BODUM® BISTRO BURR GRINDER
- BEST PRACTICES, THE DOS & DON’TS
The Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder is a powerful and durable household machinery. With proper care and use the
grinder will last for years. Bodum recommends reading the instruction booklet for general questions, care, and
maintenance.
Over the years, we have received questions about our Burr Grinder that aren’t answered in the instruction
booklet. We’ve answered the most common questions, and added some useful tips on how to enhance the
overall experience of the Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder.
Storage. Don’t use the hopper to store your beans. Beans should be stored in an airtight jar to preserve
freshness of the beans. Storing the beans in the hopper will not keep the beans fresh, and it can jam the
unit when preparing to grind.
Jamming. This can occur if beans are stored in the hopper. Adjust the grinding control before pouring the
beans into the hopper. When adjusting the grinding control, the gears will expand or contract depending
on the setting (coarser or finer). Pouring the beans in before adjusting the grind settings can cause the burr
chamber to jam after a while. This can also damage the friction clutch.
Given the huge quantities of coffee that are packed and roasted every day, very small stones may
accidentally find their way into even the finest coffee beans. The appliance is equipped with a stone
safety cut-out - or «friction clutch» - in order to prevent damage to the grinding gear. A stone in the
grinding gear will cause a loud rattling noise. Switch the appliance off immediately, remove plug from
wall outlet, open it as described in the section entitled «Maintenance» and remove the stone.
Turning on the grinder prior to adding the beans is a great way to avoid jamming. The burrs are already
spinning and will crush the beans more effectively if added after the grinder has been turned on.
Grind as needed. For example, when making 2 cups of coffee on the French Press setting, the grind time
should be about 15 seconds. Over running the machine can cause the motor to overheat. Do not grind
more than 1 complete unit (1x20 seconds) in a session. Wait 5 minutes to let the motor cool down before
restarting.
Don’t fill the hopper to the top, unless you intend on making more than 8 8oz. cups of coffee.
Cleaning. Clean the unit after each grind. Disconnect the main plug from the socket outlet. Carefully tilt the
grinder towards you and lightly tap the back to ensure all grinds have been emptied out. This also ensures
no old beans are mixed in with your fresh beans the next time you are using the grinder.
Lid. The grinder will be loud while grinding. Grinding with the lid on will not only reduce the noise
significantly, but it will also protect you from flying beans. The beans are being crushed at a very high
speed, and some may even fly out of the hopper causing danger to you and your surroundings.
