Are you a coffee connoisseur and a home barista, and prefer to brew your own coffee at home?
If yes, then you definitely know that the easiest, most convenient and the best way to brew a redeeming cup of coffee is to steep it in a French Press. And while using the French press, the most crucial factor is to get the grind right.
So here in this post, we have listed down a few best coffee grinders for for french press brewing.
The quality of the beans is also of primal importance, but even the best quality coffee beans will not get you the desired flavors if you get the grind wrong.
#1 TOP PICK
Coffee for French press should ideally be grinded to a medium coarse texture. Here in this blog, we will walk you through all the aspects of best coffee grinders for french press, so you can flaunt your barista skills and ace a sinfully tempting cup of french press coffee.
Ideal Coffee Ground Texture for French Press
Grinding the beans to a perfect texture is of utmost importance while making coffee in a French Press.
The beans need to be grinded to a perfect medium coarse texture to obtain the best flavors and a desirable taste.
Very fine grinded coffee beans can seep in through the filters and eventually make it muddy and gritty resulting in a grainy and bitter flavor. Similarly, very coarsely grinded beans will not let the water infuse properly and hence the coffee would not taste as goo
The Perfect Grind for French Press Coffee
By now, we hope we have convinced you why home grinded coffee beans are better than store bought grounds.
Like already stated that the most ideal texture of French Press coffee is medium to coarse. To be more precise, the ideal range of granules used in a French Press is 100 to 300 granules of coffee grounds. While the standard range of grounds used in espresso coffee is around 3500 coffee grounds (meaning very fine grounds).
The size is crucial not just to avoid the muddy, sandy residue mixing with the coffee but is also important to maintain the taste and to expedite the extraction. The grounds with a coarse texture allow more exposure when added with hot water. They release more carbon dioxide while steeping which results in giving a better nuance and flavor to your coffee.
Type of Coffee Grinder to Be Used For French Press
Coffee grinders come in two categories- Blade Grinder and Burr Grinder.
Blade grinders are most suited to achieve very fine grounds and hence, it is not recommended for French Press coffee grounds. They also lack consistency and accuracy that the burr grinders provide.
Hence, coffee aficionados recommend Burr Grinder to obtain best quality grounds for French Press. A burr grinder can have burrs made in ceramic or stainless steel to deliver best results.
Now we are going to reveal out top 10 grinders after testing each one of them. So continue reading below.
10 Best Coffee Grinders for French Press in 2023: Options and Reviews
To ease your confusion and help you pick the best coffee grinder for French Press coffee, we did all the research for you and have come up with a detailed breakdown. Read on to find comprehensive information.
1. Breville BCG820BSSXL Smart Grinder Pro
The Breville Smart Grinder is a godsend for all you home baristas out there. The high end French Press coffee grinder has an LCD screen and a plethora of diverse programmable functions. The burr coffee grinder uses stainless steel blades to deliver fine quality granules as per choice.
The machine allows you to choose a 0.2 sec time period to obtain your coffee grounds and also lets you choose your own dose. It also comes with two portafilter cradles for making espresso so the coffee can be dispensed without a mess. Furthermore, there are separate ground containers for the same slot for French Press coffee.
The removable magnetic tray keeps the cleanliness of the kitchen counter in check. And that’s not just it, you can also pause the machine in between to check on the desired size of your beans.
PROS
CONS
2. Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill
If you are looking for a perfect manual French press coffee grinder, then this might just be your best pick. Boasting of a sturdy and an ergonomic functionality, Hario Ceramic Coffee grinder comes with ceramic conical burrs to deliver consistent and desired grounds.
Other than the powerful grinding performance, the burr grinder is also easier to carry and is extremely portable. You can detach the handle for further ease of access. Also, it comes with a rubber base that ensures the grinder stays at one place while grinding and does not slip over so you can comfortably grind your beans.
PROS
CONS
3. Capresso 565 Infinity
This is one of the most recommended and topmost burr coffee grinder options when it comes to the best pick. Other than the superb functionality, the machine is completely sleek so as to occupy the minimum space on your counter-top, and it comes in two colors (black and stainless steel) that you can choose from.
The burr grinder comes with a bean hopper on top and a container at the bottom. The hopper can hold up to 8.8 ounces of beans while the container can hold up to 4 ounces of grounds.
The machine uses stainless steel conical burrs for grinding that are detachable and can be removed for cleaning purposes. This is especially handy for dark roasts which makes the burrs oily that can impair over time if not cleaned properly.
PROS
CONS
4. JavaPress Manual Coffee Grinder
Next on our list is the best manual coffee grinder that is available in the market- JavaPress Manual Coffee Grinder. The economically priced burr grinder comes with an inbuilt but adjustable grind size selector.
The grind selector has over 18 click settings for better accuracy and precise results. Operating on ceramic burrs that are designed to last longer, the burr coffee grinder requires no electricity to run. Obviously! It is portable and uses the regular hand crank mechanism for the process.
PROS
CONS
5. KitchenAid KCG0702ER Burr Coffee Grinder
KitchenAid KCG0702ER Grinder is not just a grinder- it is a whole beautiful kitchen accessory that could accentuate the aesthetics of your kitchen. Boasting of high-end functionality and heavy-duty engineering, the burr coffee grinder comes in a variety of colors from black to stainless steel silver and red, that could make a statement for your kitchen.
The best part is that despite being heavy duty and well engineered, the grinder is not very huge and measures around 5.9 by 10 by 9.8 inches only. Furthermore, the bean hopper is made of glass to reduce static and can hold up to 7 ounces of beans.
The grounds container at the bottom is also a glass jar that can help contain ground coffee without creating any mess. However, it does not have any LCD screen but a simple dial to adjust the settings and you have 15 options to choose from. The burr grinder works on a slow grinding speed of around 450 revolutions a minute. And as a result, the grinder does not generate too much heat either for itself or for the countertop.
PROS
CONS
6. Epare Manual Coffee Grinder
Next on our list is the gorgeous Epare Manual Coffee Grinder that comes with efficient 15 grind settings that you can choose from. The conical burr grinder works on ceramic burrs that are reliable and promise consistent quality ground coffee.
It is versatile and portable for outdoor use and the hopper can hold up to 60 grams of beans at once. Besides, it comes with a non-slippery gripping pad in the base that allows you to grind coffee without letting the machine slip here and there.
What’s more? It comes with a limited lifetime guarantee so you don’t have to worry about the durability any more.
PROS
CONS
7. Ariete Conical Electric Burr Grinder
Ariete Conical MDF may not be the most aesthetically beautiful grinder out there but it is definitely one of the most efficient functionally. It measures around 20 by 14 by 14 inches and has a rectangular case-like design with a cylindrical hopper. Boasting of 50 mm tempered stainless steel burrs to do the grinding, the grinder has over 34 settings that you can choose from.
Besides, the hopper can hold up to 10 ounces of beans and the container can hold up to 8 ounces of ground coffee. In addition to that, the grinder uses the gear- reduction mechanism to function which means lesser heat generation and lesser noise. The durability of the grinder can also be vouched for since a lot of users have been using it for decades without any complaints.
PROS
CONS
8. Mueller Ultra Grind
Mueller Ultra Grind is a high-end manual grinder that looks like an electric one due to its designs and efficiency. Boasting of an adjustable grind size selector and over 18 click setting to choose from, the grinder promises consistent quality grounds.
Mueller comes with premium quality ceramic combo burrs for increased functionality and durability, and is a suitable option for outdoor picnics and outings as it is extremely portable. The grinder uses a hand crank mechanism and comes with a money back guarantee if you are not too happy with your purchase.
PROS
CONS
9. Baratza Virtuoso
Baratza Virtuoso is a conical burr grinder that uses heavy mechanisms to deliver supreme quality grounds. The grinder comes 40 mm conical burrs and over 40 different grind size settings as per requirements. It can produce grounds ranging from 200 to 1200 microns. Baratza uses the gear reduction system to minimize the heat and noise generation while grinding the beans.
It can grind coffee beans for a standard 500 revolutions per minute but you can adjust it for slow grinding till up to 405 revolutions per minute. Furthermore, the 60 second timer allows you to experiment with the grind times and sizes. And on top of that, there is a pulse that can let you pause the machine at will. Most suited for French Press coffee, the grinder produces almost no mess when it comes to grinding.
PROS
CONS
10. Lido 3 Manual Coffee Grinder
The sleek grinder comes in a lightweight plastic bottle-like shape without a foldable, non- protruding handle for ease of accessibility and portability. Capable of holding over 70 grams of coffee beans, the manual coffee grinder has a BPA-free hopper and also a rubber bean stopper.
Boasting of 48 mm Swiss made stainless steel conical burrs, the grinder is at par when it comes to achieving desired quality grounds and of accurate consistency. What’s more? The grinder comes with a bristle brush and cleaning tool kit for easy maintenance.
PROS
CONS
Why Use a Coffee Grinder for French Press?
So if you are just starting out, and have little knowledge about using a French Press, you can opt for market bought grounds till you ace your game and ready to grind your beans. But we promise that home grinded French Coffee is going to taste so much better than the ones that are store purchased.
Factors to Consider While Purchasing a Coffee Grinder for French Press
Having stated all the important parameters for using home grinded coffee in a French Press, the next step is to determine the best coffee grinder for French press coffee. There are several grinders available in the market to choose from. But there are some factors that you should consider before making up your mind to pick the best coffee grinder for French Press. You do not want to spend a fortune only to get bad quality or mediocre grounds.
Here we have listed all the factors that you should consider to get the best coffee grinder for French Press coffee grounds:
Consistency
When grinding beans, consistency of the granules should always be kept in mind. The coffee granules should be of a standard size and consistent to obtain the best results. For French Press coffee, you will require a medium to coarse texture where the grounds should be of equal and accurate consistency. For the best consistency, you should use burr grinders with either stainless steel burrs or ceramic burrs. Also We recommend you buy the best coffee for French press.
Manual or Electric?
The next question to be considered is whether to go for a manual grinder or electric grinder. To answer this question, we would like to tell you that no one grinder can be claimed better than the other. It is purely on your choice and preference to pick either manual or an electric coffee grinder.
Range of Use
It will be wise to consider this option while investing for a high quality grinder. While the primary function of the grinder should be to deliver the best grounds for French Press coffee, it should also be able to grind finer grounds in case you crave an espresso or drip or pour over coffee. We have listed above the best burr grinders that can come in handy while grinding beans for a variety of coffee styles- from French Press to Espresso and more.
Size
Another important thing to note is the size of the coffee grinder. As already stated, hand grinders are smaller and more portable.
On the other hand, electric grinders are bulkier and tend to occupy more space on the kitchen counter. In addition to that, the grinder size also matters depending on how much coffee you need on a regular basis.
In case, you only need a cup for yourself, you should go for a smaller size. But if you need more coffee regularly for family, friends and roommates, it is better to go for a bigger size.
Price
Of course, price is a factor when it comes to purchasing grinders. The market is full of coffee grinders both manual and electric, available in a range of prices depending on their functionality and uses. So to help you out further, we have compiled the list with best options across all ranges.
So, now that you are educated in the art of grinding the perfect grounds for French Press and have also gone through the best coffee grinders for French Press, you just have to go ahead and order one. And you are set for French Press perfection every time you crave a cup of coffee.
Happy Caffeinating!