Best Coffee Grinder for Cold Brew 2021 (Reviews & Comparison)

Cold brew coffee has become increasingly popular in recent years. I have to admit that, until recently, I didn’t even know what cold brew coffee is. Now, however, I’m a real fan of this method for making delicious iced coffee beverages.

Especially desirable in the summertime, iced coffee made with cold brew is delightfully smooth and refreshing.

Due to the nature of the cold brew process, the final result is free of bitterness or acidity.

To get started with delicious cold brew coffee, you’ll want to acquire the best coffee grinder for cold brew.

Like any good coffee, cold brew starts with freshly ground coffee beans.

Many coffee aficionados agree that grinding with a burr grinder produces better results than grinding with a blade grinder.

They observe superior consistency and uniformity in the resulting ground coffee particles. In this article, we’ll explore some options to advance your search for an excellent burr coffee grinder.

A Quick Look at Our Favorites

Image	Product	Features and Benefits	Price
	JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder	18 Grind settings 40 Grams hopper capacity Conical Ceramic Burrs No batteries or power needed Consistent Ground Size	View On Amazon
	Baratza Virtuoso Coffee Grinder	40 Grind Settings 40 grams hopper capacity Conical Burrs Less noisy Easy to clean	View On Amazon
	Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder	16 Grind Settings 8.8 Ounces hopper capacity Conical Steel Burrs Consistent grind Quiet operation	View On Amazon
	Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill	12 Grind Settings 100 grams hopper capacity Conical Ceramic Burrs Quality components and design Great for daily use	View On Amazon
	Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder	40 Grind Settings 10 ounces hopper capacity Conical Steel Burrs Grinds beans pretty fast Acceptable noise level	View On Amazon

Recommended Top 5 Best Coffee Grinders for Cold Brew Reviews

1. JavaPress Manual Coffee Grinder, Conical Burr Mill

The JavaPress grinder features ceramic combo, conical burrs for precision grinding. The conical design means that coffee grinds flow downward from the hopper into the ground coffee receptacle, minimizing the likelihood that residual particles will become trapped in the burrs. The ceramic combo burrs hold up to repeated use for years of service.

You can set any specific grind size for your chosen brewing purpose. The JavaPress offers 18 grind settings, from super-fine to coarse. “Cold Press” is one of the available settings. Use your JavaPress manual grinder for other applications, too. Drip, Turkish, French press, and espresso are just some of the other choices.

Because it is manual, this JavaPress grinder has no cord and does not require batteries. It’s small and portable. Toss it into your backpack or luggage for traveling. Tuck it into your briefcase or purse and take it to the office. The hand crank comes off for cleaning and storage. The removable hand crank is unique in that it makes very little noise when grinding.

The JavaPress manual grinder is small and compact with a sleek, slender profile. Dimensions are 1.8 x 7.5 x 1.8 inches, and it weighs only 9.4 ounces. Therefore, storage is no problem at all. Additionally, the crank handle detaches, and the grinder comes apart easily for cleaning. The exterior is made of attractive and easy-to-clean stainless steel.

ALSO READ: Best burr grinder under $50

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: Does it come with a chart to tell you how many clicks for various grinds, such as fine, medium, coarse?

Answer: Yes. A detailed instruction manual tells you how many clicks for each of the 18 grind settings.

2. Question: How many beans can you grind, and how long does it take?

Answer: The grinder holds a ½ cup of whole beans. It takes about 8 minutes to grind.

2. Baratza Virtuoso – Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

This conical burr electric coffee grinder by Baratza is favored by professional baristas. The compact Virtuoso grinder is made for home use, but it features the durability of commercial machines. Baratza designs their equipment with replaceable and repairable parts so that you can protect the environment from waste and keep your electric grinder going through many years of service.

High carbon steel burrs guarantee superior grinding in this machine. The conical burr design uses gravity to pull whole coffee beans downward from the hopper and maintain flow into the ground coffee receptacle. This produces consistency and uniformity in grind size while retaining the oils and flavor from the coffee beans. A front-mounted pulse button and a built-in 60-second timer provide you with control over the grinding process.

The Baratza Virtuoso produces a consistent, high-quality grind every time. It features 40 precision grind settings. Choose any setting from fine to coarse, depending on your brewing method preference. The 420 RPM motor reduces noise and prevents the friction-induced build-up of heat and static. As an added bonus, the Virtuoso is quieter than many other grinders.

With a compact footprint and sculptural metal exterior, the Virtuoso takes up little counter space and exudes a classic elegance in design. Dimensions are: 4.7 x 6.3 x 13.8 inches. It weighs 7.15 pounds. Although it is compact, the Virtuoso’s hopper holds 10 ounces of whole coffee beans.

ALSO READ: Best Grind and Brew Coffee Maker

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: Where is it made?

Answer: The European-made, conical burrs are manufactured in Lichtenstein. The rest of the machine is made in Taiwan.

2. Question: Does it work well with extra-oily beans?

Answer: Yes, it will grind the beans, but you will need to pay attention to cleaning. Especially for fine grinds, you will need to clean the hopper, burrs, and the grind path to remove oily residue.

3. Capresso 560.01 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder

The Capresso 560.01 features commercial-grade, conical, solid steel burrs that are assembled in Switzerland for precision to 1/250 of an inch. The burrs are produced as matched pairs and hand-fitted during assembly to ensure ultimate efficiency in grinding. This high-precision grinding produces consistency and uniformity in the particle sizes of ground coffee beans, resulting in excellent flavor and richness.

Offering 16 different grind settings, the Capresso 560.01 delivers a range of ground coffee texture from super-fine for Turkish coffee all the way up to coarse for French press. It’s easy to set your desired grind size by clicking the dial to one of the 16 clearly marked designations on the front of the machine. A built-in timer can be set to grind anywhere from 5 to 60 seconds and then automatically shut off.

A convenient advantage of this grinder is the see-through design. Both the hopper on top (where you put the beans) and the ground coffee receptacle on the lower front are made of heavy-duty, clear plastic so that you can easily see exactly what’s happening in the grinding process. Additionally, the housing is die-cast from heavy duty zinc for excellent durability and easy cleaning.

Dimensions are 14.6 x 9.6 x 7.8 inches, and the Capresso 560.01 weighs 4 pounds. The hopper holds up to 8.8 ounces of coffee beans, and the ground coffee receptacle holds up to 4 ounces of ground coffee. The hopper, the upper burr lift, and the ground coffee receptacle are easily removable for cleaning. Additionally, you can simply wipe down the exterior zinc, die-cast housing to keep the machine looking like new.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: Does this machine produce a super-fine grind for espresso or Turkish coffee?

Answer: Yes. It will produce a grind as fine as talcum powder.

2. Question: Does anyone have trouble removing the upper burr for cleaning?

Answer: Yes, if you mistakenly put the burr in upside down, you’ll have trouble removing it. Also, be sure to align the black dots when replacing the bean hopper to keep the burrs from jamming. If you’re careful about these two things, it should be easy to remove the upper burr for cleaning.

4. Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill – “Skerton”

The Skerton coffee mill by Hario is a manual grinder. Its simple design features a glass container and a top with ceramic burrs and removable crank handle. Because of its simplicity, the Skerton is easy to use and easy to clean. Simply fill the hopper and crank the handle to produce your desired amount of ground coffee.

Conical burrs provide excellent grinding because they create a gravity-assisted downward flow of the ground coffee. This aids in minimizing residual particles left behind in the burrs as well as built-up static. Ceramic burrs produce consistent, uniform ground coffee particles. The detachable hand crank is ergonomically designed to assist you in manually operating the grinder. A rubber base on the bottom provides a non-slip texture to stabilize the grinder on a counter or tabletop.

The Hario glass container is made in Japan of heat-resistant glass. The see-through design conveniently allows you to see exactly how much ground coffee you’ve produced and exactly how fine the grind is. Simply unscrew the hopper and grinding mechanism from the glass container to facilitate easy cleaning.

With its highly portable simplicity, you’ll be able to take this grinder with you wherever you go. The crank handle is detachable, and the hopper detaches from the bottom container allowing you to pack the grinder in your backpack or luggage. The Hario “Skerton” is lightweight (only 1.25 pounds) and measures 16 x 11 x 13 inches.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: Can you adjust the grind size?

Answer: Yes. The adjustment is sensitive, so don’t turn it too far. You can adjust the grind size anywhere from fine to coarse.

2. Question: Can you grind coffee for the French press?

Answer: Yes. Turn the grind size adjustment screw to produce a coarse grind. The ground particles are not as uniform in the coarse grind as they are in the finer range, but it makes a good French press coffee.

5. Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

When you get up into the advanced, electric burr grinders, the Baratza Encore is a budget-friendly, entry-level, all-purpose machine for home use. It’s made with the same quality as commercial products that are used by professional baristas, and Baratza has won awards in the field. Maintenance is facilitated by Baratza’s attention to customer service and replaceable, repairable parts.

High-carbon steel burrs are manufactured in Lichtenstein for precision grinding. The conical burr design produces the most consistent, uniform grind sizes. With its powerful DC motor, the Encore grinds an average of 1 gram of coffee beans per second.

Select any precise grind size from super-fine to coarse. The Encore has 40 grind settings to meet your needs for various coffee applications. The operation is straightforward with an on/off toggle switch on the side of the machine and a pulse button on the front.

With its small footprint, the Encore will not take up too much space on your kitchen counter. The compact dimensions are 4.7 x 6.3 x 13.8 inches. The Encore weighs 6.83 pounds. The hopper holds 10 ounces of coffee beans, so you can grind an ample amount of coffee at one time.

How to Choose a Coffee Grinder for Cold Brew

When you search for a cold brew coffee grinder, you’ll want to look for several desirable features. Of course, much will depend on your own needs and preferences. Here are some relevant criteria for you to consider.

Grinder Type: Would you like to use a manual grinder or an electric one? If you plan to grind beans every day, you will probably want the convenience of an electric grinder. Do consider the convenience and portability of a manual grinder, however.

Additionally, you will want to consider whether a blade grinder or a burr grinder is right for you. Most coffee enthusiasts agree that a burr grinder is preferable because it does not create heat from friction in the way that a blade grinder does. Therefore, the ground beans from a burr grinder retain more of their oils, flavor, and aroma.

Number of Grinding Settings: Consider the grind size that you will need for cold brew. Because the process is essentially the same as French press coffee, most cold brew fans use a medium-to-coarse grind size. This is somewhat subjective and depends on personal preference. Burr grinders come with varying numbers of grind settings. When you’re selecting a burr grinder for cold brew, you might want to consider your other favorite coffee applications, such as espresso or drip coffee, too. You’ll be able to change grind settings for various brewing processes.

Cup Selector Option: It’s always best to grind fresh beans right before you brew your coffee. How many cups of cold brew will you want to make at one time? You will find that some burr grinders have settings that allow you to grind a specific amount of coffee beans to suit your needs. This way, you will know exactly how much ground coffee you’re producing at one time.

Coarseness Selector: For cold brew coffee, you will probably use a grind size that is somewhere in the range from medium-fine to medium-coarse. This is a component of the process that you’ll want to experiment with to find your own personal preference. Burr grinders feature coarseness selectors that allow you to get the exact texture you’re looking for. Some grinders have more selections than others, allowing for greater precision in grind size.

Hopper Size: On a burr grinder, the hopper is the container where you place the whole beans that are to be ground. Hopper sizes vary in different burr grinders. You will want to consider how much cold brew coffee you plan to make at any given time. Select a burr grinder with a hopper large enough to meet your needs.

Easy to Clean: Keep your equipment clean to preserve excellent flavor in your ground coffee. For example, if particles of ground coffee get left behind in the burrs and are not brushed out, they can become stale and ruin the flavor of subsequent grinds.

Additionally, you will want an easy clean-up regimen to maintain your equipment for long-lasting service. Select a burr grinder that allows for convenient clean-up so that you can maintain it in excellent condition without too much trouble.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: How can you tell if you are consistently grinding the same amount of coffee every time?

Answer: Measure your whole beans on a digital scale before putting them in the hopper. That way, you’ll know that you are grinding the same amount every time.

2. Question: Will it grind coffee for espresso?

Answer: Yes. There are 40 grind settings. So, you can grind coffee beans as fine as you want.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew coffee is the best way to prepare iced coffee drinks. Learn the simple procedure for cold brew, and then have fun with cold brew recipes for a variety of delightful drinks.

1. What is cold brew coffee?

The cold brew process essentially refers to ‘steeping’ the coffee, rather than ‘brewing’ it. It takes at least 12 hours for cold brew coffee to steep. Many fans of cold brew even suggest a 24-hour steeping period. Over this prolonged period of time, the cold brew process extracts oils, caffeine, and flavor from the ground coffee beans.

The ratio of coffee to water in cold brewing is much higher than in regular coffee brewing. The end result is a coffee concentrate that is very strong. You will dilute this concentrate with ice, water, and perhaps cream before drinking it.

2. What is the difference? Cold brew vs regular coffee

Regular coffee brewing depends on heat to extract oils, flavor, and caffeine from ground coffee beans. As its name suggests, cold brewing does not use heat. Instead, time is the factor that allows the essence of the coffee beans to be extracted, resulting in the concentrated flavor of the final product. Because heat is never applied, cold brew retains all of the oils and flavor from the beans with none of the bitterness or acidity.

3. What are the benefits of cold brew coffee?

The most remarkable quality of cold brew coffee is its smoothness. It has none of the bitterness or acidity of regular brewed coffee. In fact, many coffee drinkers who typically sweeten their coffee find that they do not need to add sugar to cold brew coffee. It has a naturally sweet, smooth taste.

An additional benefit of cold brew coffee is realized when you pour it over ice. Typically, pouring hot brewed coffee over ice causes the regular-strength coffee to be immediately diluted. This weakens the flavor. With cold brew, you don’t melt the ice cubes right away.

Cold brew is a strong coffee concentrate; therefore, you will most often dilute it with water and ice, adding milk or cream (if desired) when you’re ready to serve it. This way, you maintain control over the strength of your final, cold beverage.

Because heat is not applied in the cold brewing process, some say that antioxidants are retained in the final product. Perhaps there is even a health benefit to drinking cold brew coffee!

4. What is the best type of coffee beans for cold brew?

Personal preference plays an important role in answering this question. You can look for a cold brew/cold press elixir that is advertised specifically for this method of coffee brewing. Or, you can use your favorite medium-roast coffee beans. It appears that most cold brew fans recommend a light-to-medium roast coffee bean.

5. What’s the best grind size for cold brew?

Coarse grind size is best for cold brewing. You will want to stir the ground coffee and water mixture when you first pour it into your brewing container. It will be quite thick. Then, after steeping for at least 12 hours, you will press and strain the mixture for your final cold brew coffee concentrate.

You might want to play around with the grind size to find a size that you feel is best suited for this process. Keep in mind that a fine grind will leave much more sediment that you’ll need to strain out. A coarse grind will facilitate the straining process.

6. How much caffeine in a cup of cold brew coffee?

The slow steeping process of cold brewing means that caffeine, oils, and flavors are extracted from the ground coffee over time, and the end result is a concentrate that is higher in caffeine.

The typical cold brew recipe calls for approximately ¾ cup of ground coffee to 4 cups of water. This is subjective, however, and differs according to personal preference. Some people use a 1:1 coffee to water ratio, which produces a really strong concentrate.

Cold brew concentrate contains about twice as much caffeine as regular coffee. The stronger the concentrate, the more caffeine. You will not drink the concentrate as is, however. Typically, the coffee lover pours the cold brew concentrate over ice and dilutes it with water as well as cream (if desired).

7. How to store cold brew coffee?

You can make cold brew coffee with cold (room temperature) water in a pitcher, mason jar, or French press sitting on your kitchen counter. But, after it’s finished brewing (at least 12 hours) and you press and strain it to remove grounds and sediment, you should store your coffee concentrate in the refrigerator. The reason is that mold will grow in your cold brew coffee after about 1-2 days if it is not refrigerated.

To store, pour your cold brew concentrate into a container with a tight lid and pop it into the fridge. Additionally, keep in mind that you can do the entire cold brew process in the refrigerator, but you’ll need more steeping time: at least 17 or more hours.

8. How to heat up cold brew coffee?

Because cold brew coffee is smooth, flavorful, and sweet, you might want to drink it even in the winter or anytime you desire a hot drink. To heat it up, dilute your cold brew coffee concentrate with water and warm it over medium heat in a kettle or pan on the stove.

Another idea is to pour a half-cup of cold brew concentrate and then fill the remainder of the cup with boiling water. (Leave room for cream if desired). This process takes care of diluting the concentrate and warming the coffee at the same time.

9. How long does cold brew coffee last?

You should store your cold brew coffee in a closed container in your refrigerator. If you’ve already diluted the cold brew concentrate with water, the liquid will be good in the fridge for about 2-3 days.

If you are storing undiluted cold brew concentrate, it will keep for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator. The rich flavor will begin to deteriorate after the first week, however.

Final Verdict

If you haven’t tried cold brew coffee, yet, you owe it to yourself to sample this latest trend in coffee enjoyment. The smooth, non-acidic, slightly sweet taste is well worth the time that it takes to allow the cold brew process to come to completion. Try it with ground coffee from a burr grinder and find out how enjoyable the experience can be.