As coffee lovers, a coffee grinder is one of the first purchases my husband and I made when we moved to our very own house. Nothing beats a hot cup of brewed coffee made from freshly ground beans.
If you are looking into purchasing a coffee bean grinder, here’s information you should know before you even start picking a brand and reading related Best 4-Cup Coffee Maker Reviews.
See also: Best Coffee Grinder For French Press
Types Of Coffee Grinders According To Mechanism
The first one is one that uses blades to “grind” beans, and the second is the more traditional burr mills. In a burr coffee grinder, the beans are sandwiched between two rough surfaces, one of which revolves.
This causes the coffee beans to be ground into finer particles. Blade grinders, on the other hand, use blades to grind coffee beans.
Here, the beans are not really “ground” as far as the meaning of the word is concerned; rather, they are chopped finely until the desired coarseness is achieved.
Between these two types, blade grinders are cheaper, but trail behind burr mills when it comes to the quality of the ground beans.
Quick Comparison: Top 4 Cup Coffee Makers 2019
| Product | Quality | Price | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr. Coffee 4 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker | A+ | $$ | |
| Cuisinart DCC 4 Cup Coffee Maker | A | $$ | |
| Mr. Coffee 4-Cup Switch Coffee Maker | A | $ | |
| Capresso Espresso And Cappuccino Machine | B+ | $$$ | |
| Maxi Matic Elite Cuisine 4 Cup Coffee Maker | B | $ |
**Below, you’ll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
Other Types Of Grinders In The Market
First of all, don’t be mistaken: coffee grinders only fall under the two types mentioned above. However, there are all sorts of grinders you can choose from depending on your needs.
There are grinders, for instance, that are meant for home use. There are also commercial, industrial or professional-grade versions designed mainly for establishments and offices.
Apart from these, coffee grinders can likewise be manual, electric, or battery operated. Manual grinders require that the beans be hand cranked to become ground coffee.
These do not need to plugged into an electric power source, unlike with electric grinders.
There are also grinders now adays that require batteries to be functional; more often than not, these are the portable ones that only churn out a small amount of ground coffee.
Read more: Rv Coffee Maker
Top Best 4-Cup Coffee Maker Reviews 2019
Coffee is only as good as the quality of its grind, and every coffee grinder grinds the beans in a slightly different way.
Roasted coffee beans have to be ground to make the beans into smaller pieces, increasing the surface area for the hot water to be filtered through, and maximising the quality of your coffee.
Join us as we run down the top 4 coffee grinders for 2019.
We’re reviewing the top 5 Best 4-Cup Coffee Maker Reviews that you can buy right now!
Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill
For over 30 years, Cuisinart have had a reputation for long lasting, affordable, performant kitchen equipment – so how does the mid-range Cuisinart Professional Burr Coffee Mill stack up?
In a cool stainless steel and black finish, it will fit right in on any kitchen counter.
With 18 settings, you have very precise control over your grind, though in our testing we found that setting it to the fifth notch from finest gave the most consistent (and delicious!) results.
The Cuisinart has a ‘real world’ hopper capacity of around 250g, you’ll be able to fill it on Monday, enjoy a cup or two every day, and forget about topping up for the whole week.
We found it to be a touch noisier than the other consumer / home coffee grinders we reviewed, but it’s certainly no louder than a small professional machine.
The best part? The Cuisinart Burr Coffee Mill will cost you a tidy $50, making this a perfect holiday gift for your java-obsessed loved ones.
DeLonghi Stainless Steel Burr Coffee Grinder with Grind Selector and Quantity Control
For the occasional coffee lover, look no further than the De’Longhi KG79. Essentially, it does what it says on the tin – a bean capacity of 120g, separate cup and grind selector dials, and transparent hopper and powder containers, so you can see exactly what’s going on.
While not a professional barista level grinder, if taste and wallet-satisfaction are paramount to your coffee habits, then this De’Longhi will more than deliver.
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder with Bin
If you’re serious about espresso at home, the Encore is THE entry level grinder of choice.
It comes in a sturdy black plastic finish, with a transparent bean hopper on top. With a grind speed of around 1g per second, this is one efficient coffee grinder.
The Baratza has over 40 grind settings, which we wasted no time in putting to the test – we tried espresso, drip, and filter coffee, and the Encore handled it all with ease.
When you’ve found ‘your’ setting, it’s super simple to set and forget, and you get your perfect grind with one click.
Interestingly, we found that this machine got better the more we used
it, no doubt due to the conical burr motor bedding in properly.
Andrew James Coffee, Nut and Spice Grinder
Despite having never heard of Andrew James products before, it turns out many of you have! With over 1000 5* reviews on Amazon, the Andrew James grinder is certainly popular, and with good reason. We think the £14 price tag might have something to do with it?
This grinder has a 70g capacity (around 8-10 cups), and stands at just 17cm tall, making this the most compact grinder on our list.
Don’t be fooled by it’s low price or tiny size, though, this slick black machine will keep your grinding needs fulfilled, and is delightfully sturdy for its stature and price.
What we loved most about it was the ‘one touch’ operation – this isn’t a machine you will have to spend ages dialling in or fiddling around with, so it’s perfect for those hazy early mornings when you just want to get your coffee ground and get on with the day.
Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder, Black
Bright red, fluorescent green, or cool cream coffee grinder, anyone? The Bodum is certainly the boldest choice on our list… but does it stack up?
We certainly think so! Bodum have a long history of producing quality coffee grinders, so it’s no surprise that their latest ‘Bistro’ offering has all the hallmarks of a company that knows their coffee:
- 220g capacity – perfect for a whole weeks worth of coffee.
- Pre-set timer – to get the right amount every time.
- Built in friction clutch – prevents damage to the grinding gear.
- Static proof chamber – Reduces the ‘cling’ of coffee grounds.
We found this an incredibly intuitive machine to use – turn the dial all the way to the left for espresso, then it’s a 5s grind for one cup, or 10s for two.
We did find that the Bodum can get quite hot fairly quickly, so if you’re making a lot of cups together, be sure to let it rest for a minute or two every few cups.
Popular Features In Coffee Grinders
In the past, coffee grinders only consisted of the apparatus that does the grinding and in some instances, an accompanying container that is meant to catch the ground beans.
Today, though, coffee grinders come with an assortment of features, such as a storage area for unground beans and a catch cup.
More sophisticated models likewise boast of a feature that enables you to choose the coarseness of the grind, and a bean-to-cup measurement feature that allows you to grind only what you need.
Factors To Consider Before You Buy One
The best coffee grinder is the one that is just right for you. As such, before you purchase an expensive grinder that has all the features mentioned above and more, make sure first that it fits your needs.
If you don’t really need an industrial unit, go for a household grinder made by a reputable manufacturer. What I have at home is a small Krups coffee grinder, and I am satisfied with it.
Another thing you should think about is your coffee-drinking habits. If you are particular about the grounds you use and like to experiment with your coffee, you might want to invest in a model that has a “choice of grind” feature.
