Burr vs. Blade Grinder Follow-up

Earlier this week, I wrote about the superiority of burr grinders over blade grinders. While this opinion is commonly accepted, I realized that I had never truly tested it.

Who am I to profess something if I've never confirmed it for myself, right?

Well, now I have.

Check out the video:

Matt puts to test his statement that burr grinders produce a superior cup of coffee.

The results?

I can't lie — I was more nervous about this than I thought I would be.

I had decided that I would post the video, no matter the result. Had I not been able to tell, I would have had to eat crow and admit the difference wasn't as drastic as I thought.

Thankfully it worked out! While I'll admit that the difference wasn't super in your face, it was definitely noticeable.

A Few More Notes About Extraction

In the video I mention "under extraction".

Coffee that is under extracted can be dull, underwhelming and plant like.

Coffee that is over extracted can be bitter, dry and have a sort of astringent mouth feel.

What you're shooting for is balanced, sweet and smooth.

With a burr grinder, you can easily make small adjustments until you find the right combination for your brew method.

With a blade grinder, you're really just taking a stab in the dark.

The Difference Really is Noticeable

So there ya have it. I could tell the difference in this side by side comparison.

That said, I still maintain that if it comes down to the decision of a blade grinder or buying pre-ground coffee, buy the blade grinder and commit to eventually upgrading to a burr grinder.