Three pillars of coffee: the coffee beans, the grinder, and the water. Any one of the three is bad, the stool falls over. Blade grinders leave a variability of fines and boulders, yielding under- and over-extracted flavors. They don't cancel eachother out, so it just makes the cup taste muddy. A good burr grinder will leave minimal fines, and a uniform max size of grounds. Final cup should have clear flavor, and grinder is a big part of that. Answer from the_cox on reddit.com
Serious Eats
seriouseats.com › burr-vs-blade-coffee-grinders-7557180
Burr Vs. Blade Grinders: Which Is the Best for Coffee?
April 10, 2025 - Burr grinders, on the other hand, are bigger, have a more powerful motor, and, notably, feature two grinding burrs with teeth that can move closer together or further apart depending on how coarse or fine you want your coffee.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/coffee › can you really tell a difference between burr and blade?
r/Coffee on Reddit: Can you really tell a difference between burr and blade?
January 12, 2019 -
Beginner custom coffee maker here (Kalita Wave). Can you really tell a difference between burr and blade grinders in a blind testing? Considering everything else is equal (method, beans, etc...). Also, how much do you think percentage wise the grinder contributes to the end product?
Top answer 1 of 68
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Yes 100%
The grinder is the most important part outside of the coffee itself
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Three pillars of coffee: the coffee beans, the grinder, and the water. Any one of the three is bad, the stool falls over. Blade grinders leave a variability of fines and boulders, yielding under- and over-extracted flavors. They don't cancel eachother out, so it just makes the cup taste muddy. A good burr grinder will leave minimal fines, and a uniform max size of grounds. Final cup should have clear flavor, and grinder is a big part of that.
Can you really tell a difference between burr and blade?
Three pillars of coffee: the coffee beans, the grinder, and the water. Any one of the three is bad, the stool falls over. Blade grinders leave a variability of fines and boulders, yielding under- and over-extracted flavors. They don't cancel eachother out, so it just makes the cup taste muddy. A good burr grinder will leave minimal fines, and a uniform max size of grounds. Final cup should have clear flavor, and grinder is a big part of that.
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January 12, 2019Burr vs Blade Grinder
The difference really is HUGE the blade grinder will cut up the beans and you’ll loose flavor and you’ll get an inconsistent grind. Burr is a lot better for a consistent grind and better tasting coffee. I’d recommend if you’re on a budget getting a hand burr grinder.
More on reddit.com 6
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December 17, 2016Confession time, I can't taste a difference between blade and burr ground coffee. What am I doing wrong?
There was a video from America’s Test Kitchen regarding grinders and their testers could not tell the difference either. The video is not even that old. It’s controversial and goes against the collective wisdom of this sub but they had coffee experts not being able to tell the difference makes me wonder about their methods or if expensive grinders even matter. https://youtu.be/O7LAzSKgeoQ More on reddit.com
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November 7, 2020Burr vs Blade taste tests.
Is a burr grinder really worth the significant cost? Yes. As for empirical evidence, when someone manages to find a definition for what constitutes optimal grind or optimal taste, then you might start seeing evidence. The first link used a cold-brew system, which is particularly tolerant of inconsistent grind size (yep, you can make delicious cold brew with a drink-bottle blender). The second link used an aeropress, which is also (apparently) far more fogiving than espresso or french press when it comes to inconsistent grind. The third link doesn't really lend much weight to anything; I'd contend that anyone who turns out a bitter cup from a decent burr grinder doesn't know what they're doing, either when it comes to making coffee or selelcting beans. All that said, it comes down to taste, which is a subjective thing, and where you'll see complete make-or-break results between blade/burr or cheap/expensive burr is with espresso. If you're going to focus on brewed coffee, and you enjoy what you get from a blade grinder, that's great; save your paper for something else. That said, grinder quality does show itself markedly in french press, at least, and I'd be recommending a Virtuoso, myself. More on reddit.com
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September 10, 2013Videos
04:56
How to GRIND Coffee the Right Way (Blade vs. Burr Grinders) - YouTube
Burr vs Blade Grinder? Burr Grinders are Superior
05:01
Why do I need a better coffee grinder? Blade vs Burr comparison ...
coffee under a microscope #coffee | TikTok
11:47
The BEST COFFEE GRINDER For You? (Burr vs Blade Grinder) - YouTube
Moccamaster
us.moccamaster.com › moccamaster coffee articles › burr grinder vs. blade grinder: what is the difference?
Burr Grinder Vs. Blade Grinder: What is the Difference? - Moccamaster USA
April 12, 2023 - Burr grinders also tend to be quieter than blade grinders, and do not heat the beans as much, if at all, like a blade grinder can. Conical burr grinders have a cone-shaped ring inside another hollow cone-shaped ring that directs the beans downward, ...
OutIn
outin.com › home › blogs › blogs
How to Choose a Coffee Grinder: Burr vs Blade Guide
April 11, 2025 - One burr remains stationary while the other rotates, creating a crushing action that grinds beans to a specific size determined by the distance between the burrs. Blade Grinders: These use a spinning metal blade to chop coffee beans, much like ...
The Roasterie
theroasterie.com › blogs › news › burr-grinder-vs-blade-grinder-whats-the-difference
Burr Grinder vs Blade Grinder: What's The Difference? – The Roasterie
Burr grinders use two revolving abrasive surfaces to grind up coffee while blade grinders use a propeller-like blade, similar to a blender. While this may all seem trivial, it’s important to understand that poorly ground beans will result ...
Mahlkönig
mahlkoenig.us › news, events & coffee blog › blade grinders vs. burrs: a comparison
Blade grinders vs. burrs: a comparison — Mahlkönig USA
February 1, 2022 - The blade grinder breaks the beans rather randomly and unevenly with spinning blades, whereas with a burr grinder the beans are ground more evenly. This is because burr grinders consist of two accurately cut burrs at their core, one stationary ...
CoffeeRoast Co.
coffeeroastco.com › coffeeroast co. blog › burr grinder vs. blade grinder: which makes the better coffee?
Burr Grinder vs. Blade Grinder: Which Makes The Better Coffee? - CoffeeRoast Co.
April 7, 2023 - The closer the burrs are to each other, the finer the grind. Also known as the propeller or spice grinders, blade grinders chop coffee beans into smaller particles using spinning blades.
Breville
breville.com › kitchen & cooking blog › burr grinder vs. blade grinder: what's the difference and does it matter?
Burr grinder vs. blade grinder: What's the difference and does it matter?
Generally speaking, burr coffee grinders tend to be bigger and more expensive units than blade coffee grinders, making them ideal for the coffee enthusiast who wants precision control and appreciates the nuanced flavors of their coffee.
Coffee Blog
coffeeblog.co.uk › coffee blog › is a blade or burr coffee grinder better?
Is a Blade or Burr Coffee Grinder Better?
October 26, 2023 - The answer is, yes, burr grinders are way better that blade grinders. I'm not going to spend too long answering the question, as it's very cut and dry in my opinion, burrs are better than blades when it comes to grinding coffee beans, but why ...
Georgioscoffee
georgioscoffee.com › blogs › news › blade-grinders-vs-burr-grinders
Blade Grinders Vs Burr Grinders – Georgio's Coffee Roasters
February 20, 2024 - This consistency allows for a more even extraction, resulting in a better-tasting cup of coffee. However, burr grinders are typically more expensive and may require more maintenance than blade grinders.
Handsome Wade
handsomewade.com › blog › 2017 › 10 › burr-vs-blade-choosing-coffee-grinder
Burr vs Blade - Choosing a Coffee Grinder — Handsome Wade
April 15, 2018 - Typically, the blade continues spinning and chopping until the all the beans are chopped up. Burr grinders, on the other hand, consist of two revolving abrasive surfaces that grind the coffee between them a few beans at a time.
Brewclancoffee
brewclancoffee.com › blogs › specialty-coffee-guide › best-coffee-grinders-for-every-budget-blade-vs-burr-explained
Best Coffee Grinders for Every Budget: Blade vs. Burr Explained – BrewClan Coffee Roasters
June 29, 2025 - This inconsistency leads to over-or ... heat the beans, which can mute delicate flavours. Burr grinders crush beans between two abrasive surfaces called burrs (flat or conical)....
BeanFruit Coffee Co.
beanfruit.com › blogs › news › 116265092-a-good-coffee-grinder-blade-grinders-vs-burr-grinders
A Good Coffee Grinder: Blade Grinders vs Burr Grinders – BeanFruit Coffee Co.
May 4, 2016 - That might sound harsh to some people, but it is what it is. ... Pros: Uniform Grinds. Easier to Adjust. Larger Grind Volume. Consistently Better Results. Cons: More Expensive. But Worth Twice The Price. Details: Unlike blade grinders, burr grinders actually grind coffee.
KitchenAid
kitchenaid.com › pinch-of-help › countertop-appliances › types-of-coffee-grinders.html
Different Types of Coffee Grinders: Burr & Blade Grinders
They work by crushing the beans, as opposed to chopping them. The advantage of this type of grinder is that it offers more consistent and accurate control over the size of the coffee grounds used for brewing, compared to a blade grinder.
Holar
holar.com.tw › home › news and blogs › coffee mill › blade vs. burr: which coffee grinder should you really be using?
Blade vs. Burr: Which Coffee Grinder Should You Really Be Using? - Holar | Taiwan Kitchenware & Houseware Expert Supplier
June 2, 2025 - Burr coffee grinders operate differently, and the scent and flavours are better preserved. Blade coffee grinders are easy to use, inexpensive and don’t need much maintenance or storage space.
The Kitchn
thekitchn.com › coffee-tools-what-kind-of-grinder-should-i-use-204496
The Difference Between a Burr Grinder & Blade Grinder | The Kitchn
May 2, 2019 - A blade grinder is what my mother was using all those years ago, with a blade in the center of the grinder that looks like a propeller, similar to a blender blade. A burr grinder, however, is exactly what you would find in a vintage manual coffee grinder at an estate sale or your grandmother’s house.
Drink Trade
drinktrade.com › blogs › education › difference-between-burr-blade-grinders
Burr Grinder vs Blade Grinder: Which Is Better? | Trade Coffee
February 18, 2022 - While burr coffee grinder has an upper and lower compartment, allowing the beans to pass through the chopping plates only once, the blade coffee grinder is self-contained, similar to food processors: The longer you operate the blades, the finer ...
STARESSO
staresso.com › blogs › coffee-grinders › burr-grinders-vs-blade-grinders
Burr Grinders vs Blade Grinders: Which is Best for Your Coffee?
May 18, 2024 - The major advantage to burr grinders ... creating espresso shots or making French press coffee. Burr grinders are usually more robust and long-lasting than blade grinders, due to being made from high-quality materials....
Food Republic
foodrepublic.com › 1458052 › difference-between-blade-burr-coffee-grinder
When To Use Burr Vs. Blade Coffee Grinders - Food Republic
November 30, 2023 - In contrast, burr grinders offer more control over the grind, produce consistently sized ground coffee, and tend to be more durable — but they take more effort, and cost more. ... The most significant difference between a burr and a blade ...
Quora
quora.com › What-are-the-key-differences-between-blade-and-burr-coffee-grinders-and-how-do-they-impact-flavor
What are the key differences between blade and burr coffee grinders, and how do they impact flavor? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): Blade grinders hit the beans with a sharp(ish) blade, cutting (and often shattering) the bean into smaller pieces. Burr grinder rubs the beans between two edged surfaces that are set a specific distance apart from one another. The ...