How To Clean A Burr Coffee Grinder

A burr coffee grinder is an essential tool in the home or office kitchen. You can use it to extract an exclusive third-wave flavor from single source beans or preparing espresso. With time, the grinder gets dirty with deposits of coffee dust and oil from the beans. The dust and oil deposits can interfere with the quality and taste of your coffee. However, you don't have to fuss it because you are going to learn all the tricks and tips on how to clean a burr coffee grinder properly.

The guide below acquaints you with the skills needed to keep the burr coffee grinder clean in a few steps. By this, it remains in shape for much longer to dispense not only quality but also a defined coffee flavor. Read on!

What You’ll Need To Clean A Burr Coffee Grinder

Explaining some essential things need while cleaning burr grinder. These will help you to manage all those things before starting cleaning.

A Burr Coffee Grinder

Do you have a burr coffee grinder? If not, you are probably thinking of acquiring one soon. As you scheme below, you can learn how to clean a burr coffee grinder. The instructions are clear for you to clean grinders from different producers.

Grinder Cleaning Pellets

The grinder cleaning pellets are very useful whenever you need to give the grinder a thorough cleaning. There are several brands of grinder cleaning pellets in the market that you can choose from.

A Soft Brush

A Soft BrushThe parts you are cleaning have some sections that are quite hard to reach. The crevices are notorious for storing lots of coffee dust. You can use a soft-bristled brush to clean all crevices of your grinder.

Screwdriver

If your burr coffee grinder is held in place by screwdrivers, you shall need a screwdriver to pull it apart for cleaning. You shall also need the screwdriver to put it back together after cleaning it.

Cotton Swabs and Wood Toothpick

Wooden toothpicks and cotton swabs can help you in cleaning the burr coffee grinder by getting to the hard to reach points. However, they are both optional, depending on your preference.

Spare Beans

After completing the cleaning process and putting the grinder back together, you need to make the grinder ready for the next brew. The beans get rid of pellet dust residue that might affect the taste of your next cup.

Related article on grinding coffee beans without a grinder.

How To Clean Your Burr Coffee Grinder, Step By Step Process

These are some tricks and tips that will help you to get the precise concept about the cleaning process of burr grinder.

Unplug Your Grinder

The first step as you clean your grinder is to unplug it from the power source. Unplugging the grinder allows you to access the most hidden parts on the inside. You mustn't skip the first step, most importantly, for your safety. You can also train the young ones in your household on the importance of staying wary of appliances that are plugged in.

Pull It Apart

The second step is pulling apart the inner parts of your burr coffee grinder to access the deposits hidden in crevices and corners. For most coffee grinders, you need to remove the upper grinding casing and hopper to reach the burrs without causing damage. It would be best for you to adhere to the instructions included in the user manual of your grinder.

Shake and Scrub

The cleaning stage involves much of shaking and scrubbing to remove dust and oil deposits. You can start by smacking sides of the grinder as it is turned upside down until nothing comes out. Use your soft brush to scrub dust and coffee grounds clinging on the insides of your coffee grinder. You can use the cotton swabs to clean the feeder channel that guides ground coffee into the grind drawer.

Wipe It Down

While cleaning the plastic parts, you can use the brush to get rid of all coffee dust residues that are available on the inside parts. You can then proceed to use some soapy water to remove the notorious stains that settle on the ground drawer. If you decide to use the water in cleaning the plastic parts, you should ensure that every part of your burr grinder is completely dry.

Suck It Up

Use a wooden toothpick or brush in dusting the screws, teeth, and other parts that are concealed. The flexible cotton swabs can substitute or supplement your brush in cleaning crevices and channels. Some grinders can allow you to remove the upper burr before hitting the lower burr to remove dust. Suck the tiny particles left behind using the hose attachment of a vacuum cleaner.

Wipe and Replace

You need to read the user manual carefully to find out if the ground coffee container and bean container of your grinder are dishwasher-safe. Cleaning every other part as per the guidelines of your coffee grinder. Wipe down the grinds bin and hopper to ensure that you get rid of any oil residue. Wipe and dry every part of your burr coffee grinder and piece it back together.

Use the Spare Beans

After cleaning the coffee grinder, it is best to confirm its efficiency using the spare beans you had set aside. You can plug in the grinder to prepare a cup of coffee to aid in seasoning and to program the grinder as you wait to brew the next cup. While brewing the first cup, you can adjust the settings to ensure that all is well.

How Often Should You Clean Your Burr Grinder?

The duration taken before you clean your burr grinder depends on several factors. First, it depends on how much coffee you brew. As you brew more coffee, you are also supposed to do a light cleaning once a week and deep cleaning once a month.

Using the grinder to prepare French roast beans or espresso accelerates the buildup of oil and dust residue that might slow it down. Therefore, you should clean it often to prevent the coffee from tasting off or making the grinder work slower than it should.

Can I Use Rice To Clean My Grinder?

Some coffee lovers recommend that you can run half a cup of uncooked rice through the grinder to remove all deposits. Add more rice until the resulting grind is free of any dark residue. However, it is not recommended because rice particles can damage the motor. It would be best if you refrained from using rice, but instead, use the pellets every time you clean the grinder.

Conclusion

As a coffee lover, the guide above can help you to enjoy your coffee unadulterated while maintaining your grinder in perfect condition. The above guide on how to clean a burr coffee grinder will help you complete the task without breaking a sweat. For the ideal experience, you should read your user manual to understand your machine better.