Coffee gives most people superpowers – not magically, though. Here’s a secret: You can definitely make coffee as good as that of Starbucks at home.
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What sets a good coffee from an excellent one is freshly ground beans. And there’s nothing more satisfying than using manual coffee grinders in making your own ground coffee at home, any time of the day.
Can you imagine how we can all survive in the morning and go to school or work with just a cup of coffee on an empty stomach?
Or how we could all put up an all-nighter with coffee as our energy fuel? That’s how important coffee is for coffee lovers like us.
It’s highly probable that you’ve seen electric coffee grinders in cafes. Though this type speeds up the grinding process, manual or hand coffee grinders will engage you to savor the entire preparation experience from fresh beans to cup.
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**Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
Contents
Perks Of Manual Coffee Grinders
1. They Make The Best-Tasting Cup Of Coffee
All baristas know by heart that the secret to curating the best coffee is using freshly ground coffee beans.
Coffee deteriorates over time. Fresh grounds haven’t had a chance to deteriorate compared to pre-grounded beans which have already oxidized.
Therefore, the fresher the grounds, the fuller the flavor and the more intense the aroma.
The flavor of coffee depends on the consistency of the coffee grind. Consistently grinding coffee beans ensures even brewing and rich taste.
2. It’s All About The Satisfaction
You’ll feel as if you’re a 19th-century barista when using a manual coffee grinder. The experience and satisfaction it gives sets it apart from electric grinders.
Using the manual type when making your morning coffee helps you slow down and enjoy the aroma of freshly ground beans.
The aroma itself is pretty therapeutic and relaxing – it’s just perfect for morning meditation.
3. Affordable
It’s pretty self-explanatory - manual or hand coffee grinders are way cheaper than their electric counterparts.
If you’re on a budget, you should consider getting the best manual coffee grinder.
4. Portable
Hand grinders are ideal for travellers who’re addicted to coffee.
Finding the perfect coffee is difficult especially when you’re bouncing from place to place.
If you’re delighted with the taste of your own handmade coffee, it’s best to get a hand grinder so you can customize the way you make coffee wherever you go.
Also, hand grinders are small and compact. They require little storage space, and they’re not too heavy.
5. Noise-Free
A manual coffee grinder makes less to no noise at all. It’s perfect for mornings when you wake up a little early and you want to brew a cup without waking everyone else in the house.
6. Unique
Hand grinders are so vintage-looking that’s why they’re aesthetically pleasing to look at. They make the best decoration in the kitchen or the counter-top.
Factors To Consider When Buying Manual Coffee Grinders
1. Type Of Grinder
The two basic types of hand grinders in the market - the standard blade type grinder and the burr grinder.
Blade grinders are structured with blades placed in the center that looks like a propeller, resembling that of a blender.
Burr grinders, on the other hand, is made up of two revolving abrasive (burrs) in which the coffee is ground in between. It can churn a few beans at a time.
2. Particle Size
With burr grinders, you can change the distances between the blades according to the grind size you want to achieve.
Conversely, the position of the blades in bladed grinders are fixed. Thus, you’ll only produce one grind size with it.
Coffee aficionados prefer burr grinders over blade grinders because burr grinders give a more uniform grind size. Also, it gives you more control and customization over your coffee.
Also, larger particles are ideal for French Press brewing whereas finer grinds are perfect for espresso.
3. Consistency
You’ll want your grind to have consistent particles – they should have uniform sizes.
Both blade and burr grinders produce consistent particles though burr types are way more manageable than bladed ones.
An inconsistent grind makes an unsatisfying cup of coffee. You won’t achieve the flavor you want. Smaller powders get over extracted while bigger chunks tend to shed little flavor.
4. Affordability
Money-wise, blade types cost less than burr grinders. You can even find blade grinders on thrift shops on sale for just a couple of bucks.
For more tips on choosing the best manual coffee grinder, you may refer to the video clip below.
Our Top 5 Manual Coffee Grinders
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Price |
Our Rating |
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4 |
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4 |
$ |
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4 |
$$$ |
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4 |
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4 |
$$ |
**Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
1 - JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
Do you like making barista-quality coffee and expressing your coffee artisan skills whenever you feel like it? Then the JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder is the right choice for you.
Don’t you just hate it when your old coffee grinder emits a noise that wakes the entire house every morning, forcing you to compromise your wonderful cup of Java roast?
That’s what you’ll dearly miss because this manual coffee grinder features a convenient hand crank that eliminates 90% of the noise made by electric grinders.
What’s great about this product is its incredible versatility that you’ll definitely love as much as we did.
It has a built-in adjustable grind selector with over 18 click settings that ensures you have control over the coarseness of your coffee – whether it’s a pour over, drip, cold brew, French press, percolator, Turkish, and Espresso. You can't just grind coffee but herbs and spices too.
Its durable burrs are made from ceramic and are design-tested through three professional grade inspections. It was found to last 5x longer than stainless steel blades – what more do you need in a lifetime?
Ceramic burrs aren’t only made for lasting durability. These burrs spin fast without producing heat unlike stainless burrs, protecting your precious coffee oils from oxidizing.
Furthermore, the conical burr assembly uses a dual plate system, allowing one burr to stay stationary while the other spins. This process leads to superior consistency and ensures the most precise grind possible.
The size of this grinder is pretty compact and slim, making it convenient to bring to camping.
Want to know what makes the JavaPresse grinder unique? Find out in the short clip below!
Pros
- Durable
- Superior grind consistency
- Compact and slim
- Quiet
- Ultra versatile
- Easy to clean
- Aeropress-compatible
Cons
- The plastic piece that sits inside the conical burr is very prone to breakage
2 - EZE Hand Burr Coffee Grinder
This impressive hand grinder shares similar features with our first entry – a slim and compact design, conical burrs, high-grade stainless steel exterior and interior, runs quietly, makes consistent grinds, and professional grade.
A great thing about this grinder is it’s versatile – though not regarding coffee brewing options. It has a few brewing styles, but we tell you, this is a great spice and herb grinder.
We tried to grind turmeric in this machine, and it came out as a very fine powder.
To adjust the coarseness of the grind, simply turn the knob off at the bottom, allowing the best grind for either espresso, French press coffee or any in between.
Furthermore, this one grinds faster than most manual coffee grinders because of its extra-long steel handle which gives you more control.
Actually, we’re surprised that this machine allowed us to grind for one cup in less than a minute!
However, the burrs of this grinder are made of plastic. Well, it’s not the cheap one but the durable and high-end type, but still, it’s plastic.
Also, this mini wonder is designed to be taken whenever you go.
Pros
- Durable
- Superior grind consistency
- Compact and slim
- Quiet
- Easy to clean
- Aeropress-compatible
Cons
- Plastic burrs
- Not very versatile (only allows few brewing styles)
3 - Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill
In Japanese, HARIO means "The King of Glass." The name speaks for itself since this glass manual coffee grinder is made from the highest quality glassware that aims to provide coffee lovers with an inexpensive means to have freshly-ground coffee, even while traveling with a light load.
The iconic Hario Skerton, also known as “skeleton”, puts you in control of the grind size – simply set it to coarser grind for a cold brew or to finer grind for espresso with ease. Simply put, the grind setting is easily adjustable.
This grinder has ceramic burrs for a precise grind, far superior to steel grinder burrs. It also includes a silicone lid on the top chamber to prevent the beans from scattering in various directions.
What we love about this product is its glass receptacle. It makes this grinder an excellent tool in taking note of a ground coffee's dry aroma. Indeed, it’s very satisfying!
Here’s a video clip below to give you an idea of how this grinder works.
Pros
- Durable
- Compact
- Quiet
- Easy to clean (dishwasher-safe)
- Aeropress-compatible
Cons
- Grind results may be inconsistent when using the coarser setting
- Takes quite long to grind (ground beans sufficient to fill a cup may take two mins to grind)
4 - Culinary Prestige Premium Manual Coffee Grinder
The slim, sleek and travel-friendly design of the Culinary Prestige Manual Coffee Grinder will make you the envy of your family and friends.
This grinder is built using durable stainless steel and uses ceramic burrs that stand the test of time with everyday use.
It features a built-in adjustable grind selector with over 18 click settings for precision control over the coarseness of your ground coffee.
We love how this product is Aeropress-compatible and perfect for travelling or camping.
You might be wondering by now what Aeropress-compatible mean as you may have read over and over again in the pros section of each product.
For those who haven’t used one, the Aeropress is a plastic coffee maker made up of the main Aeropress chamber, plunger, a filter screw, and filters. It helps make smooth espresso, Americano, or any coffee at home in no time.
You will need a coffee grinder with the ability to create fine-ground coffee with your Aeropress to quickly allow you to grind, then pour the grinds directly into the Aeropress easily.
An Aeropress-compatible grinder is designed to fit inside the chamber of the machine.
Also unlike other units, this unit comes with a handy travel bag and cleaning brush for your convenience.
Perhaps a negative thing that we have observed with this unit is it lacks a good balance. The grinder’s body is not dense enough to offset the semi-heavy handle.
Also, the handle is quite slippery, putting more strain on the arm.
Pros
- Durable
- Superior grind consistency
- Compact and slim
- Ultra- versatile
- Quiet
- Easy to clean
- Aeropress-compatible
Cons
- Lacks proper balance
- Slippery handle
- Small aperture for pouring beans
5 - Steel Coffee Manual Coffee Grinder
Make your mornings perfect with the meditative experience of hand-grinding your coffee with the Steel Coffee Manual Coffee Grinder.
It features adjustable settings from coarse to fine grinding, stainless steel handle and exterior, ceramic conical burrs, and a free coffee scoop with bag clip.
This grinder is also Aeropress, French press, pour over, and drip coffee-compatible, making it more functional.
Admittedly, this grinder shares almost the same features as the earlier ones we’ve reviewed in detail, so there's nothing so special about this one.
What we dislike about this grinder is the handle’s mechanical design. The mounting pentagonal fixturing point may wear over time, causing the handle to wobble upwards and off during the grinding process.
Furthermore, this grinder seems to have a slight tendency to drift to finer grind in the middle of using it.
As it was the case, it has become necessary to loosen the adjusting knob every few uses which bring inconvenience.
Pros
- Durable
- Superior grind consistency
- Compact and slim
- Ultra- versatile
- Quiet
- Easy to clean
- Aeropress-compatible
Cons
- Wear-prone handle
- Tends to drift from coarse to fine grind during usage
- Poor longevity
The Verdict
Manual coffee grinders make the best-tasting coffee and offer a unique kind of satisfaction when used.
The best manual coffee grinder is the burr type. A reliable burr grinder should produce consistent coffee grounds, allow options for grinding customization, durable, portable, noise-free, and for a plus factor, the unit should be affordable.
One such grinder that possesses the characteristics above is the JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder, making it our top pick for the best manual coffee grinder.
This product grinds quietly, produces consistent grinds whatever the setting, features a durable exterior and burrs, compact enough for travelling, and most importantly, it features 18 coarseness settings you can all try.
Hey there coffee aficionado! Have you experienced using a manual coffee grinder at home? If so, what brand are you using? Do you have other brand suggestions? We’d love to hear your thoughts below!
If you found this article useful, please share it on social media to help out others having a hard time looking for the best coffee grinder. Cheers!