Wheel Burr Grinders

The wheel burr grinder is a type of coffee grinder which uses a burr to crush the whole coffee beans between a stationary surface and a moving grinding wheel.

Differences Between Wheel Burr Grinders and Conical Burr Grinders

The wheel burr grinder uses a higher speed rotation than the conical burr grinder.

In contrast with conical burr grinders which operate at about 500 rpm, burr coffee grinders comprised of disk-type burrs operate at 10,000 rpm to 20,000 rpm, creating a higher degree of warmth in the coffee.

In addition to using a slower rotation than the wheel burr grinder, the conical burr grinder is less noisy and messy and also better at handling oily or flavored coffees without clogging, though it is more expensive.

Why Burr Grinders are Preferable to Blade Grinders

Burr coffee grinders are able to achieve a more consistent grind size than blade coffee grinders because the grind size is controlled by the position of the burr.

The hopper is the part of the coffee grinder that holds the coffee beans during grinding.

Gourmet Coffee and Brewing Tips

To see detailed specialty coffee flavor profiles see Gourmet Coffees. We also provide step-by-step instructions on making espresso drinks – see Espresso Drink Recipes, Pulling A Perfect Espresso Shot and Barista Guide to Perfect Lattes and Cappuccinos. For detailed definitions see the Espresso Coffee Guide’s Coffee and Espresso Glossary.

To read about the history of the coffee and espresso see World’s Best History of Coffee.