If you’re into coffee, you’re probably grindin’ it with a high-quality coffee grinder that’s always at the ready. A coffee grinder is a mechanical device and, like other mechanical devices, it is bound to break down for one reason or the other.
If you have not yet purchased a grinder for your coffee brewing equipment, take a look at our coffee grinder guide. It will show you the many possibilities for coffee brewing that a grinder can provide.
If you find that your coffee grinder isn’t working properly, you may want to try using pre-ground coffee instead of grinding your own beans. This could be especially useful if you’re visiting friends or family members who don’t have a grinder. If you find yourself in that situation, don’t panic.
You can still enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, even if you have to grind the beans yourself. These simple kitchen hacks will show you how to grind coffee without a grinder.
If you want to convince your friend that fresh coffee is better, have them read this post about why freshly ground coffee is superior. This will convince them to buy a grinder, and save you from having to do the manual labor next time you visit!
Grinding coffee without grinder
1. Mortar and pestle
This method of grinding spices, medicines, and herbs into fine powder has been used by traditionalists and pharmacists for years.
The action of a coffee grinder is a combination of hammering and rolling, which results in a consistent grind mixture. This grinder can produce fine grounds, similar to espresso.
Mortar and pestle grinding can be quite laborious and time-consuming. You should only fill the mortar up to a quarter or half of its capacity to avoid any spillage and to keep the beans from bouncing out.
The method described in this paragraph yields less ground coffee than the method involving a rolling pin, so be sure to make enough coffee grounds if you plan to use this method. You can create finer grounds for drip coffee or Chemex coffee by using a mortar and pestle, as well as coarser grounds used in French press coffee.
The amount of time and the intensity with which you grind your coffee beans will determine the final product. Grinding your beans in small amounts will produce a more consistent blend.
Grinding procedure
- Put a small amount of coffee into your mortar. A small amount of coffee allows you to achieve a consistent grind, within a few minutes.
- Use your dominant hand to hold the pestle, while the other hand holds the mortar. Ensure that you hold the mortar securely, to ensure it doesn’t slip from your hands during the heavy pounding with the pestle.
- Use the pestle to forcibly crush down the coffee beans. You need to make sure that you grind every corner to achieve a consistent grind.
- Continue adding the beans and crushing, until you have achieved the desired amount of coffee. Add a small amount at a time, for more consistent results.
- After crushing, roll the coffee grounds around using the pestle, while grinding the beans to achieve a finer texture.
- By now, the coffee grounds are already becoming finer. However, you need to continue with the grinding and rolling motion, until you have achieved the desired texture and consistency.
2. A standard blender
You can use a normal home blender as an alternative to a coffee grinder. This coffee grinder is unique because it has a blade system that chops the coffee beans like a conventional coffee grinder.
Some blenders have a setting which is perfect for grinding coffee beans. However, you need to grind in small amounts. The blades on a blender move quickly when it is turned on, creating a pocket of heat.
If you roast your coffee beans at too high of a temperature, it can cause them to taste bitter and harsh. Additionally, only use the blender to produce grinds that are not too fine. It is important to wash your blender immediately after using it to make coffee, so that the coffee smell does not become stale.
A blender is an easy way to grind your beans to a good consistency. Remember that you can’t make the grounds the same size. You’ll still get a usable consistency, though.
If your blender doesn’t have a grinding setting, don’t worry! The best way to grind coffee beans is to use a “pulse” setting on a coffee grinder, or to grind the beans manually.
When you blend the beans, it creates heat and often cooks them. You don’t want this to happen! It’s important that the beans don’t burn, so the whole grinding process should take about 20 seconds, or 30 seconds if you need it to.
Once the beans have been ground, make coffee using your own portable coffee maker. These work especially well if you’re on the go!
Grinding procedure
- Use the grinder setting on the blender or any other high-speed setting
- Toss a small amount of coffee into the blender and cover it
- Grind your coffee to the preferred consistency
- Continue adding the coffee until you have obtained the right quantity and the desired consistency.
3. A rolling pin
The design of the rolling pin allows it to crush and grind coffee beans. This produces a consistent texture while allowing you to get a finer grind.
However, you need to use some effort on the rolling pin, while paying close attention to the grinding process, to ensure uniformity.
You can use a rolling pin to get medium to finely ground coffee beans. To make this recipe, you will need a rolling pin, a large cutting board, and a parchment bag.
The best way to make French press coffee is to use coarsely ground coffee beans. This method is also quite time-consuming, but it will give you the results you need in a hurry.
To grind your coffee beans using a rolling pin, put them in a plastic bag. If you do this, you won’t have beans flying around your kitchen as you grind them down.
Grinding procedure
- Place the preferred amount of coffee into a plastic bag or similar material
- Place the bag flat on the cutting board or counter
- Using the pin like a hammer, smash the beans and roll over them. You will hear some crushing noises as the beans disintegrate.
- Roll your pin back and forth until you have achieved the desired consistency. If the grounds appear large, continue with the crushing process.
You can keep your coffee grounds in a freezer bag for a month if you want to grind a lot of coffee beans for the week ahead. However, if you leave them in the freezer for too long, they may develop freezer burn.
4. A hammer
A mallet, hammer, or meat tenderizer can also be used to easily crack and crush coffee beans. Be careful when using these materials so you don’t damage your countertop. This method mainly produces coarse to medium grounds.
A hammer is a handy tool to use to make sure the beans are crushed well. It’s not too time consuming either. As you keep breaking the beans down, they will become increasingly fine.
To smash the beans, place them inside a bag and roll them with a rolling pin. Use less pressure than you think you need to so the bag doesn’t break while you’re grinding the beans. You shouldn’t hit the bag like you would a nail.
Grinding procedure
- Place your coffee beans inside a plastic bag or between 2 sheets of parchment paper
- Use your hammer to exert a downward force on the beans. Crush them until you have attained the desired consistency
- For a consistent grind, try to crush from one side of the bag to the other. This will also give you a consistent texture.
5. A knife
If you cannot find any of the suggested materials, then a butcher knife can suffice. The design of the knife includes a slightly wider blade, which gives a larger surface area and more force to break the beans and crush them.
This method gives you a medium to medium-fine grind. If you have never used a butcher knife before, you should use a different method.
Grinding procedure
- Place coffee beans on a cutting board
- Place the knife flatly on the coffee beans
- Press down firmly using your palm to crack the beans
6. Food processor
One of your best options is similar to the blender. This won’t be as good as a regular coffee grinder, but it’ll do in a pinch!
If you use a food processor instead of a blender, you will need more beans. This is because the food processor generally has a wider circumference than the blender.
You should double the amount of coffee you use and that should do the trick. You’ll also have enough coffee grounds for tomorrow if there are only two of you. Be sure to store leftover coffee grounds in an airtight plastic bag.
Grinding procedure
- Pour the desired amount of coffee into the food processor (½ cup to 1 cup of beans) and make sure the lid is firmly in place.
- Using the pulse setting, grind the beans in time limits of 3 to 5 seconds
- Repeat the process until the desired consistency is achieved, for a total time of up to 30 seconds.
- If needed, tilt the food processor to ensure the grounds are roughly the same size.
7. Grinding beans by hand
If you want to grind coffee beans by hand, the best way to do it is to use a blender or food processor. You are not using any other electric appliances, in addition to not having a grinder. This method is all you.
By grinding the beans by hand, you will be able to get a much finer ground, which is ideal for making coffee.
Even though these processes may take longer than using a food processor or blender, just remember them. They will need some effort and determination to achieve.
8. Hand mincer or garlic press
This method is quite different from the traditional way of grinding beans with a coffee grinder, but it is quite simple. The beans are placed into the area where the garlic, meat, or other food is being held, and then pressed firmly until all the liquid is squeezed out.
One problem with this method is that the holes are often large, leading to a more coarse final product. You may need to repeat the freezing and thawing process, or combine it with the rolling pin or hammer method.
You cannot grind a large amount of beans at a time using the hand mincer.
To grind coffee beans, put a desired amount of beans into a grinder and press or mill them until they have reached the desired consistency. If the grind isn’t fine enough, repeat the process.
Grinding procedure
- Place a small amount of beans into the mincer or press.
- Firmly squeeze the instrument until all remnants of coffee beans have passed through.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 continuously.
- Your grounds may be too big and too coarse for some methods, so you can run them through the press again until you’ve achieved the type of grounds you want.
Clear the steam and coffee smells with a professional range hood
A professional range hood helps to purify the air in your kitchen and keep it smelling fresh. A range hood is a decorative and functional element that can be added to your kitchen.
When you’re grinding coffee beans and brewing, you don’t have to fill the house with the strong smell of coffee. Cooking and making coffee are more enjoyable.
Grind consistency
experts in the coffee industry say that uniformity and consistency in the grind are essential for making a perfect cup of coffee. Grinding coffee beans to a consistent size enables you to extract flavors present in coffee beans with much greater accuracy.
If you don’t grind your coffee beans consistently, you’ll either extract too much or too little, resulting in a chalky taste. If you don’t have a grinder, you can just crush or grind a few beans at a time until you get the best consistency.
This gives you better control over the texture. Make sure you go slowly and keep the movements continuous until the grind is uniform.
Different types of coffee grounds
There are four main types of coffee grounds that can be used for brewing. Depending on how many times the brewing process is repeated, this can result in one or multiple types of grounds. The four different types of grinds you can achieve are:
- Coarse grind
- Medium grind
- Fine grind
- Super fine grind (also called ‘pulverized’)
There are four different coffee blends that can be created depending on the coffee grinding method used. The most common grind size for drip coffee makers at home is medium, although fine grind can be used in some instances.
- Blender – coarse, medium
- Food Processor – coarse, medium
- Rolling Pin – coarse, medium, fine
- Mortar and Pestle – coarse, medium, fine, super fine
- Hammer – coarse, medium
- Hand Mincer or Garlic Press – coarse, medium