Manual Coffee Grinder Recomendations please?

[hadal]

My trusty old burr is giving up the ghost, I'd love to shapen the blade but having taken it apart to take a look I think it's a lost cause.

So please any recomendations for a manaul grinder, it needs to be a conical burr with adjustable grind, and definatly manual as getting one electrical saftey checked at the office is far to much hassle.

[tgr]

I think there's a kyocera ceramic one, or (more expensive) a traditional Zassenhaus. But buy cheap, buy twice

[craigb84]

Try hasbean.co.uk. Pretty good website.

I've been tempted by either the Porlex hand grinder or a Hario Skerton (same as Kyoceras version) but I'm yet to buy.

I read that the porlex is better for finer beans an can do espresso.

[Mobile Chicane]

I have a La Cafetiere coffee mill, which I imagine would do the job, albeit slowly and with some effort.

(I bought mine to use as a spice grinder.)

[hadal]

Cheers guys!

I've ordered a Porlex one, looks perfect as it is a sealed unit and I tend to wander about when grinding at work.

[menguin]

Holy thread resurrection, etc!

How did you find the Porlex? Are there any other manual grinders recommended - or cheapish electric ones? It'll be for use at home so no need for portability. Budget upto £70!

How much work is a manual grinder? I normally have a coffee in the morning and one or two during the day. Use an espresso machine. Is it too much effort, or is it more satisfying than an electric grinder? Are electric grinders able to grind with more accuracy?

[chockymonster]

menguin said:

Holy thread resurrection, etc!

How did you find the Porlex? Are there any other manual grinders recommended - or cheapish electric ones? It'll be for use at home so no need for portability. Budget upto £70!

How much work is a manual grinder? I normally have a coffee in the morning and one or two during the day. Use an espresso machine. Is it too much effort, or is it more satisfying than an electric grinder? Are electric grinders able to grind with more accuracy?

You won't get a decent grind for espresso from a £70 electric grinder. There may be grinders for that money but not that produce a repeatable even grind. The Porlex mini is ok as a grinder but I've not been able to make a decent espresso with it, it always runs too quickly.

[PedroB]

I've a Rhinowares ceramic grinder which is essentially identical to the Porlex and Hario ones. Grinding takes about a minute and isn't too strenuous. However if I'm being lazy, set this to the slowest screwdriver setting and you are away....

[peter tdci]

Not available for a while, but there's this (and I've supported it): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crushgrind/th...

They also make a kitchen top version with a larger diameter mechanism. http://www.crushgrind.com/products/brazil-coffee-g...

I've got CrushGrind pepper and salt mills and they are very good.

[menguin]

peter tdci said:

Not available for a while, but there's this (and I've supported it): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crushgrind/th...

They also make a kitchen top version with a larger diameter mechanism. http://www.crushgrind.com/products/brazil-coffee-g...

I've got CrushGrind pepper and salt mills and they are very good.

Thanks. The kitchen top version looks good to me - struggling to find any reviews anywhere apart from their site though. Also it isn't clear if it is burr or blade. It looks like burr if it is the same as the pepper/salt mills.

PedroB - great idea, love the combination of elegance and powerdrill!

chocky - That was what I was thinking. Don't want to pay over £100 for an electric grinder if I can do it by hand and get the same results - don't mind a bit of effort for my morning coffee!

[peter tdci]

menguin said:

Thanks. The kitchen top version looks good to me - struggling to find any reviews anywhere apart from their site though. Also it isn't clear if it is burr or blade. It looks like burr if it is the same as the pepper/salt mills.

It is a ceramic burr grinder. I could well be wrong, but I wouldn't expect any hand grinder to use a blade as those rely on the speed of the blade to chop up the beans.

Here's another manufacturer to throw into the mix (I've got a Pharos!) http://www.oehandgrinders.com/OE-Manual-Coffee-Gri... They use burrs designed for high end electric grinders and design hand grinders around them. In a different league price wise, though.

[menguin]

peter tdci said:

menguin said:

Thanks. The kitchen top version looks good to me - struggling to find any reviews anywhere apart from their site though. Also it isn't clear if it is burr or blade. It looks like burr if it is the same as the pepper/salt mills.

It is a ceramic burr grinder. I could well be wrong, but I wouldn't expect any hand grinder to use a blade as those rely on the speed of the blade to chop up the beans.

Here's another manufacturer to throw into the mix (I've got a Pharos!) http://www.oehandgrinders.com/OE-Manual-Coffee-Gri... They use burrs designed for high end electric grinders and design hand grinders around them. In a different league price wise, though.

You bd.

Those look very nice - what's a budget if it isn't meant to be increased, right? How long have you had it, and have you found it gives a consistent grind?

I can definitely swing that as a centrepiece for the kitchen as justification for the increased price. Man maths are the best.

[peter tdci]

menguin said:

You bd.

Those look very nice - what's a budget if it isn't meant to be increased, right? How long have you had it, and have you found it gives a consistent grind?

I can definitely swing that as a centrepiece for the kitchen as justification for the increased price. Man maths are the best.

I had to check - I got it 5 years ago! At that stage they were being made in small batches by a man who is/was a cross between a mad professor and ZZ Top! I heard about them on various coffee forums where they were getting rave reviews and I took the plunge.

It's a bit clunky to use, but I've found the grind adjustment to be sensitive and it's easy to dial in different beans. Once you've done it, it is consistent. There are some videos on YouTube from owners and Doug, the guy behind it.

It looks like there have been several detail changes since I got mine and the Lido range came later.