Any coffee dorks?

This has probably been posted before so if it has my apologies but I found it a great read about the pour over method.

This is why I’m still happy with my Aeropress. Not that pourover is all that hard, but the Aeropress works with many of the same principles but takes less effort (or maybe just less fine-tuning?). Or maybe I’m not enough of a coffee dork.

Pour over isn’t much work too me although I suppose it requires a little more attention to detail. But for me it’s more of a Zen thing. It’s the making of the coffee rather than the drinking of it. I will check out the Aeropress though.

I’m thinking it might simply be a case of whatever you already have is ‘good enough’ - re-reading the article, I’m can’t really gauge if it is any better or worse. A true coffee dork would have both, I suppose, and specific recipes for each :)

My grandma made ‘black coffee’ with an old device. She also made ‘brown’ coffee with an old percolater. The black coffee was with an old aluminum french press device from the ‘old country’. Then we would put anisette in the black stuff. The guys that came over for the black coffee would soak stinky cigars in the anisette as well. Then smoke them. This was usually on a Wednesday after they went to the track and bet the horses. When grandpa won on the horses, I’d get a prize. Usually a bike. That tells you how often he would win.

They would play checkers and use terms like ‘I got eyeglasses’ or I jumped you.

King me!

And the cigars, usually DeNobilis smelled like burning sweat socks.

So, fellow coffee dorks: for Christmas I got an espresso machine, and I’ve been roasting my own beans for a few years now, and it has come to pass that I have a two-legged stool. My coffee grinder isn’t really up to snuff for making both coarse French press-style grounds, and fine espresso grounds. Anyone have a recommendation for a good grinder, preferably of the burr sort, that won’t break the bank? Manual is fine. I don’t mind some cranking.

I have the Baratza Virtuoso Preciso and have been using it for drip and Aeropress for about 3 years now. It’s held up very well and does a great job for my needs. Not sure if the price point qualifies as breaking the bank for you, though, at around $300.

I’ve crossed over to the dark side. Instant coffee every morning for me. Traveling to Europe ruined me.

On the more economical end of things, I’ve been using this very basic Hario hand mill for a couple years now.

On the plus side, it’s cheap, no frills, well-made, and robust, which is as a rare combination now as it ever was. Grind consistency is good enough for my cone filter arrangement, though there’s a thread running through the Amazon comments section about hacking it to improve consistency for coarser grinds.

On the minus side: it’s got an open top, and beans and bits of them will sometimes jump out of the hopper while I’m grinding. Also, changing the grind setting is just enough hassle that regularly adjusting it would be a pain in the ass.

Also also, on a very fine setting like for espresso, it takes forever. I’ve been having some success making mock espresso in an old Krups steam machine, and am considering getting a dedicated electric grinder just for that. Someone in the Amazon comments thread modded his Hario such that he could drive it with a cordless drill. I love that idea, but realistically I know I’ll end up going in a different direction for the sake of convenience.

You must have lost the top. My Hario Slim has a top, and so does the picture in your Amazon link. But yeah, I can’t imagine using it to hand-grind espresso every day.

The Hario grinders are great. I have the mini version. By the way, that Hario posted does have a top. Did you lose yours? It covers the top and then the handle goes over it.

Huh, so it does. Mine came with a separate lid for the bottom jar, but nothing for the hopper. Well, that’s an improvement.

Are you sure that lid isn’t actually for the hopper? Why would the bottom jar need a lid?

$&@#%, you actually made me go check. Which I didn’t have to, because I know from lids, let me tell you. Yes, it’s threaded for the jar, there’s no way to put it on the hopper while the handle is attached, and it’d be too small, anyway.

Presumably it’s so you can grind a bunch of coffee and then keep it fresh, kinda :)

I use the Rancilio Rocky. Pluses: almost infinitely adjustable from very fine espresso through French press coarse, seems very rugged and long lasting with no wear over 3 years. Downsides: expensive and can’t quite get all the grounds out of it after using without whacking i hard 7-8 times on the side.

Diego

Haha sorry about that. I guess that makes sense.

Thanks for the recommendations. I’m in for one of the Hario ones. If I find the cranking too annoying, I’ll do the drill mod.

I want to second the Rancilio Rocky; I’ve had mine for 8 years and its going strong. It’s pricey though.

I have heard great things about the Baratza Encore; electric, 40 steps, conical burr, cheap and durable. Great entry level burr grinder.

Generally speaking, it’s worthwhile to buy quality. Costs more to start, but you get the best results, it lasts longer, and they tend to have much better support.

I have an über toaster-oven. It is the best toaster I’ve ever seen, I mean perfect results, great operation, very easy to clean. About 2 years ago it broke. I called the manufacturer, sent them a picture of the serial code, and they simply shipped me a new one.

Now I could have bought 5 crappy $50 toaster-ovens for the same money, but they wouldn’t have worked as well, and I’d be constantly replacing toasters.

Now I have toaster envy.