The Best Manual Coffee Grinders - Complete Guide
If you want to take your coffee's taste to the next level, you should start thinking about buying yourself a coffee grinder.
In this article I have reviewed some of the best manual coffee grinders.
Owning a coffee grinder means you can have fresh ground coffee anytime you want.
Coffee grounds that you buy from the store are pre-packed so it can be hard to know how long they have been kept on the shelf.
Coffee beans when stored correctly will stay fresh for a long time.
Thus with a coffee grinder you will always have fresh coffee.
Quick Comparison: Best Manual Coffee Grinders
Coffee Grinder | Quality | Rating |
|---|---|---|
A+ | ||
A+ | ||
A | ||
A+ | ||
B+ |
What to Look for In a Manual Coffee Grinder
There are few things you need to consider before buying a coffee grinder.
Paying attention to these things will help you
decide on the grinder that is will best suit your
needs.
1. Types of Coffee Grinders
There are two types of coffee grinders:
- Blade Grinder: Makes use of spinning blades which cut the coffee beans. Depending on your preference you can have a coarse grind or a fine grind. Blade grinders are less expensive compared to burr grinders.
- Burr Grinder: Makes use of grinding to wheels to chop the coffee beans in a controlled manner, which results in a consistent grind.
Usually burr grinder performs better than a blade grinder.
2. Capacity
Coffee grinders have different capacities for the beans.
If you're a coffee enthusiast who are into milling a number of days’ worth of beans then you need to look for grinders that are capable of holding larger capacities.
Burr grinders have hoppers that can contain more than a quarter pound of beans.
People who want to mill enough beans for one pot will be satisfied with models that can contain a few ounces.
3. Size
Pay attention to the grinder's size.
You should make sure that you have enough counter space for the coffee grinder you're buying, or in case you're planning to travel then make sure it will fit your bag.
Blade grinders are often smaller than burr grinders and some people go for this kind of grinder due to their portability.
Burr grinders feature larger motors compared to blade grinders and several models are significantly large.
4. Grind Size - Granularity Control
Depending on the type of coffee you want or the coffee flavor you prefer, there are several types of grinds.
The granularity from the blade type grinder depends on the grinding time.
Burr grinders on the other hand have features that can allow the device to automatically regulate the amount of time for it to mill the beans.
Low-cost burr grinders may be limited to 3-4 degrees of coarseness but the high-end ones can include 8 or more variations.
5. Ease of Cleanup
Your coffee grinder, in order to keep functioning at its peak best, should be cleaned following each use.
Different grinders require different maintenance and cleanup.
Burr grinders with a conical shape are the easiest to clean since their wheels can be taken away. As soon as the wheels are removed, they can be washed and changed.
The blade grinder though is fussier among grinders so if you prefer minimal maintenance and cleanup, you can go after burr grinders.
6. Blade Quality
If you're looking for a blade grinder, make sure you check the blade is made of stainless steel that will remain sharp for a long time.
The 5 Best Manual Coffee Grinders
It is time to look at some of the best coffee grinders on the market
I tried to include wide range of grinders so that you'll be able to choose the best for you.
1. Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill
Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill
Quality
High Quality Build and
Consistent grind.
Price
High Quality Build and
Persistent grind.
Ease of Use
High Quality Build and
Persistent grind.
PROS
- Capable of creating a variety of grinds.
- Affordable price
- Has a sealed container for the ground beans.
- Strong, high-quality ceramic burrs
- Distinctive design
- Easy to clean
CONS
- Grind consistency fall down for bigger grind settings
- Handle has to be tightened several times during a grind
The Skerton from Hario is a great home manual grinder that can manage a wide variety of grind types from coarse cold brew grinds down to powder-fine Turkish grinds.
It makes use of sturdy and powerful ceramic burrs that will refuse to overheat no matter the frequency of grinds.
On average you can expect to grind 4-6 cups of coffee at a time, depends on your liking.
With its clean design it stands out from other manual coffee grinders.
2. Peugeot 19401765 Coffee Mill, Walnut
Peugeot 19401765 Coffee Mill, Walnut
Quality
High quality build and
consistent grind.
Price
Not cheap but worth the price
Ease of Use
Very easy to use and clean
PROS
- Beautiful design
- Consistent grind every time
- 5 years warranty
- Easy to use
- Will last for years
CONS
- Need to hold while grinding
- Can be a bit hard to clean the inside
The Peugeot 19401765 Coffee Mill is the most elegant grinder in this list.
Manufactured by French company Peugeot, it is very well designed and the attention to detail is very noticeable and it's built to last for years.
The burr mechanism is made of stainless steel.
It provides perfect consistent grind every time, the grinder is completely adjustable, with grind size settings for all types of coffee (it is also suitable for grinding spices such as pepper or salt).
The grinder is very easy to use and doesn't require much effort.
On top of that there is a lifetime warranty on the mechanism and 5 years on the exterior of the mill.
3. JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
Quality
High quality build and
consistent grind.
Price
Very good price
Ease of Use
Very easy to use and clean
PROS
- Sleek, refined stainless steel design
- Durable ceramic burrs
- Provides consistent grind
- More than 18 flexible settings
- Portable and compact
- 365-day full money-back guarantee
- Easy to clean
CONS
- Plastic part inside conical burr can be damaged.
- Grinding is not fast (can take a few minutes)
The JavaPresse manual coffee burr grinder is a straightforward, no-fuss product that operates in the same manner as a salt or pepper grinder.
It features a hand crank that is effortless to turn which makes the grinding process very easy.
The product is composed of quality stainless steel materials with excellent quality parts.
The grinder has 18 grind settings and comes with a chart that explains how to set it for different types of grinds.
On average you can expect to grind 1-2 cups of coffee at a time.
Overall This is a well-made manual grinder.
4. ROK Coffee Grinder, Aluminum
Quality
Very high quality build.
Quiet and provides consistent grind.
Price
Expensive
Ease of Use
Very easy to use and clean
PROS
- Very well built
- Non-slip ring prevents sliding or wobbling while grinding
- Very Quiet
- High quality persistent grinds
- Easy to use, clean and maintain
CONS
- Expensive
- Sometimes produces squeaky noises when grinding
- Beans pop out the top of the hopper when grinding
The ROK coffee grinder is one of the best manual coffee grinders in the market.
It is very well built and you can be sure that this grinder will serve you for a long time. On top of that there is a lifetime warranty on the mechanism and 5 years on the exterior of the mill.
This is a conical burr grinder that uses stainless steel burrs..It produces perfect consistent grinds that matches electric burr grinders at the $600 range.
The grinder is completely adjustable, with grind size settings for all types of coffee It is very easy to use and requires very little effort to use, it is also quiet and you'll be able to grind coffee in the morning without worries.
In my opinion The ROK Coffee Grinder is one of the best manual coffee grinders in the market, If you're looking for a great grinder that will take your coffee to the next level, you should consider buying this one.
5. EZE Home Goods Coffee Grinder
EZE Home Goods Coffee Grinder
Quality
Quality build.
Quiet and provides consistent grind.
Price
Very Cheap Price
Ease of Use
Very easy to use and clean
PROS
- Solid build, sturdy feel
- Provides consistent grinds
- Quiet
- Perfect for traveling & camping
- Easy to use, clean and maintain
CONS
- Can take time to grind.(1-2 minutes)
The EZE Home Goods Coffee Grinder is one of the best for its price tag.
It is made with quality, rust-free stainless steel.
This manual grinder is pretty quiet and provides consistent grinds, it can be adjusted to create different levels of coarseness.
On average you can expect to grind 3-4 cups of coffee at a time, depends on your liking.
It comes with a longer, heavy-duty hand crank to make grinding fast and easy. Small, portable and lightweight, it is perfect for traveling and camping too.
Coffee Grinder | Quality | Rating |
|---|---|---|
A+ | ||
A+ | ||
A | ||
A+ | ||
B+ |
Wrapping up
In this article I have tried to review some of the best manual coffee grinders. Grinding your own coffee is an important step in brewing some amazing coffee at your home.
You won't regret buying one.
