We present you with the best manual coffee grinders. Wait! We are in the age of the Millenials. In today’s past-faced world, almost everything is done rapidly with just a push of a button. So, why will you go manual in grinding your coffee? Is it worth it? Let’s take a look at the advantages of using a manual coffee grinder.
Advantages in using a Manual Coffee Grinder
It is Therapeutic
Homebrewing is for beer lovers. On the other hand, coffee grinding is for coffee lovers. It may be psychological, but there’s magic in using a manual coffee grinder. Some people describe it as their morning ritual. While others say, it’s their meditation. As you manually grind your coffee beans, the experience creates a personal connection between yourself and the coffee you’re preparing. Firstly, the sweet, intense bouquet of coffee starts with grinding the beans. The fragrance received by our sense of smell is one of the pleasant experiences we get in doing it. As some studies have shown, the mere smell of coffee can give you a brain boost. Moreover, the caffeine in coffee produces positive mental alertness.
Manual coffee grinders give us time to disengage from the digital world—a time to connect with ourselves.
Less Expensive
Manual Grinders are less expensive than electric grinders. You can have a reliable manual coffee grinder at less than $30. Sure, there are high-end manual grinders priced at more than $100. But, this price is far away more affordable than a $500 equally good electric coffee grinder. And, that doesn’t mean lesser in performance and quality as manual grinders produce uniform grind size.
Less Noise
Manual coffee grinders are far quieter than electric grinders. Even the most silent electric coffee grinder can produce loud enough noise to disturb someone’s sleep. On the other hand, you can grind with your heart’s content with a manual coffee grinder, not worrying about disturbing or annoying someone.
It Doesn’t Heat Beans.
Because of the slow grinding movement, the coffee beans on a manual grinder don’t heat up. The high-speed grinding of an electric grinder produces unwanted heat that might alter the taste of the coffee grounds.
Mobile and Less Space Consuming
You can take a manual grinder wherever you go. Enjoy the pleasure of enjoying a great cup of coffee wherever you are with a manual coffee grinder. Its simple construction, size, and durability make it a perfect traveler’s companion. Imagine yourself overlooking the surrounding beautiful scenery in the mountains while you savor the aroma and great taste of your perfectly brewed coffee.
Don’t Require Electricity.
With a manual coffee grinder, you don’t have to worry about brownout or finding the perfect place to plug your grinder. Just enjoy the experience of preparing your great cup of coffee. Moreover, it’s more environmentally friendly than an electric coffee grinder as it doesn’t consume electricity.
Our Recommendations
Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill -“Skerton Pro”
The Hario Skerton Pro is the newest version of this Manual Coffee Grinder. However, it retains the classic design of the Hario Skerton but with a new burr design and improvements. With a ceramic conical burr for a uniform and precise grind. For more stable handling, they redesigned its detachable handle and improved its burr shaft. And, it has an anti-slip grip which ensures steady grinding. It also has a much simple grind adjustment mechanism for consistency. This new model now uses the click system to produce a precise grind. The Skerton Pro has a large-capacity Glass Bowl Hopper that can hold 100g of ground coffee. That is enough for 8 cups of fresh coffee.
JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder with Adjustable Setting
The JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder is one of the most popular manual grinders in its class. It has a brushed stainless steel body, which is sure to last. Also, a great feature of this grinder is its 18 click settings. You’ll undoubtedly have more precision and control over the coarseness of your coffee beans for that perfect grind of coffee. Moreover, this manual grinder has a removable hand crank mechanism designed to eliminate 90% of the noise generated by an electric coffee grinder. Its catcher can carry 38ml of whole coffee beans, which is enough for 2 cups of coffee. And, it will take around 2-5 minutes to ground that amount.
In addition to its good quality, JavaPresse customer service has also been receiving fantastic feedback. Undoubtedly, that’s an excellent way to complement a good quality product.
Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Manual Coffee Grinder
One of the smallest manual coffee grinders you could find today. Indeed, this might be the perfect grinder for you if you constantly travel, usually camp, or always on the go. The Porlex Mini Coffee Grinder consequently fits inside an Aeropress. Its housing is high-quality stainless steel. Therefore, it’s unbreakable. Accordingly, this makes it more suitable for travelers, campers, and hikers. It has ceramic conical burrs. The Porlex Mini can grind from powder to french press. And has a 20-gram capacity. As a result, that would be enough for 1-2 cups of coffee.
1Zpresso Q2 Manual Coffee Grinder
A valid travelers companion. The 1Zpresso Q2 Manual Coffee Gririalnder is small enough to fit an Aeropress plunger. The hopper has a maximum capacity of 24 grams for lightly roasted beans. The body’s construction is aluminum. Thus, making it lighter at 400 grams. What sets this grinder apart from the other manual coffee grinders is its numerical adjustment settings, making it much easier to adjust the grind consistency.
The Q2 has a triaxial design and dual-bearing shaft. Consequently, this makes grinding lighter and faster as compared with grinders with no bearing. The burr is stainless steel, and it will surely last a long time.
KONA Manual Coffee Grinder
The Kona Manual Coffee Grinder is portable and compact. It has a grind selector with a wide selection of 18 click settings to ensure precision control over your grind. You can store ground beans of up to 50 grams in Kona’s static-free glass jar. Suitable for 3 cups of coffee. The handle has a new design. They made it sturdier and much easier to use. Moreover, the handle is detachable for better storage.
Zassenhaus Santiago Coffee Mill Grinder
The Zassenhaus Santiago Coffee Mill Grinder speaks undoubtedly of style and quality. An antique-looking manual coffee grinder in varnished beech wood. It has a high-grade stainless steel conical burr. Santiago’s grinding mechanism is from carbon steel. And, the large knob makes it easier to rotate the handle. You can adjust the grind by turning the knurled adjustment knob which is below the crank.
Above all, you might be interested to know that Zassenhaus has been in the market for over 150 years. An assurance that they know what they’ve been doing. Zassenhaus surely knows what the end-users want.
Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder
Interestingly, the Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is from a one-price solid wood. It has a premium cast iron conical burr with no metal taste and doesn’t produce heat that could affect the taste of your coffee. The Akirakoki’s hopper has a capacity of 35 grams. And its catcher can hold up to 55 grams of ground coffee. Consequently, that equals 16 tablespoons of ground coffee. There is a screw under the base to control the fineness of your grind, your grind.
Undoubtedly, Akirakoki manual coffee grinder brings us back to nature with its material, looks, and design.
Timemore Chestnut G1
Timemore Chestnut G1 is one of the best-looking manual grinders available today. It got a design Award in 2017 from Reddo, called the Oscars in the design industry. But, more than the looks, Timemore truly delivers evenly ground coffee with its sharp stainless steel burrs. The body’s material is metal, including the internal construction that holds the bearings, shaft, and burrs.
In contrast, the outside of the catcher is wood (aluminum inside). Similarly, the knob is also wood. This design gives the G1 its personality. It can hold up to 25 grams of coffee beans. There is a grind setting that you can perfectly click for grind consistency.
Lido 3 Manual Coffee Grinder
The Lido 3 Manual Coffee Grinder is the giant manual coffee grinder on the list. Weighing 1 Kilo (2.2 lbs.), this grinder is a heavyweight in its class. It also has an enormous Food Safe BPA Free Plastic Hopper that has a 70-gram whole bean capacity. But, despite its plastic material, the Lido 3 has an impressive built. Its grounds jar is double-wall stainless steel. And has a soft-grip handlebar. This grinder comes with a neoprene travel case.
The Lido 3 uses the step-less grind adjustment setting. In contrast, many manual grinders nowadays use fixed-setting for more effortless adjustment. If you’re looking for a giant capacity manual grinder, then this is it. It still produces a better grind than other entry-level electric coffee grinders.
Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder
The Handground Precision Manual Grinder is a new and updated version of the original. It has a 15 settings adjustable grind selector to give you the precise coarseness for your specific brewing method and release the full flavor potential in every cup you brew. You can load up to 70 grams of coffee in the hopper. And, twist the top a quarter to lock it on to prevent beans from flying out. Each measurement mark on the side of the hopper represents 10 grams of beans. So, it isn’t a problem if there is no scale around to weigh the beans.
The solid aluminum hand mill with a beautiful pakkawood knob is placed on the side for better stability while grinding, as you can put your opposite hand on top of the grinder to hold it in place while grinding. The Handground’s ceramic conical burr produces even particle size ground to bring the best coffee experience to your cup of coffee.
Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill, Mini Slim, Plus, Black
The Hario Mini Slim Plus is a slim, portable, and compact manual coffee grinder. You can take it on the road, on camping, or in the office. It’s lightweight at 255 grams. And has an improved reinforced hexagonal adapter for increased grind consistency and durability. Moreso, this grinder has ceramic conical burrs. Also, a stepped grind adjustment mechanism for right grind coarseness provides a consistent grind for that perfect fresh cup of coffee. Moreover, the measurement is easy to read and has a capacity of up to 2 cups of ground coffee.
Kalita Coffee Mill KH-3 Retro one
The Kalita Coffe Mill KH-3 has a beautiful retro appeal and look. But, with the features of a modern manual coffee grinder. This grinder has no plastic parts in it. It has cast-iron conical burrs. And a polished wooden container and a wooden knob. The hopper is a nickel-plated metal sheet that can take up to 35 grams of whole coffee beans. At the same time, the catcher has a capacity of 55 grams. You can adjust the grind setting of the Kalta by removing the blade and adjusting a tabbed washer. Turn it clockwise for a larger grind or counter-clockwise for a finer grind.
OE Fixie Carbon Fiber + Titanium Ultralight
OE Fixie is a manual coffee grinder that was made especially for travelers and adventurers.
From the enormous Lido 3, Orphan Espresso now brings us the lightest manual coffee grinder in the market today, the OE Fixie. Reducing the OE Fixie weight without sacrificing the quality and precision Orphan Espresso grinders were known for have been the most significant challenge to produce this manual grinder. The Fixie weighs in at only 330 grams. And measures 196 mm. (6.5 inches) tall with the grouds jar in place.
The OE Fixie is a Fixed Grind Coffee Grinder. You can put the grind setting to Fine – Medium – Coarse (F – M – C) using its Delrin Fixie Disks along with precise Teflon Tuner Shims for fine adjustments if desired. What does this mean? The idea is that when we travel, we only use one brewer. So, we can set the OE Fixie to the specific grind setting that matches our brewer before traveling. The idea is simple yet logical.
To attain the ultra-lightweight of the Fixie, Orphan Espresso made it with High Tech materials. It has a handle and hopper that is carbon steel. The grinder also has an anodized aluminum top & bottom bearing plates with a Delrin dual bearing system, drive disk, and top assembly nut. It also features an anodized aircraft aluminum axle & cone burr carrier and a Natural finish Titanium Grounds Cup.
The hopper can hold about 50 grams of whole coffee beans. At the same time, the grounds cup contains about 30 grams of coffee. You don’t need any tools to disassemble it for packing into the included Tyvek Carrying Bag or cleaning.
Best Manual Coffee Grinders
| Image |   |   |   |   |   |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill -"Skerton Pro" | JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder | Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder | 1Zpresso Q2 Manual Coffee Grinder | KONA Manual Coffee Grinder |
| Burr | Ceramic Conical Burr | Patented Combo Ceramic Conical Burr | Ceramic Conical Burr | Stainless Steel Conical Burr | Ceramic Conical Burr |
| Main Housing Material | Plastic and Glass | Brushed Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Aluminum Alloy | Plastic and Glass |
| Hopper Capacity | 60 grams | 38 ml | 20 grams | 20 grams | 30 grams |
| Ground Catcher Capaciy | 100 grams (8 cups) | 2 cups | 1-2 cups | 1-2 cups | 50 grams (3 cups) |
| Adjustable Setting | Yes | Yes (18 click settings) | 13 | Yes (10 numbers / 30 clicks per rotation) | 18 |
| Weight | 566 grams | 266 grams | 226 grams | 385 grams | 8 oz. |
| Image |   |   |   |   |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Zassenhaus Santiago Coffee Mill Grinder Beech Wood | Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder | Chestnut G1 Manual Coffee Grinder | Lido 3 Manual Coffee Grinder |
| Burr | Stainless Steel Conical Burr | Cast Iron Conical Burr | Stainless Steel Conical Burr or Stainles Steel Titanium Coated Conical Burr | Stainless Steel Conical Burr |
| Main Housing Material | Beech Wood | One piece of solid wood block | Space Aluminum | Plastic and Stainless Steel |
| Hopper Capacity | 40 grams | 35 grams | 30 grams | 70 grams |
| Ground Catcher Capaciy | 30 grams (2-3 cups) | 55 grams | ||
| Adjustable Setting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 952 grams | 1.34 lbs. | 568.5 grams / 1.71 lbs. | 2.96 lbs. (1052 grams) |
| Image |   |   |   |   |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder | Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill, Mini Slim, Plus | Kalita coffee Mill KH-3 Retro one | OE Fixie |
| Burr | Conical Alumina Ceramic Burr | Conical Ceramic Burr | Cast-Iron Conical Burr | Stainless Steel Conical Burr |
| Main Housing Material | Plastic and Glass | Plastic and Glass | One-price Solid Wood | Carbon Fiber, Anodized Aluminum, and Titanium. |
| Hopper Capacity | 100 grams | 30-40 grams | 35 grams | 50 grams |
| Ground Catcher Capaciy | 4+ cups | 55 grams | 30 grams | |
| Adjustable Setting | Yes - 15 settings | Yes | Yes | Yes (Fine - Medium - Coarse) using Delrin Fixie Disks along with precise Teflon Tuner Shims for fine adjustments if desired |
| Weight | 789 grams | 255 grams | 590 grams | 330 grams |
Conclusion
To sum up, a manual coffee grinder is best for a coffee lover who wants to cherish and spend quality time in the preparation of his perfect cup of coffee, for those who prepare a cup or two for that fresh cup of brewed coffee.
Moreover, a manual coffee grinder is also best suited for people who are always mobile. For coffee lovers whose job requires them to travel constantly. For the adventurers who always seek outside activities like hikers, campers, and the likes.
But, what if you were in a situation where there is no grinder available? Learn the Life Hacks in Grinding Coffee Beans Without A Grinder.
And, for great Home Coffee Bar design ideas, come and check our blog on Best In Home Coffee Bar Design Ideas.