The Best Manual Coffee Grinders of 2022 – Reviews & Buying Guide

Nothing beats grinding your own coffee beans.

Not only is it an enjoyable morning routine for a coffee connoisseur, but it also captures all the flavors and aroma from your coffee beans, especially when you use the best manual coffee grinder.

Hand coffee grinders are quieter than electric ones and they produce uniform sized grounds which is essential for a delicious cup of coffee. We’ll be looking at the differences between hand coffee grinders and electric later. 

In this review, we look at some of the best manual coffee grinders on the market and guide you on how to buy the right one for your needs.

Let’s dive in.

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Quick Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For Best Manual Coffee Grinder

• Best Overall: JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
• Best Value: LHS Hand Coffee Mill
• Best for Portability: Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Grinder

The 10 Best Manual Coffee Grinders

Here are the best manual coffee grinders you should consider:

1. JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder

This grinder tops our list and rightly so. JavaPresse scores points in every possible way you can imagine. Its compact size makes it ideal for use in any kitchen where space is premium. The small size can fit your travel bag or backpack without hiccups. 

The grinder is also lightweight, which makes it a perfect travel companion to take with you while hiking, camping, or even commuting to work.

It consists of a stainless steel body, making it a beast in the longevity department. But there’s also a ceramic conical burr with an easy to use a detachable hand crank to make packing a breeze.

The grinder’s dual plate system gives it superior stability when grinding. 

This feature allows you not to worry about the stability of the grinder and instead focus on grinding your coffee beans into the required grain size for that heavenly tasting cup. 

If you like consistency in your drink’s flavor and aroma, then JavaPresse will work for you.

This unique hand coffee grinder comes with an adjustable knob below the burr that allows you to use a click system to change the grind settings.

The design looks simple and it is, but this machine has been around for a while and it’s because many people love it for its functional and top-notch grinds.

What We Like

• Compact
• Lightweight and portable
• Less noisy
• Easy to disassemble during cleaning
• Relatively cheaper than other models

What We Don’t Like

• Grind settings may take time to get used to

Verdict

If you need the best manual coffee grinder that’s quick enough to grind your beans even before your water boils and is worth the money, then the JavaPresse will deliver.

2. Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill

Adjusting grind settings on a hand coffee grinder should be easy peasy, and that’s precisely what the Hario Coffee Mill does. 

The burrs make grinding consistency easy; you can easily adjust the settings and use them repeatedly.

The grinder’s sleek and slim design makes storage stress-free. The burrs are made of ceramic, which doesn’t transfer heat to your coffee beans and impact extraction. 

Besides, ceramic doesn’t rust, which makes the grinder durable.

You can attach and detach the grinding handle, which makes storage even easier, as you just need to keep the handle close to the grinder. 

That’s perfect when packing it in a box to travel somewhere or when you need some more space for other items.

This coffee mill gives you two cups of grind space, so if you want to make coffee for two people or prefer sipping coffee day and night, then you won’t strain at all.

The ceramic burr is properly designed for the best grinding consistency and it can help you prepare coffee in under two minutes.

Take note, though, that this grinding unit has a learning curve in terms of adjusting the settings. In the beginning, it’s honestly trial and error, but later on, it will be a walk in the park.

What We Like

• Compact size that makes this grinder perfect for traveling and storage
• Durable parts
• Low cost
• Gives a consistent grind

What We Don’t Like

• It takes time to learn how to adjust grind settings
• Not a stellar performance for coarse ground

Verdict

Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill is an affordable but quality manual grinder for your needs. If you’re looking for a consistent grinder and one that’s easy to carry around and operate, then your search has come to an end.

3. ROK Aluminum Coffee Grinder

Maybe, you love both coffee and espresso and are wondering whether there’s a manual grinder to deliver grounds for both types of beverage. Well, with the ROK Coffee Grinder, it’s absolutely possible to achieve this goal.

To tweak your grind settings, simply twist the knob through the twelve divisions. This step gives you amazing flexibility that’s hard to achieve on other hand coffee grinders. 

You can manipulate the machine’s settings to get the perfect fine grounds for quality espresso and find out what works for you by experimenting.

If you’re interested in a French press coffee that requires a coarser grind, then simply ratchet the wheel upward to get robust grounds ideal for this coffee preparation method.

While the ROK Grinder is considerably bigger and bulkier than other models, it has a non-slip ring to prevent it from wobbling or sliding when in use. 

This feature makes the grinder perfect for you if you like grinding your coffee faster without much effort. Once you attach the base to a table’s base, you are good to go.

This grinder is made from die-cast aluminum and has a set of 48mm burrs (stainless steel). It comes with a vertical (rather than horizontal) grinding method and this makes it different from other grinders on the market.

What We Like

• Ergonomic design
• High-quality burr, making the grinder more durable
• Indefinite hopper capacity
• Non-slip ring to ensure there’s no sliding or wobbling
• Easy to adjust

What We Don’t Like

• Unsuitable for travel due to bulkiness

Verdict

The ROK Aluminum Grinder is ideal for home-based grinding, especially if you would like to adjust grind settings for different types of drinks.

4. Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Grinder

The Porlex Grinder is made in Osaka, Japan, and ideal for travelers and minimalists who want a small-sized grinder to carry with them.

Designed for people who are always on the go, this machine grinds quickly and accurately. 

What makes traveling coffee snobs rave about this grinder? It comes with an easy-to-hold cylindrical shape, making it perfect for biking, hiking, stashing in the car, or packing in a suitcase.

The grinder fits in an Aeropress like a glove, making it easy to pack. And did we mention its weight is only 10.4 ounces?

Porlex Grinder has a stainless steel body that makes it virtually indestructible plus cleaning is seamless. 

If you like playing around with the grind settings for coarse and fine grinds, then you’ll like this machine.

Besides, there’s a little dial to help you remember the perfect grind that you previously produced. It comes with 13 settings, which you can use via a click on the burr wheel. 

To make the most of your Porlex Grinder, you simply need to find the best grind for your coffee maker and remember the number. That’s all it takes to brew your perfect coffee on the go.

What We Like

• Portable
• Easy to use
• High build quality
• Durable
• Compact size that you can store anywhere

What We Don’t Like

• Small Capacity

Verdict

The Porlex grinder is travel-friendly and makes two to three cups of ground coffee in two minutes without elbow grease. If you’re a traveling coffee enthusiast, look no further, this is the best manual coffee grinder for you. 

5. LHS Hand Coffee Mill

Did you know the type of coffee grinder you choose can also affect the freshness of your drink’s flavor? Well, this happens if the burr produces excessive friction resulting in heat being transferred to the coffee beans, damaging their flavor.

Lucky for you, the LHS manual grinder has a ceramic burr that doesn’t transfer heat to your beans. In other words, the flavor that results from your coffee beans is well preserved.

But that’s not all.

Adjusting the grind size on this grinder is a piece of cake. You simply need to turn the knob that lies in the coffee grinder’s middle. The knob has four grinding levels, ranging from fine to course.

The high-quality materials on this grinder make it a favorite for most people. The stainless steel hand crank and ceramic burr are not only sturdy but also durable. 

Additionally, the portable design makes it easy to carry the grinder to the office or anywhere else.

To use this grinder:

I. Add beans to the hopper

II. Adjust the knob in the middle to select your desired coarseness

III. Move the handle in a clockwise direction to grind the beans

IV. Remove the ground coffee and proceed to brewing

Please, don’t grind when there are no coffee beans inside, as it might dent the ceramic.

What We Like

• Easy to clean – just separate the parts
• Preserves your coffee flavor
• Easy to adjust the coarseness
• Easy to fill with coffee beans
• Inexpensive
• Lightweight and portable

What We Don’t Like

• Can be hard to turn

Verdict

If you’re looking for a lightweight manual grinder that’s easy to operate and one that preserves your coffee’s flavor, then the LHS Coffee Grinder is for you.

6. 1Zpresso Q2 Manual Coffee Grinder 

It’s rare to come across an excellent manual coffee grinder at a lower price, but there’s an exception when it comes to 1Zpresso Q2 Grinder. 

While this grinder is inexpensive and compact, it comes with premium features, including premium materials: stainless and aluminum. It has a triaxial design and dual bearing to create better stability and thus, consistency when grinding.

The general grind setting has over 60 clicks, so you can play around with it to find what suits you. 

The compact size means you can grind coffee while traveling, camping, or even going up the mountains!

The Q grinder saves you a lot of space; it weighs less than 400g. This size is perfect for packing in your bag or Aeropress. Besides, the small size is comfortable to grip, making grinding fun.

What We Like

• Portable
• Built with high-quality materials – stainless steel
• Easy to hold and grind
• Durable
• Small size for easy storage
• Excellent value

What We Don’t Like

• Small capacity not ideal for frequent users

Verdict

If you’re looking for the best manual coffee grinder that blends quality, functionality, style, and price, then look no further.

7. Hario Skerton Pro

This is a quality manual grinder that blends style and functionality. 

The slip-free rubber base prevents wobbling during grinding and the large storage capacity means you can brew at least three cups at home or when camping.

The ceramic burr prevents heat transfer to your coffee beans that may ruin their flavor. The grinder is easy to take apart and put together with a hopper that you can attach to a mason jar or any other storage container. 

Hario Skerton Pro is yet another fantastic hand coffee grinder for on-the-go coffee snobs.

The grinder is easy to use and clean, which saves your time whether it’s your regular morning routine or when you’re traveling – let’s be honest, there’s always a lot to do when we are out, but there’s always time for another cup of coffee!

What We Like

• Small and reliable
• Give a consistent grind
• Easy to disassemble
• Slip-free base for hassle-free grinding
• Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
• Burr stopper to stabilize grain base

What We Don’t Like

• Glass base makes it fragile when transporting

Verdict

This grinder is designed for coffee lovers interested in a small and reliable grinder that works without sacrificing the taste of your coffee.

8. Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder

This coffee grinder has a design similar to that of Hario Skerton Pro. The machine features a removable silicone base to minimize sliding and ceramic conical burrs for durability and fresh taste.

Theron Andrews founded Khaw-Fee, and he believes that all coffee lovers should enjoy great and freshly ground coffee. 

The Khaw-Fee brand is family-owned and operated, and purchasing a product from them comes with a 100 percent lifetime warranty.

To access the built-in adjustable grind selector, you need to remove the handle. After that, you can adjust the grind for pretty much anything, from French press to Turkish coffee. After grinding, you can disassemble the grinder and clean it with ease.

This grinder is less noisy, which means you can grind coffee at the office without distracting your colleagues, at home without waking up your loved ones, and while camping so you don’t disturb wildlife.

What We Like

• Infinitely adjustable from cold brew to Turkish coffee
• Easy to assemble all parts for easy cleaning
• Made of stainless steel and ceramic for longevity
• Super quiet
• Lifetime warranty!

What We Don’t Like

• You need to remove the handle before adjusting the grind settings
• Glass hopper is delicate and unsuitable for traveling

Verdict

Efficient, tidy, and small enough to move around, the Khaw-Fee Manual Grinder is perfect for those who are just getting started with manual grinding. But veterans interested in a strong and quiet hand grinder will also find it insanely useful.

9. KONA Manual Coffee Grinder

When looking for the best manual coffee grinder, it’s difficult to find an incredibly affordable product with excellent functionality. But somehow, the KONA Grinder hits that intersection flawlessly.

For less than you’d imagine, this grinder comes with 18 click settings and, in spite of its compactness, has a capacity of up to 50g of coffee beans. The ceramic burr can grind what you may need for a tasty cup of French press or a shot of espresso.

This travel-friendly hand coffee grinder has a detachable handle for effortless portability. 

Besides, KONA made the grinder easy to turn with a stable burr and improved torque mechanism, so you could enjoy using it.

Generally, clicks to the left equate to coarseness while those to the right mean fineness. So, you can experiment to find the best setting for your cup.

What We Like

• Handle detaches for hassle-free storage
• Inexpensive
• 18 grind settings for versatility
• Glass jar has a capacity of up to 50g of coffee beans
• Ridges on the grinder’s side are easy to grip

What We Don’t Like

• Takes some time to find the perfect grind setting

Verdict

If you’re looking for a manual grinder that blends affordability and compact size, then consider the KONA Manual Coffee Grinder your go to.

10. Vucchini Manual Coffee Grinder

The Vucchini Manual Coffee Grinder is known for its high-quality design, grind consistency, and user-friendly operation.

This machine features 15 grind settings and is ideal for an array of brewing methods, from pour-over to cold brew and anything in between.

The hopper is easy to load and holds 60grams of coffee beans. Just remove the handle, pop off the lid, and load. 

The gears grind smoothly and the handle fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. 

The hopper feeds your coffee beans into the 40mm grinder. It’s equipped with high quality ceramic burrs that won’t rust or add heat to your coffee during grinding. 

This hand coffee grinder is easy to maintain. Simply unscrew the bolt on the bottom of the grinder and rinse under warm water or pop in the dishwasher for a deep clean. 

Vucchini offers a 100% guarantee, if you’re unhappy and any time for any reason just contact them and they’ll workout a solution. They stand behind their products without reservation and that sets them apart as one of the best manual coffee grinders. 

What We Like

• Easy to adjust grind (15) settings
• Easy to load hopper
• Hopper holds 60 grams of coffee beans
• Comes with an extra lid to keep any extra coffee fresh
• Dishwasher safe

What We Don’t Like

• Grinding fine grains for Turkish coffee or espresso can be a challenge

Verdict

This grinder is durable, quiet, portable, easy to use, and able to grind for a wide array of brewing methods. If you value quality this could be the best manual coffee grinder for you.

Buying Guide for the Best Manual Coffee Grinder

You like your coffee freshly ground because of the irresistible tasty aroma concealed inside the bean! You are our kinda people, and we are yours. 

Grinding your coffee before brewing it is the best way to capture its full flavor. And you need the best manual coffee grinder that retains the coffee’s aroma in order to do that.

A good coffee maker will be worthless if you don’t invest in an excellent grinder that will produce the coffee flavor you love. 

The grinder should be able to effectively extract this flavor with a consistency that will blend well with any brewing method, be it drip, French press, or AeroPress.

If you want to have an excellent cup of coffee every time, you have to invest in a coffee grinder that will offer you the best service and eventually become a tool you can’t live without. 

With all the coffee grinder options available on the market, it can be a bit challenging to choose the best grinding machine for you.

Factors to Keep In Mind When Buying the Best Manual Coffee Grinder

Before buying your coffee grinder, you should consider your preferences and what you expect from it. 

Here are characteristics that may help you determine the type of grinder to take home with you.

The Size of the Grind

This is a vital characteristic you should consider when purchasing a grinder or when you want to brew your coffee. 

The thinness or thickness of the coffee grind will determine the quality of your brew. A fine grind can make you an espresso or help you brew your coffee with a Moka pot. 

An extra-fine coffee can give you more exotic brews such as Turkish coffee. A thicker coffee grind is more coarse and suitable for drip coffee, French press, and pour-over methods.

Consistency of the Grind

An excellent grinder should have consistency in performance and function. 

It should be able to grind different sizes of coffee, including fine, extra-fine, medium-coarse, or coarse. Various methods of coffee brewing require different sizes of grind, which influence the way water filters through the grounds.

A grinder that offers more grind sizes will help you be able to make a variety of drinks. You’ll be able to get your coffee as you like it. With fresh flavor and aroma extracted equally at the same rate and in the size of your liking.

Ceramic or Steel Burrs

The best manual coffee grinder comes with steel or ceramic burrs. 

Stainless steel burs are durable and easy to clean. They are also easy to replace and less expensive. 

Grinders with ceramic burrs are best for home use since they are durable and don’t transfer any heat to your coffee beans. The downside to them is they’re costly to replace. 

A grinder with good quality burr will give you the best grind consistency.

The Grinder Capacity

Every coffee grinder has its own capacity, and you can select one depending on the number of people that are going to use it. Coffee has a better flavor when you brew it immediately after grinding the beans.

The Grinding Speed

The speed in which the grind occurs with a hand coffee grinder is entirely up to you. Some hand grinders take longer than others depending on the difficulty to turn the handle but, adjusting the speed all comes down to how fast you turn.

Heat Control

Since you’re in control of the grinding speed a hand coffee grinder produces far less heat than that of a fast spinning motor in an electric grinder. The lack of heat  will preserve the flavor of your coffee beans

Easy to Use and Clean

The type of grinder you choose should be easy to use and clean afterward, especially if it’s going to be something you use everyday. Research thoroughly to find your best pick from the customer reviews published in places like Amazon and Google. 

The Number of Grind Settings the Grinder Has

The more grind settings your coffee grinder has, the more options of grind consistency you can achieve. If you enjoy different brewing methods a manual coffee grinder with a wide range of grind settings will best suit you where if you use the same brewing method all the time you really don’t need a wide range of grind settings. 

Part Durability

Before you choose your manual grinder, you should know that many of them don’t come with warranties. There is one on our list (Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder) that comes with a lifetime warranty but, they’re the exception, not the rule. 

So, be sure to research carefully to understand the qualities of the product before you go ahead and buy it. 

Manual VS Electric Coffee Grinders: How to Pick the Right One

Manual Coffee Grinders

With manual machines, it is your energy, time, and effort that will ultimately grind your coffee beans. It is said that manual grinders produce quality coffee. You can adjust the machine to produce your preferred coffee grind. 

Hand-ground coffee beans can transform and improve your coffee with richness, flavor, and an aroma that may not come out the same when you use an automatic machine. Manual coffee grinders are simple, often easily portabile, and give you a lot of control over your grind.

The best manual coffee grinders are compact and can be held with one hand as you crank with the other. They are also highly durable with the advantage of grinding any time whether you have electricity or not. You can get them at a cost-effective rate too.

Electric Coffee Grinders

If you like your coffee beans ground instantly with less effort, you may want to go for a grinder that operates automatically.

Electric coffee grinders will provide both speed and convenience, allowing you to have your ground coffee instantly in your preferred consistency. If you’re going to be traveling without power or lose power at your home frequently this isn’t going to be the best option for you.

Electric coffee grinders are more expensive than manual coffee grinders. And if by chance you buy a low-end electric model, you will encounter false burrs that will not deliver a consistent grind. 

But quality electric coffee grinders are amazingly convenient, high performing and durable. They are designed with up to more than 40 grind setting options to give you a variety of beverages. However, most of them are noisy.

How Long Does It Take One to Grind Coffee Using A Manual Grinder?

A typical manual coffee grinder takes about a minute to grind one cup of coffee. However, some models will make you work for a shorter time, say like in 45 seconds you can grind beans enough to make 2 – 3 cups of coffee. 

Grinders with ceramic burrs tend to be slower and will take you about 2 – 3 minutes to grind just three scoops of coffee.

To grind 10 grams of coffee, it takes approximately 70 revolutions of the handle, which will take about 30 – 40 seconds of your time.

Is It Better To Grind Your Own Coffee?

Freshly ground coffee has a natural flavor and aroma compared to pre-ground varieties. That’s why many prefer to grind their own. Using pre-ground varieties will not give you the richness and quality that comes from grinding your own coffee beans just before you brew.

Here’s why it’s not ideal to use pre-ground coffee varieties and instead opt for freshly ground coffee, which you can use to brew your beverage in different brewing methods;

Pre-ground coffee undergoes different stages of preparation, which contribute to its degradation. Roasted coffee beans have about 1,000 different flavors and aromas. 

Through the oxidation process, the compounds in the coffee beans interact with various molecules in the air that make it stale. Coffee oils are known to be delicate and can get contaminated easily and affect quality.

Coffee beans are best used immediately after they are ground to avoid contamination. 

You’ll be able to enjoy fresh flavor and aroma. Pre-ground varieties limit you to particular methods of brewing, but if you have your own grinder, you can brew your espresso, pour-over, or Aeropress coffee any time you feel like.

Coffee oils, when exposed to moisture, get diluted and degrade the value of the coffee. That’s why using pre-ground coffee varieties is not recommended.

To enjoy the most flavor from your coffee it’s best to grind the beans just before you brew. That’s not to say using ground coffee is bad, it has its perks but, the flavor won’t be quite as good.

Final Word

Using the best manual coffee grinder not only allows you to enjoy fresh and tasty coffee, but it gives you a reason to look forward to another enjoyable morning experience. 

Be sure to go for a grinder that meets your needs and one with quality features. Hopefully, you’ll find a suitable hand coffee grinder from our list above.