# Using a Coffee Grinder as a Grain Mill



## MrCalicoty (Jun 27, 2010)

I'm wondering if anyone else has ever tried this. I have an old Starbucks Barista Burr Grinder that we picked up used about 10 years ago. I use it everyday and it's still working great. Because it's a burr grinder it doesn't heat up and I get a fine grind (espresso style) to a fairly coarse grind.

I imagine this would be a slow way to go but in a pinch might be pretty useful. We don't have anything else to grind grain with and good mills seem pretty expensive.

I also realize that it would be hard to get the coffee taste out of it. Anyway these old grinders can probably be found on Ebay pretty cheap compared to a real grain mill new.

Here's the one I have:


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

What kind of grain are you grinding?
how much and for what use?

I use a 2nd hand coffee grinder to grind herbs, all the time.

If you put a piece of bread through it, that will lift the coffee residue out.
Or the coriander seeds, as the case may be. :gaptooth:


----------



## MrCalicoty (Jun 27, 2010)

Great idea about the bread. Do you have to dry the bread first? 

As for your question, we'd use it for wheat flour from whole berries according to the Mrs.


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

No, I dont dry the bread. I just send a little piece through the burrs.
It is kinda gummy and I think that is why it works. It is a good trick for when you might grind hot peppers, then want to do cinnamon after.


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

You are not likely to get a good grind and will wear out the coffee mill pretty rapidly. You'd really be better off getting a cheap corona and running the wheat thru several times if you cannot afford a better mill.


----------



## Rainy (Jan 21, 2010)

If I remember it was a hand held coffee grinder that Ma used in the Little house book"The long winter".That was all she had to grind the wheat.


----------



## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

The coffee grinder I have makes excellent rice flour. I use the rice flour on crawfish tails and fish filets.


----------



## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

Rainy said:


> If I remember it was a hand held coffee grinder that Ma used in the Little house book"The long winter".That was all she had to grind the wheat.


I have one of those. You'd have to run it through several times to get a flour consistancy. Even then I would think it would make a very heavy bread. There would be no light and fluffy bread like you buy at the store. Of course, back then they were probably only making biscuits and such anyway.


----------



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I have a coffee grinder that I use for my wheat berries. You have to buy the burr grinders not the cheap $20 Target/WM grinders. They won't last. Last time I looked, my coffee grinder sells for $150, so you might as well buy a grain grinder. My coffee grinder is much faster than my big wheat grinder- it's much louder too. I bought a second one to use when this first one wears out. So far, though, the first one has lasted 6 years and I use it at least 2x a week.


----------



## MrCalicoty (Jun 27, 2010)

I don't think they make my model any longer. Starbucks is selling a similar one for $199 these days. The one like mine can be found used for quite a bit less but it was $125 or so ten years ago.


----------



## DW (May 10, 2002)

I did with my 5th & 6th graders when I taught out in the country and we read The Long Winter. Then we made very simple wheat cookies...big hit with the kids!


----------

