If you’re on the search to make fresh coffee inside your own home, you have come to the right place. In this article, we’ll be going in-depth into the best manual coffee grinders, and be helping you choose the best one for your kitchen!
If you’ve ever wanted to own a manual coffee grinder, look no further!
Top 5 Manual Coffee Grinders
- Best Manual Coffee Grinder: KT’s Porlex Manual Coffee Grinder
- Best Hand Coffee Grinder: Hario’s Slerton Manual Coffee Grinder
- Best Beginner Manual Coffee Bean Grinder: Lido 3 Coffee Grinder
- Portable Coffee Grinder: IZpresso’s Mini Q Manual Coffee Mini Grinder
- Easiest To Use Mechanical Coffee Grinder: TIMEMORE’s Chestnut Coffee Grinder
Best Manual Coffee Grinder: KT’s Porlex Manual Coffee Grinder
Made in Japan, with solid Japanese construction, this lightweight manual coffee grinder is a must-have for all coffee-lovers.
Quick Facts:
• Made in Japan
• Heavy-duty build
• Lightweight at only 8 8 ounces / 249g
• 1.81″ x1.81″x 5.31″
• Ceramic Conical Burr
• 13 grind settings
This lightweight manual coffee grinder houses one of the most durable burr grinders in the market, producing quick and accurate coffee for any coffee-lover on the go.
The consequence of its lightweight construction is grinding limitations of just 20g (that’s 1 -2 drinks); of course, if you’re a cup or two kind of drinker, You’ll have zero issues using the Porlex.
What it lacks in capacity, the Porlex makes it up in other areas from the grind’s consistency, the heavy-duty build quality, the burr quality, and of course, its portability making it super-easy to maintain
Pros
• Solid heavy-duty stainless steel body
• Lightweight
• Very portable
• 13 grind settings
Cons
• Limited output (1 -2 coffees only per grind)
• A bit pricey
Best Hand Coffee Grinder: Hario’s Slerton Manual Coffee Grinder
Grinding 3+ coffees has never been this affordable and easy, whether at home or you’re outdoors.
Quick Facts:
• Harios has a century of experience (started in 1921)
• Massive capacity of 10Og (that’s 4+ coffees for every grind)
• A bit heavy at 1.25 pounds /19.9 ounces) 566g
• 16 x 11 x 13 in inches
• Ceramic Conical Burr
With literally a hundred years of experience, Hario has designed Skerton with precision and ergonomic in mind while keeping weight as light as it can as it delivers 100g of delicious coffee per grind.
It’s a remarkable easy-to-use coffee grinder; some coffee enthusiasts have even called it the “big boy grinder’ – with its rubber slip-free base and ceramic burr, it’s simple but tough in its design.
A downside to its durable is sometimes when handing much more coarsen coffee beans; the grind consistency can be a bit off – other than that, it is truly a solid, overall product that shows Hario’s testament value to price.
Pros
• Large capacity (100g)
• Non-slip rubber base
• Ceramic conical burrs
• Produces uniform, precise, desired texture
• Compact storage (crank can be detached)
• Super-easy to clean
• Super-easy to disassemble
• Affordable but does not sacrifice quality
Cons
• Can sometimes produce poor coarsest grinds
• You need a bit of elbow grease to actually grind
• It’s heavy at 1.25 pounds
• Due to its glass base, it’s not ideal for rugged friction
Best Beginner Manual Coffee Bean Grinder: Lido 3 Coffee Grinder
Grinding coffee beans has never been this easy. The Lido 3 is one of the most recommended coffee grinders, especially for 1st timers grinders.
Quick Facts:
• 70g capacity
• Swiss-Made Steel 48mm Conical Burr
• Sleek crank design
• Solid Construction
• Weights 2.96 pounds
• 13.5 x 3 x 3 in inches
When Orphan Espresso made the Lido 3, it had a travel grinder in mind. It is bunky and heavy, but it’s designed that way for the purpose of grinding as it can. The Lido 3 wants to be your companion buddy when you travel cross-country or go camping.
A downside or upside is that the Lido 3 operates on a step-less setup, some grinders who aren’t yet that experience will find it difficult to find the right consistency. This type of grinder is what coffee enthusiasts love, the control, the power to experiment with different taste profiles.
Now, if you’re the type of person who loves to be in control, who wants to master coffee, then this is for you. What it lacks in certain areas, the Lido 3 makes it up with its incredible detail thanks to its 48mm steel burr that’s Swiss-made it deliveries consistent uniformity each and every grind.
Pros
• 70g Capacity
• Step-less dials
• Easy to Disassemble
• Relatively compact
• Dishwasher safe
Cons
• Step-less dials
• Grinding can take over a minute
• It’s a bit expensive
Portable Coffee Grinder: IZpresso’s Mini Q Manual Coffee Mini Grinder
IZpresso’s Mini 02 is what you call small but premium with its small size; it’s an amazing companion to have when you are traveling.
Quick Facts:
• Steel Conical Burr
• Compact and Premium
• Easy to Disassemble
• 23-24g hopper capacity
• 5.51 x 1.97 x 1.97 in inches
• Relatively light at under 1 pound
IZpresso’s Mini Q, while not exactly being the lightest at such a small package It definitely makes it up with its premium design and reliable grinding capacity delivering a wide range of coarse levels, perfect for almost any type of brewing method from Aeropress French press, pours overs, and so on.
Grind consistency is good; if you a bit more practice to how the crank handles, your grounds could become great. It’s great; based on my experience, I can grind about 20g of coffee beans in about 30 seconds or less – that’s fast – and its ergonomic design makes the Mini Q a good camping companion.
Most users, reviewers, and I agree that with how consistent the Mini Q is. It’s perfect for Aeropress. If you’re looking for a lightweight grinder that’s a great companion to have with you, then the Mini Q is for you. It’s a reliable grinder that offers premium design and functionality that’s all wrapped up in a small package.
Pros
• Compact but Premium
• Perfect for Aeropress
• Stainless steel burr
• 1 -year warranty
• Surprisingly quiet when grinding
Cons
• The grind settings can be confusing
• The logo is a bit too big
Easiest To use Mechanical Coffee Grinder: TIMEMORE’s Chestnut Coffee Grinder
Sleek, accurate, easy, and modem. TIMEMORE’s classic chestnut coffee grinder for coffee-lovers who want 2* drinks each time.
Quick Facts:
• Elegant Design
• EasytoUse
• Weighs only 568g
• Compact 6 7 x 2 0 x 2 0 in inches
• Stainless steel burr
• 2017 Award Winner. Red Dot Design
One key factor that makes it stand out is its dual-tone materials of wood and steel body, producing an enjoyable feel as you tune in to the musical melody it makes as you grind coffee beans. Its aluminum-alloy body is simply elegant.
As you hold TIMEMORE’s chestnut in your hands, you can feel the attention to detail from the smooth and stable grinding action to its pleasant operation and consistent grind. Its a testament to TIMEMORE’s form and function product philosophy
Now due to the “guide ring* that surrounds the burr, ft can be difficult to get anything larger than a percolator’s size grind to get inside, all in all. While making French press is serviceable. It may not be the best, but if you have a great filter, you’re good.
Pros
• Produces uniform ground coffee
• Stepped adjustment
• Very light
• Great compact design
• Award-winning
• Overwhelming positive reviews
Cons
• Not ideal for specialty drinks such as French press (but with a filter can be serviceable)
Best Hand Grinder For Home use: Fumao’s Akirakoki Coffee Grinder
Fumao’s timeless all-wood design, Akirakoki, and cast iron burr are perfect for the coffee lover that wants confidence in their grinder.
Quick Facts:
• Cast Iron Burr
• High-Quality Wooden Design
• Weights 61 Og
• 7.2 x 2 8 x 2.8 in inches
• 85g hopper capacity (that’s 3-4 coffers for every grind)
For how much it offers, Fumao’s Akirakoki is surprisingly affordable from its build quality of solid wood that was crafted from just one piece of wood that ensures you that it will never break and with the Akirakoki’s cast iron burr, you can be guaranteed that there will be no rust and you can even pass this down to your future generation.
That quality comes at a price, though, the weight; due to the nature of cast iron materials, it’s heavy. Carrying this with you can be a bit troublesome, especially if you’re camping or traveling, but it’s a small sacrifice for how reliable of a travel grinder the Akirakoki is.
The Akirakoki has a large 85g grind capacity which means whether you’re a strong coffee drinker or you’re traveling with 3+ friends; you can feel confident that the Akirakoki can accommodate all of you.
Pros
• Cast Iron Burr
• High-Quality Build Material
• Timeless Wood Design
• Budget-Friendly
Cons
• Heavy
• Grinding is not as fast as others
Best Coffee Hand Grinder: Comandante’s Nitro Blade Coffee Grinder
Best for home use for manual brewing enthusiasts, especially if you brew 2* coffees each time.
Quick Facts:
• Professional Grade Grinder
• Ultra-Durable Construction
• 40-45g Hopper Capacity
• Weights 1.65 pounds
• 6 3 x 2 4 x 2 4 in inches
• Patented Stainless Steel High-Alloyed Burr
Comandante’s C40 is a patented high-alloyed professional-grade grinder that comes in an affordable and small package. The c40 is known for its ultra-sharp burr that produces some of the most uniform and fluffy grounds in the market.
The Comandante C40 is one of the most durable grinders in the world, but that durability comes at a hefty 1.65 pounds. This is a coffee grinder that you don’t necessarily want to bring with you when you go camping or traveling abroad, but some other users have shared, when you hold it, it feels like ’Starbucks in your hand.’
Aside from the design, the control and precision of the grounds are what makes the Comandante C40 truly remarkable with its stepped grind adjustment, which gives you a wide range of grinds, and with its aesthetically pleasing design, it will look good on any kitchen setup. This one of the best manual coffee grinders, and the best manual coffee bean grinder.
Pros
• Patented Burr Technology
• Professional-grade grinder
• Extremely durable
• Huge grind range
• Dishwasher safe
Cons
• It’s heavy (165 pounds)
• The Body is a bit slippery
• Requires elbow grease to operate
Best Hand Burr Grinder: Victoria’s Heavy-Duty Coffee Grinder
Victoria’s heavy-duty grinder is what you call your best, most multi-purpose pro-consumer grinder. If you can think about it, you can probably grind it.
Quick Facts:
• Grinds Almost Everything
• Heavy-Duty Industrial Construction
• Solid Cast Iron
• High-Performing
• Handles Large Batches Easily
Victoria’s is a 3rd generation Colombian family-owned business; they’ve been operating since 1939, producing some of the world’s best heavy-duty grinders in the market. This is definitely not something you want to bring with you, although if you have a large family gathering, this grinder can easily handle 2-3 cups of whatever from seeds to coffee beans, spices, corn, nuts, wheat, and many more.
It does have a weakness in that it cannot produce very fine grounds. The kind of coffee grounds that you will produce with is a bit thick or chunky so depending on your brew method, expect the light too strong savory coffee, but other than that, it’s an incredible piece of engineering • considering how many ingredients it can handle, it’s surprisingly affordable.
If you were to start a small coffee business and you were under a tight budget, this is one for you. It is truly incredible how affordable it is for much it offers; from its solid cast iron construction and iron clamp, you can rest assured that this thing isn’t falling off any time soon.
Pros
• Can be used to start a small business
• Great for Large Gatherings
• Gnnds almost everything
• Solid cast iron construction
• Easily handles large and tough ingredients
Cons
• Heavy, very heavy at 4.36 pounds
• Cannot produce the finest grounds
Best Hand Crank Coffee Grinder: HEIHOX’s Sleek Coffee Grinder
Whether you’re looking fine, moderate, or rough grounds: HEIHOX’s got you covered with their beautiful, sleek grinder.
Quick Facts:
• 24 Grind Settings
• 38mm Steel Conical Burr
• Metallic Build
• 2.2 x 7 in inches
• Easy to Disassemble
• 1 -year warranty
HEIHOX’s manual coffee grinder may just be one of the most beautifully sleek grinders in the market with its dual-tone design and wooden handle, and at such a small size of just 2.2 x 7 in inches, it’s remarkable product engineering.
While some may argue that HE IHOX’s 2.01 -pounds coffee grinder may be a bit much, for some, it’s assurance. Assurance that HE IHOX meant it when they said it’s a professional-grade product that comes in a small package
The main feature that makes HE IHOX’s manual coffee grinder stand out is its 24 grind settings; with that much control, you can be assured that you have absolute control over your coffee beans’ coarseness, giving you the perfect grind every single time.
Pros
• 24 grind settings
• 38mm Steel Conical Burr
• Solid Construction
• Small Package at 2 2 x 7 inches only
• All-metal package
Cons
• 2.01-pounds heavy
• Not ideal for travelers going abroad
Best Manual Burr Grinder: Oliver James Fine Coffee Grinder
Oliver James Fine Coffee Grinder is perfect for any coffee lover who wants style and elegance while giving you consistent grinds.
Quick Facts:
• Stylish
• Adjustable Grind Settings
• Compact and Portable
• Ceramic Grind Burr
• Weights 320g
• Easy to Disassemble
Oliver Jame’s fine coffee grinder is the kind of product where you won’t be embarrassed to pull it out on a fashionable evening, and with its complete control over coarse levels from medium to thick, it has unlimited uses perfect for any type of coffee-making process.
It’s part of the Henry Charles collection, which has produced some of the most professional high-quality burrs in the world. Its quality not only shows in its build quality, grind sizes but also in its convenience of easily disassembling its part, ready for your dishwasher.
The only downside to this grinder is mostly how long it can sometimes take to produce coffee grounds. Yes, the grounds are consistent, but the whole grinding seems to take a lot longer than other similar manual coffee grinders; other than that, it’s a solid grinder for its price and how much it offers to you.
Pros
• Lightweight
• Easy to Disassemble
• Adjustable Grind Settings
• Stylish
• Great for multiple kinds of brewing methods
Cons
• Some pieces like the handle can be a bit loose
• Grinding can sometimes take a while
How to Choose a Manual Coffee Grinder
Now, before getting deeper into this, let’s make sure you don’t make bad product choices and give you the basics. In your search for the best manual coffee grinder, whether you’re are experimenting or you saw a very convincing ad online – do not buy blade grinders – blade grinders hack coffee beans into random-sized pieces ranging from dust to chucks. Choose burr grinders.
If you brew from blade ground coffee, you will get a mix of dusty pieces which are over-extracted and chucks that are under-extracted. You end up with coffee that really doesn’t taste very good; it can be unbalanced ks weak, and bitter at the same time, which results in dirty, mucky unpleasant drinks.
On the other hand, burr grinders produce consistent piece sizes. What makes a burr grinder great for grinding coffee beans is as you feed the beans into the central burr, there’s another burr that’s stationary Ground coffee exits from between the burrs. Burrs come in different shapes, sizes, and materials.
For shapes, there are flat or conical types (each has its pros and cons, depends on the user), although flat burrs in general, produce a more consistent particle size which is perfect for espresso, while a conical burr tends to grind faster, which makes them perfect for brewing methods like jerk press and pour-over Those brew methods use a larger grind size and don’t require super fine control of grind size for good results.
Steel Burrs vs. Ceramic Burrs
Burr material is usually steel or ceramic; there are even titanium-coated burrs that last for a lifetime for most home users. Steel burrs are the most common; they are tough and do a fine job. Suppose you’re grinding a lot. They’re better at dissipating heat than ceramic burrs. Now, ceramics may stay sharper longer than steel but are more brittle, so more susceptible to damage from foreign objects.
Is one material better than the other? It’s debatable. Sure, ceramics may last longer, but steel burrs are good for hundreds of pounds of grinding before needing replacement. In my opinion, any burr material is fine for a first grinder; if you’ll be grinding a lot of coffee, maybe lean towards steel burrs for their better heat dissipation, and I wouldn’t worry about ceramics being more susceptible to damage, I’ve grounded a lot of beans over the years through ceramic burrs, and I’ve never had a problem.
There are also plastic burrs, but I personally generally avoid it as based on my experience, yes. it’s just a durable as a steel burr and looks half as nice as a ceramic burr, but over time, it starts to look degraded with lots of random chips, dents, and scratches
And if you’re willing to spend a little bit more, there are also cast iron burrs—a personal favorite of mine. Cast iron products are tough; they’re literally lifetimes or for multiple generations tough, as I personally testify with my grandma’s cast iron pan.
Grind Size Adjustments / Settings
There are two basic types stepped and step-less; on the stepped grinders, there are definite stops for each grinding size Grinders with stepless adjustments have no stops, so you can make extremely precise and essentially infinite grind size adjustments. The advice here unless you’re doing higher-end espresso on a prosumer level machine, You don’t need step-less adjustment.
Now, you will find step grinders that can do espresso. They either focus their adjustment steps in the fine espresso grind range or have micro-adjustments that get you really close to the same level of control you’d have on a step-less grinder. All in all, it really does depends on the type of coffee you are making; most can be done using stepped grinders, while most coffee masters much prefer step-less as they want more control for finer taste profiles.
Are Manual Coffee Grinders: any good?
Short answer yes. The convenience alone is 100% worth it. Knowing that you could in the Swiss Alps or on a train to Osaka, Japan and you just want to drink freshly grounded coffee as you look out onto the gorgeous scenery is just amazing.
Long answer, as long as you’re not a cafe business owner or you’re serving 10+ people. You’re good. The downside to manual coffee grinders is that, well, they’re manual, but if it’s just you and your family. You’re good.
The main difference between manual vs. electric is mostly how fast the turnovers (grinding process – large quantities), precision, and build quality; as a business owner, you pay for consistent performance. There’s no manual grinder, however expensive that can beat that.
If you’re like me, who enjoys the whole meditative process of manually grinding and making your own type of coffee, you cherish the special moments between the brewing and that first sip—knowing that it was because you know that this great coffee tastes this good than manual coffee grinders are for you.
Why Are Manual Coffee Grinders So Expensive?
While it may seem at first that manual coffee grinders are expensive, the amazing thing about them is that you don’t have after-use costs such as electrical and maintenance; they do actually save you a lot of money in the long run.
The secret is not in the price – it is not necessary for you to purchase manual coffee grinders over 100$ – it’s about the precision of the burr and its material as to what gives your coffee beans the consistency and uniformity that you love. Aside from the build quality, you don’t necessarily get more just because you paid more.
And what you are ultimately paying for is the convenience of – anywhere and anytime freshly grounded coffee –
When you compare the richness and texture of your own freshly grounded coffee versus coffee from Starbucks. There’s a massive difference, especially in terms of taste profiles.
What’s the Best Hand Coffee Grinder?
This will really depend on where and how you’re going to use it. Are you someone who travels a lot? Do you go camping, or are you more of an at-home coffee enthusiast? How much coffee do you drink? Do you prefer to use a drip press, pour-over? French press. Aeropress. or a Chemex user? Are you more of a classic traditional drinker, or are you more of a connoisseur who loves to be in control and experiment with multiple taste profiles?
With that said, to help you decide which is the best manual coffee grinder for you. Let’s make a list comparison.
• Traveling Grinder on the Go – You’ll want to go with something lightweight and slim; the Hario’s Skerton would be perfect for that
• Espresso Drinker: The Lido 3 would be the best here as it not only gives you precise control but it’s actually quite portable.
• At-Home Pro – You’ll want Victoria’s heavy-duty cast iron grinder that grinds not only coffee beans but also seeds, nuts, corn, spices, cheese, and many more.
Conclusion: Best Manual Coffee Grinder
Can I just thank you for going over our article on the best manual coffee grinders, and now that you’ve reached this point, you should have everything you need to choose the best manual coffee grinder?.
Nothing will ever beat the taste of freshly grounded coffee, especially the feeling of knowing that it was you who made this great-tasting coffee. It’s an incredible feeling to know that you could be anywhere in the world and if you wanted freshly grounded coffee as you admire the beautiful Swiss Alps, you can
I know it’s not always easy to pick because they all look so good, and terms can be confusing, so if at any point you were a bit confused or you need assistance, please contact us. We’ll help you.
