Can You Grind Coffee Beans In A Blender?

As a coffee lover, you know that whole coffee beans give you much better flavor and taste when compared to pre-ground coffee. A cup of coffee that is made from freshly ground coffee beans will taste worlds better than stale pre-ground coffee. But not all want to invest in a coffee grinder, and that begs a reasonable question.

Can you grind coffee beans in a blender? Yes, you can grind coffee beans in a blender. You can make a coarse grind by taking a small number of coffee beans in a blender and running them for a few seconds. You can increase the grinding time if you desire a fine grind. Blenders from Vitamix, Nutribullet, and Ninja work great.

How To Grind Coffee Beans in a Blender?

Many people would not quickly think of the blender when you have to grind your coffee beans. But they are useful when your manual burr grinder is not in working condition or if you simply don’t have one.

Come to think of it, the blender is not that different from a cheap coffee grinder or even an expensive one. Both have blades and you can control them to control the final output.

So how do you grind coffee beans in a blender?

Here are the steps to grind coffee beans in your home blender.

First, fill the blender with coffee beans up to 1/4 of the cup’s capacity. Close the lid when done.
If your blender comes with a grinding setting, select it. If not, you can go with a high-speed setting.
Pulse your grinder for short bursts and make sure you get the grind you aim for.

That’s it. This is the simplest method out there and should be fine for all models. You’ve ground your fresh coffee beans in your blender for a quick cup of refreshing coffee.

Once you’ve ground your coffee beans, be sure to wash the grinder thoroughly so that the smell of coffee doesn’t stick to the blender.

Now that you know how to grind coffee beans in a blender, here are some things you shouldn’t do and be wary of.

Do not try to blend a large number of coffee beans in your blender. Doing so can clog your blender, and you’ll be in trouble.
Do not blend the coffee beans continuously. Always go for short pulses. When you do it continuously, the heat generated by the blades will overheat the oils in the beans giving them a bitter taste.
Do not grind your coffee beans in a wet blender. Make sure your blender is super dry or you’re going to end up with a slushie that will be of no use to you.

Is it Okay To Grind Coffee Beans in a Blender?

Yes, it is perfectly fine to grind coffee beans in a blender.

If your blender comes with a grinding setting, then it becomes a lot easier to use it for your coffee bean. If not, you’ll just have to use your intuition to use a high-speed setting to get the desired grind.

When we use a blender to grind coffee beans, we usually go for a medium-coarse grind that is perfect for a french press or a drip coffee maker. The blender output is also perfect for making a nice cold brew coffee.

While it is okay to grind your coffee beans in a blender, the output you get will be no match to what you’ll get from a burr grinder. A burr is superior to a blade when it comes to coffee bean grinding, and nothing is going to change that.

Can You Grind Coffee Beans in a Vitamix?

Yes, You can grind coffee beans in a Vitamix blender by attaching the dry grains container. Increasing the speed from 1 to 8 and grinding the coffee beans for 10 seconds will give a ground that is perfect for French press, Pour over coffee, and even for a cold brew coffee.

Using a Vitamix blender to grind your coffee beans is a fast and effective way. Obviously, you’re not going to get the same result as a burr grinder, but this works as well.

Let’s take a look at how to use a Vitamix blender to grind coffee beans.

Pick your favorite coffee beans.
Take the dry grind container and clean it thoroughly. When done, fill the container with a small number of coffee beans and close the lid.
When you’re ready, turn on the blender and start with variable speed 1. Quickly, increase the speed to variable speed 8 and run for 10 seconds and stop.
This should give you the grind you are looking for. The result should be a coarse grind that is good for French press and Pour-over coffee. If you’re looking for a finer grind, repeat the same process for another 10 seconds or simply 20 seconds from the get-go.

Pros:

Great for a quick grind
All models are perfect for grinding coffee beans
No overheating of coffee oil when done right
Easy to clean and maintain

Cons:

Some models can be expensive
Consistency is a problem

Can You Grind Coffee Beans in a Nutribullet?

Yes, you can grind coffee beans in a Nutribullet. There are various Nutribullet models out there that do a good job of grinding coffee beans. The milling blade will take or light, medium, and dark roasted beans without any issues.

Whether you are using the Nutribullet original or the Nutribullet Pro, you can expect a pretty good grind when it comes to coffee beans. The Rx N17 is another model that will serve you well.

Here are the steps to grind coffee beans with a Nutribullet:

Fixing the flat blade in your Nutribullet is important for grinding coffee beans. Read the instruction manual to fix that blade when the blender is turned off.
Take your coffee beans of choice, and fill the blender up to 1/4 of its capacity. You can also choose to grind around 100gm of coffee beans as long as there is enough space inside the blender.
Now, fix your Nutribullet on a nice, flat surface.
If your blender gives you the ability to choose your speed, pick one that’s fine for your grind. Grind the coffee beans for 5 to 10 seconds and stop.
With the blender closed, give it a nice shake so that finely ground particles come to the top and unground stuff take the bottom. Now grind the unground coffee beans. Repeat this a few times to get the perfect grind for your coffee.
Now, take your ground coffee, and start brewing your next cup asap so that you don’t lose any flavor.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using a Nutribullet.

Pros:

Lighter than other manufacturers.
Super portable design
Insulated carryall system
Cleaning is simple and easy
Dishwasher safe

Cons:

Consistency is a problem
People with different models will end up getting different grinds based on the settings they choose.

Can You Grind Coffee Beans in a Ninja Blender?

Yes, you can grind coffee beans in a Ninja blender. The ninja blender does a good job of grinding your roasted coffee beans to suit your style. You can pulse grind the beans between 8 to 12 times to get the desired results.

Let’s discuss the same in more detail.

The first thing you should know is that any Ninja blender will work when it comes to grinding coffee beans. If someone says you need a specific model to get the best grind, they are lying to you.

You need to ensure that the blender is clean and dry. If your blender is not clean, you are not going to like the coffee grind. At the same time, if your grinder is not dry, you will end with a coffee paste as opposed to a coffee grind.

Here are the steps to get the best out of a ninja blender.

Take your coffee beans of choice and a clean, dry ninja blender. Keep a grind in your mind that will give you the coffee you desire.
Put the coffee beans into the cup. When adding coffee beans, don’t add a lot. Just add small quantities (1/4 cup will do).
Now, it is time to grind the beans. Pulse the beans from 8 to 12 times to get a nice coarse ground. Once you’re happy with the grind, you can take it out and start brewing your coffee.

Using a Ninja Blender to grind coffee has some pros and cons. Let’s go through them.

Pros:

They are faster
Easy to store and won’t take a lot of space
Inexpensive when compared to grinders
Cleaning is easy though you have to be careful not to miss parts

Cons:

If you’re not careful, you can turn the coffee ground a bit… bitter.
You may not get the same grind every time. So if you’re looking for consistency, then you might be a bit disappointed.

Alternatives to a Blender For Grinding Coffee Beans

If you do not have a coffee grinder with you, then a blender is a great way to grind your beans.

But if you don’t want to use your blender or if you don’t have one, then there are other alternatives out there.

They are

Mortar and pestle
Meat tenderizer
Food processor
Rolling pin
Hammer
Knife
Hand mincer

These methods are more time-consuming and the result might not be as polished as using a blender or a grinder.

But these methods work and they do come in super handy when you’re camping or stuck in a cabin in the woods. These methods will still get you a nice cup of joe to make your morning better.