How to Clean a Burr Coffee Grinder: A Step By Step Guideline

It is one thing to have a grinder in your kitchen, and it is another to clean it. Just like any known kitchen appliance, a burr grinder does require deep cleaning. Oils usually surface the hopper, burr, and grind chambers leaving the grinder looking all messy. Disinfecting and maintaining your burr grinder regularly makes sure that you carry on enjoying your tasty coffee. We shall focus on how to clean a burr coffee grinder in this article.

What is a Burr Coffee Grinder?

Burr coffee grinders are produced with an aim of crushing down items such as dried peppercorns, coffee beans, spices, poppy seeds, and coarse salt.

Tools Required When Cleaning a Burr Grinder

You just don’t use anything when cleaning a burr grinder. The following are the equipment required when conducting the washing exercise.

• Cleaning tablets
• Water and dish soap
• Compressed air can
• A bowl
• Micro-fiber cloth
• Cleaning brush and an old toothbrush
• Using rice

Methods to Follow How to Clean a Burr Coffee Grinder

The following are the two things that should be considered when dusting a burr grinder.

• Do away with the detached coffee grounds that you will easily access
• Wipe away the coffee dust and oil by simply using your hands

The ultimate goal in cleaning a burr grinder is abolishing the oil and ground coffee powder accumulation by applying a cloth and soft brush with your hands. Secondly, you will disassemble all the elements and clean them one by one thoroughly.

The ways in which you should follow when cleaning your burr grinder includes;

• Hopper removal

Thanks to the free button, detach the burr hopper and sponge it with aqua and detergent. It also involves twisting the hopper depending on the model you are using. The hopper is where the oil usually accumulates. Dump any liner and cleanse them thoroughly with aqua. The loose specks found in the gasket and hopper should be cleaned with a brush.

• Terminate all the pieces that are loose

In the metal boards and bins, there exist coffee grounds that pile up eliminate, and clean them. On the exterior burr, trash the gasket. Each of these components requires deep cleaning since there might be stubborn oil and particles found during grinding.

• Remove and wash the external burr

Turn the exterior burr anti-clockwise until there is a click. After removing it, hold it over a bowl and start cleaning using an old polisher. To avoid damaging the burr, do not use water. You will also need a compressed air can to eliminate loose grounds found in the harder reaching spots.

• Clean the coffee grounds return area and the grinding hall

Completely shake off any coffee ground that remains outside the coffee grinder. Do away with awkward bits of wastes found in a can of compressed air.

• Rejoin the burr grinder

Drench the gasket, hopper, and ground bins and ensure that they are entirely dry. Then, reassemble them jointly. The exterior burr should suit into its opening. If you do it accurately, then there ought to be no crossways movements.

• Operate the grinder

The next method is to check the grinder’s cleaning capsules to abolish any residual oil, wastes, and coffee grounds.

• External cleaning

Thoroughly clean the coffee ground bin with detergent and water. Ensure that everything is totally dry when put jointly till the next clean-up.
Moisture can cause bacteria accumulation and a foul smell, so the grinder needs to be dry every time.

Kinds of Burr Grinders

The two main types of burr grinders include; plane-shape and conical.

• Conical burr grinders

The grinder is created as conical and in two ribbed burrs, the internal and the outer ones. Both of them are adaptable in intervals. The ridges usually grind the coffee beans. With the use of a fixture, brew the coffee beans that are adaptable into an interior and exterior burr. It also has a consistent grinding size.

Steps to Follow When Cleaning a Burr Grinder

The various components, fabrication types, and paradigms are the determinants of how to handle a grinder when cleansing it. Do the following when cleaning;

• Detach the hopper out of the grinder and wash it and the covering manually.
• After getting rid of the hopper, operate the grinder for a few seconds.  It will scrap out coffee that sticks inside the burr grinder.
• Make sure that the grinder is unplugged before cleaning it.
•  Eradicate any plastic and rubber components that meet when grinding the coffee beans.
• Originally, wash them manually. Also, clean the bean that gathers the java that is being crumbled.
• Do away with the interior burr.
• Employ a stiff brush to terminate any coffee ground wastes that are found in the inmost and outmost burrs.
• Apply a dry cloth when cleaning the inside and exterior burrs. It will help in engrossing and destroying any leftover oil after crushing the coffee beans.
• Avoid using water when cleaning the in and out burrs.
• After sponging the grinder, ensure that all the elements are ultimately dry.
• Reattach the grinder once it is entirely dry.
• After all these steps, operate your burr grinder once again.

Flat Plate Burr Grinders

Also referred to as blades, they are created with similar and collateral rings. The rings are usually in opposite directions making them a suitable possibility for grinding spices.

How to Wipe a Flat Plate Burr Grinder?

Follow the following steps when cleaning a flat plate burr grinder;

• Attach a quarter cup of dry rice inside the hopper.
•  Operate the grinder till you get a quality powder of rice.
• Get rid of this powder and trash it.
• Apply a wet towel to wipe the interior of the burr grinder.
• In case of any unusual smell, repeat the process again.

Some popular burr coffee grinders in the market that can be easily cleaned: 

No products found.

Why You Should Maintain Cleanliness in a Burr Grinder?

The procedure of washing a burr coffee grinder differs in various classifications. The burr grinder usually goes through many operations hence the necessity to sponge it. For systematic and effective performance, washing the burr grinder ought to be performed frequently.
Regular cleaning ensures that the aroma of your coffee stays intact.

The Timeframe Required to Polish a Burr Mill

As you pursue to grind your coffee with the grinder, ensure that at the back of your mind you have a cleaning program for the same. The burr grinder should be wiped regularly as follows;

• Wipe away the additional coffee grounds after using them daily
• Tidy up the grinding chamber after a fortnight
• Polish up the burr hopper after a fortnight
• After three to six months, conduct a thorough wash on the entire burr grinder

To sustain the high order and native speed of the motor-powered, it is crucial that you strictly stick to these timelines. Follow these laid instructions to the latter and you will be guaranteed the exact coffee grind production.

Is Rice Recommendable When Wiping a Burr Grinder?

Using rice is habitual practice for many people in deep cleaning burr grinders. It is because the loose capsules and coffee powder are usually knocked out as the rice soaks up oil coating. As you use rice in grinding cleaning, keep in mind that it has its merits and demerits.

The advantage of using it is that it eradicates oil coats that have accumulated over time. By simply operating the grinder, you also eradicate sufficient ground and dust particles.

The downside of using rice is that, if it is not found in the user guide, then do not apply it. It is because it can alter the motor and its operations. When compared to coffee beans, rice grains are quite hard. Rice can also block the blade and does not abolish the crannies and nooks found inside the burr grinder.

How to Wash a Burr Grinder Using Rinsing Capsules?

Avoid attaching and reattaching the burr grinder, by applying cleaning tabs. These tabs are only used in burr grinders and can be placed into them. The tablets usually eliminate the residue in the burrs and engrossing the coated oils. Do this simple procedure when washing the grinder using tablets;

• Put the required quantity into the bean hopper and then surge the tablet to operate within the machine.
• Put 30 gms of coffee grounds inside the burr grinder. Eradicate the coffee grounds waste and the capsule.
• Ensure that the coffee beans’ ground is rinsed and thoroughly dried.

Related Topic:

• Burr Grinder vs Blade Grinder | Which is Better?

Summary: How to Clean a Burr Coffee Grinder

For efficiency and good performance when grinding coffee, make sure that the burr grinder is always kept clean. The flavor of your coffee will be affected by the building up of oil and the accumulation of coffee grounds.

Therefore, it is vital that you do a deep cleaning of your burr grinder regularly.  If done in the right way, this process should not be tedious for you. After all this information on how to clean a burr coffee grinder, go back to grinding fresh coffee beans and monitor its performance.
If you follow all these steps to the latter, you will enjoy your cold winter days with a hot and fresh cup of coffee.