dlstewart's Full Review: Braun KSM 2 Electric Blades Grinder
Dare I admit it? I don’t drink coffee. So why does this non-coffee drinker own a coffee grinder? Being health conscious, I use flax seed when baking. The Braun Coffee Grinder – model KSM 2/4 does a great job grinding those hard flax seeds.
What Comes in the Box
* Grinder Base with built-in electrical cord
* Transparent Lid
* Instruction Sheet (in English, Spanish, French)
* Warranty Information
Size: 7 1/2" high x 3 3/4" diameter (at widest point)
I’ve seen this grinder in two colors: white and black. I own the white model, which includes a white base and clear lid. This is my second Braun coffee grinder. The first grinder met an unfortunate accident with the hard floor. For some reason (can't imagine why!), it didn’t want to work after that incident. I liked the grinder well enough that I purchased a second one at my local department store for $10.00. The grinder is also available for sale at Amazon.com and Kitchenetc.com.
How the Braun Grinder Works
This grinder is simple to use. It takes seconds to grind hard flax seed into fine powder. It’s a powerful little machine.
1. Remove the transparent lid from the top of the grinder.
2. Add the product to be grinded into the top of the base.
3. Replace the lid.
4. Plug in the grinder.
5. The lid has a safety switch. Press it to start the grinder.
6. When finished, unplug the grinder, remove the lid and pour out the ground contents.
The lid has some line markings to help in measurement. I don’t use these guides. Instead I use a measuring cup. The lines are not marked with the amount of measurement. Circles are drawn beside three of the five lines, but no where in the literature does it explain what measurements the markings represent.
The inside of the grinder will hold up to 2 1/2 ounces prior to grinding. Do not fill the grinder beyond this capacity.
Here is the Time Table for grinding coffee beans that is included in the literature:
4 cups of coffee – add 3 tablespoons of beans – grind 10 seconds
6 cups of coffee – add 4 1/2 tablespoons of beans – grind 12 seconds
8 cups of coffee – add 5 1/2 tablespoons of beans – grind 14 seconds
10 cups of coffee – add 7 tablespoons of beans – grind 16 seconds
12 cups of coffee – add 8 1/2 tablespoons of beans – grind 18 seconds
Grinding a 1/3 cup of flax seed takes about 10 seconds and produces a fine powder.
The grinder has precision stainless steel blades and a 150W motor. These blades are sharp. The lid has two plastic “wings” or “wedges” that jut out a bit toward the center of the lid. These wings guide the contents being ground toward the blades for even grinding.
A safety switch is a great feature. The on/off switch is located as part of the transparent lid. So the grinder cannot be activated until the lid is securely in place. Also, the Braun grinder has a polarized plug, where one prong is wider than the other, to reduce the risk of electrical shock.
After I finish grinding my flax seed, I take a small container and pour the grind into it. Then I affix a lid to the container and place the container in the refrigerator. I usually grind a 1/3 cup of flax seed at a time.
The 32" electrical cord conveniently wraps around a recessed indentation near the bottom of the base. Once the cord is wrapped, only the pronged end is visible.
Cleaning the Grinder
This is an easy process. After I am done using the Braun grinder, I unplug the unit. Using a dry paper towel, I carefully wipe out the grinding area in the base. Since the flax seed is dry, the residue wipes out with little effort. Never submerse the base in water and be careful not to let your fingers come into contact with the blades. I wash the transparent lid in Dawn dishwashing liquid and let it air dry.
The manufacturer’s instructions say that the grinding area in the base can be cleaned using a soft, damp cloth and then thoroughly dry. I hesitate to use a damp cloth for fear of caking the fine flax seed residue. However, if a few bits of ground flax seed remain in the unit after I dry-wipe it, then I will slightly dampen a paper towel and remove the clinging bits. This method works very well for me.
What is Flax Seed?
I knew you wanted the answer to this question! Flax is a pretty plant with lovely blue flowers. The oval seeds of these plants are tiny, dark colored, smooth and flat. The seeds are also very hard. When ground, the seed has a mild, slightly nutty flavor. People have been eating flax seed since ancient history, and flax seed has many healthy benefits.
Some of these benefits include:
* Lowers cholesterol
* Potential cancer-fighting ability
* Natural source of estrogen
* Healthy source of fiber
* Helps relieve constipation
* Good source of magnesium
Note I am not a doctor and am not offering medical advice. Please consult your doctor for details about flax seed if you have any questions or need more information.
How I Use Ground Flax Seed
Don’t make the mistake a friend of mine made. She heard about the benefits of flax seed and decided to try it ... by eating unground flax seed. Yuck! Not only was the seed hard, but it became caught between her teeth and tasted terrible.
I’ve found the best and most enjoyable way to eat flax seed is to grind the hard seeds to a fine powder and add them to baking recipes such as breads, pancakes, cookies, granola. In order not to disturb the liquid to dry ratio in a recipe, I cut the flour measurement by a 1/3 cup and add a 1/3 cup of ground flax seed. For instance, if a recipe requires 1 cup of flour, I would add 2/3 cup flour and 1/3 cup ground flax seed. I’ve found this formula works very well.
Summary
The Braun Coffee Grinder makes an excellent Flax Seed Grinder. It produces a powder-fine ground that isn’t noticeable when added to recipes. Before using the grinder, I had tried grinding the flax seed in a blender, but the grind was much coarser and the hard seed hulls were difficult to break down in the blender. This Braun Grinder is a perfect solution!
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Additional Information
Distributed by:
Braun, Inc.
400 Unicorn Park Drive
Woburn, MA 01801-3376
Toll Free Phone # 800-272-8611
Limited Warranty for a period of one year from date of original purchase at retail.
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