How to Grind Coffee Beans Without a Grinder

Author: Jessica Simms

Updated: April 2, 2023

Whole bean coffee stays fresher longer than pre-ground—and it tastes better, too. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need any fancy equipment to good coffee fresh each time you brew. All you need is a way to crush the beans into relatively consistent particles, and a surprising number of common kitchen tools are up to the task.

Coffee Grinding 101

The reason whole bean coffee stays fresh longer is that the outer surface of the bean protects the inside from the elements. This keeps the flavor and aroma compounds contained and prevents oxidation from ruining the flavor.

When it’s time to brew, though, you want water to get into the bean. Grinding coffee allows those contained flavor compounds to be absorbed by the hot water, resulting in the aromatic, flavorful cup you look forward to in the morning.

The finer the coffee is ground the more surface area is exposed to the water, allowing the oils and acids in the beans to be extracted faster. That’s why shorter brewing methods like espresso use a fine grind, while longer methods like French press call for a coarser grind.

Another important thing to remember is that you don’t want to extract every single compound that’s in a coffee bean. Acids and fats are the first compounds to be extracted. These add sour flavors and body, respectively. The next things to extract are the sugars. Once those are gone, the water will begin to break down the plant fibers of the bean.

You want to stop the extraction process before it reaches the plant fibers. Not only are these extremely bitter, but they’ll also overwhelm the taste of the sugars, fats, and acids, throwing off the balance of the flavor and making it taste one-dimensional. If you’ve ever had coffee with dirty dishwater notes, that’s what over-extraction tastes like.

This is the main reason you don’t want to just grind all your coffee extra-fine and call it a day. A good cup of coffee is all about balance. Matching the grind size to the length and style of brew lets you find the sweet spot, extracting most of the sugars without any of the plant fibers.

Benefits of Coffee Grinding

We mentioned above that keeping beans whole protects them from oxidation. What does that mean for the everyday coffee drinker? Here are the main benefits to grinding coffee to order:

Stronger aroma. The compounds that give coffee its delicious aroma start to dissipate into the air as soon as coffee is ground. Most of them are gone within 20 minutes of grinding. That can lead to a cup that tastes and lacking in the nuanced flavor notes you want from good coffee.
Better flavor extraction. Carbon dioxide gets trapped inside coffee beans during roasting. Like the aromatic compounds, though, it goes away quickly. When you brew fresh-ground coffee, some of that CO2 is still escaping and helps the water absorb more flavor as it forces its way out of the bean. This is also what creates the crema on espresso, making fresh-ground coffee essential for a good espresso shot.
Fewer absorbed flavors. Coffee is very porous. This is good when you’re brewing since it absorbs moisture quickly, but is bad news during storage, making coffee susceptible to absorbing odors and moisture from the air. Keeping beans whole limits how much moisture can affect them, and keeps them tasting the way they should.
Longer lifespan. Whole bean coffee can last for months without losing much of its flavor, especially if it’s stored in an air-tight container. Ground coffee often tastes stale within 4-6 weeks of grinding, no matter how you store it.

How to Grind Coffee Without a Grinder

There’s a reason dedicated coffee drinkers invest in grinders. Automating the process takes all the manual labor out of it, for one thing (grinding beans for a whole pot can take a long time with some of the methods we describe here).

More importantly, though, burr coffee grinders allow you to grind the coffee to a consistent size. If the grounds are different sizes they’ll extract at different rates, and you won’t get the best taste out of the beans.

With that in mind, here are some tips for effectively grinding coffee without a grinder:

Choose your approach based on your brewing method. Shorter brewing methods require a consistently fine grind, and that’s difficult to achieve using something like a blender or rolling pin. Set yourself up for success by choosing a grinding option that suits the grind level you need.
Avoid flavor contamination. Coffee absorbs flavors easily, and the oils in coffee can linger for a long time. If you’re using tools that aren’t designated for coffee, like a blender or spice grinder, clean it thoroughly both before and after grinding beans.
Don’t rush the process. If you’re crushing the beans, moving slowly will help to maintain a more consistent grind size. For methods like a blender or a mortar and pestle, it’s easy to over-grind and end up with particles that are too small, so it’s smart to work in bursts and check your grind level between them.
Consider the roast level. Generally speaking, lighter roasts are denser than darker roasts. This can make them more difficult to grind using crushing methods. If you have a choice of beans, a darker roast like an Italian or French roast will be the easiest to grind consistently without a grinder.
Work in small batches. This isn’t a concern if you’re brewing a single cup and only need a couple of tablespoons of grounds. If you’re brewing a whole pot, though, split the beans up into 2 or 3 batches to get a more consistent grind.

5 Different Grinding Procedures

#1: Mortar and Pestle

People were drinking coffee long before the invention of electricity. A mortar and pestle is the traditional way to grind coffee and is hands down the best alternative option if you’re looking for a fine, consistent grind.

Put your coffee beans into the mortar, then cover the top with one hand to keep them contained while you grind.
Hold the pestle in your other hand and insert it in the mortar.
Swirl the pestle vigorously around the bowl until you’ve achieved your desired grind level.

The longer you go, the finer the grinds will be. Start by grinding in 1-2 second bursts until you get a feel for how long it takes to reach the right consistency.

#2: Pepper Mill

A pepper mill uses the same internal mechanisms as hand-powered coffee grinders. Many even let you control the size of the grind and the particles are more consistent in size. While it won’t grind finely enough for espresso brewing, it’s ideal for manual methods like French press and pour-over.

Some pepper mills struggle to crush entire coffee beans. If you’re finding this to be the case, crush them a bit first using a hammer or rolling pin. These smaller pieces will go through the mill more easily.

Thoroughly wash the mill if it’s been used for pepper to remove any lingering flavors.
Choose your desired grind level and fill the mill with beans.
Secure the lid and grind.

#3: Blender

If you’re more interested in speed than precision, a blender is a great choice. They use the same basic mechanism as blade-style coffee grinders and have the same disadvantage: the particles you get aren’t very consistent in size. That makes it a better option for brewing methods that use a filter, like drip or cold brew.

Put the beans in the blender and top with the lid to keep them contained.
Pulse the blades in short bursts, shaking the blender between pulses to keep the beans in contact with the blades.

#4: Rolling Pin

You can get a surprisingly even consistency crushing coffee beans with a rolling pin. It does take a lot more effort than the methods above, though, and isn’t a practical way to achieve fine grinds. For coarse or medium grinds, though, it’s a good low-tech option.

Put your coffee in a plastic bag and lay it on the counter. Make sure the beans are spread out and in a single layer.
Cover the bag with a thin dishtowel. This will prevent the beans from sticking to the rolling pin or flying out if they tear through the plastic.
Roll the pin back and forth over the coffee beans until you’ve achieved your desired grind level.

#5: Meat Tenderizer

This is the slightly more aggressive version of the rolling pin method. Any mallet or hammer will work, too. The larger the crushing surface, the faster you’ll be able to grind the beans. As to grind size, this is a better option for coarse and medium grinds.

Put your beans in a plastic bag, then put the bag on a cutting board. This will prevent damage to your counter from the meat tenderizer.
Cover the bag with a thin dishtowel.
Place the head of the tenderizer against the towel then press down with firm, even pressure.
Move the meat tenderizer to a new spot and repeat step 3, continuing until you’ve crushed all the beans.

How Fine Should I Grind My Coffee Beans?

That depends on what brewing method you’re using. The right grind size can range from extra-coarse (the size of Kosher salt or sea salt) to extra-fine (powdery like flour).

Each brewing method has an ideal grind size range, and some give you more wiggle room than others. Having said that, though, here’s a general outline of the different grind sizes and which brewing methods they’re best for.

Extra-coarse

Brewing methods: Cold brew, cowboy coffee

The largest grind size, extra coarse coffee particles are the size of large decorative salt, like Kosher salt and sea salt. This makes it suitable for long immersion brews.

Coarse

Brewing methods: French press, percolator, AeroPress (immersion method)

A coarse grind is the best option for most immersion brewing methods since it’s small enough to allow full flavor extraction but too large to pass through metal filters.

Medium-Coarse

Brewing methods: AeroPress (immersion method), Chemex

The thicker filter in a Chemex filter makes the slightly larger particles of a medium-coarse grind a good fit to get the right brew time. You can also use it in filtered immersion methods to get a stronger brew.

Medium

Brewing methods: Drip (flat-bottom filter), pour-over, Chemex, siphon/vacuum

Medium-ground coffee particles are the size of everyday table salt. This is a good place to start with manual brewing methods like pour-over since it’s right in the middle of the ideal range.

Medium-Fine

Brewing methods: Drip (cone filter), pour-over, AeroPress

About the size of white sugar, medium-fine particles are ideal for brews that take 2-3 minutes, like pour-over and standard AeroPress brewing.

Fine

Brewing methods: Espresso, Moka pot, AeroPress (espresso method)

Once you reach the fine grind level, the coffee will have the consistency of powdered sugar, and it will be difficult to pick out individual particles. This is ideal for getting the thicker texture and strong flavor of espresso.

Extra Fine

Brewing method: Turkish

The consistency of baby powder, you’ll often see this setting labeled “Turkish” on grinders since that’s the only brewing method it’s suitable for. This is too fine even for espresso, resulting in over-extracted shots (if one will brew at all).

You went to the store and bought your favorite kind of coffee–the only problem is, once you got home, you realized you bought the coffee in whole-bean form.

How do you grind those beans down so you can brew your coffee? While it’s easy to grind coffee beans, the consistency you’ll want will vary. There are many different ways you can accomplish the perfect grind, even if you don’t have a grinder.

Coffee Grind Sizes Compared

As you grind coffee, be mindful of how much you’re grinding the beans down. Smaller grounds will have an impact on the flavor of your coffee, and different sizes are best for different brewing methods.

If you grind your coffee for a long time, you’ll have more of a powder consistency, but in some cases, it’s best to grind it just a little bit, so you get chunkier pieces.

To figure out what grind size is best for your situation, take a look at these coffee grind sizes compared:

Coarse, which results in chunky, bigger-sized pieces. A coarse grind is best if you are using a French Press to make your coffee or are using the cold brew method.
Medium coarse, which is slightly less chunky. This is best if you are using the pour-over method to make your coffee.
Medium, which will have a salt-like consistency. The pieces aren’t chunky, but you can still see all the individual pieces. This grind is best when you are making traditional drip coffee.
Fine, which is smaller than salt-like pieces but not to the point where any powder has begun to form yet. This method is best if you are using a mocha pot or are making espresso.
Extra fine, which has the consistency of powdered sugar. This method is usually only used when coffee is being brewed in a Turkish coffee pot.

In most cases, you’ll be creating either a coarse or medium grind, unless you are using a specialty brewing method or machine.

How To Grind Coffee Beans With a Grinder

It’s well-known in the coffee world that freshly ground coffee is best. Even if you made a mistake by buying a whole-bean bag, it’s worth it to learn how to grind your coffee, so you get an excellent, fresh cup every single time.

There are many types of coffee grinders out there, so it’s simple to find a tool that will help you get the perfect grind. Types include:

Burr grinders, which come in both automatic and manual models. These have two plates that crush the coffee beans and are the preferred tool by many coffee professionals. The grounds will be in a consistent size, which leads to better extraction of flavor. You’ll be able to find either flat-disk burr grinders or conical burr grinders.
Blade grinders, which are the most common type of grinder you’ll find in people’s kitchens. They’re readily available and cheap. These grinders involve a spinning blade that chops up the coffee beans. While they’re cheaper, blade grinders do not provide as consistent of a grind each time, which means the flavor of your cup of coffee will vary.

Whichever type of grinder you choose, it’s easy to grind coffee beans at home with these devices.

How To Grind Coffee Beans Without a Grinder

What happens if you didn’t mean to buy whole-bean coffee, and you don’t have a grinder? The good news is, you’re not stuck with having to venture out again and purchasing pre-ground coffee from the store. There are a couple of ways you can grind your beans with regular kitchen tools.

To grind your coffee beans without a grinder, you can use:

A blender. Use either the “pulse” or “grind” setting on your blender to get ground coffee beans. Grind in 5-second increments for about 30 seconds. While this is a quick and easy solution, keep in mind that the grind will likely be inconsistent, so you won’t get as much flavor extraction.
A food processor. Like the blender, this is an easy solution, as many people have a food processor in their homes. This is one of your best options for grinding your beans. Again, use the pulse setting in 5-second increments.
A rolling pin. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you’ll end up having to grind your beans by hand. While this is more extensive, it is possible. Put your coffee beans in a secured plastic bag, and use the rolling pin over the bag. It’ll take some time, but as long as you have patience, you can grind your beans this way.
A mortar and pestle. Like the rolling pin, this method is labor-intensive and will take some time. Still, if you have a mortar and pestle in your kitchen, you’ll have another option for grinding by hand. This method also helps create finer grounds than a rolling pin, so use it if you are making espresso or Turkish coffee.

Which Type of Coffee Grinder is Best?

In general, the finer that the grind is, the bolder the flavor will be. When you buy a cup of coffee, in most situations that coffee is made with a medium grind and brewed in a drip coffee maker. Unless you like to make espresso or cold brew, a coffee grinder that helps you achieve a medium grind is best.

Whether you decide to grind by hand or you purchase an automated coffee grinder, the key to an excellent cup of coffee is a consistent grind. Equal consistency will boost the flavor extraction. Burr coffee grinders provide the most consistent grind, which is why they are the grinder that many coffee professionals choose to use.

Freshly-Ground Coffee for An Excellent Cup

Grinding your coffee beans just before you brew will provide the freshest cup of coffee you can get. Luckily, there are many different ways you can grind your beans.

Even if you don’t have a mechanical grinder at home, you will still have lots of options. Just keep in mind your brewing method so you can create the perfect consistency of grounds each time.

Summary and Conclusion

A grinder is the easiest way to grind coffee beans, but it’s far from the only way. Anything with the ability to crush or grind can do the trick, especially if you’re using flexible brewing methods like drip and French press. We hope you feel inspired to buy whole bean the next time you’re in the store and try out a few of these methods for yourself!