Wow - I can't believe I'm compelled to chime in here, but I switched to a hand-grinder a few years ago when my electric burr grinder gave up the ghost. I disliked how loud the electric grinder was and REALLY disliked how much static electricity it imparted into the grinds - a small portion of the grounds always sprung into the air and landed on the walls, counter, stove, etc.
I've been using the Hario mini-mill: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY It's the only hand-grinder I've owned, so I can't provide a direct comparison, but it does take longer than an electric grinder. Interestingly, it takes almost exactly the same amount of time for me to grind my portion of beans that it takes for the water to boil. I LOVE the fact that the grounds don't become electrostatically charged so I can simply pour them into my cone filter - no brush required, no more wayward grounds. First world problem solved, captain. I put an elastic hair band around the middle portion so I can keep the crank handle snug against the body of the grinder between uses and when I pack it for car camping. Full disclosure: for backpacking (or bikepacking, I suppose), I have switched to St-rb-cks Via. It is so much better than standard instant coffee, and fits the austere nature of backpacking for me a bit better than taking my collapseable filter cone along with me. In the past I would pre-grind (the horror!) for backpacking trips so I didn't have to add the grinder to the load. Oh, and: I received an electric goose-neck slow-pour kettle as a wedding gift this summer. For those who haven't switched to the Aeropress, it is a miracle. You can set the final temperature (ideally a bit below boiling temperature), and have it hold at that temperature until you are ready. I fill my mug with cold water, pour it into the kettle, set it for 205 degrees Fahrenheit, and when I'm done grinding the water is ready and I simply pour out the entire contents without having to measure. It works perfectly. I know that we coffee connoisseurs are supposed to pre-rinse our filters, but I just can't be bothered. I also LOVE the original, full-sized Aerobee flying ring! Oh, and bicycles too! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
