Tips on How to Grind Coffee Beans Without a Grinder

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

Would you like to know how to grind coffee beans without a grinder? Well, it sounds pretty implausible at first, but that needn’t be the case.

Instead, this is something entirely possible, and as you will see, it’s a lot easier than most people would expect.

People think they need to spend a small fortune buying a grinding machine to go ahead and grind coffee beans. However, you are about to see how even the blender you have at home can replace a blade grinder, and you will still achieve an excellent result.

Warning – You May Still Get a Nice Cup of Coffee

While coffee experts would feel repulsed by the idea of grinding coffee beans without a grinder, it is still entirely possible to get a nice cup of coffee without the appropriate machinery.

You see, the grinding process that ultimately produces ground coffee alters its taste. Too much grinding can lead to those coffee grounds becoming bitter, but that may be something you prefer.

So, the methods we will look at may not get those coffee beans down to that extra fine espresso blend that some people look for. However, they will still do a pretty good job when it comes to grinding beans.

Why You Need to Grind Coffee Beans

Aside from knowing how to grind coffee beans without a grinder, let’s see why you need to grind coffee beans in the first place.

It will help if you ground coffee beans to get a better flavour and taste in your coffee. However, pre-ground coffee granules do not have the same impact on you trying to brew coffee.

But here’s something important to remember. While a grinder does a fantastic job of breaking down the bean, sometimes all you need is for things to be effectively smashed up a bit to release all of that flavour.

Making your coffee grounds, even without a grinder, is also surprisingly pleasurable. Achieving that fine grind with basic equipment, which then leads to a stunning cup of coffee, makes everything feel worthwhile.

So, how exactly do you grind coffee beans without a grinder? Well, that’s what we are about to explore.

Getting Started

You have various methods open to you when it comes to grinding coffee beans. So, we will look at several to provide you with the opportunity to look at the options and decide which one fits in with equipment you may have in your home.

What to Expect From an Alternative Grinder

When using an alternative grinder, it will be tough to achieve a consistent grind. This is something that may not be as important when grinding beans as you thought.

Of course, we are used to grounding coffee meeting specific criteria freshly, but you don’t always want your grinder to be as consistent as the technology allows.

Achieve Your Desired Consistency

Once you get used to using your alternative grinder, you will see it’s easier to achieve your desired consistency, whether you want a medium-fine mix or something coarser.

In some ways, this is easier to achieve using our methods listed below, rather than what you can achieve with a grinder.

Don’t Make This Mistake

But we don’t want you to make the mistake of believing that you will be unable to achieve a fine grind. That is just not true. However, it does depend on the way you grind your beans.

So, this is what we are going to do.

We will show you some alternative methods to grind coffee beans. Most will require some equipment that we all tend to have in our homes, but one method doesn’t.

Methods on How to Grind Coffee Beans

By the end, you should be able to grind those beans to whichever consistency you want. However, the result will depend on the method used, so pay attention to the coarseness that can be achieved with each method.

Method 1: Use a Blender

The first way to grind your coffee beans is to use a blender. When you think about it, your blender deals with all sorts of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Dealing with coffee beans will be a breeze, thanks to the power aspect.

Also, a blender uses blades, resembling one of the popular ways to grind coffee beans. Of course, the blades are larger with a blender, but it will still grind the beans down enough to put them into your coffee maker.

With a blender, it’s easy enough to throw in just enough beans for your cup of coffee, as a blender does have the capability to smashing up small seeds and nuts. Dealing with coffee beans will be a breeze for it.

So, with this method, figure out how many beans you want, and throw them into the blender. Next, pulse them for a few seconds at a time. Check after each pulse to see how it relates to your desired consistency. If you are unhappy, then repeat the process until content.

It is as simple as that, and it takes seconds to create freshly ground coffee. Also, cleaning the blender will hardly take any time at all either.

The Coarseness of the Grind

With a blender, you will be limited to the coarseness of the finished coffee. However, you are looking at a coarse to medium mix, so while it may not be good enough for espresso machines, it is perfect for a French press.

Method 2: Use a Food Processor

A food processor is another machine that will crush the beans and produce freshly ground coffee. As with the blender, you will get a relatively consistent grind. If these machines can make hummus and pesto, your coffee beans will be a breeze.

With this method, you need to throw your coffee beans. But to successfully grind your beans, you need to increase whole beans. This is due to the size of the blender and space in the food processor. A handful of beans will do nothing and lead to disappointing results.

After pouring the beans into the food processor, put it onto the pulse setting, and blast the beans for up to 5 seconds. Then, check for your desired consistency, and repeat the process until content.

The Coarseness of the Grind

This method is also going to produce a blend that is a coarse to medium mix.

Method 3: A Rolling Pin

This method may surprise people, but you can use a rolling pin to crush the beans ready for your coffee machine. This approach is ideal for a French press, and all you need is the rolling pin and a freezer bag.

Put the whole bean coffee into a freezer bag or plastic bag, remove all the air, and seal it well. Next, place the bag on a firm surface, and use the rolling pin like you are using a hammer to start breaking up the coffee beans.

Once they have been initially smashed, use the pin back and forth by rolling over the remnants. This will help to produce a more medium blend if that’s what you desire

The Coarseness of the Grind

This method can produce a coarse to medium mix but be warned that it requires a lot of effort.

Method 4: A Mortar and Pestle

Using a mortar and pestle does feel like an old way of creating coffee without a grinder. However, mortar and pestle have been around for centuries, and they can help produce a decent cup of coffee.

You are limited to how many coffee beans you place in the mortar, and this is due to the method you need to apply to get those coffee grounds. We recommend a small handful of coffee beans that won’t even half fill the mortar.

If you add too many beans, it will come up and over the sides of the mortar. The smashing and grinding motion will push the remnants to the edge, and then you start to lose some of your ground coffee.

Hold the pestle in your hand, and bring it down onto the beans. Use it as a hammer at this initial stage, as you need to smash up the beans to get the process started.

After the beans have been crushed, Start grinding the beans by using a swirling motion with the pestle. Keep doing this crush and grind motion until you are happy with the consistency.

The Coarseness of the Grind

With a mortar and pestle, you will be able to achieve a wider range of grinds. For example, a simple crush and swirl will lead to a coarse grind, while repeating the process will lead to a finer grind, perfect for various coffee makers.

Method 5: A Hammer

This approach may sound basic, but you can use a hammer to break up those coffee beans. This is less about grinding and more about smashing, but it still gives you some form of a coffee grind by the time you are finished.

Using a hammer does require less elbow grease than a rolling pin or mortar and pestle, so it is faster at producing a result.

You should use a plastic bag for this method and pour your desired amount of coffee beans into the bag. Make sure to remove all of the air and that the plastic bag is tightly sealed. Next, lay it flat on a strong surface, just as you would if using the rolling pin method. Some people would put the bag on a cutting board as that gives you a stable surface. Just make sure it cannot slide around, or it will make life harder.

Now, don’t hit the bag like you are doing some DIY. The bag will burst, and the beans will fly everywhere. Instead, use less pressure, and the hammer’s weight will still do a great job of grinding coffee beans.

As you crush the beans, move them to the side of the bag regularly. Moving them around gives a more consistent finish, and it does allow you to produce a finer grind than you would have thought possible.

The Coarseness of the Grind

Somewhat surprisingly, a hammer can produce a finer blend than using a blender. You have a great degree of control, and you can also throw in your desired amount of beans for several cups of coffee as only the size of the bag will restrict you.

Method 6: A Hand Mincer/Garlic Crusher

Another option is a hand mincer, and it’s easy to see why this may work when it comes to coffee grinding. You will be restricted with the number of beans at a time, but a hand mincer will produce some ground beans in a matter of seconds.

For this, place the beans into the mincer, and then close the mincer as you would do when crushing garlic. It produces coffee grounds by smashing things down but be warned, as this does lead to relatively coarse coffee grounds.

Also, the amount of coffee you can produce with this method is restricted.

The Coarseness of the Grind

Thanks to the size of the holes that appear in the hand mincer, your coffee beans will not be that fine with this method. So, you are looking at a coarse to medium mix with this particular method.

Method 7: A Meat Tenderizer

It’s also possible to use a meat tenderizer in place of a coffee grinding machine. This does also require some elbow grease on your part, but you can deliver some pretty consistent results.

For this, place the beans in a plastic bag and put them on a cutting board. Think about the amount of coffee you want to brew, as this determines the number of beans you are going to grind.

This is one of the coolest ways to grind beans. Something is satisfying about smashing the coffee beans with a meat tenderizer. Just remember to put all the beans in a strong bag, or you will make a mess.

As you break them up, move the beans around the bag as that will allow you to produce more of a medium grind. Ultimately, you can create a medium-fine blend that is perfect for drip coffee.

The Coarseness of the Grind

The coarseness of the grind with this method can be very varied depending on how much energy you put into this sort of hand blender. It does allow you to grind your coffee according to your preferences, but a medium grind is possible with minimal effort.

Grind Those Beans

So, those are just a few different ways in which you can grind coffee beans using a variety of implements and utensils around your home. Yes, some of them do require a bit of effort on your part, while others do work in the same sort of way as a blade grinder.

Give several of them a go, and see which one produces the sort of results you would hope to achieve with your grinder. You may surprise yourself with the results.