I see inexpensive ... under twenty bucks ... manual coffee grinders on amazon ... are they any good?
Need a coffee grinder . cheap manual one good?
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I have no idea. With the Hario Slim clocking in at $25, I'd have a hard time going with anything else. I have more than a few years' with of heavy activity on mine, and you would think it's still brand new out of the box.
I don't know but I have been tempted to get one just to see. Especially one of those with a stainless steel body to help dissipate the static electricity. The prices have been trending lower as well, seems that every time I look there is someone selling newly branded ones at slightly cheaper prices, as if there is a big factory somewhere cranking these out and different labels being applied.
If you're talking about the stainless ones that are designed for Aeropress or travel, I've also eyed those a little. However, I'm more wary than excited. Looking through reviews, it sounds like they are prone to break after a few (or several) months and that they are very slow to grind--a few minutes of work for a "cup" (no way to know what "cup" they are talking about, of course).
I took a look back, and I ordered my Hario in May 2012. I've used it just about every day since I got it. Like I mentioned, you would think it was brand new out of the box, and it knocks out 30g in just about a minute, flat. They are $25 at the moment.
So, it seems like it's the old matter of how you want to pay, as the cheaper ones don't seem to be such a bargain. By the same token, you're risking only $10 or so to take your chances.
I took a look back, and I ordered my Hario in May 2012. I've used it just about every day since I got it. Like I mentioned, you would think it was brand new out of the box, and it knocks out 30g in just about a minute, flat. They are $25 at the moment.
So, it seems like it's the old matter of how you want to pay, as the cheaper ones don't seem to be such a bargain. By the same token, you're risking only $10 or so to take your chances.
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- #6
I ordered one.
I had been looking at electric grinders that start at $50 and move up a lot from that ... so hearing your good experience with a manual grinder was encouraging ... and no need to find the absolute cheapest one, so Hario it is.
I never really thought about it, but that is exactly what those things are. They even look like it. No wonder they wear out so quickly. My coffee grinder gets a heck of a lot more use than any pepper mill I'll ever have.
I ordered one.
Well, then, I sure hope you enjoy it! I got a reputation to protect!
I never really thought about it, but that is exactly what those things are. They even look like it. No wonder they wear out so quickly. My coffee grinder gets a heck of a lot more use than any pepper mill I'll ever have.
Well, then, I sure hope you enjoy it! I got a reputation to protect!
Good on ya. There are better hand grinders but not at that price.
I ordered one.
I had been looking at electric grinders that start at $50 and move up a lot from that ... so hearing your good experience with a manual grinder was encouraging ... and no need to find the absolute cheapest one, so Hario it is.
Have a link? It would make a nice gift for the Princess of Pennsylvania on visitors day. She already cleaned me out of my best teas, so I'd like to ply her with coffee items.
Check that long and winding, South American river.
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- #11
Yes, I have wanted a Porlex Mini grinder, mostly out of curiosity and also to pair with an Aeropress for travel but I don't really need it. Last week an Amazon deal-of-the-day had one of these cheap Porlex looking copies for $7-8, almost too good to believe. My concern is that all of these small grinders including Hario and Porlex appear to have a plastic burr holder/alignment that could break if grinding hard beans. Though I would expect better quality from the two companies mentioned versus a generic copy.
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- #13
So I ordered mine from a third-party Amazon vendor, and ... ... ... he never did nothin'! No sign that he actually acknowledged my order or did anything to ship it .. sooo ... I got Amazon to cancel the order.
I then went and ordered a larger Hario grinder for a bit more $$ and a bit more storage capacity ... and hopefully I get that soon.
I then went and ordered a larger Hario grinder for a bit more $$ and a bit more storage capacity ... and hopefully I get that soon.
Ugh. No fun dealing with lazy vendors. I'm having a similar problem with some camping gear.
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- #15
It arrived last week and I've been using it to grind coffee every morning this week ... so far so good.
Hirsute
Used to have fun with Commander Yellow Pantyhose
No actual experience here, but here's a link to some reviews by someone I know and whose opinion on the matter I trust:
http://epicureancyclist.com/tag/coffee-grinder/
http://epicureancyclist.com/tag/coffee-grinder/
My guess would be that even a cheap, manual grinder would be better than no grinder at all. Since if you don't have a grinder, you're likely to buy a pound of ground coffee, and maybe it'll be a month or two before it's all used up, and after that much time it's not exactly going to be wonderful, fresh coffee. I mean, it won't be stale in the sense that it'll make you sick to drink it. But it won't smell or taste anywhere near as good as it should.
A cheap, manual, burr grinder might not be as good (or at least as convenient) as an expensive, electric burr grinder. But whether the advantages of the expensive one are worth the extra money... that's really a question only the potential purchaser can answer. I would note however, that the more coffee you grind per day, the more likely the expensive electric grinder is to be worth the extra money. I live alone and might average a cup of coffee per day. But in a household where 10 cups per day are the norm... that expensive grinder would seem sort of attractive.
A cheap, manual, burr grinder might not be as good (or at least as convenient) as an expensive, electric burr grinder. But whether the advantages of the expensive one are worth the extra money... that's really a question only the potential purchaser can answer. I would note however, that the more coffee you grind per day, the more likely the expensive electric grinder is to be worth the extra money. I live alone and might average a cup of coffee per day. But in a household where 10 cups per day are the norm... that expensive grinder would seem sort of attractive.
Alezanderwerks made in the 30's and built like a tank.
