A burr grinder is just one of several types of grinders to give you a different texture of grind and different taste to your cup of Joe.
A great feature of many burr grinders is adjustable settings. You can grind your coffee very fine, or very coarse depending on the way you’re brewing.
Espresso machines, drip machines percolators, French press—they all require different grinds so that setting option is great.
A conical burr grinder has got burrs made of steel that crush the bean. They can grind up the beans without creating a lot of friction.
Friction is bad news in a coffee grinder.
The greater the friction, the more heat created.
The more heat, the more your coffee will “taste funny.” A disc burr grinder does the same thing as the conical, but with two main differences.
For one thing, they’re noisier than a conical grinder, so if you want a quiet grind, the conical burr is probably the one for you.
The second difference is that heat factor again.
The discs rotate faster and so the coffee is heated a little more, possibly affecting the taste.
A disc grinder is normally cheaper than a conical, so if you’re on a budget and not grinding cup after cup after cup, go for the disc-type burr.
Your price will also vary from company to company of course.
Krups, Braun, Cuisinart—a lot of familiar names make them, and their prices will all vary. Of course, it may all come down to which company makes the color that matches your kitchen!
