How to clean a coffee grinder

To clean a coffee grinder, unplug it, empty the hopper, brush out the burrs and chamber with a stiff brush, then wipe the parts with a dry cloth. Do this every week or two for a light clean, and run grinder cleaning tablets through it every month or so if you grind every day. Never use water on the burrs. The steps and the supplies are below.

What do you need to clean a coffee grinder?

You do not need a brand. You need a few things by category, all easy to find at a US supermarket or kitchen store.

Check the manual for your grinder, because some burrs come out for cleaning and some do not. If the manual says do not remove them, do not.

How do you clean a burr grinder step by step?

1. Unplug the grinder. Never clean one that is plugged in.
2. Empty the hopper and run the grinder until no more beans come out.
3. Take off the hopper and wash it by hand with mild soap if it is removable. Let it dry fully before you put it back.
4. If the upper burr lifts out, remove it and brush both burrs, working from the center to the edge.
5. Brush the grind chute and the catch cup or bin, then use the blower or vacuum to pull out the dust.
6. Wipe everything that is not a burr with a dry cloth.
7. Put it back together, plug it in, and grind a small handful of beans to push out what is left. Throw that handful away.

The reason it matters is simple. Old grounds and coffee oils build up on the burrs and in the chute, and they can taste stale next to a fresh cup. A clean grinder gives you a more even grind, and that is half of a good cup. If you have never owned a grinder, see burr vs blade grinder before you buy.

How do you clean a blade grinder?

A blade grinder is the same idea with fewer parts. Unplug it, wipe the inside of the bowl with a dry or barely damp cloth, and brush the blade with a soft brush. Keep water away from the motor and the base. Grinding a tablespoon or two of uncooked rice is a common trick for loosening residue, and it is fine to try, but follow it with a good wipe so no rice dust is left in the bowl.

What about a manual grinder?

Most hand grinders come apart without tools. Take out the handle, the burr and the catch jar, brush them, and wipe them dry. Skip the dish soap on the burrs and keep it for the jar. Reassemble and grind a few beans to settle the burrs back into place.

How often should you clean it?

These are our suggestions, not rules, and your grinder maker may say something different:

• Daily grinder: brush and wipe every week or two, tablets about once a month.
• A few times a week: brush and wipe once a month, tablets every couple of months.
• Flavored coffee: clean more often, because the flavoring can leave a film on the burrs.

Clean the grinder before you switch from one coffee to another, so the last bag does not leak into the next one. The same habit applies to your brewers. We cover them in how to clean a French press and how to descale a drip coffee maker.

What should you brew after cleaning it?

A clean grinder is the best time to taste a simple coffee, because you will notice every note. We would reach for a straightforward cup, the kind you can make without thinking.

Our label says to brew it as drip or French press at 60 g per liter, with water just off the boil. That is about 14 g for an 8 oz cup. For the exact scoops and tablespoons, see how much coffee per cup and how many grams are in a tablespoon of coffee. If you want to try other beans, all ten coffees are $28 for 12 oz, whole bean or ground.

If you grind at home, a fresh brush-out before each new bag is the cheapest upgrade you will make.