Even if you like your current electric grinder here are some reasons to try out a a manual coffee grinder? Probably for the same reason that some people enjoy working with old fashioned hand tools instead of the latest high tech electric version. It is great to feel like an old fashioned craftsman.

If the idea of actually feeling the beans being ground appeals to you, read on. If you prefer to buy ground coffee, you will still find this enjoyable to think about how coffee used to be made.

This of this as a way to transport yourself back to a simpler time, when the only way to grind coffee was with a manual coffee mill. What should you look for in a manual coffee grinder today?

How to buy a manual coffee grinder

First, be sure to buy a new grinder. Don’t mistake a decorative grinder for one that will do the job for you reliably and consistently. Many coffee grinders are just decorations. They were never meant to be used to grind coffee, and they may even be contaminated with who knows what if they are vintage grinders.

Second, avoid inexpensive grinders. A manual coffee is a precision instrument, with a hardened steel grinding mechanism designed to crush and grind coffee beans consistently and reliably. You should look for a coffee grinder with a five or ten year warranty. You can plan to spend between $50 to $75 for a mill that will last years, if not a lifetime.

Grinding your coffee by hand

With your quality mill, you will quickly grind coffee for about six cups of brew in just a couple of minutes. You will vary the grind based on how you plan to brew your coffee: coarse for a French press, fine for espresso, and in between for a drip brewer. The finer the grind, the longer it will take you but it this is easy and fulfilling work as you feel the beans being crushed and releasing the fresh coffee fragrance to enjoy.

A special mill for Turkish coffee

If you make Turkish coffee on your stove top, you need extremely finely ground beans, almost powdered.

Regular hand coffee mills won’t grind beans finely enough. You will need a special Turkish coffee mill. You can expect to pay a bit more for a quality manual mill for Turkish coffee, probably around $75 to $100.

Should you buy a manual coffee grinder?

If you are deciding between an electric coffee grinder and a manual coffee mill, which should you buy? That depends on you. I would buy the electric one first, but make sure it is a quality mill that uses the burr style instead of blade style grinder. Also, buy one that grinds at a lower speed to avoid building up static electricity that makes the coffee stick everywhere. We have more ideas for choosing the right electric grinder on our site at CoffeeDaydreams.com

Dennis Toman is a coffee enthusiast and the author of Coffee Daydreams, a site dedicated to helping people enjoy the coffee of their dreams. You can visit CoffeeDaydreams.com for more about gourmet coffee, and how to choose the best coffee makers.

Kona coffee comes from the island of Hawaii, also known as the Big Island. Coffee was first brought to Hawaii by an American missionary in the form of coffee plant cuttings from Brazil. Originally grown on large plantations, today the coffee is grown on about 800 small Kona coffee farms. Kona coffee is one of the most expensive and rare coffees, since just 2 million pounds are distributed each year.

There are basically two types of Kona coffee beans. I’m partial to the smaller bean, known as the peaberry. There are many blends of Kona and Columbian or Brazilian coffee available, but I try to always buy 100% Kona coffee. I don’t recommend buying a blend, since it may consist of as much as 90% cheaper coffee. Why pay a premium price for that?

How to brew the best Kona Coffee

When you invest in premium Kona coffee, it makes sense to make sure you brew it the best way. Always buy whole beans and grind them yourself. Only grind the amount that you will use in the same day. Learn how much fits into your coffee press or coffee machine, and only grind that amount at a time.

This leads me to the question of the coffee maker. I use a coffee press rather than a coffee maker. A coffee press is a glass cylinder with a plunger attached to the top. You put coffee in the bottom of the press, add hot water and let it brew for at least 4 minutes, then push the plunger down to strain out the coffee grounds. My coffee press makes a better cup of coffee than my $200 Capresso espresso machine. I would never use anything but my $30 coffee press when brewing Kona coffee.

When testing whether you like Kona coffee, buy a small amount first. If you find that you like it, you can then order larger quantities to save money. If you’re really a coffee aficionado like me, buy enough coffee beans to last you a month. For me, freshness is the top priority.

Damen Choy, editor of coffee direct to learn about the many benefits of buying coffee in bulk for yourself and your loved ones.

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Tullys Kona Blend Keurig K-Cups is Tullys medium-bodied Kona blend boasts incredible smoothness and a distinct floral aroma reminiscent of the island itself. Do not be fooled by other Kona blends, Tullys Kona Blend Keurig K-Cups are not a Kona Roast, or Kona Style – they contain a percentage of Hawaiian Kona coffee, whick make them truly a Kona Blend – and one of the best in a K-Cup at that.

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Amazon.com now offers you the same consistently flavorful K-Cup coffee from Diedrich Coffee, Inc. in a single 50-count package. This new package is optimized for our customers through the reduction of packaging waste and is available at a lower price than before. This same packaging is also available to you on K-cups by Diedrich Coffee, Coffee People, and Gloria Jean’s Coffee, so go ahead and explore all the great K-Cup varieties.

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Amazon.com has certified this product’s packaging is Frustration-Free. A Frustration-Free Package is easy-to-open and comes without excess packaging materials such as hard plastic “clamshell” casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties. It is exactly the same as a traditionally packaged product–we’ve just streamlined the packaging to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect your product just as well as traditional packaging during shipping. Products with Frustration-Free Packaging can frequently be shipped in their own boxes, without the need for an additional shipping box. Learn more.

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• Coffee K-Cup for Keurig Gourmet Single Cup Brewer; no messy grinding or clean up
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Donut House Collection® — Coffee K-Cups with rich, bold flavor and a little kick to get you going. Good, straightforward coffees that will remind you of the days when you knew what to expect and were never disappointed. It feels familiar from the very first sip. It’s the easy-going, bold, dependable cup you enjoy every day.

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• Coffee K-Cup for Keurig Gourmet Single Cup Brewer; no messy grinding or clean up
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Weve weaved exotic and delicious coffee attributes together – winey berry tones from East Africa, deep, full-bodied Indonesian, and zesty & bright flavors from the Americas.

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Caramel Vanilla Cream offers drizzles of sweet, buttery caramel and brown sugar, with swirls of vanilla cream.

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