Does Starbucks Sell Coffee Grinders?

It’s now easy to build your own Starbucks café at home as everything you need is available online and stores. However, does Starbucks sell coffee grinders?

Who doesn’t know Starbucks – the go-to place to get your caffeine fix? This famous company has over 33,000 stores worldwide. The US has the most Starbucks stores, with California having 3,006 branch locations. 

But it’s also a known fact that Starbucks’ coffees are pricy and who wants to wait in line every day? Many are turning their home kitchen into their very own Starbucks by purchasing the company’s coffee products and equipment. Unfortunately, no coffee grinders are on the company’s official seller page.

All About Starbucks

Starbucks’ journey to success started in 1971 in Seattle, Washington, when Gordon Bowker founded the company with Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl. At that time, the store only sold freshly roasted arabica coffee beans, tea, and spices from worldwide for Americans to take home.

In 1982, Starbucks began supplying coffee products to expresso bars and restaurants led by Howard Schultz. On his travel to Italy, he discovered the popularity of espresso bars in Milan. The first Caffe Latté by Starbucks was served in 1985, but the founders declined his coffee house proposal, and he decided to leave the company. 

In the same year, Schultz founded Il Giornale, which offers brewed coffee and other espresso beverages using Starbucks coffee beans. It became a hit, and Il Giornale acquired Starbucks. 

Since then, Starbucks has expanded and reached many countries worldwide. As it serves millions of customers every day, it’s not surprising that its net revenue in 2021 totaled $24.61 billion.

What Do They Offer?

When you enter Starbucks, other than the peaceful ambiance and aromatic scent of freshly roasted coffee, you will also see stands and shelves that showcase their other products. Their famous arabica coffee beans are available in whole beans and instant blends. Starbucks’ menu also displays a wide selection of hot and cold coffee beverages. 

Why is Starbucks the leading coffee brand in the US? Read about the differences between Starbucks Coffee Vs. Other Coffee.

Starbucks And Coffee Grinders

In some Starbucks cafes and on their official account on Amazon.com, you will see that they sell coffee equipment such as French Press and Espresso Machine. Regrettably, they do not sell coffee grinders. But you can get an idea of what grinder they use. 

Starbucks believes that “a good grind is the first step to an exceptional brew,” so they use a machine with a conical burr grinder that results in a better grind than the aggressive blade grinders. This machine is the Mastrena, an exclusive brand made for Starbucks by the Swiss company Thermoplan AG. 

It’s an automatic espresso machine that can grind beans, make a proper dose, tamp, pre-infusion, and brew coffee. This machine also automatically adjusts temperature and brewing time. However, this high-quality machine is expensive and specifically designed for commercial use.

Since Starbucks coffee grinders are not for sale, you can turn your attention to other grinders. There are similar machines and coffee grinders available in physical and online stores. Check out our round-up of the best coffee grinders for home use.

Will Starbucks Grind My Coffee?

If you want to get the closest grind, even if the Starbucks coffee grinder isn’t for sale, you can go to a branch and let them grind your beans.

Starbucks grinds whole beans according to the coffee house’s grind options. These are: 

• Coffee Press
• Pour Over
• Coffee Brewer
• Espresso

If the customer wants Turkish or Universal grind, it can be done by request. Starbucks will grind your beans for free. But only if they are a Starbucks brand. 

Here are the other rules in asking Starbucks to grind your coffee:

1. The bag of whole coffee beans must be new and sealed. 
2. Starbucks will not grind coffee that has already opened.
3. Coffee beans must not be expired or near the expiration date. Coffee beans have natural oils that may contaminate the grinder if it’s already or almost expired. 
4. The coffee bean must be an original Starbucks product. You’ll also not be able to fool Starbucks’ employees. Their baristas will recognize if the coffee bean bag is fake or not.

Why Does Starbucks Not Grind Other Coffee Brands?

Some coffee lovers may say that Starbucks does not grind other coffee brands to maintain or increase sales. While this is a reasonable business strategy, Starbucks has more reasons, such as:

To Avoid Bad Grind

Starbucks has been known for its high-quality products. Since “customer is always right,” imagine if a low-quality product generates a bad grind. Who will the customer blame? 

The company will not let a product with no quality assurance ruin its reputation. Ensuring they will only produce good quality coffee grinds is a priority.

To Evade Possible Equipment Damage

Even if Starbucks uses Mastrena, a high-quality machine, the wrong product can still cause damage and expensive repairs. 

For example, if the product is not expired or contaminated, but the quality of the beans is different from the beans used at Starbucks, it can harm the grinder’s burrs or blades. 

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy our how to grind coffee beans without a grinder.

FAQs About Starbucks Coffee Grinders