Can you grind coffee beans in a blender?

Yes, you can grind coffee beans in a blender.

If you don't have a coffee grinder and still want to grind your coffee beans, then using a blender to grind coffee beans is a practical alternative.

But, using a blender is definitely not as precise or designed for coffee beans, it can still yield usable grounds for coffee brewing.

How do you grind coffee in a blender?

To be honest, achieving a consistent grind size with a blender is much more challenging than with a dedicated coffee grinder.

Coffee grinders are specifically designed to produce a uniform grind, offering settings that cater to the exactness required for various brewing methods, from the very fine powder needed for espresso to the coarser grounds preferred for French press or cold brew.

The lack of precise control over grind size in a blender means that the grounds may not extract evenly during brewing and can lead to a less than optimal cup of coffee.

Moreover, the technique used to grind coffee beans in a blender is crucial for preventing the beans from overheating.

If you use the blender continuously, it will generate lots of heat through friction and can cause the beans to lose some of their flavourful oils and aromas prematurely.

So, to mitigate this, it is advisable to pulse the blender in short bursts. This approach allows for brief intervals where the beans are not being subjected to heat, reducing the risk of overheating.

Pulsing also helps to move the beans around for a more even grind and, between pulses, shaking the blender gently redistributes the beans and ensures that all beans are ground to a similar consistency.

Another thing to consider is the quantity of coffee beans being ground as blenders are generally designed for handling larger quantities of ingredients.

So, when grinding coffee beans, you may find that you need to grind a larger batch than usual to ensure the blades effectively reach and grind the beans.

This could mean having more ground coffee than you immediately need, which, unless stored properly, could lead to a deterioration in flavour over time.

Lastly, the importance of keeping the blender clean cannot be overstated. Coffee beans are aromatic and their oils can cling to the blender's interior surfaces.

To prevent the transfer of flavours between your coffee and other foods you might prepare in the blender, you'll need to thoroughly clean the blender before and after grinding the coffee beans with soap and water to neutralise any lingering odours.

Using a blender to grind coffee is a good solution when you don't have a coffee grinder, but we still strongly suggest you invest in buying a burr coffee grinder - it will make a world of difference to your decaffeinated coffee!