Coffee beans, like any food product, oxidize when exposed to air. The grounds, since they have a much larger relative surface area than the bean, and no covering, suffer this effect even more. Grinding beans at home produces the least exposure to air and the freshest grounds. And you can grind only what you immediately need.

But nothing is without its price. Grinding is time consuming and messy, so if you choose to invest the effort to reap the reward, pick the best you can afford.

Grinders fall into three broad categories – burr, blade and crusher.

The third type is some kind of mashing device, often an ancient-style mortar and pestle. These crush the beans, which is difficult and produces a very uneven sized granule. Not recommended where you have a choice.

Read the full article on picking the perfect coffee grinder.

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