Blade Grinders

Blade grinders: good basic choices for automatic-drip coffee

Much like blenders, blade grinders chop coffee beans as their blades spin. Blade grinders are inferior to burr grinders in that they grind less evenly. To counteract this, it's best to grind in short bursts, stopping in between to shake the grinder. Although coffee made with blade-ground beans has less body, it is also less prone to the bitterness caused by overextraction. Blade grinders are fine for French press and automatic-drip coffee, when you don't need a super-fine grind and consistency of grind isn't crucial. Blade grinders can also double as spice grinders, although they should be cleaned thoroughly between uses to avoid mixing flavors. Experts say that blade coffee grinders should never be used to grind coffee for pump-driven espresso machines because they can't create a fine enough grind.

Blade coffee grinders are pretty simple machines, and most don't cost more than about $30. For the most part, performance differences from model to model aren't terribly dramatic. Some blade grinders are more stylish than others, and some are easier to use, but these differences tend to be minimal.

The Krups Fast Touch 203 (*Est. $25) is one of the most frequently reviewed coffee grinders at Amazon.com; in fact, we found more recommendations for this inexpensive blade grinder than any other coffee grinder. The Fast Touch 203-42 has a black exterior, while the Fast Touch 203-70 comes in white, but these models are identical except for the color. Owners give it an average rating of 4.5 stars (out of a possible 5) in more than 615 reviews; about two-thirds of reviewers give this unit a perfect 5-star rating. Nearly 130 owners contribute to a similar rating on Cooking.com, and general feedback concurs with that found on Amazon.com. Owners say that this blade coffee grinder is compact, easy to use and inexpensive, and 99 percent say it's a good value.

The Krups Fast Touch is also handy for grinding spices, according to one review on SpiceLines.com and many owners on sites like Amazon.com and Cooking.com. One foodie magazine praises the snug fit between the Krups Fast Touch's lid and base, and several owners say that their Krups coffee grinders are still going strong after 10 years of heavy use. One downside is that this Krups grinder can be a bit cumbersome to clean, because the blade and grinding chamber are not removable. Experts suggest grinding plain white rice to clean the unit.

The Krups GX4100 Fast Touch (*Est. $30) coffee grinder is slightly more expensive, mainly because it's sheathed in brushed stainless steel. It has one advantage over the Fast Touch 203: a pulse action button that allows users to better control the fineness of the grind. There are fewer reviews for the GX4100 (about 90 on Amazon.com, where it has an average rating of 4 stars out of 5), but owners say this little blade grinder is an excellent performer and can function as a spice grinder as well. A few owners even report using it to grind nuts. Performance-wise, it's comparable to the Fast Touch 203 coffee grinder, and owners say it's a cinch to clean. Like the Fast Touch 203, some owners report an uneven grind and say it's not capable of producing a fine enough grind for espresso. There are a few recent complaints about the unit breaking after just a few uses.

One older professional review in a popular foodie magazine recommends the Capresso Cool Grind 501 (*Est. $20) . The 100-watt Cool Grind electric coffee grinder can grind up to 15 cups worth of coffee beans. Nearly 45 owners posting to Amazon.com contribute to an average rating of 4 stars out of 5, although several owners report an uneven grind. In addition, there are a few complaints of failed motors, but most recent reviews praise the Capresso Cool Grind 501. Feedback is equally positive on Cooking.com, where just under 20 owners contribute to an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. Many agree the grind is uneven, and a few owners say the lid doesn't latch. However, the majority of owners say the Capresso Cool Grind 501 is an excellent value and is quieter than most coffee grinders.

The Mr. Coffee IDS77 electric coffee grinder (*Est. $25) has an unusual feature: a built-in scraper that sweeps grounds away from the grinding chamber. This doesn't obviate the need to wipe down the bowl with a damp cloth, but owners say it helps cut down on mess. Nearly 320 owners comment on the Mr. Coffee IDS77 on Amazon.com, where it has an average rating of 3.5 stars out of 5. A number of owners say the Mr. Coffee IDS77 doesn't produce a fine enough grind, and a few say the "chamber maid" cleaning system (a piece of plastic used to scrape the sides of the chamber) is easily broken. Further, one owner says the plastic arms wear thin over time, creating suspicion that plastic is being slowly ground into the coffee. Overall, however, most owners say the Mr. Coffee IDS77 is easy to use and offers good value.

The Cuisinart DCG-20BKN (*Est. $25) holds about 5 tablespoons and is available in black or white. In general, owners like this grinder, which has an average rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 (based on more than 50 reviews) on Amazon.com and an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 (based on nearly 40 ratings) on Cooking.com. Most say that it's compact, sturdy, fast and powerful. Rather than preset grind settings, owners are required to hold down a button down until the desired consistency is achieved. Some users say this feature achieves precise consistency, while others say it's unable to break down all of the beans. Other consumers say it's hard to clean and coffee grinds accumulate between the double walls. Many owners complain that this Cuisinart coffee grinder is noisy and has a limited capacity; several users say it only grinds enough for four or five cups at a time.

The Cuisinart DCG-12BC Grind Central (*Est. $30) has some issues in user reviews; more than half of the nearly 230 user reviewers at Amazon.com award a single star. Many owners say that this stainless steel blade-style coffee grinder has an exceptionally short life span, and others say it's incapable of producing evenly ground coffee. Although owners agree that it looks good, most say it's poorly designed.

We found one recommendation at Specialty-Coffee-Advisor.com for the Bodum C-Mill 5679 (*Est. $30) , a blade grinder with a modern shape. However, owners posting to Amazon.com say this coffee grinder is all style and no substance; two-thirds of owners rate the Bodum C-Mill with 2 stars or less (out of 5). The major complaint lodged by users is that this grinder doesn't produce a fine enough grind, even leaving whole beans behind. Some owners say it only grinds enough for eight cups of coffee, and even so, opening the grinder almost always causes some of the grinds to spill. A few owners report that it's nearly impossible to remove all the grinds from the unit, even when using a spoon. There are also several reports of broken blades after a few months of use.