We need to understand that coffee grinders come in two types: hand grinders and electric grinders. A hand grinder requires physical effort to grind coffee using your hands. An electric grinder, on the other hand, offers convenience by grinding coffee with the push of a button, requiring no manual effort.
Hand Grinder
Why should you consider a hand grinder? Despite the manual effort, a hand grinder is one of the most affordable options for grinding coffee. Most hand grinders take 30-60 seconds to grind enough coffee for a brew. Many people enjoy the process of grinding coffee by hand as it allows them to relax and savor the moment. Below are my recommendations for hand grinders, ranging from the most affordable to the more expensive options that I prefer.
Recommendation: This is an affordable option that delivers good results. The C2 produces a standard coffee flavor with a pleasant body and mouthfeel. However, it tends to create a finer grind, leading to a more pronounced mouthfeel. It highlights the acidic and fruity characteristics of the beans. There are techniques to mitigate the stronger mouthfeel, which I can teach in my class if you are interested.
Recommendation: This grinder is a definite upgrade from the C2, offering more clarity in the cup. While it still produces some fine grinds similar to the C2, the overall grind quality and clarity are slightly better.
One important factor to consider when choosing a hand grinder is the burr geometry. High-end grinders often have similar high-quality burrs. However, it’s puzzling why more affordable hand grinders don’t have access to these burr sets. Here’s a grinder I found with this specific type of burr, starting at $99+.
$99 Z5 Manual Coffee Grinder
Recommendation: This grinder is slightly more expensive but features burrs that deliver high clarity in coffee. It's an underrated grinder that may not look as stylish as other hand grinders but produces high-quality coffee flavor. It's versatile enough for both pour-over and espresso. I recommend this grinder if your budget allows.
Recommendation: This grinder has similar burrs to the Z5, delivering high clarity in coffee flavor, but it is built with all aluminum, making it feel luxurious to use. In my opinion, this grinder delivers almost the same results as the Z5 with the closest grind setting.
$331 Comandante C40 Grinder MK4
Recommendation: This is the original high-end hand grinder, featuring the same burr geometry as the Z5 and K-Ultra, but with higher-end production. It delivers high clarity and a satisfying grinding experience. This grinder sets the standard in the specialty coffee conversation. You will often hear, “how many clicks of the Comandante do you use?” It is expensive, but with this device, you also buy into a coffee community.
Electric Grinders
This is for someone who has a higher budget and cares about their time and does not want to spend 30-60 seconds grinding manually every day. I won’t have many recommendations on this because it will get more and more expensive, and I have had many bad experiences with cheaper options of electric grinders. I prefer a hand grinder more than a lower quality electric one. I want to keep it for the beginner. Here are my recommendations.
$259 Cocinare Coffee Grinder Electric Wireless 2-in-1
Recommendation: This electric grinder has the same burr set as the expensive hand grinder, which will give you great coffee with high clarity. However, it grinds very slowly compared to other electric grinders but works really well. I suggest this grinder because it is worth the price you pay. You can have the same quality of coffee as an expensive hand grinder and save time and effort grinding the coffee bean.
Recommendation: This is my everyday grinder, and I use it every day. I am satisfied with the results every time. Ode Gen 2 gives me clarity and accessibility to the complexity of coffee flavor like the expensive hand grinders I recommended above. There are multiple burr options to replace in the Ode Gen 2, but I would recommend keeping the same burr with no adjustment. I have tried multiple burrs with it: Gorilla, SSP Unimodal, SSP High Uniform, Sweet Lab. Of course, I like the expensive burrs, but if you blind taste coffee, you will see that Ode Gen 2 delivers results as close as the fancy coffee burrs. So, I guarantee that you will get a great pour-over from Fellow Ode Gen 2.
I would love to recommend more electric grinders, but choices above these two will get quite pricey, which I don’t want to overwhelm the beginner. I made this content for the beginner level who are just entering the pour-over world.
Choosing a grinder is difficult, but with a tighter budget, you can go with the cheaper option of a hand grinder. I believe that many grinders can deliver the work for you to get a great cup of coffee. And I hope this helps some of you decide on your first coffee grinder that will be your companion on your pour-over journey.
Lastly, at Newbery Street Coffee Roasters, a local specialty coffee roaster in Boston, we do offer classes that will help you have a better understanding of how to use the coffee grinder and improve your basic brewing at home. If you are interested in learning more about the classes, please contact us via email.