I love coffee to such an extent that if I had to choose between coffee or alcohol would have to become a teetotaller. This isn’t really as difficult as it sounds; I’m not a big consumer of alcohol, but appreciate a good glass of wine, and I doubt you would expect someone who has spent his whole life, roasting, tasting, selling and sharing in the fabulous world of coffee to even hesitate deciding.

Being such an important part of my day, at home I always spend a bit more time preparing my brew. I strongly believe that the more care and attention I pay to anything the better it will turn out and that is definitely the case when making coffee.

I am often asked by customers and friends, ‘what can I do to improve my cup of coffee?’ There are lots of small adjustments that can help you get the result you want, but the best thing you can ever do is to grind your own beans.

Coffee beans will release their aroma as soon as they are ground. Although you can keep ground coffee in an airtight jar, it simply isn’t ever as fresh as grinding it just before you make it.

I personally use either an electric or a hand grinder depending on how much coffee I am making. The hand grinder is great if you are just making enough for yourself. I enjoy the ritual of measuring the beans and then looking out of the kitchen window while I’m grinding and the kettle is heating the water for my pour over. Yes, it is always a filter pour over for me. It only takes a minute to grind, and the aroma fills the kitchen awakening my senses. If I’m making a big pot of coffee, I’ll use the electric grinder, just for convenience.

Now there are many types of these, but I always recommend a burr grinder where the beans go in the top and are ground through adjustable burrs into a receptacle underneath. This will give an even grind, comparable with a good hand grinder, and evenly sized grounds result in a more consistent extraction. 

We sell two kinds of electric grinder both by Wilfa. The Svart Aroma Precision which will grind from coarse to fine enough for a Moka pot, and the Uniform Silver grinder which is capable of grinding fine enough for espresso. It also cools the coffee particles during grinding which helps to preserve the aroma and flavour. 

A good quality hand grinder like the Rhinowares gives a real hands-on feeling, an excellent grind and has the advantage of being quiet, and compact enough to take with you on your travels.

Whatever you decide, a grinder can make as much of a difference to your enjoyment of coffee as which beans you use. Without one there will always be compromise in flavour and freshness and a cup coffee can only ever be as good as its weakest point. So, if wanting to make the best cup of coffee you can is as important to you as it is to me, why compromise? Buy a grinder, enjoy using it, and drink really fresh, aromatic coffee.