Espresso grinders are an essential piece of coffee equipment for any coffee shop that sells espresso by the shot or specialty drinks like lattes, and mocha. Espresso grinders are different from coffee grinders in that they have a compartment attached to the bottom of the grinder that holds the grounds before they are dispensed into the waiting portafilter. This compartment is called the dosing compartment and it allows the barista to ration out grounds one does at a time so they do not over fill the portafilter. When selecting what grinder is right for your espresso blend, consider the manner in which you beans are going to be ground. There are two ways that grinders grind up the beans. The first is using blades at the bottom of the grinder and the second way is by using burrs on revolving head to sand the coffee beans into a fine powder.
The benefit of using a blade grinder is that it does not heat up as quickly as a burr grinder does when grinding beans. The downside is that the grounds are typically uneven in size, making for a poorly tamped espresso pellet and bad tasting espresso. A burr grinder, on the other hand, breaks up beans between a rotating disk and a flat surface, the manner in which the grounds are broken down leaves them much more even. Be sure not to run the machine for too long though, as it heats up rather quickly. It is impossible to brew a truly perfect shot of espresso without the proper coffee equipment, don’t be caught without this essential tool.