Appreciation post: my $18 hand grinder taught me more than my $200 electric one ever did

Piper Kim · 2026-10-08T10:00:05.190515+00:00

Bought a cheap hand grinder at a shop in Portland 5 weeks ago just to have something for camping, and I figured it would be junk. Turns out cranking it by hand for 30 seconds made me actually pay attention to the beans for the first time, because I could feel when they got hard vs soft and hear the crack change. After 3 days of using it at home I noticed my pour over stopped tasting muddy, and I realized my electric grinder was smashing beans into dust at the end of every grind. Now I grind by hand every morning and the cup is cleaner every single time. Has anyone else gone backwards on gear and gotten a better cup out of it?

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Appreciation post: my $18 hand grinder taught me more than my $200 electric one ever did | Coffee Enthusiasts - Thought Shares