jake986•2mo agoProlific Poster

My travel grinder jammed right before a big meeting in Denver

I was setting up my little portable kit in a hotel room, getting ready to brew a pot before heading out. I had my favorite beans from a local roaster back home, ground maybe 10 grams, and then the grinder just locked up. The burrs were stuck with grounds, and I couldn't get the crank to turn at all. My heart sank because I really needed that coffee focus. I ended up taking the whole thing apart over the bathroom sink, using a toothpick to clear out the jammed coffee. It took about 20 messy minutes, and I had to re-wash all the parts. I made it to the meeting, but I was frazzled and running late. Has anyone else had a travel grinder fail on them at the worst possible time? What's your backup plan?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery_black2mo ago

That sounds like a nightmare. I keep a small bag of pre-ground in my kit now, just for emergencies. It's not perfect but it beats a total meltdown.

spencer82mo ago

Pre-ground is just stale coffee with extra steps, a total meltdown might be better.

the_xena2mo ago

Ugh, been there. My little hand grinder seized up once before an early flight. Had to use the hotel room's awful pre-packaged stuff, but it was better than nothing. Now I always pack a small backup bag of ground coffee, just in case.