Over time, your coffee grinder burrs will need to be replaced. Below is a step-by-step guide to replacing your grinder burrs.
Before You Begin:
- ALWAYS unplug your grinder before starting work on it.
- ALWAYS use caution.
- You will need two screwdrivers, and possibly an adjustable crescent wrench.
Instructions:
- Unplug your grinder and remove the bean hopper, making sure that the gate at the neck of the hopper is closed.
- Push down the grinder adjustment lock and unscrew the grinder burr carrier all the way out. The direction will vary depending on the brand of grinder you are working on. Some grinders do not have an adjustment lock, and simply rely on tension springs and a fixing screw to hold the grind adjustment collar.
- On the burr carrier you just removed, there will be one burr on the bottom and one burr inside the grinding chamber attached to the motor shaft. Each burr is held in place with two or three screws. Using a flat head screwdriver, remove the screws from the burr that is attached to the upper burr carrier and remove the old burr.
- Removing the lower burr is a bit more complicated. This burr is attached to the moto shaft and will want to spin. Using an additional screwdriver (or adjustable wrench) on the fixing bolt, hold the lower burr carrier in place while releasing the burr attachment screws.
- Make sure that you remove any coffee residue from the mounting surfaces of the burrs. Also clean all the adjustment threads in the burr carrier prior to installation. This is a good time to thoroughly clean the entire burr area.
- After everything is thoroughly cleaned, it is time to install the new set of burrs. Do not completely fix each screw at one time – make sure to alternate. Tighten each screw a little at a time until all three screws are tightened evenly. This will ensure the burr is tightened down equally all the way around to prevent any unevenness.
- Replace the burr carrier by simply screwing it back in. CAUTION: It is extremely important that you use caution when reinstalling this part. Do not force the carrier into place, as you can damage the adjustment thread (which is an expensive mistake!). If you place the carrier into position and thread it backwards, you should feel the collar drop into place and it will screw in much easier.
- Once you have the collar in place and have screwed it in by a few turns, then you can plug the grinder back in. With the bean hopper off and the power on, screw the collar all the way down until you hear the burrs barely touching, then turn back one full turn. At this point, your grinder should be ready to go, and you can begin to dial-in your desired grind.