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Coffee Discussion boards => Hardware & Equipment => Topic started by: Ascholten on January 01, 2017, 02:36:25 PM

Title: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Ascholten on January 01, 2017, 02:36:25 PM
Ok, I am seriously thinking of getting into selling my roasted coffee and am looking at commercial grinders.  Specifically the Bunn line looks appealing.
Does anyone have any suggestions?  How easy are they to replace the burrs on, how easy is it to get the burrs?

I am looking at new ones in the range of 500 dollars up, and see some used ones on E bay or Refurbs selling for significantly cheaper than that.  Assuming they didn't tear the hell out of the gearing, what kind of things do I need to be looking at so as not to get a lemon.  In other words if I get a used one that needs a bit of cleaning and TLC, what should I know about?

Finally if anyone has a line on a good commercial grinder at a decent price, please let me know.

Thank you
Aaron
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Joe on January 03, 2017, 12:03:17 AM
Bunn and ditting are the ones to target. Chris has an old ditting store grinder that wont die, and grinds better than anything. I bought a bunn lpg grinder that is really nice it even has digital grinder settings hidden behind a panel.

Are you looking for like a store grinder?
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Ascholten on January 03, 2017, 04:27:49 AM
Yes, im looking for more like a store grinder.  If I am going to be selling roasted coffee now, many of my customers want it pre ground, and I don't want to be throwing pounds and pounds through my baratza and astra.

Aaron
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: peter on January 03, 2017, 08:08:19 AM
I get those requests too.  My thinking is if they won't invest $12 for a grinder, they're not serious about coffee and aren't the kind of customers I want.  It just runs contrary to how I/we do coffee; source the best beans we can, roast it with tender care only after it's orders so it's fresh, and then grind it so it can go stale?
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Ascholten on January 03, 2017, 09:45:27 AM
Peter, I get that, but the on the other hand.  We brag and brag how good our coffee is, how good WE are bla bla woof.  If one of us were to say we use a whirly bird on a daily basis it would hit the fan and the surrounding noses would be so high up in the air people would drown at first rainfall  ;D   Then we are going to tell our customers to just get a 10 dollar whirlybird?  Why not tell them you won't sell unless they get a 150 dollar baratza or something to really do the coffee right.

Id rather grind it for them with a decent grinder than have them beat it to dust and make it even more mediocre than it needs to be.  Get them lovin' it first, then tell them it can taste better with a better grinder,  etc.  Bring people in slow. If people approach it at their pace, they are much more likely to stick around than to try to force them into stuff like some greasy used car salesman with his oily foot long smile.

Just my thoughts, probably not worth two pennies  8)

Aaron
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Joe on January 03, 2017, 10:26:37 AM
I do see the need for an efficient grinder for certain customers that just want pre-ground coffee. Usually for gifts and such. If they request it too mich i usually grab a cheapo whirly bird grinder and gift it to them as long as they use a paper filter. I always recommend a baratza burr grinder as a minimum if someone asks though..and i keep an eye out for grinders in general.
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: sea330 on January 03, 2017, 04:40:28 PM
I agree with Aaron 100% my friends and family have good quality burr grinders, took awhile to get them to understand how important grinding is, terrible to run great coffee through a whirly blade chopper.   
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: johnny4lsu on January 03, 2017, 07:09:10 PM
I've had a Bunn G1 with Ditting burrs (bunnzilla) and now a Ditting 1203 winter steel machined burrs.

I prefer the Ditting by a long shot.
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: peter on January 04, 2017, 10:39:01 AM
I agree with Aaron 100% my friends and family have good quality burr grinders, took awhile to get them to understand how important grinding is, terrible to run great coffee through a whirly blade chopper.

I guess that makes the question, what's better?  Coffee that was ground 3 weeks ago in the world's best grinder, or coffee that's ground a minute before brewing in a blade grinder? 

Joe alluded to paper filters, and I challenge most people here to determine in a blind taste test using say, a Clever Coffee Dripper, which coffee was ground with a blade grinder, or a grocery-store grinder.


In the framework of this discussion, there may not be a one-size-fits-all answer.  Depends on who you want to sell coffee to, if you can be patient enough with those who initially refuse to grind their own, how many customers you want or think you'll lose by not grinding for them, and how much effort you want to put into it.
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: johnny4lsu on January 04, 2017, 10:53:05 AM
Quote
    Coffee that was ground 3 weeks ago in the world's best grinder, or coffee that's ground a minute before brewing in a blade grinder?
words best grinder 3 weeks ago and it's not even close.
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: peter on January 04, 2017, 12:00:01 PM
Quote
    Coffee that was ground 3 weeks ago in the world's best grinder, or coffee that's ground a minute before brewing in a blade grinder?
words best grinder 3 weeks ago and it's not even close.

You really think, in a paper-filter scenario, that a blade grinder does such a poor job that it can't outperform stale coffee?  I say it doesn't matter how well it's ground if it's stale to the point of having minimal flavor left in it.
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: johnny4lsu on January 04, 2017, 12:06:35 PM
Quote
    Coffee that was ground 3 weeks ago in the world's best grinder, or coffee that's ground a minute before brewing in a blade grinder?
words best grinder 3 weeks ago and it's not even close.

You really think, in a paper-filter scenario, that a blade grinder does such a poor job that it can't outperform stale coffee?  I say it doesn't matter how well it's ground if it's stale to the point of having minimal flavor left in it.
We disagree for sure. I absolutely think that preground coffee from 3 weeks ago would taste better than a blade grind brew. I'm welcome to my opinion
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Joe on January 04, 2017, 02:04:25 PM
I'm with Peter on this argument. I have had some nice blade ground coffee, in fact I had to use it on vacation in Kauai recently and if you use certain shake techniques and a good white paper filter, you would be forgiven if you mistook that I had used a Baratza encore burr grinder. everyone is entitled to an opinion sure but 3 week stale coffee is about as dead as cardboard no matter what grinder you used, you could stretch it if you froze the grinds but....blade grinders are cheap enough and they work well enough for white paper drip coffee.

On the challenge I have done that many times, the major differences come if you use a swiss gold filter, you definitely get more fines/sludge and forget using a french press. But most people getting preground are using screen filters from the store or paper filters...often brown yucky ones. the white paper filters seem to forgive a lot of sins. Currently I am using a Mazzer Super Jolly with brand new burrs, a cunil Tranquillo, and  a Baratza sette 270 W, I have had several blade grinders, several Baratza/Solis burr grinders...a Bunn LPG and I have had lots of coffee from Chris' Ditting.

On that note- the argument is fun but goofy. No one is arguing which is what etc... Customers want pre ground coffee give customers pre ground coffee. If they are open to hearing about grinders share your opinion.
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Ascholten on January 04, 2017, 04:23:46 PM
That's the thing Joe.  Give them what they want.  I will be selling at work, they go through several pots a day and are the maxswill house crowd.  At least we got a bunn coffee brewer so it isn't too bad.  They don't want to be dicking around with a grinder and all that froo froo,  they want to grab the styrofoam cup that was torn down slightly, fill it with grounds, throw it in the basket and hit the brew button.

Aaron
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: hankua on March 07, 2017, 07:04:16 PM
Aaron

I can hook you up with a brand new commercial grinder for way less money. The big boy Taiwan Grinders come in two versions; one without a build in fan and one with upgraded burrs and a fan.

The first one has ghost burrs (crushing burrs) and a one or two pound duty cycle. It tends to heat up after awhile which would explain why they make the other model with a fan, more powerful motor, and upgraded burrs.

I own the first one mentioned, it grinds into a large plastic container and is a bit messy; does not meet WAF most likely. Otherwise the ghost burrs grind evenly for everything except espresso fine.

Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Ascholten on March 08, 2017, 03:26:38 AM
How long does it take to grind that pound of coffee hank?  Some of the bunn commercials will spit that out in about 30 seconds. 
Aaron
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: hankua on March 08, 2017, 03:48:35 AM
About one minute for 14oz.
Title: Re: Commercial Grinder
Post by: Alaroast on March 08, 2017, 07:08:59 AM
Aaron, I recently resold a Bunn G3 grinder that I got from a local shop. It had a 3 pound hopper. I took it apart to clean it and ran some coffee through it just to check out its capabilities. It had a 3/4 HP motor that could probably tear through tree branches without stalling. This grinder was easy to work on, remove/replace burrs and had a wide range of grind settings. There was a switch under chute that turned grinder on and off when bag was placed there and removed. Thought of keeping it for myself for the same reasons you are doing. Very nice grinder for someone wanting to sell ground coffee. 1 lb in less than 30 seconds