Coffee making, regardless of the brewing method, requires a high-quality grinder for consistent extraction. French press is no different; selecting a grinder that delivers uniform grounds without breaking the bank is our focus today. Particle size consistency is critical for French press to avoid sludge and bitterness, ensuring optimal extraction without over-extraction.
You likely know you need a really good grinder for French press brewing since you are reading this page. Otherwise, you would have stuck with that blade spice mill that has only one great advantage: it is cheap. Or maybe you wanted a second opinion, or are curious if your current grinder is good enough. Chances are your current grinder is not the best. Let’s take a look at French press brewing and see why we need a good grinder.
Why Do We Need a Great Grinder for French Press?
Maybe more than other brewing methods, a great French press cup starts with a perfect grind. By perfect grind, we mean uniform grind size and predictable results every time. You need consistent results, so you can accurately use the right brewing time and the correct brewing temperature. Grind size is one of the most important variables of coffee brewing, as recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Changing the grind size will determine a chain change reaction that would require a change of brewing temperature and steep time. For instance, for coarser grinds, you need more steeping time to achieve proper extraction. As baristas and coffee professionals know, mastering this variable is the foundation of repeatable quality.
You also need a uniform grind. This ensures your other two brewing parameters, the temperature and the steeping time, are adequate for that grind size. With a blade grinder, you get boulders and dust, and this is the worst thing in specialty coffee. I’ll show you why in a second. This lack of uniformity is why the SCA and experts like Scott Rao emphasize burr grinders for any precision brewing method.
You can also get boulders and dust with a bad burr grinder. Some think that burr grinders are better than blade grinders, no matter what. But as a coffee professional, I have seen really bad, cheaply made burr grinders that I wouldn’t use even for milling spices. A quality burr grinder with sharp, precisely aligned burrs is essential for achieving the uniform particle size that French Press demands. This precision directly impacts extraction efficiency and the final flavor profile of your brew.
Getting back to why we need a uniform grind… Here is a little explanation: For a fine grind we need a lower brewing temperature because the extraction is faster. When you mix fine grounds with coarse grounds you are either over-extracting the fines, or under-extracting the coarse ones. Or the worst, you are doing both. This inconsistency directly undermines your ability to replicate a great cup of coffee, leading to unpredictable bitterness or sourness in every batch.
The most obvious reason, and I bet you have had your share of it, is the fines in your cup. If your grind is not uniform, that dust is going to pass through the screen filter and is going to end up in your cup. I always said that I personally don’t mind some grit in my cup, but I know most people would just not drink a “silty” cup. A uniform grind from a quality grinder eliminates this problem entirely, ensuring a clean, full-bodied French press experience every time.
What is The Best French Press Coffee Grinder?
The short answer is any good grinding machine that can provide a uniform grind. You can go the manual route if you that’s your preference, and there are a few great manual coffee mills. I personally don’t have the time for the manual grinding, but some of the manual grinders are actually better than the electric ones. If you like the convenience, the electric machines are just perfect. Just make sure you buy a bur grinder.
“Yeah, sure!” my friend once said in a discussion on the subject; “Spend a few hundred dollars for a grinder, when the press pot is under 40”. He was right, it doesn’t make much sense to buy a Rancilio grinder or a Mazer. If you are like me, and you brew coffee in all possible ways, you probably want to spend a bit more. If you want to keep the cost under control there are a few great grinders that will not break the bank.
Cuisinart DBM-8 Burr Coffee Grinder
The Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill is one of the most popular choices on Amazon, and the primary reason is the cost. Don’t get me wrong, this grinder is a decent choice for the price point, but if I were to choose, I would probably pay a little more, and get the Capresso, or the Bodum.
The grind size is adjustable with 18 stepped positions, which covers a large range. The 8 oz. hopper is removable so cleaning is very simple. The coffee grounds container is also removable.
The power button serves to both start the grinding, and to adjust the grounds quantity, via a sliding motion. You will have to weigh your grounds, at least for the first few times, to understand how much you are grinding. The quantity selection is not that intuitive.
The Cuisinart grinder has some problems with the static, however, nothing that you can’t fix with a light tap on the grounds container.
This machine has block burrs, which will output a lot of fines. Fines will muddy your cup. For some, that’s OK, but for some, the fines are a deal breaker.
This would not be the best choice for a quality French press coffee. But it is a decent low-budget grinder. If you can afford to spend a bit more, the next products are better choices.
Hario Skerton – Manual Coffee Grinder
First on the list is the Hario Skerton, a manual coffee mill. I know I said convenience is my first choice, and that might be the case for you. Many people though prefer the small footprint, the low noise operation, and the elegance of the Hario equipment. A manual coffee mill fits perfectly with a French press, stylistically speaking. You can use this grinder without touching the electrical outlet; this means you can take the brewing kit in remote areas without electricity. The best things about this grinder, though, are the uniform grind, and its incredible reliability.
Let’s recap: if you grind for one or two cups at one time, and you don’t mind a little physical effort, Skerton is one of the best choices. It is a Bestseller on Amazon, and that says a lot about it.
Capresso 550 Burr Coffee Grinder
Next on the list is the Capresso 550, one of my favorites. It is more expensive than the Hario but is an electric grinder with some of the best burs on the market. The stainless steel burrs are practically going to last forever. The entire machine is very reliable and sturdy, it’s one of those machines that is built to last, and you don’t see many of these on the market. There are three models of the Capresso grinders, and each of them is a great choice. I wrote a review about them here. Here are some of the features that made me love this machine:
- Easy to clean and maintain,
- A low grinding speed ensures the coffee doesn’t’ overheat, and it makes the machine silent.
- Sturdy casing
- Great commercial grade steel burs
- Uniform grind
- 12 grind size settings from espresso to the percolator.
Conclusion: Capresso is slightly more expensive than a manual coffee mill, but it grinds uniformly, it’s convenient, it can be easily adjusted for various brew types, and it’ as reliable as a Hario.
A great candidate on our list is the Bodum Bistro coffee grinder. This is a nice grinder that can be adjusted to grind from espresso to French press. With an impressive set of features, and with rave reviews on Amazon, this machine is a strong candidate for a place in your kitchen. It competes neck and neck with Capresso and is selling great. Here are some of the Bodum Bistro’s features:
- Compact
Easy to clean and maintain - Silent in operation
- No static
- Aesthetically appealing
- Consistent grind
- 14 grind settings ranging from espresso to French press
OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
The OXO Brew grinder is cheaper than the other grinders on review, but it is a great competitor. The price is very attractive, but this grinder has its own issues, which for many are not a big deal, for some they might be a deal breaker. Let’s start with the good stuff.
The hopper holds 12 oz. which more than the average. The grounds container can hold about 110 ounces. The machine has 40-millimeter stainless steel conical burrs which will provide an uniform grind.
The machine is not loud, but this comes at cost, a low grinding speed. However, I am a fan of slower grinders, they are quieter in general, and they do not overheat your coffee before brewing it.
The grind size adjustment is similar to Capresso with 15 main settings and 2 micro settings for a total of 45 stepped settings, which is quite impressive, if you ask me.
The quantity of ground coffee is measured with a timer, similarly to Capresso. The finer the grind size, the slower the grinding, so you will have to adjust the timer accordingly.
The biggest problem of the Oxo grinder is the incompatibility with oily beans. You will not be able to grind oily beans, period.
The grinder will start to make a faint buzzing sound after some use. While this is not a problem that affects the functionality in any way, for some might be annoying. I personally don’t find it too bad, but I have friends who are affected by this kind of noises.
Other Coffee Grinders
We based our selection on the assumption that this is a budget coffee grinder. In most cases, it doesn’t make sense to buy a 300$ grinder, when you use a $30-50 brewing device. However, I know coffee enthusiasts that love the versatility of the French press, and it’s their primary choice of coffee maker because they love this brewing method.
So for these home baristas a more expensive grinder is not out of the question, because the budget is not an issue.
We are not going to add more expensive equipment to this list, but there are great choices.
We’ll finish this by mentioning that most grinders at this price point will not perform great for the entire grind size range. With some machines, you will have to calibrate it to either coarser or finer, depending on your preference. Coarser gives you a cleaner cup, finer gives you a stronger one. When calibrating your machine, you are reducing the size range, but you improve the precision and reduce dramatically the fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of grinder is recommended for French press coffee?
A burr grinder is recommended for French press coffee brewing. Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook and the Specialty Coffee Association both recommend burr grinders over blade grinders for particle-size consistency. Blade grinders produce boulders and dust rather than uniform particles, which is detrimental to specialty coffee extraction and can result in simultaneous over-extraction and under-extraction.
Why does French press require uniform grind size?
French press requires uniform grind size to ensure predictable brewing results and proper extraction. According to Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook, uniform grind allows brewing temperature and steeping time to be adequate for that specific grind size. Inconsistent particle sizes cause fine grounds to over-extract while coarse particles under-extract, compromising the quality of the final brew.
What problem do fines cause in French press coffee?
Fines pass through the filter screen and create a silty texture in the brewed coffee. As highlighted by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook, inconsistent grind size produces these tiny particles that end up in the cup. Additionally, when mixed with coarser grounds, fines over-extract while larger particles under-extract, resulting in unbalanced flavor extraction.
How does grind size affect French press steeping time?
Coarser grinds require more steeping time for proper extraction in French press brewing. Grind size is one of the crucial variables in coffee brewing, and changing it triggers adjustments in both brewing temperature and steep time. Fine grinds extract faster and require lower brewing temperatures, as outlined by Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook.
Are all burr grinders suitable for French press brewing?
Not all burr grinders are suitable for French press brewing despite being generally preferred over blade grinders. Low-quality, cheaply made burr grinders can still produce boulders and dust rather than uniform particles. According to Scott Rao in The Professional Barista’s Handbook, burr grinders provide better particle-size consistency, but quality varies significantly among different models and price points.
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