Grinder Reccomendations for French Press

[TheVez2]

I bought a French Press a while back and I love it. It gives me exactly what I'm looking for as far as ease of brewing and flavor. But, I still haven't got around to buying a grinder yet. I was using store bought pre-ground coffee, and found that some particles were going through the mesh. In order to get a good drink, I needed to pour my coffee through a filer before it went into my Thermos. Wanting to eliminate this step, I got some beans from a local coffee house and had them grind it for me for a French Press. Insanely, I found that I still needed to run it through a filter, and there was even more fine particles in this grind than store bought. A B&B member sent me two bags of coffee, that he bought and had ground for me for FP, and I had the same issue with those bags. This has me feeling very dismayed.

I was getting ready to purchase a Cuisinart DBM-8 Burr Grinder, after having it recommended to me from a few folks on B&B and at work, but now I'm wondering if I need to go a step (or a few) better to get a more consistent grind?

What do you recommend for a grinder for French Press? Ideally, I'd like to stay under $100, but if I need to spend more, I would. No more than $200, for sure.

Any ideas are welcome. I know there are manual grinders too, and I'm not opposed to those. I just want something that works.

 

[StillShaving]

French press brewing will always provide some coffee fines. To minimize them your should be particular with how you press and pour. Pressing slowly so that coffee will better stick together and help to filter itself out. Then let it sit for a few more seconds and pour more slowly. So that fines will stay in the bottom of the pot and not end up in your cup.

 

[AlphaFrank75]

You should look at either a Baratza Encore or a Virtuoso. You can usually find refurbs on Baratza's website. They add new refurbs to their listings on Thursdays so you need to keep checking to find them in stock. You can also find refurbs on other retailer's sites if you dig around.

 

[danek]

I think you'll always get fines from french press. The grinder the coffee store has is probably waaay better than anything you could buy for less than $500, so I'd forget the whole Cuisinart idea.

The good news is that French presses are very forgiving as far as grind in relation to quality of the cup. I think a $15 whirly bird would produce a fine tasting cup.

If you're insistent on a clean cup without using a filter, try after stirring, let it steep without agitation 4 minutes, skim off foam, don't depress the plunger, pour very slowly, and leave 1/4" of coffee in the bottom of the carafe.

 

[Mick]

French press, moka pot, and vacuum brew methods will ALL pass fines. Even a filter brewer using a screen will pass fines.

If you don't want any solids in your coffee use a filter method of making coffee.

If you want the simplicity of the french press, locate a chemex brewer and DON'T use a screen.

 

[Bebe]

i have one for over 20 years, still going strong... red, mind you
and yes, i second the chemex!

 

[CurtisB81]

That comes with a pess pot..Use a paper filter coffee maker..

 

[cerna348]

I did some research and asked for a manual burr coffee grinder for christmas. This is the one I settled on: Amazon.com: Hario Acrylic Hand Coffee Grinder (Clear): Kitchen & Dining
When we purchased it, it was $25, a far cry from the $40 they are asking right now. I used to have an electric blade grinder, but I hated the inconsistency and results for my french press. The hario is simple enough that my kids use it to grind my coffee (ages 12 and 7). They get a kick out of the novelty and they get to help their dad. I am very pleased with my results. You can change the adjustment on the grind, which is not idiot proof. It took me four batches of coffee to find the setting I wanted for my french press.

 

[MntnMan62]

I second the recommendation of a Baratza Virtuoso. I have it and use it exclusively for French press. With a good quality grinder at home, you can play with the setting to find the right balance between fines and flavor. I get some fines only when I get to the bottom of the pot. And I like caffe au lait so I bought a manual plunger style frother by Bodum and it works really well. I was a little concerned about spending that much on a grinder but now I'm glad I did. My coffee has never tasted so good.

 

[MursesAnonymous]

The only bad thing with using paper is that the paper readily absorbs the oils that make French pressed coffee so amazing. I would recommend letting the coffee settle more and pouring gently to avoid the finer solids. If you're looking for a good consistent grinder, watch flea markets for old cast iron manual style burr grinders. I picked one up years ago for about ten bucks and it makes a much more consistent grind than the electric grinders that I have tried.

 

[TheVez2]

Thanks guys. I still haven't made up my mind yet. I'm so confused by all of this. I really can't spend a ton of money on a grinder, but I really hate having to use a paper filter, as I do now. It seems there's no real balance in this realm.

 

[MntnMan62]

Thanks guys. I still haven't made up my mind yet. I'm so confused by all of this. I really can't spend a ton of money on a grinder, but I really hate having to use a paper filter, as I do now. It seems there's no real balance in this realm.

I can understand your confusion. I was confused when I spent a ton of time researching espresso machines and grinders when I was considering buying into the espresso "world". The only reason I didn't pull the trigger was simple economics. The cost of entry for espresso for me was very large. But I did spend an inordinate amount of time picking out the machine I would buy and the grinder that I would buy. I was happy with my decision, separate from the economics of the matter. I'm sure you can find a Baratza Virtuoso for less than the full price one shown on their website. I did. And I'm so glad I did. My coffee has never tasted so good. Stick with French Press and when you feel you can truly afford the high cost of entry for expresso, buy the machine and another grinder that excels at espresso. I think you'll be happy with that.

 

[Mick]

Thanks guys. I still haven't made up my mind yet. I'm so confused by all of this. I really can't spend a ton of money on a grinder, but I really hate having to use a paper filter, as I do now. It seems there's no real balance in this realm.

Call Baratza and ask if they still sell factory refurb units. Looking on their web site now I cannot find their refurb page so they may no longer offer them. From my recollection the Encore was around 99.00 which is inexpensive enough to get you started.

I used my Maestro (the predecessor to the encore) for well over a decade. Couple rebuilds in that time but it kept on ticking.

I think I may have it somewhere in one of the houses. It has been in use for a long long time and still grinds respectably.

 

[TheVez2]

I'm sure you can find a Baratza Virtuoso for less than the full price one shown on their website. I did. And I'm so glad I did. My coffee has never tasted so good.

Call Baratza and ask if they still sell factory refurb units. Looking on their web site now I cannot find their refurb page so they may no longer offer them.

Thanks Guys. I broke down and bought the Baratza Virtuoso this morning. I did find a refurb on their website. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[ShaverGN]

I have been eyeing ROC manual grinder. It's under $200 shipped. According to the reviews, it grinds as good as expensive prosumer machines. Looks very tempting.

 

[SGold]

Found this French Press Manual Coarse Grinder for only $2 at a yard sale.

French Press Grinder

• SGold
• May 31, 2017

 

[rff000]

Actually, I own a grinder that does this job with virtually no fines in the cup, but I never use it because I prefer espresso and Turkish coffee, with very little filtered out of the cup, so my daily grinders are Anfim electric and Zassenhaus manual.

The other grinder I own (that I bought over 30 years ago because it looked nice) is still sold and is a manual with a flywheel, which is how you can search for it. I found a picture of one almost exactly like mine and here it is:

Mine is Japanese made and weighs a ton. I added a little wooden platform to the bottom. I paid $40 long ago and they're still in that same price range. Of course, it's manual and you may not want that. But, it's fun and a conversation piece.

Here's one on Amazon for about the same I paid long ago:
Amazon.com: Universal Housewares Gourmet Cast Iron Coffee Grinder: Kitchen & Dining

Maybe I'll start using mine for grain grinding, which I prefer coarse.

 

[rff000]

You can get this Pasquini for only $100 more than $200.

Pasquini Lux Coffee Grinder


Or, get a Zassenhaus manual for under $100. Years ago, I got an Anfim floor model with some broken plastic parts, but in working condition, for $200. from 1st-line.com. If you keep your eyes open, maybe you can find a real deal.

(Стрижка-брижка-Мишка, какая разница? Это вопрос словообразования!)

 

[Mick]

Thanks Guys. I broke down and bought the Baratza Virtuoso this morning. I did find a refurb on their website. Thanks for the recommendation!

You'll like that grinder.

It is a very good, "general purpose", grinder and one you will keep, even after moving on to other grinders.

.

 

[drwevil]

I have one of these beasts ... Mazer Mini

But the one without the timer

That will do what you want. [emoji12][emoji106][emoji1604]


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