Common Grinding Myths

Myth 1: Grinding Rice Cleans Your Grinder

This is one of the most persistent myths in home coffee. While you may have heard that rice is an acceptable replacement for grinder cleaning tablets, it can actually add to the problem by turning into a hard, gummy mess in your grinder.
 

Rice fragments can strain or jam the motor, create unnecessary wear on burrs, and stress interior components. Instead of cleaning oils, rice can even leave behind its own residue—something you don’t want near your carefully selected coffee.
 

The safer, more effective method is simple: use grinder-cleaning tablets designed specifically for burr grinders. They are softer than rice, shaped for smooth movement through the burrs, and absorb oils without introducing damage. In short, they’re designed for the job! And no need to worry about introducing chemicals into your grinder; many grinder cleaning tablets are made from natural substances, like corn.
 

Myth 2: Re-Grinding Coarse Coffee Is a Safe Shortcut

If a batch of coffee came out too coarse, it may be tempting to grind it again at a finer setting. Unfortunately, re-grinding coffee leads to clumping and compacting. The coffee becomes dense and powdery, and the grinder has to work harder than designed. This can result in clogs or unnecessary strain.
 

If a dose is mis-ground, it’s better to use it for immersion brewing, like cold brew, cupping, or French press, where grind precision is more forgiving. Then adjust your grinder and brew again with a fresh dose.
 

Myth 3: A Grinder That Clogs Is Broken

Clogs can happen even with well-maintained grinders. They’re usually caused by oily beans, which cause grinds to stick to the inside of the machine, or from grinding far too fine. A clog doesn’t mean your grinder is damaged. In most cases, a simple cleaning or clearing of the chute solves the problem.
 

A consistent maintenance routine—cleaning every few weeks, especially when using darker roasts—helps prevent buildup. Understanding how your grinder behaves with different coffees allows you to anticipate and avoid most clog-related issues. However, note that a clog does have the potential to damage the grinder. If allowed to back up into the grind chamber, the surprisingly hard compacted coffee can break internal components, like the paddlewheel in our conical grinders. If you experience a clog, completely clean out the grinder until the grind chamber shines through, we recommend grinding a bit of coffee on a coarse setting just to make sure that everything is working properly.
 

Myth 4: Burr Grinders Produce Identical Particles

Burr grinders are praised for their consistency, but no grinder produces perfectly uniform particles. A healthy mix of fines, boulders, and main particles is normal and even beneficial in some brewing methods. Fines help enhance body and sweetness in espresso and make it easier to avoid channeling in your shot, while on the other hand, a controlled, evenly ground distribution supports balance in pour-over brewing and makes it easier to avoid stalling in your filter paper.
 

Expecting identical particles overlooks the nuance of extraction. What matters is a stable, predictable distribution, not perfect uniformity. Baratza grinders are designed to deliver this balance across a wide range of brew methods.
 

Myth 5: You Should Never Adjust Grind Size Unless the Grinder Is Running

This myth often comes from good intentions but oversimplifies the truth. Adjusting finer with the grinder running is important if beans are in the grinder because it prevents burrs from compressing coffee between them. But coarse adjustments can be made safely whether the grinder is on or off. If the grinder is completely empty, either direction of adjustment is safe.
 

Myth 6: My Grind Setting Should Stay the Same If You Have Not Switched Coffees

It’s normal and expected for grind settings to shift between coffees. Different beans have different densities, roast levels, ages, and moisture contents. Even environmental factors like humidity and temperature can influence extraction.
 

These environmental factors, as well as your coffee aging over time, are also impacting the bag of coffee that you opened a week ago. This is why shielding your coffee from these influences with proper coffee storage is so important. However, in most home environments, you cannot totally avoid changes in your beans over time and will need to make some small grind adjustments. This is particularly noticeable with espresso brewing, where relatively small factors can really impact the end cup.
 

A stable grinder doesn’t eliminate the need for adjustments; it makes adjustments more predictable. Instead of expecting a universal setting, embrace small daily changes as part of your workflow.
 

Bringing It All Together

Understanding the truth behind grinder myths leads to more consistent brewing, better-tasting coffee, and a longer-lasting grinder. When you know what’s normal and what isn’t, you can troubleshoot confidently and make adjustments based on flavor rather than fear or misinformation.
 

Your grinder is a tool built for exploration. The more you learn about its behavior, the more rewarding your coffee journey becomes.
 

We grind. You brew.