Does a Burr Coffee Grinder Really Make a Difference?

Because of my passion for all things coffee, go figure, as I live in a community that is decidedly against the drinking of coffee, I have been exploring buying coffee beans in the green phase, roasting them myself and exploring the difference in quality between chopped coffee beans and burr ground coffee beans.

Using a burr coffee grinder does make a difference in the quality and consistency of the coffee when it is made. By grinding the beans up into small similar sized pieces as a burr grinder does it allows the water to make contact with the various parts of the coffee ground surface more evenly.  Where as chopping coffee beans produces in consistent sized coffee bean pieces and can burn the coffee ground giving off a bitter, burnt flavor.

As far as roasting your own coffee beans goes, there is nothing in the world like the smell of fresh roasted coffee, in my opinion, to make you feel wonderful. You don't even have to be drinking it, the smell alone is over the top. A far second would be the smell of fresh baked bread.

You can find the Cuisinart Conical Burr Coffee Grinder here.

Looking for some gift ideas for your coffee lover friends? Check out this magazine: Gifts For Coffee Lovers