A quality burr coffee grinder can easily set you back hundreds of dollars. Not so with the $40 Bialetti Manual Burr Grinder, a rough conversion to £32 in the UK or AU$53 in Australia. This compact kitchen gadget is affordable, yet boasts premium ceramic burrs instead of ones made from steel.
That's an important distinction among coffee gurus since ceramic burrs stay sharp longer than burrs with metal teeth. It's also said that ceramic burrs naturally unlock more of the complex and delicious flavors within beans of darker roasts. Regardless if this belief is scientifically correct or merely hearsay, it is true that motorized grinders with ceramic burrs cost significantly more than their steel-burred counterparts.
The Bialetti Manual Grinder is made from mostly plastic and is powered by a mechanical crank.
Chris Monroe/CNETOf course there is a way to get your hands on a ceramic-burred grinder without spending a fortune -- buy a manual machine. Numerous manual appliances have ceramic cutting surfaces and cost between $30 and $40. Besides the Bialetti, another similar device is the Hario's Skerton (model MSCS-2TB). The big trade-off here is these gadgets rely on brute muscle for power. Compared to the convenience of motorized machines like the $145 Baratza Encore, processing beans with the Bialetti is a chore.
