Best Commercial Coffee Grinder: 5 Picks for Serious café Owners
If you’re here, you take your coffee business seriously. There’s no doubt about that. Fresh coffee grind offers that unique taste that’s hard to resist. And when it comes to running a café, you want to put yourself on the map for precisely that – a unique coffee experience.
There are so many commercial grinder options on the market. How do you find the best one? Our top picks for the commercial coffee grinder have your customers coming back for more.
At A Glance:
- OUR TOP PICK: Mahlkonig EK43
- BEST FOR ESPRESSO: Nuova Simonelli Mythos
- BEST FOR BUSY CAFES: Bunn G1 HD Bulk Grinder
The 5 Best Commercial Coffee Grinders in 2023
Whether you’re looking for an industrial coffee grinder or a commercial espresso grinder, our list will help you find it. Some are for big restaurants, while others suit small cafes with budgetary restrictions. Whether you have a big or a small establishment, the right grind size is essential to get the best cup of coffee .
A precise grind is key to making the most flavorful cup
We have already covered the best burr coffee grinders for home use. Let’s find the best ones for commercial use.
Mahlkonig EK43
- 1500g Hopper Capacity
- 1760 rpm Grind Speed
- 98mm Burr Size
Nuova Simonelli Mythos
- 2.8 pounds Hopper Capacity
- 900 rpm Grind Speed
- 75mm Burr Size
Bunn Commercial Coffee Grinder
- 1 pound Hopper Capacity
- Not mentioned Grind Speed
- 80mm Burr Size
Mazzer Super Jolly
- 2.7 pounds Hopper Capacity
- 1400 rpm Grind Speed
- 64mm Burr Size
Mazzer Mini
- 600g Hopper Capacity
- 1400 rpm Grind Speed
- 64mm Burr Size
1. Mahlkonig EK43 – Best Overall
Specifications
Hopper Capacity: 1500g
- Grind Speed: 1760 rpm
- Burr Size: 98mm
- Burr Shape: flat
- Grind Adjustment: Stepped
The Mahlkonig EK43 is best commercial coffee grinder we’ve tried. We liked that it produced consistent, smooth grinds. As a coffee lover, you already know how uneven grinding can lead to sour or bitter tastes (1). If there is a major difference in the grind particles, you’ll get a less-than-satisfactory cup of coffee.
With Mahlkonig EK43, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. With flat 98mm steel burrs, it grinds perfect uniform batches each time so you get the maximum flavor from your coffee beans. It has all the features you want to create the perfect cup of joe.
And since it has a fantastic grinding speed, you can serve coffee quickly and efficiently. Its dual horsepower motor can do its job at 25g per second! Whether you want delicious French Press or frothy Turkish-style coffee, the EK43 will deliver just the perfect grind for the perfect cup.
If you hate the idea of fine particles settling to the bottom and hindering the course of the brew, this is the grinder for you.
No more uneven extraction and yes more yummy cups with the perfect sweetness to balance the flavors.
And if these features weren’t enough to make it awesome, it’s also effortless. Plus, it’s solid and sturdy. If you have the budget, I’d say go for it.
2. Nuova Simonelli Mythos – Best for Espresso
Specifications
Hopper Capacity: 2.8 pounds
- Grind Speed: 900 rpm
- Burr Size: 75mm
- Burr Shape: Flat
- Grind Adjustment: Stepped
Pick up the pace in your café by making espressos quicker. You will get a consistent grind for reliable shots every single time with Nuova Simonelli Mythos commercial espresso grinder.
It prepares single, double, and triple shots in no time with its easily programmable system. It has strong titanium grinding discs and 800 watt motor to do its job perfectly and quickly. This lean, mean coffee machine comes with a clump crusher, so your coffee is clump-free and you get fluffy brews each time.
The LED display is pretty standard and easy to use so the baristas can quickly set the dose and fulfill the orders. The 75mm burrs of this bulk coffee grinder can grind up to 39 pounds of coffee in an hour. Also, it dismisses almost all milling chamber coffee to give the freshest fresh cup each time. Your espressos always stay fresh and always delicious. No more wasted shots, no more spilled grounds. Better coffee utilization means more coffee saved.
Long story short, this commercial espresso grinder gives homogenous grind quality and performance so even if you change the barista, your customers will get the same satisfying cup of coffee every time. And that’s what makes it one of the best professional coffee grinders.
3. Bunn Commercial Coffee Grinder – Best for Busy Cafes
Specifications
Hopper Capacity: 1 pound
- Grind Speed: Not mentioned
- Burr Size: 80mm
- Burr Shape: Flat
- Grind Adjustment: Stepped
For those of you who need a high-volume grinding system for a busy café, the Bunn G1 HD Bulk grinder is a perfect solution. You can grind up to 30 pounds of coffee beans in one hour and store up to 3.5 pounds. This means about 10-12 hours of coffee without refilling the hopper.
An adjustable grind lets you select the particle size depending on your preferred coffee type. Whether you’re running a café or have a large group of friends with a raging coffee addiction, this super coffee grinder will give you a freshly-ground cup of joe whenever you want it.
It is a 48-pound heavy and dangerous coffee weapon. Get it for your café if you’re ready to battle. It’s a burr grinder, so you can rest assured of getting the perfect aroma and flavor from your coffee beans. And it gives perfect, uniform consistency each time. Plus, there is a wide range of grinds to select from.
This grinder has an opaque plastic hopper instead of a glass one so even if you drop it by mistake; it isn’t going to shatter. But then, the chances of that happening are bleak, given its non-skid rubber feet. Speaking of durability features, it has a die-cast metal base that’s ideal for commercial uses.
4. Mazzer Super Jolly – Budget Pick
Specifications
Hopper Capacity: 2.7 pounds
- Grind Speed: 1400 rpm
- Burr Size: 64mm
- Burr Shape: Flat
- Grind Adjustment: Stepless
If you want a stepless grinder that gives perfect cups of fresh brew but still don’t have a great budget to invest in it, the Mazzer Super Jolly might be the answer for you. This affordable, durable coffee grinder produces coffee that will get you drooling.
Super Jolly is a commercial coffee bean grinder that combines some of the best features of various coffee grinders. With large grinding burrs and precise grind adjustment, it delivers the perfect cup and brings out the authentic flavors of the beans.
It has a doser hopper that stores fresh coffee grounds that you can dispense later when you need them. This works amazingly for cafes where you need a large volume of grounds quickly. And on a busy morning, grind your coffee in advance and dispense from the doser hopper whenever you need it.
While it might not offer the same industrial strength as grinders discussed above, it is worth each dollar you spend.
Despite its small size, this workhorse comes with amazing features. Its hopper can hold 2.7 pounds of coffee beans. The burrs of the grinder run at 1400-1600 rpm, keeping the machine cool while preserving the coffee flavor.
5. Mazzer Mini – Best for Small Cafes
Specifications
Hopper Capacity: 600g
- Grind Speed: 1400 rpm
- Burr Size: 64mm
- Burr Shape: Flat
- Grind Adjustment: Stepless
Mazzer Mini, as the name implies, is for small cafes. Or maybe offices. Or maybe a household with coffeeholics. It’s a prosumer-grade grinder, which makes it an all-purpose machine.
No matter where you place it, it does its job well. It has a hopper capacity of 1.3 pounds, which is perfect for cafes and eateries.
The Mini is a small device that doesn’t take up too much space and gives fresh brew each time. It delivers excellent grind quality consistently. At the very basic, Mazzer Mini ensures two things – to produce an even grind and make small adjustments to get the perfect cup. And that’s what every espresso drinker wants.
The Mini offers a stepless grind adjustment, which means you get theoretically infinite grind settings instead of a limited number of grind settings. If you’re catering to serious coffee drinkers, this is one thing you cannot compromise on. Remember that if you’re a novice barista, there will be a learning curve when you use a stepless grinder.
Besides the grinder settings, Mazzer Mini is easy to use and master. Also, it’s easy to clean the machine, making it perfect for a single-employee setting.
Choosing the Best Professional Coffee Grinder for Your Coffee Shop
While your espresso machine might be the most valuable weapon in your café, it won’t be very efficient without the right grinder (3). Pre-ground coffee might be convenient for home use but certainly not for coffee shops and restaurants.
As soon as a coffee bean is ground, the flavour will start to dull down as the coffee particles come into contact with air.
Here are some factors to help you find the right commercial grinder for your café.
What burrs are best for Professional coffee grinders?
Burrs revolve and crush the coffee beans. To have a consistent and fast grind, you need the correct type of burr. Large burrs are more efficient, so most coffee shop owners look for 70mm or more.
In terms of shape, there are two types of burrs: flat and conical (2). Flat burr grinders don’t retain many grounds. Therefore, flat burr grinders provide better flavor and consistent grind sizes. On the other hand, conical burr grinders stay cool and don’t produce noise. In our opinion, conical burr grinders make the café more pleasant. It’s true that coffee lovers don’t like sitting next to construction-site-like noises while having a cup of joe.
The burr material is also essential. Steel burrs are strong but wear away quickly. Titanium-coated burrs are gaining popularity because of their durability, but they are also more expensive.
Since titanium burrs are more durable, they are actually cheaper in the long run.
What grinding power is suitable for commercial espresso grinders?
A powerful motor will be able to grind more coffee per minute. However, a powerful motor will also draw more electricity. Will your café be able to handle a big motor along with your espresso machine? Keep that in mind before buying a grinder.
What’s the right size for a Pro coffee grinder?
You can get an industrial coffee grinder but if it’s too big for your café, things will get difficult for the barista to manage. The machine should fit the workspace easily and not take up too much counter space. Can it be accommodated with the espresso machine? There are some small commercial coffee grinders for small-sized coffee shops and we have covered them in our list.
The Verdict
The best commercial coffee grinder will be the one that fits your counter space, grinds the perfect beans for a delicious cup of coffee, and produces enough brew quickly in busy mornings. And it should also look good with your café interiors.
But, if we were to open a Home Grounds cafe, we would opt for a Mahlkonig EK43 for all of its top qualities.
FAQ
You shouldn’t buy pre-ground coffee for your cafe because it doesn’t taste the same as fresh coffee. Freshly ground coffee brings more intense flavor, and coffee that has been ground loses much of its flavor and aroma. And after a while, it also loses its sweetness and complex flavors.
Manual grinders are durable and affordable. However, they cannot give quick and consistent results like electric ones. When your barista handles multiple orders, manually grinding coffee can be more of a headache than a blessing.
Selecting the right grind size depends on the cup of coffee you will make. For example, you’ll need coarse size if you’re making French Press. But for an espresso, you’ll need a fine grind.
References
- Why Coffee Grind Size Matters. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://larryscoffee.com/our-blog/why-coffee-grind-size-matters
- Conical vs flat burr coffee grinders: What’s the difference? (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2020/05/conical-vs-flat-burr-coffee-grinders-difference/
- Strand, O. (2012, December 31). Better coffee depends on good grinding. The New York Times. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/dining/better-coffee-depends-on-good-grinding.html
