Every cup of perfect coffee starts with perfectly ground coffee beans. And if you’re serious about your coffee, you know that electric mills can negatively affect the taste of the brew due to heating which can destroy some of the beans’ oils and flavors. The best hand coffee grinder eliminates that issue and also gets you directly involved in the prep stage. Like a seasoned barista, you can adjust the grind settings to make espresso or a French press, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
To help you bring your coffee making ritual to a whole new level, we have gathered a selection of the best manual coffee grinders we could find. From vintage-style designs to Scandinavian-inspired mills, all of these products have one thing in common: they offer professional-grade results. Before we jump into the list, however, here are some of the most common questions related to coffee mills.
Are manual coffee grinders good?
If you want exceptional results, it’s important to buy a high-quality best hand coffee grinder. Mills with conical burrs offer a consistent grind. These burrs ensure that the particles have a similar size and release their flavors and natural oils at the same time – and in the same way. For example, a grinder that creates both small and large particles from the same beans can result in a coffee with a bitter and sour taste. Good hand coffee grinders offer a range of grind levels to adjust the size of the particles for espresso, filter, and cold brew coffee.
How do I choose a hand coffee grinder?
Companies that specialize in coffee making equipment often have good ranges of coffee mills made with the same attention to detail and quality. However, there are some points you need to consider before buying one. First, the capacity, which can range from 20 grams to 40 grams. If you drink a lot of coffee or make coffee for more than one person at a time, choose the larger mills. Second, the materials. Stainless steel and ceramic burrs provide a consistent grind and are also durable. Third, the size. While many coffee lovers choose a manual mill for their home brewing rituals, some people buy hand coffee grinders because of their portability. A compact mill that fits into a bag with ease is a better choice if you’re planning to make fresh coffee while camping or traveling.
Manual vs Electric Coffee Grinders which is better?
Both electric and manual coffee grinders have their pros and cons. While electric grinders don’t require any manual work, apart from pushing a button, they also heat up the coffee beans for a short time, which can negatively impact the taste of coffee. Manual grinders minimize heating to preserve the coffee beans’ natural oils, which guarantees a fuller flavor. They also provide consistent results, especially when made with quality steel or ceramic burrs. Apart from being conveniently portable, hand mills are also quieter, more durable, and cheaper than electric grinders.
How often should I clean my manual coffee grinder?
How often you clean a manual coffee mill largely depends on how often you use it and the type of coffee beans you grind. If you’re grinding coffee beans every morning, you should clean your mill once per week. For less frequent use, once every two weeks should be enough. However, the type of coffee beans also matters. For example, oilier, darker roasts require more frequent cleaning. If you’re switching between different roasts or blends, you should make sure that your grinder is clean to eliminate cross-contamination.
How long do hand coffee grinders last?
The durability of hand coffee mills depends on their quality and materials. The best manual coffee grinders come with ceramic or stainless steel burs. While ceramic burrs retain their edge and don’t require sharpening, they’re also less sharp than brand-new steel burrs and may chip if they come into contact with something like a small stone. Steel burrs dull over time, but they can be sharpened or replaced. In general, a hand coffee mill should last between 5 to 10 years, although you can also find affordable products with lifetime warranties.
Stelton Collar Coffee Grinder
An elegant design.
Created by Italian designers Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri for Danish brand Stelton, Collar is one of the most elegant manual coffee grinders you can find. It combines Scandinavian minimalism and Italian style, meaning that you’ll want to leave it proudly on display in your kitchen. This product is also a pleasure to use thanks to a simple design. Made from stainless steel, it features a black Teflon® coating with a brass finish on the top. A manual system allows you to grind the coffee beans by hand to ensure optimal freshness and flavor.
Alessi Manual Espresso Grinder
One of the sleekest hand coffee grinders you can find.
Italian brand Alessi always impresses with products that reimagine everyday items as stylish objects. Take this Manual Espresso Grinder, for example. Designed by Keiji Takeuchi for the brand’s Slow Coffee Collection, this manual grinder is minimalist and simply gorgeous. Made from stainless steel, it has an elegantly rounded silhouette and a lustrous finish. However, this hand-operated coffee grinder is not only just beautiful. It has a durable ceramic grinder which you can adjust to find the right particle size for perfect espressos, French press coffee, iced coffee, and more. The circular knob on the handle makes the grinding process a breeze, so you can enjoy fresh, aromatic coffee every day.
ROK Manual Coffee Grinder
A blend of vintage and contemporary design cues.
If you’re looking for extra precision while preparing your coffee, the ROK Manual Coffee Grinder is the best choice. It features a 12-setting range as well as 48mm steel conical burrs. This means that this machine provides greater control over the coffee grind and ensures a consistent particle size, every time. Plus, this design takes inspiration from vintage machines, so it looks great on a kitchen counter. Crafted to last, this product has a die-cast aluminum build. Other features include a double bearing drive shaft and an agitator that guarantees every bean is ground to perfection.
Timemore Slim Plus
Compact and easy to use.
Designed with convenience in mind, the Timemore Slim Plus is compact but spacious. Its slim body makes it perfect for traveling; without the crank arm, it even fits into an AeroPress plunger. However, it can hold coffee for full 12-ounce brews. The design is also optimized for efficiency. One of the best hand coffee grinder designs, it features dual-purpose espresso and brewing 38mm conical steel burrs, a stepped grind system, and a body made from a single block of aluminum that centralizes the steel axle and dual bearing, eliminating lateral play in the burrs. The body also boasts a diamond texture for a perfect grip.
Weber Workshops HG 2
A high-end design with an integrated transmission gearbox.
Designed and made by Weber Workshops, a company co-founded by Douglas Weber, a former member of the product design team at Apple, HG2 is one of the best manual coffee grinders you can buy. Unlike most similar products, it features impressive 83mm conical burrs as well as a transmission gearbox. A better, re-engineered version of the hugely popular HG 1, the HG2 also features a patent-pending tumbler, a smaller footprint, a foldable crank handle, and finer grind settings. This manual machine is also specially crafted to last a lifetime, meaning that while it’s more pricey (compared to other manual coffee grinders) it’s also the only one you’ll ever need.
Zassenhaus Havana
A stylish coffee grinder with a golden finish.
Made by German brand Zassenhaus (which was founded in 1867), Havana blends traditional craftsmanship with an eye-catching design. Safe to say, this is one of the most stylish manual coffee grinders currently available. Manufactured from brass, it features a polished finish and an elegant engraved pattern. The rounded handle offers an excellent grip while the specially forged steel burrs have cutting edges that grind the beans with a gentle touch to preserve their flavors. Plus, the adjusting system guarantees that you’ll be able to process coffee beans with consistency, whether you prefer them finer or coarse.
Peugeot Kronos Manual Coffee Grinder
A coffee mill designed to last a lifetime.
From 1849, Peugeot has been making high-quality kitchen utensils and accessories. Their Kronos manual coffee mill is a testament to the brand’s know-how, as it comes with an impressive lifetime warranty. The grinder’s high-performance, patented mechanism features a precise grind adjustment system with 43 settings. And what does this mean, exactly? Well, with this hand coffee grinder you can easily prepare coffee beans from extra fine to very coarse, so you can easily make anything from espresso to cold brews. Finally, each product is made in France with a wood and metal build as well as a stainless steel milling mechanism that is corrosion-resistant.
Hario Ceramic Olivewood
A beautifully designed ceramic, wood, and steel mill.
Elegance meets function in the Hario Ceramic Olivewood manual coffee grinder. Made in Japan, this grinder combines high-quality materials in a stylish design. While the base is made from olivewood, the hopper is crafted from white ceramic. A stainless steel lid and handle with a wood knob complete the design. Ceramic burrs grind the coffee beans from fine to coarse, but don’t heat them up. As a result, the powder keeps the beans’ precious oils and flavor profile intact. With a capacity of 30 grams, this product is ideal for the daily coffee brewing ritual. Plus, the compact design makes this coffee mill a great choice for either smaller kitchens or traveling.
Field Barista Coffee Grinder
The best portable coffee grinder.
Inspired by barista utensils, this hand coffee grinder provides professional results. It comes with an adjustable ceramic burr that offers a convenient way to grind coffee beans finely or more coarse. Made from stainless steel, this coffee mill also features iron and ceramic parts along with a natural wood handle. The best part? It’s extremely compact and portable. Thanks to the included storage bag, you can easily take this grinder on trips, camping, and anywhere else you want to bring your favorite brew with you.
Hario Mini-Slim Pro
A compact mill with ceramic burrs.
Following on the footsteps of Hario’s popular Mini-Slim+ mill, Mini-Slim Pro has the same distinctive silhouette and compact size but comes with a few upgrades. More specifically, it features a cast aluminum handle and a stainless steel body for extra durability and strength. The use of brushed stainless steel also gives a modern look to the design. Like other Hario manual coffee grinders, this one comes with ceramic burrs that “shave” the coffee beans instead of crushing them. Plus, the ceramic burrs transfer less heat compared to their metal counterparts. As a result, the ground coffee retains all of the oils and flavors of the coffee beans. The Mini-Slim Pro comes in silver or black versions.
Akirakoki Craftsman
A high-precision grinder.
Created with both baristas and coffee brewing enthusiasts in mind, the Akirakoki Craftsman is high-precision, compact, and versatile. Simply put, one of the best hand coffee grinder options. It comes with 48 grind levels that offer an easy way to find the perfect setting, from extra fine to coarse and everything in between. To change the setting, you only need to twist the center dial which features a diamond pattern for a fantastic grip. Made to last, this coffee mill features an aluminum alloy body with high-grade, Japanese stainless steel conical burrs that also have a titanium plating. The Craftsman has a capacity of 30g, which is enough for about three cups of coffee.
Peugeot L’Arbre à Café Coffee Mill
An intuitive, elegant design.
Another high-quality coffee mill from French brand Peugeot, L’Arbre à Café provides a practical solution to prepare coffee beans for brewing while also offering a view of the results. The mill was created in a collaboration between Peugeot, design firm Sylvie Amar Studio, and Hippolyte Courty, expert coffee roaster and founder of L’Arbre à Café. Elegant and intuitive, the grinder features 11 levels which the user can adjust in one smooth motion. The mill grinds coffee beans with precision, whether for espresso, cold brew, or filter coffee. This grinder comes with a washable glass container, a brush, and a measuring spoon.
Kinu M47 Classic
A single dose, stainless steel hand coffee grinder.
Part of Kinu’s M47 series, the Classic model is one of the best manual coffee grinders available. That’s because it’s specially designed with efficiency in mind. This high-end mill features a custom, full metal cone that auto-centers the burrs, a catch-up cup and beans funnel with 11 magnets, an adjustable grinding system with 50 divisions per revolution, and 47mm pro-grade conical burrs. M47 Classic also features a thumb stopper for easier handling and a large, rounded handle for a great grip. Plus, this hand grinder comes with an EVA hard case for convenient traveling.
