Contrary To What You Heard, Immersion Blenders Are Not For Coffee Beans
The struggle is real when you desperately need some café-worthy coffee but don't have a grinder handy to grind fresh beans. At that point, most people — including us — would be willing to do anything to get our caffeine fix. Unfortunately, desperation can lead to some pretty bad decisions.
One of the biggest reasons for not using an immersion blender to grind coffee beans is that it can be dangerous. A popular hack, for instance, advises folks to turn an immersion blender upside down, wrap it in plastic wrap, toss in coffee beans, and grind while holding the plastic closed. This puts your fingers way too close to the sharp blades, and it will only take one slip to ruin your day. No cup of coffee is worth losing a finger over!
In addition to being dangerous, grinding beans this way can be incredibly messy. If the plastic isn't tight enough, the force from the blades will end up flinging beans all over your kitchen. Oh, and speaking of blades, they can very easily rip through the plastic wrap. In that instance, the best case is you'll get plastic wrap in your coffee beans. In the worst case, it'll rip through the plastic and your fingers. If all of that isn't enough, on top of everything, immersion blenders won't produce an even grind anyway.
A few ways you can actually grind coffee beans without a grinder
If you need to grind coffee beans without a grinder, you can use plenty of other things besides an immersion blender. One of the best is a food processor, which will give you a grind consistency that's fairly close to what a coffee grinder would provide. A blender will also work, though because of the shape of the container, the grind won't be even. Keep in mind that blenders tend to produce a bit of heat, especially if you keep them going for a while. If you're not careful, this can cause the beans to begin cooking, making them bitter. This can be prevented by grinding the beans in pulses of just a few seconds.
Now, if you don't have a blender or food processor on hand, you can still grind coffee beans, just with a bit more elbow grease. For instance, a rolling pin can be used to crush coffee beans inside a ziplock bag, as can a hammer. However, the key is to firmly crush the beans, not hammer them into dust! The same premise applies to using a mortar and pestle. These methods will take time, and the resulting grind will be coarse, making the coffee best for brewing with a French press, percolator, or cold brew.
Of course, keeping ground coffee on hand for when you don't have access to a grinder is also an option. That said, if you're committed to using whole beans, it's worth investing in a quality grinder, such as a burr grinder, to create a full-bodied cup of coffee every time. By going this route, you ensure that every cup of coffee is both delicious and hassle-free.
