How To Grind Coffee Beans Without A Coffee Grinder: Using Various Techniques

Don’t know how to grind coffee beans without a coffee grinder, read this article. Freshly ground coffee from coffee beans enhances the flavor several times more than already ground coffee. Unless you drink coffee four times or more in a day, you probably don’t have any coffee grinder. But do not worry; you will soon learn different methods to grind coffee beans without a coffee grinder. Sometimes a good cup of coffee is what you require to get through the day. 

There are a variety of grinds that can be achieved:

• Superfine grind
• Fine grind 
• Medium grind
• Coarse grind

You may think that a finer grind will make your coffee strong, but that is not true. Finer grounds are just more comfortable and faster to brew compared to the other grinds.

Can I grind my coffee beans the previous night?

You can, but the taste of your coffee will not be as good as it would be if you grind it a minute before brewing. It only takes about 40 seconds to grind 10 grams of coffee.

There are different ways to grind coffee beans without any grinder. For these methods, you will need – 

• Knife 
• Hammer 
• A blender 
• Mortar and Pestle
• Rolling pin
• Cutting board 
• Plastic bag or parchment papers 
• Food Processor 
• Garlic Press or Hand Mincer

Using a knife

Using a knife to grind coffee beans may not be the best method, but it does the work. It gives you a medium grind to your coffee beans.  

1. Place the coffee beans on your cutting board.
2. Place the flat side of your knife on the beans.
3. Firmly press down to crack the coffee beans, using your hand.

Here is how you can use a hammer to grind your coffee beans

While using the hammer, be careful. You do not want to hurt yourself or damage the countertop. This process will result in a coarse or medium grind of the coffee.

1. Put the beans inside the plastic bag.
2. Using the hammer, crush your coffee beans to your preference.

The most effective method would be using a regular blender to grind the coffee beans. It works almost as decent as a coffee grinder. Remember to wash the blender immediately after.

1. If the blender has a grinding setting, use it. If not, then use any medium to a high-speed setting.
2. Take a certain amount of coffee and put it in your blender. Cover your blender.

Can the coffee beans damage your blender?

The beans can damage the blades of your blender. Therefore, use small amounts to avoid damage to the blades. 

• Now grind your beans until you achieve the consistency of your coffee beans to your liking. 
• You can add in more coffee if needed, continue to grind the coffee beans. Stop when the consistency is right for you. 

However, that is an easy method; remember not to keep the blender on for the entire process. Switch it off, give the blender a shake and grind again. That is to avoid the heating cavity. 

An alternative method for grinding coffee if you don’t have a blender – Using a food processor. A food processor may not be a better choice over a blender, but it undeniably works. 

1. Add a few spoons of coffee into the food processor and close the lid.
2. Using the pulse method, grind the coffee. Shake the processor to move the larger beans to the blade.
3. Grinding the coffee beans in batches is better as it gives decent consistency for the ground coffee

Another method for coffee grinding is by using mortar and pestle. This method requires you to be patient and careful. Here is what you have to do

1. Take a certain amount of beans and place it in the mortar. Using small amounts of coffee helps speed up the grinding process and gives a better consistency.
2. Use the hand you are most comfortable with to hold the pestle. Hold your mortar with the other hand to ensure it does not move. 
3. Now crush the coffee with your pestle using force. Make sure to move around for consistent grind.
4. If needed, add more coffee beans and continue rolling and grinding until you get the consistency that you desire. Adding small amounts ensures better consistency.

This method, if done correctly, will result in a fine grind coffee.

Surprisingly you can also use a garlic press or hand mincer for grinding coffee. Follow the steps below-

1. Place a few spoons of coffee beans into the press or mincer.
2. Now squeeze the press firmly until the ground coffee beans pass through.
3. For the required amount of coffee, keep repeating the steps. 

It is not an easy method, and It may take longer to grind the coffee beans. You might have to repeat the steps for the same batch of beans for it to be ground.  

And the final method for grinding coffee is by using the rolling pin. Using a rolling pin to grind your coffee beans is also easy, but it is essential to pay attention to your rolling process to ensure that the coffee beans are appropriately ground. Follow the steps below to grind the beans by using the rolling pin

1. Take a small number of beans and put them in the plastic bag.
2. You can place the bag on a cutting board or the kitchen counter.
3. Crush the coffee beans and roll over the beans using the rolling pin.
4. Alternate between crushing and rolling the coffee beans until you get the consistency that you prefer.

How long can ground coffee last?

Unopened ground coffee can last up to 5 months. If it is not sealed, then it may last for about two months.  Coffee grounds tend to oxidize quickly due to the large surface area. 

Final Words:

For a great cup of coffee, you need the coffee beans to be ground uniformly. If the beans are not equally ground, then your coffee may taste a little different. Therefore, just like I have mentioned before, use small amounts and grind properly. That ensures better grind consistency. Hence, it is beneficial to know how to grind coffee beans without a coffee grinder.