grinder!
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
Semi snob here. After a trip to Europe, I couldn't drink regular pre ground instant coffee anymore.
Initially I invested in one of these and would grind the beans and brew my coffee in the morning.
After my right arm started to resemble Popeye's, I splurged on one of these babies which I've been using ever since. Grinds the right amount of beans for you, makes the steamed milk, and has a filter for the water. Had it for over two years, no complaints.
Invest in this and a bag of Peets. Enjoy!
In that case I'd recommend the following two:
Grinder: Hario Skerton
Brewer: Bodum Chambord French Press
Of course, you'll need some beans to go with that! Subscription services are fun and allow you to try many different regions and roast profiles to help find the ones that you/your wife will like the best. Several popular ones are Tonx, Moustache Coffee, or Modest Coffee. For individual roasters Intelligentsia, Stumptown, Verve, and Blue Bottle are all held in high regard and ship throughout the US.
And finally: If she wants the Chemex then get her the damn Chemex. Its a beautiful piece and currently my favorite brewing method, but I'm glad I waited until I had the proper accessories to do it right.
Like this?
Would regular coffee beans still make a decent product? My parents went out and bought store brand breakfast blend from Hy-Vee
And is there a coffeeshop near you where you can go to buy coffee and let them grind it? :) Anyway, if you really want to get good coffee you'll need a grinder :) I have the Hario Skerton which is not great for FP although I like the results I get from it, you could also install this mod which will make the grinder better for coarse grinds like the french press, both together are not that expensive and will make a huge difference because your beans are freshly ground right before making the coffee :) (Personally I don't have the mod yet)
This is the one I have, although it seems to be a bit more expensive than I thought. Setting the grind is a little inconvenient on it though.
Dang. Hmm none specifically but I'd do some googling for UK beans, I ended up buying 3 or 4 very small bags from different roasters before I found one I love. I can only recommend you do the same, there's also a ton of resources in /r/coffee and it's sister subreddits.
edit: As far as first coffee setups I'd take a look at a manual grinder like a Hario and an Aeropress. Seriously such a different/better brew than drip coffee.
Go with the Hario Skerton. The collector is glass (opposed to plastic on the mini mill) and it's made of much better quality components. I have both and I've had to get a new inner burr clip on the Mini Mill from Hario because it stripped out.
Everything I’ve read suggests one like this. Hand-crank from Japan.
>Trying to get into coffee at home, looking for shops that offer gear, like a grinder, French press, and kettles, stuff like that.
You're better off ordering online. Get a burr hand grinder. Electric grinders can burn the beans and you can control how course the grinds are with the hand grinder.
Get an Aeropress for espresso. Or can also be used to make regular coffee. This is better than a french press, imo.
By hand grinding fresh beans and perfecting using the aeropress, you can't achieve a better cup of coffee at home.
Grinder | Hario Skerton | $39.37 @ Amazon
Kettle | Hario VKB-120HSVV60 Buono Pouring Kettle, 1.2 litre | $33.89 @Amazon Saving 49%
Coffee Dripper | Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper (size 02, white) | $19.46 @ Amazon
Grinder Upgrade | Blue Horse Products Hario Skerton Upgrade Kit | $10.99 @ Amazon
| Total | $103.71
You'd have about a hundred dollars left in budget, so you could buy an encore refurb from Baratza.
I hope my table worked:Dedit: fixed my table
Grinders: Others have given good advice, but here are links:
Hario Skerton: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_D3I0BbDTAYZ8M
Porlex Mini: Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0044ZA066/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_P4I0BbAWT6K97
You can get a pretty good hand grinder for $25, or a basic electric burr grinder for just over $30.
Neither are anywhere near top quality, but both will be a massive upgrade in grind quality over the blade grinder you're looking at, and are totally worth the extra few dollars. Grind consistency is extremely important for the flavor because a really inconsistent grind (which is unavoidable with a blade grinder) makes an even extraction all but impossible -- which will guarantee you some bitter and/or sour flavors that you'd otherwise be able to avoid.
(Edit: Literally five minutes after I posted, the burr grinder jumped to ~$40...)
I have a Gaggia Classic, used this for years, works perfect. You can opt out of having the handle and hook it up to a power drill too. Under 50 usd:
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ
hand grinder
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Skerton-Storage-Capacity/dp/B001802PIQ
Its really not that hard. Making coffee is still in the realm of cooking. The difference between a Keurig system and a enthusiast setup is the same as someone with a George Foreman grill and a pit master, albeit much cheaper.
Essentials:
Pour Over System of your choice+Filters
[Goose Neck Kettle] (https://www.amazon.com/TOP-MAX-Narrow-Spout-Coffee-350ML/dp/B0757HDNDR/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1536618810&amp;sr=1-7&amp;keywords=gooseneck+kettle)
Not Essential but somewhat important:
Kitchen Scale for the proper beans to water ratio.
Burr Grinder for the best grind at home.
Hario is a cheap grinder with a good reputation that fits your budget:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1331075376&amp;sr=8-5
Grinders need to produce an even repeatable grind and burr grinders are regarded as better at this.