Why Bobby Flay Owns 2 Different Coffee Grinders

Having the right kitchen gear can make or break some of our favorite recipes. But when you are a professional chef like Bobby Flay, kitchen tools are mission-critical. From special peelers to his favorite under-rated zester, the Food Network star's cabinets and drawers are filled with all the right stuff for cooking success. He's literally the "Little Mermaid" of culinary thingamabobs, keeping two grinders on hand to use for two different tasks. Flay shared with Men's Health, "I use two: one to grind coffee and one to grind spices for rubs."

Why two? One grinder for multipurpose use will save you money, kitchen space, and clean-up time; however, even if you clean your coffee grinder on a regular basis, over time, the oils are strong and will leave behind their taste and smell. If you are a coffee drinker and are not a frequent cleaner of your grinder, you may have noticed your brewed coffee has developed a sour or stale taste. This is a direct result of your grinds absorbing those leftover flavors. They get passed along with each use — perfectly fine if you are making a coffee rub for steak but not necessarily the flavor you want when prepping herbs and spices for homemade cookies or pies.

Enter grinder #2. Bobby Flay shared, "You get a much stronger, fresher flavor if you grind your own black pepper, coriander, cumin, mustard, nutmeg, and cinnamon." But spices and fresh herbs leave their own residues when you grind them up, and if you also use your spice grinder for coffee grinding, you are bound to have coffee grounds seasoned with the essence of mustard, hints of cumin, or some other spice.

To get rid of those residues from past grindings, you could grind a little rice or bread in your grinder. This simple trick will clean your electric spice grinder as well as your coffee grinder. Still, unless you like your coffee to taste like your spice cabinet, having separate grinders for each task is a smart move.

Do you need two grinders? If you have the storage space, Flay notes that you don't have to go for high-end grinders. You can find one on Amazon for under $20. If you don't have a lot of extra shelf space, there are a few grinders on the market that are coffee and spice grinders. They remove the potential for cross-contamination by having separate grinding bowls for your coffee beans and your spices; however, you might have to pay a little more. KitchenAid's coffee and spice grinder will set you back approximately $60.