I remember when I first learned about the differences in coffee grinders. I definitely always thought that it was imperative to have top-of-the-line everything: scale, espresso machine, tamp… I didn’t know that grinders could make such a difference.

Grinders either fall into the category of burr or blade. Burr grinders are a little higher-end and therefore tend to be more expensive. Average coffee consumers usually opt for a blade grinder because of its attractive price point. Although burr grinders are more ideal for coffee grinding, you can still yield a quality cup with a blade grinder. Let's explore optimizing blade grinders. There are two obvious potential problems with typical blade grinders that you want to watch out for: gauging the correct grind size and even particle size.