can i grind coffee beans in my vitamix 5200? i don't want to wreck it

— asked by Jordan

DIAGNOSIS You can, but you have to be careful. The 5200 can handle it physically, but coffee beans are very hard and dry, which creates a fine, abrasive dust. This dust can get past the blade seal and into the container's bearing over time, causing premature wear.

FIX If you're going to do it, follow this method to minimize risk. 1) Only grind small batches—no more than 1/2 cup of beans at a time. 2) Use the "pulse" function exclusively. Pulse 5-8 times, shaking the container gently between pulses to redistribute the beans. 3) Stop as soon as you have a coarse grind. Going for a super-fine espresso powder creates more dust and heat. 4) Clean the container *immediately* after by blending water and a drop of soap to flush out all the fine particles.

IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If you find yourself grinding coffee regularly, you're better off investing in a $20 blade coffee grinder. It's cheaper than replacing a $100+ Vitamix container when the bearing fails from grit. The Vitamix is a champion for wet ingredients and oily nuts, but dry, hard grains and beans are its kryptonite for long-term health.

HEADS UP Never, ever try to grind rock-hard spices like whole nutmeg or peppercorns, or anything like rice to make flour. These are much harder on the container and blade assembly than coffee beans and significantly increase the chance of cracking the plastic or damaging the seal.

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