Some people claim that grinding coffee beans is a science, and other people claim that it’s an art, but we believe that it’s somewhere between these two metrics. Although it takes practice to get a grind precisely right, it also requires a precision instrument. An instrument that works the same every single time it’s used and is capable of handling the grinding process. And believe us when we say that not all grinders are up to the task. That’s why we’ve decided to review the best manual coffee grinders available, so all of our readers can find the one that’s right for their home.

Quick Summary of the Best Manual Coffee Grinders

Best Overall: Silva Manual Hand Coffee Grinder

This is not only one of the best manual coffee grinders available, but we think that it might be one of the best overall ones available as well. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not saying that we don’t like using the occasional electric grinder. We think that there’s a place for those types of grinders. We just feel that this one is better. It’s better because it gives the consumer all the control they need to grind their beans the way they want to grind them. It’s also better because it’s not as messy as many electric ones can be. However, those two reasons aren’t the only reasons we like this grinder. There’s a whole lot more to consider. It seems like this grinder is built from the ground up to be a great manual grinder.

One of the things that we liked about this grinder was that it had 18 click settings. These 18-settings allow the consumer to grind beans from coarse up to finely ground and do it with a level of precision that most other grinders aren’t capable of doing. Another thing we liked about this grinder was that it was made out of stainless steel. The body is made out of 18/10 food-grade stainless steel and this grinder’s burr mechanism is made out of ceramic. This combination of material makes this grinder extremely durable and capable of lasting for many, many coffee grinding sessions.

What we liked about it
– This grinder is easy to use.
– It does a great job grinding coffee beans.

Best Value: Shanik Premium-Quality Portable Burr Grinder

This model is another coffee grinder that’s made from quality components. It’s a grinder that’s designed from the ground up to be very effective for grinding herbs or coffee beans. This model’s body, handle and knob is made from stainless steel, and it features a ceramic burr grinding mechanism. It also features a silicone grip that makes it easier to handle while grinding, as well as a silicone lid that helps to keep any leftover ground coffee fresh. And to top it off, it even comes with a velvet bag that’s designed to make it easier to transport from one location to another.

If there was anything that we didn’t like about this grinder was that it was a bit slow. What we mean by that is that it takes some effort and some time to grind coffee beans. Grinding enough beans for 1-2 cups of coffee is fast enough, but if the user needs to grind enough beans for more than 3 people, then the grinding process can become a bit tedious.

However, it should be said that we do like the fact that this model has a built-in adjustable grind feature that allows the consumer to decide on their preferred coarseness level. In the end, we’d recommend this model for consumers who are only grinding beans for a couple of cups of coffee and wouldn’t recommend it for grinding beans for large pots of coffee.

What we liked about it
– It’s a well-built grinder.
– It grinds beans well.

Best Durability: JavaPresse Conical Burr Coffee Mill

Even though this manual coffee grinder is slower than just about any electric model, and is even slower to grind beans than many other manual models, we still think that it’s a quality model. This product is made from high-quality components that are put together in a familiar, but very reliable design. This model has a brushed stainless-steel exterior that looks nice, and it has a design that’s easy to hold while grinding. It’s also a model that uses burr grinder blades that are five times more durable than the stainless steel grinding blades found in other manual grinders. That alone makes it worth looking at.

Because this model is a manual one, it’s not as loud as electric ones can be, which means that the consumer can grind their beans in peace every morning. This model is also equipped with 18 click-settings that give the consumer the precision and control they need over their coffee bean coarseness levels. Another thing that we liked about this model was that although it was slow to grind beans, it didn’t take a lot of effort to do so.

We could easily grind beans for our morning cups of coffee, it took a while but it was easy to do nonetheless. All of these are reasons why this manual coffee grinder made it onto our list. All things being equal, we do believe that this is a high-quality grinder model that some people are going to enjoy using. Sure, it’s a little expensive and a little slow, but it still does an amazing job at grinding beans.

What we liked about it
– It’s made out of high-quality materials.
– It does grind beans consistently.

Best Affordable: LHS Manual Ceramic Burr Coffee Mill

Considering the price of this coffee mill, we weren’t expecting a whole lot out of it. After all, we didn’t think that a model that was under the $15 mark could do a good job of grinding coffee beans. Fortunately, we were pleasantly surprised. Not only did we discover that this model could grind beans consistently but we also discovered that it seemed to be well-built as well.

Sure, this grinder wasn’t as easy to use as some of the higher-end models, but it did get the job done in the end. We’re sure that no one is going to mistake this model for being the best manual coffee grinder in the world, but we think that once a person tries it they’re probably going to like it.

This model has 4 adjustable grinding levels that give the consumer the power to choose a coarse or a fine grind. This model is made using a ceramic burr and features a stainless-steel hand crank. Although it does have an ABS hopper, in general, this grinder felt more durable than we thought it would feel. And it seems to hold up very well to the demands of daily grinding as well.

This grinder measures 3x3x8-inches and weighs around 13-ounces. Another thing we enjoyed about this grinder was that it could be taken apart so the consumer could clean it. All of this makes this a quality budget manual grinder that would work well in any home.

What we liked about it
– This is an inexpensive coffee mill.
– This coffee mill grinds very consistently.

A Guide To Manual Coffee Grinders

People who love coffee know that grinding their beans is the way to go. And people who grind their beans often choose a manual over an electric coffee grinder. Why do they do that? They do it because they know that a manual coffee grinder is the best way to control the consistency of the coffee bean grind. And a more consistent ground is more likely to produce a better cup of coffee.

Finding the best manual coffee grinder isn’t always the easiest proposition, however. Although some people will merely grab the first coffee grinder that they find and be done with it, there are some things that consumers should consider before purchasing one of these grinders. To show all of our readers what they should be thinking about when buying a new manual coffee grinder, we’ve decided to write this informative guide.

[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Let’s Talk About Grinder Capacity

One of the first things that the coffee drinker should be thinking about is the grinder’s capacity. Some people will be fine with a small grinder because they will only be grinding enough beans for 1-2 cups of coffee a day, while other people may need a grinder with a larger capacity. So, needless to say, grinder capacity is a very important thing to think about.

Most grinders list their capacity in grams instead of cups, so it can be difficult for consumers to decide on the size of grinder they need. To help our readers do a quick translation from grams to cups so they can determine the grinder size they need, we’ve listed some common grinder sizes as well as how many cups those sizes translate into.

  • 7 Grams Equals 1-Cup Of Coffee
  • 14-20 Grams Equals 2-Cups Of Coffee
  • 40 Grams Equals 8-Cups Of Coffee

[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Let’s Talk About Grinder Construction

Another thing to think about seriously is how the grinder is made. Although budget models tend to be made with plastic, these models tend to be not as durable as models manufactured with stainless-steel. It’s also important to think about what the actual grinding mechanism is made from as well, but we’ll cover that in the next section of this guide.

[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Look For A Manual Grinder With A Burr

When it comes to grinders, the consumer has two choices available to them: blades or burrs. Which one is better? The answer to that question is easy: burrs are better than blades. That’s because burrs produce a more even grind than blade do and a more even grind produces better coffee.

Now when it comes to burrs, consumers have a choice between ceramic burrs and stainless-steel burrs. And the choice there is simple as well. Ceramic burrs are superior to stainless-steel burrs because they are more durable and ceramic doesn’t pit the way that stainless-steel can do.

[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Consider The Number Of Grind Settings

The consumer also might want to consider how many grind settings they need. Generally speaking, most people will probably only need 2 settings: Fine or Coarse, but that would be a very basic grinder. Most of the top-end models have more than 4-settings and some of them have as many as 18 different settings levels. The more grind levels the manual coffee grinder has, the more the consumer can more precisely dial in the grind that they want and/or need.

[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]How Easy Is It To Clean?

The next thing to consider is how easy the manual grinder is going to be to clean. Consumers should look for models that are easy to take apart. The easier the grinder is to take apart, the more likely the consumer will be able to get it clean when they need to clean it.

[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Price Is Also Important To Consider

If the consumer is independently wealthy, they most likely won’t need to worry about the cost of their manual coffee grinder. For everyone else, however, price is an important consideration. The consumer should weigh all of the features they need against their budget. The consumer should keep in mind that grinders can be as cheap as $10 or as expensive as $100, so consumers should think about what they’re willing to spend before they purchase their next model.

[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]How Easy Is It To Get Replacement Parts?

The final thing for consumers to think about is the availability of replacement parts for their coffee grinder. The grinding mechanisms in all coffee grinders will eventually wear out, so the consumer needs to know that they can easily replace that mechanism without having to buy a new manual coffee grinder. Therefore, it’s a good idea for the consumer to make sure that the model they’re thinking of buying has replacement parts available for it.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR