Last Updated on February 4, 2022 by John Moretti
Having a big electric grinder is ideal, but a manual coffee grinder comes in handy if you need portability. However, choosing the right manual coffee grinder can be challenging because not all products are made equal. This post contains the best manual coffee grinders available in the market.
It’s important to look for a well-designed and durable manual coffee grinder that remains consistent with your brewing method.
Grinding your coffee beans before brewing is one of the essential parts of the coffee-making process. It’s the only way to enjoy the full aroma and flavor of your coffee. That’s where a coffee grinder comes into place.
Read each product carefully to make the most informed decision that meets all your unique needs.
This article will review the manual coffee grinders listed below. The following table explains the features of each product to provide you with a precise overview.
| Sr. No. | Product Name | Capacity | Grinder Type | Item Weight | Warranty |
| 1 | Comandante C40 MK3 Nitro Blade | 40 grams | High-nitrogen martensitic steel burrs | 1.63 pounds | Lifetime limited |
| 2 | Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder | 55 grams | Iron burrs | 1.6 pounds | Lifetime limited |
| 3 | Zassenhaus Santiago Manual Coffee Mill | 30 grams | Steel burrs | 1.92 pounds | 25 years |
| 4 | JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder | 40 grams | Ceramic burrs | 0.59 pounds | 6 months |
| 5 | Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder | 20 grams | Ceramic burrs | 0.5 pounds | 7 years |
| 6 | VSSL JAVA Manual Hand Coffee Grinder | 20 grams | Stainless steel burrs | 0.87 pounds | Lifetime limited |
| 7 | Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder | 100 grams | Conical Ceramic Burr | 1.74 pounds | 1-year full-service warranty |
| 8 | Hario Skerton Pro Ceramic Manual Coffee Grinder | 100 grams | Ceramic conical burrs | 1.43 pounds | 90 days limited warranty |
| 9 | TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder | 25 grams | Stainless Steel Conical Burr | 0.95 pounds | 1-year quality issue warranty |
| 10 | 1Zpresso JX Manual Coffee Grinder | 35 grams | Stainless Steel Conical Burr | 1.43 pounds | 1-year limited warranty |
1. Comandante C40 MK3 Nitro Blade: Best Splurge
In terms of grind consistency and elegance, the Comandante C40 MK3 coffee grinder marks the gold standard. Not only does it perform an excellent job for espresso, but it also works great for all brewing styles.
This manual coffee grinder ensures the uniformity of small particle size, thanks to its double axle bearings and high-quality steel burrs. For easy replication and adjustment of different grind sizes, Comandante C40 MK3 uses a stepped grind system.
It’s one of the very few high-end manual coffee grinders that still uses this system and makes delicious brews. Its overall appearance is also very elegant and allows you to grind your coffee bean in style.
The only downside of the Comandante C40 MK3 is that it comes with a hefty price tag. But it’ll suit you best if you’re not concerned about the budget and need a perfect product.
Pros
- Offers a wide range of grind sizes
- Comes with an elegant design
- High-quality and durable built to last long
- Incredible grind consistency
- Offers 40 grams of capacity
- Comes with a lifetime limited warranty
Cons
- Hefty price tag
- Come with some plastic parts
2. Akirakoki Manual Coffee Grinder: Best for Versatility
Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder comes with iron accents and a solid wooden body, and it’s available in a different color.
One of the best factors about this hand grinder is that it doesn’t produce rust, odor, or heat. That’s because of its premium-quality burr, which is made of cast iron.
The bottom container of this product can hold up to 55 grams of beans, and the hopper contains 35 grams of coffee beans. You can also use it to make various types of coffee brews, thanks to its capability to produce both coarse and fine grinds.
The crank is ergonomically designed that allows you to achieve easy, silent, and smooth grinding functions. On the downside, Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is a little more difficult to clean than most steel grinders.
You’ll need to use a small brush to clean the machine from the inside and sweep around the burr. It’s also important to make sure that you keep it dry and clean the machine thoroughly after each use.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Elegant and sturdy design
- Produces both coarse and fine grinds
- Comes with a lifetime limited warranty
Cons
- Difficult to clean
- Take a little longer time to grind
- Hopper’s opening is relatively small.
- Comes with only 6 months of warranty
3. Zassenhaus Santiago Manual Coffee Mill: Best for Espresso
If you’re looking for a manual coffee grinder that comes with an iconic antique look, then you can’t go wrong with Zassenhaus Santiago Manual Coffee Mill. Zassenhaus is a popular German company that flaunts over 150 years of experience and offers vintage manual grinders.
This product isn’t only about its pretty look. It offers an incredible grind consistency to brew your favorite cup of coffee. It comes with a range of grind settings, and you can choose your desired grind size using the available dial.
The best feature that stands Zassenhaus Santiago Manual Coffee Mill out from the competition is its 25 years of warranty. Also, it comes in different colors. But if you prefer a more rustic look, we recommend you buy Mahogany.
Pros
- The grinding mechanism comes with a warranty of 25 years.
- Great grinding consistency
- Beautiful vintage appearance
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Comparatively large and chunky build
- The capacity is lower as compared to its size
- The dial doesn’t have any numbers, which makes it a little difficult to switch between different grind styles
4. Javapresse Manual Coffee Grinder: Best Stainless Steel
Javapresse Manual Coffee Grinder is one of the most popular products that many coffee lovers recommend, and for good reasons. It’s an extremely portable grinder that comes with a good-looking and robust body made of stainless steel.
It can easily produce 2 cups of brew with a single grind, and it also offers a removable hand crank for easy operation. One of the best features of this manual grinder is that it comes with 18 different grind settings. You can select your desired setting by using the click knob that’s located under the burrs.
Javapresse Manual Coffee Grinder is also one of the quietest manual coffee grinders available in the market. The price of this product is also very reasonable, but on the downside, the grind consistency isn’t the best.
Pros
- Extremely portable
- One of the most affordable manual coffee grinders
- Offers a very quiet operation
- Comes with a durable and sturdy design
Cons
- The grind consistency is questionable.
- It can take some time to understand all the available grind settings.
5. Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder: Best for Travel
If you like to travel a lot and are looking for a manual coffee grinder, then Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder will suit you the best. That’s because of its tiny size and extremely low weight. It comes with a removable handle that makes it easy to pack this grinder easily.
Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder is made of stainless steel and plastic, making it durable and long-lasting. Whether it’s a road trip or a hiking adventure, you can carry this product anywhere you want.
Another great feature of this product is that it offers 13 different grind settings. You can set the desired grind easily as it’s easy to navigate. While this product works perfectly well with AeroPress, it sometimes struggles with Espresso and French Press.
It’s important to bear in mind that it only offers a capacity of 20 grams because of its compact design. So, you can only grind coffee beans for just one cup at a time. If you want to make more cups for your family or friends, you’ll need to put in a lot of effort.
Pros
- Extremely portable and incredibly lightweight
- Very easy to use
- Sturdy and durable built to last long
- Reasonable prices
Cons
- Very low capacity
- Grinding consistency isn’t as good as more expensive models offer.
6. VSSL JAVA Manual Hand Coffee Grinder: Best Design
VSSL JAVA Manual Hand Coffee Grinder is one of the best-looking products out there. Its design stands out for many reasons. It comes with multiple unique and attractive engineering details, such as copper-colored accents and a sleek black exterior.
It also makes for a great manual coffee grinder for travelers because you can turn its crank into a carabiner. It can be easily fastened with your backpack or bag while you’re on the move. It comes with multiple grind settings, and you can use the labeled dial to select the desired one.
The high-quality material and attractive look make VSSL JAVA Manual Hand Coffee Grinder a great option for stylish people.
However, there are some downsides that you should keep in mind before making your final decision. It’s an expensive manual coffee grinder (more than many electric options), and it only offers a capacity of 20 grams.
While non-electric brewers will not be a problem, it doesn’t produce the best results if you want to brew espresso. If these downsides aren’t concerning for you, then VSSL JAVA Manual Hand Coffee Grinder can be your best companion.
Pros
- Offers great design
- A Portable and compact build that makes it easy to carry.
- High-quality materials
- Comes with a lifetime limited warranty
Cons
- Very expensive
- Small capacity
- Not a good option for espresso
7. Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder: Best Allrounder
Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder is a revolutionary product that literally exploded a few years back. It offers pretty much everything that you need from a manual coffee grinder. Unlike most manual coffee grinders, Handground Precision comes with a side handle instead of a top.
Not only does it provide this grinder with a unique look, but it also makes the grinding process easy. It comes with clear and straightforward grind size demarcations that are incredibly easy to adjust and use.
Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder offers 15 different settings, and they cover everything from cold drip to French press. The grind consistency is also incredible, especially when you consider its cheap price tag. It can be a great option if you’re a French press guy.
However, it’s the heaviest product on this list as it weighs about 1 kilogram. Therefore, it won’t be a good option for you if you need something lightweight and easy to carry.
Pros
- Offers a large capacity
- Easy to use
- Offers excellent consistency
- Great grind settings and adjustment system
Cons
- Large and chunky build
8. Hario Skerton Pro Ceramic Manual Coffee Grinder: Best for Overall Grind Consistency
This hand coffee grinder is the second iteration of the classic Skerton by Hario. It comes with multiple improvements such as a better look, new grind settings, improved stability, and a new burr design.
These improvements made Hario Skerton Pro Ceramic Manual Coffee Grinder one of the best products that money can buy. It produces a consistent grind, and it’s also very easy to use.
It’s the second-largest product on this list and offers a hopper capacity of 100 grams. It features rubber, glass, and plastic on different parts and is not a great option for travelers. However, rather than using the glass grind container, consider using a mason jar if you want to travel with it.
Hario Skerton Pro Ceramic Manual Coffee Grinder features a small ring that clicks on different settings. You can use this ring to select your desired grinding option conveniently. On the downside, it sometimes struggles with coarser grinds.
Pros
- Produces a uniform and consistent grind
- Comes with a rubber base for added stability that helps with grinding
- Easy to use
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
- Offers a capacity of 100 grams
Cons
- Doesn’t have any marking that explains different grind settings
- Sometimes struggles with coarser grinds
- Heavy and large design and not suitable for traveling in its original form
- Comes with only 90 days of the limited warranty
9. TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder: Best Value for Money
If you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder. It’s a relatively new product but offers all the mainstream functions that a traditional hand coffee grinder does. It’s a sleek grinder that produces high-quality grinds at a very low price.
It comes with conical steel burrs that are aggressive and sharp and grind the coffee beans quickly. Not only does it produce the results faster, but you also get to enjoy a great grind consistency.
One of the features that stand TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder out from the competition is that it offers 36 grind sizes. It’s something that you don’t get with a hand coffee grinder at this price. You can grind everything from French Press to Moka and all the other options in between.
The design of this grinder is undoubtedly modern and attractive. But it does come with less durable build quality as compared to other options mentioned on this list. The company has used some plastic parts in order to keep the price of this hand grinder down.
Most parts such as stabilizers, adjustment knob, crank pommel, and lid are made of plastic. However, the hand crank and burrs are made of durable stainless steel. It’s a great entry-level manual coffee grinder, and you can opt for it if you’re on a tight budget.
Pros
- Offers great value for money
- The grinding speed is surprisingly fast.
- Provides excellent grind consistency
- Offers a large grind range
Cons
- Offers small capacity (25 grams only)
- Contains so many plastic parts
10. 1Zpresso JX Manual Coffee Grinder: Best for the Ease of Cleaning
1Zpresso JX Manual Coffee Grinder is yet another product that entered the coffee world very recently. One of the most talked-about things about this manual coffee grinder is its quality to price ratio.
1Zpresso is a Taiwanese company that offers a range of hand coffee grinders. The JX Manual model is somewhere in the middle of that range. It comes with a powerful set of sharp and aggressive steel burrs and also offers an elegant design.
You can choose from 12 different grind settings by using a simple dial. However, it’s also possible to set the dial at a half step between each point. So technically, this ergonomic manual coffee grinder offers 24 different grind sizes.
Adjusting the grind setting is also very easy, and it allows you to achieve your desired particle size quickly. That’s because of the large size of its burrs, and you can grind your coffee beans for espresso as well.
Another great feature of the 1Zpresso JX Manual Coffee Grinder is its ease of cleaning. All you need is a dry cloth and a small brush to clean the machine from the inside.
Pros
- Offers great grind consistency
- Great build quality
- Grinds all types of coffee beans very quickly
- Great quality to price ratio
- Offers 24 different grind sizes
Cons
- The plastic lid feels a bit cheap.
- The stainless-steel burrs produce heat.
- A little heavier than most manual coffee grinders
