So everyone, how frequently do you all clean your grinder? At the moment Im brushing it out at the end of the day with a small pastry brush (mazzer mini), and wondering when I need to do grindz/rice (once a fortnight?) and a disassembly (once a month?) Thoughts?
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
I blow mine out with a small compressor no less than once a fortnight.
Grindz seem to be a bit of an expensive exercise. Much cheaper to take the grinder apart and probably get a better result. Most grinders are fairly easy to pull apart to clean (down to where its needed).
Grindz are probably a great product for a cafe that doesnt trust its staff to take apart their grinder.
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
In defence of Grindz....Originally posted by 2A293B3B3F2931480 link=1242206826/2#2 date=1242227446Grindz seem to be a bit of an expensive exercise. Much cheaper to take the grinder apart and probably get a better result
Whether you use Grindz or not, a physical clean of your grinder is well worthwhile. However unless youre very methodical and have some way of wiping inbetween all the surfaces from hopper to exit chute, I dont see how you can get a better result.
Im not saying that you need to use Grindz every week, but occasional use will pick up what you miss - and leave your grinder smelling clean too. When you consider the time saved, and the results, I dont think Grindz is expensive at all.
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
I would say use a vacuum cleaner or compressed air once a fortnight or so depending on usage. Then use Grindz every couple of months or so - Ive seen it demonstrated and it works very well. You can buy single use packs for about $5 I think. Sweet Marias has an FAQ on it
I was told its not a good idea to disassemble the grinder unless you have to (e.g. to replace burrs)
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
Hence the terms "seem" and "probably".Originally posted by 2036333322202C25252626430 link=1242206826/4#4 date=1242254772In defence of Grindz....Originally posted by 2A293B3B3F2931480 link=1242206826/2#2 date=1242227446Grindz seem to be a bit of an expensive exercise. Much cheaper to take the grinder apart and probably get a better result
Whether you use Grindz or not, a physical clean of your grinder is well worthwhile. However unless youre very methodical and have some way of wiping inbetween all the surfaces from hopper to exit chute, I dont see how you can get a better result.
Im not saying that you need to use Grindz every week, but occasional use will pick up what you miss - and leave your grinder smelling clean too. When you consider the time saved, and the results, I dont think Grindz is expensive at all.
I wasnt talking from experience and more then happy to stand corrected. Because then I would have learnt something.
Might have to give some a go!
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
I used grindz for the first time a few weeks ago and then pulled the thing apart to see what sort of job they did - there was still a fair bit of stuff left in there..
Perhaps Im doing something wrong, eg. didnt grind coarse enough? The instructions say to use a medium setting, whatever that is..
Mark
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
Sorry but for me it is a manual clean all the way...
Why use more product and spend more $ to do something that is part of a great coffee experience.. Getting inside the unit also helps with understanding and observing just what happens and how much crap can build up.
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
Well, my primary concern is...okay, so I grew up on a farm with Macadamia nut trees. We ate a lot of nuts. I ate a lot of nuts. Ive eaten a lot of rancid nuts.
Coffee beans have oil in them, so I imagine that over time, as is their wont, they build up. This is what Im worried about, rancid flavours. Brushing it out as I am doing, I think will help, but Im pretty sure at some stage something more will have to be done.
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
Im with AM.... [smiley=thumbup.gif]
Im sure Grindz is a great product and does exactly what it is supposed to do, otherwise it would not have lasted very long in this industry. If youre more into convenience than a hands-on approach, then Grindz would be the way to go.
Its pretty easy though and probably only 15-20 minutes of your time, to remove the hopper and top burr-carrier every now and again, and then hit it with a vacuum hose (you can get small attachment kits that are perfect for this) and a small new paintbrush. You really only need to go to these lengths at longer intervals - in my case, about once per month - and just do a general brush out in the discharge chute and the grinding chamber with the hopper removed once a day. Very easy and does a good job 8-)
Mal.
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
If youre the type of person that likes to pull things apart (and I guess most coffee snobs do), then again I say, a physical clean of your grinder is well worthwhile.
I dont mean to offend, and Ive been guilty of this myself, but when someone asks for advice then gets a response like, probably get a better result I think the person reading the response might easily overlook the word probably. I think it would be nice to say at the outset that one has no first-hand experience regarding product x, y, or z, before making such a statement.
Anyway, for the 6 people who posted in between this post and my previous post in this thread Ill throw in a single dose pack of Grindz with your next coffee order.
Just remind me at the time of your order!
Cheers!
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
I wasnt disagreeing with you Den...
Just putting up an alternative that has worked for me for quite a number of years.
I did in fact give Grindz a go quite some time back in a little Imat Lux grinder I had at the time. It did a reasonable job but then I found a small kit (in one of our local $2.00 shops) that included a couple of attachments for the vacuum cleaner, one of them, a small flexible hose, is perfect for getting into all the nooks and crannies of the grinding chamber and chute. This, coupled with some brushing, has the internals of the chamber almost gleaming after only about 5 minutes work.
This works for me as I dont mind getting into the internals of the machine and has a bonus that no ongoing costs are involved (important as a pensioner). Each to their own of course and Grindz definitely does have its place in the scheme of things.
Cheers mate
Mal.
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Re: Grinder cleaning.
I have a tip for everyone:
To ensure an even distribution of cleaning brush bristles throughout your dose, be sure to jam the brush up the chute when the grinder is on whilst cleaning. Your next basket will be full of the little lovelies!
sigh...
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