2010 February | Coffee And Toffee

Feb 19 2010

French Coffee Press

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3 CUP FRENCH PRESS FILTER BREWING COFFEE OR TEA MAKER
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US $12.00

Crate Barrel Stoneware Ceramic French Press Coffee Pot Maker La Chocolatiere
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US $9.99

NIB Bodum French Press Bean Coffee Maker 3 Cup 12 oz off white ecru
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US $15.00

Manual Coffee Grinders Let You Enjoy Freshly Hand Crafted Coffee

Do you grind your own coffee beans? Maybe next time you would want to try a manual coffee mill to enjoy hand crafted ground coffee.

Even if you like your current electric grinder here are some reasons to try out a a manual coffee grinder? Probably for the same reason that some people enjoy working with old fashioned hand tools instead of the latest high tech electric version. It is great to feel like an old fashioned craftsman.

If the idea of actually feeling the beans being ground appeals to you, read on. If you prefer to buy ground coffee, you will still find this enjoyable to think about how coffee used to be made.

This of this as a way to transport yourself back to a simpler time, when the only way to grind coffee was with a manual coffee mill. What should you look for in a manual coffee grinder today?

How to buy a manual coffee grinder

First, be sure to buy a new grinder. Don't mistake a decorative grinder for one that will do the job for you reliably and consistently. Many coffee grinders are just decorations. They were never meant to be used to grind coffee, and they may even be contaminated with who knows what if they are vintage grinders.

Second, avoid inexpensive grinders. A manual coffee is a precision instrument, with a hardened steel grinding mechanism designed to crush and grind coffee beans consistently and reliably. You should look for a coffee grinder with a five or ten year warranty. You can plan to spend between $50 to $75 for a mill that will last years, if not a lifetime.

Grinding your coffee by hand

With your quality mill, you will quickly grind coffee for about six cups of brew in just a couple of minutes. You will vary the grind based on how you plan to brew your coffee: coarse for a French press, fine for espresso, and in between for a drip brewer. The finer the grind, the longer it will take you but it this is easy and fulfilling work as you feel the beans being crushed and releasing the fresh coffee fragrance to enjoy.

A special mill for Turkish coffee

If you make Turkish coffee on your stove top, you need extremely finely ground beans, almost powdered.

Regular hand coffee mills won't grind beans finely enough. You will need a special Turkish coffee mill. You can expect to pay a bit more for a quality manual mill for Turkish coffee, probably around $75 to $100.

Should you buy a manual coffee grinder?

If you are deciding between an electric coffee grinder and a manual coffee mill, which should you buy? That depends on you. I would buy the electric one first, but make sure it is a quality mill that uses the burr style instead of blade style grinder. Also, buy one that grinds at a lower speed to avoid building up static electricity that makes the coffee stick everywhere. We have more ideas for choosing the right electric grinder on our site at Coffee Daydreams Best Coffee Grinders

Then I would buy a manual grinder. Use it for the days when you feel like enjoying simpler pleasures in life. When you want to add to the coffee experience and the hands-on feel of taking whole beans and applying some of yourself to the coffee making process.

When you relax and enjoy the results of your hand ground coffee beans, you will experience a bit of the ongoing adventure through the years, enjoying different coffees and trying different techniques, always learning, always growing in your coffee skills and appreciation.

For more about coffee and how to choose the best coffee makers, you can visit CoffeeDaydreams.com

About the Author

Dennis Toman is a coffee enthusiast and the author of Coffee Daydreams, a site dedicated to helping people enjoy the coffee of their dreams. You can visit CoffeeDaydreams.com for more about gourmet coffee, and how to choose the best coffee makers.