The 8 Best Manual Coffee Grinders in 2023 – Beragampengetahuan

Out of all the hand grinders I tried, the 1Zpresso K-Ultra manual coffee grinder is so far the best. The popular ones? They’re not so great anymore compared to my top pick. Sure, they can help you make decent coffee, but the resulting brew isn’t as great as the one you’ll brew if you use a great grinder.

Of course, there are a lot of options aside from the K-Ultra, and I bet you have a lot of other considerations too aside from good coffee. So, in this post, I listed and reviewed the best handheld grinders to help you find which suits you best.

The 8 Best Manual Coffee Grinders Of 2023 (Top Rated Hand Grinders By Experts)

Don’t risk buying something online to find out for yourself whether it’s great. Let Home Grounds do that for you! We bought and tested dozens of top-rated hand grinders to see which ones are worth your money, and we narrowed it down to these 8 incredible options.

Handheld coffee grinders seem simple enough; you might wonder why you can’t just buy the cheapest one. But they must be well-engineered to produce the precise and consistent grind you need. That’s why we put every grinder through a battery of tests to see how it really stacks up against the competition. Read on for our results.

For everything else, the grinders below are perfect (you may want to learn how to grind coffee first!)

1Zpresso has emerged as one of the top brands in manual coffee grinders in the past few years, with an almost overwhelming number of similar models. I’ll simplify matters for you by narrowing it down to just two. If you’re looking for a grinder for drip or manual drip, scroll down to the 1Zpresso JX review below. If you want a more versatile all-arounder (and my favorite hand grinder this year), the K-Ultra is the one!

I appreciate simple touches like the slimmer section in the middle for a better grip, the satisfyingly tactile click between settings, and the magnetic attachment of the grounds catch bin.

The quality of the grind, of course, is the most important thing, and that’s where this grinder stands out. In my tests, it delivered nearly the consistency of the renowned Comandante C40 in all settings, from cold brew to espresso. Indeed, taste testers couldn’t distinguish between the two in the cup. And compared to the C40, it’s substantially faster and less expensive.

The last thing I’ll mention is the external adjustment ring at the top of the grinder, which is a joy to use. I’ve spent many years awkwardly twisting tiny knobs and listening for clicks; the K-Ultra has convinced me never to return to those days. The external ring has ten numbered settings with 10 clicks between each. It’s simple to go back and forth between settings – perfect when I want to swap between drip and espresso.

I’ve been singing the praises of Kinu M47 grinders for a while. For reasons I can’t understand, they’re often overlooked in these “best of” lists, despite having specs on par with more expensive options. Perhaps it’s as simple as Kinu not having brand name recognition.

The Kinu M47 Simplicity is a follow-up to the M47 Classic. It’s essentially the same grinder but with a plastic catch cup and bean funnel. By making the less important parts plastic, Kinu has cut the weight and cost of the Simplicity grinder dramatically without compromising quality of the grinds. That said, if durability is a priority, the Kinu M47 Classic is also a great buy.

The M47 takes its name from its 47-mm conical burrs, which come with a proprietary coating Kinu calls “Black Fusion.” I like that “Black Fusion” burrs make my grinder sound like a superhero, but I like the consistency of its grind even more, especially at finer settings. This is a fantastic grinder for espresso and drip coffee, though performance drops slightly in the French press range.

Using this grinder also just feels nice. Two sets of ball bearings facilitate grinding, and I definitely noticed the fluid motion in testing. The stepless adjustment system is intuitive – usually my pet peeve with stepless hand grinders. The zero point is clearly marked, and there are 50 marks around the outside, each corresponding to 10 microns. It’s simple to dial in an espresso shot and easy to switch back and forth between settings.

Orphan Espresso revised its extremely popular Lido manual grinder to create this espresso-focused version. And they did it so well that the Orphan Lido E-T is my pick for the best hand grinder for espresso this year.

The two key features of a good espresso grinder are consistent coffee grounds at the finer end of the spectrum and small steps between the settings. Most grinders can grind finely enough, but uniformity and perfect grind size are what take an espresso from good to great. The Lido E-T nails this. The 48-mm steel burrs produce the most uniform fine coffee grinds of any grinder I tested. And with a stepless adjustment, you have infinite size flexibility to dial in the perfect shot.

An underlooked factor when ranking hand grinders for espresso is how much more manual labor is required to grind super fine. In a poorly designed grinder, it can be a real workout! When using the Lido E-T, I immediately noticed the smooth cranking motion and comfortable ergonomics. I even ground a double-shot of light roast beans without breaking a sweat.

Although designed with travel in mind, the Lido E-T isn’t exactly light or small. Clocking in at more than 2 pounds, it’s something you’d pack in your RV or suitcase rather than carry in your backpack when hiking. Personally, I’m okay with this trade-off because the larger size is a direct result of the better engineering that makes this grinder such a joy to use.

The 1Zpresso JX manual coffee grinder, also sometimes called the J Manual, is hands-down the best handheld coffee grinder for pourover coffee – or any brew method in the medium to coarse grind size range. I use mine for Aeropress, V60, Chemex, and French press brewing. Because of the limited range of this grinder, it’s remarkably affordable, making it an incredible value if you don’t make espresso.

Note that if you do enjoy espresso, the JX-Pro model is more capable in the finer sizes. It’s a bit pricier than the JX but still a great deal.

The 1Zpresso JX lacks the external adjustment I loved on the K-Max, but it’s still easy to use. And it makes sense to skip it in this case because this grinder isn’t designed for all brewing methods, so there is no need to make substantial grind size adjustments.

There are 30 clicks per rotation, with about 25 microns between clicks. I’d actually say this resolution is suitable for dialing in espresso, but the burrs offer better consistency in the medium range.

The speed of this grinder is as impressive as the consistency, on par with the K-Max and faster than the Timemore C2. It takes me about 20 seconds to grind 15 grams of whole coffee beans for a drip coffee. I credit this partly to the beefy 48-mm burr set, but the quality of engineering also plays a role. It’s easy to get in a smooth grinding groove.

I always struggle with whether to recommend the Comandante C40. A favorite in the specialty coffee industry, it’s an undeniably excellent grinder that displays German engineering at its best. But it’s also costly, and in the past, I haven’t been convinced of the value for money. However, that has changed with the release of the MK4. This exciting upgrade corrects some flaws in the MK3 to make it worth the splurge for specialty drinkers.

The Comandante C40 has 39 mm burrs, a smaller set than most grinders in its price bracket, which is one reason I’ve hesitated to recommend it. But size isn’t everything. Comandante’s high-nitrogen steel burrs perform incredibly well, delivering the most consistent grinds at the widest range of settings of any grinder I tested. This is a wonderfully versatile option for all brew methods, including espresso.

The downside of the smaller burr is that this grinder is relatively slow, particularly at the finer settings. It took me about a minute to grind for a double shot, which is around 20 – 25 seconds slower than other high-end options like the Lido E-T, Kinu M47, and 1Zpresso’s K-Max. Your patience and morning routine will dictate how much that matters to you.

I don’t particularly factor aesthetics when rating hand grinders, but I’d be remiss not to mention the lovely clean style of the Comandante. It’s available in a huge selection of colors and wood veneers, plus several options for the knob and catch cup. It’s easily the most beautiful grinder on the list – worth remembering if you plan to display it on your coffee bar.

Most hand grinders are good for travel, but some really stand out for their tiny size and light weight. Foremost among those is the Porlex Mini II, my longtime favorite manual coffee grinder for travel.

The obvious selling point of this grinder is that it is small enough to fit inside the brewing chamber of the original AeroPress, which just so happens to be my favorite travel coffee maker. I’ve taken this pairing on many a backpacking trip, and crawling out of the tent to a quality cup of coffee is always well worth the few extra ounces in my pack. The trade-off, of course, is its small capacity; it’s best suited for one person.

The solid steel body build makes the Porlex easy to clean and virtually indestructible, both nice features when it’s knocking around in your bag. The ceramic burrs are theoretically brittle enough to crack if you dropped it off a cliff or tried to grind a pebble, but I’ve been traveling with mine for years without issue. And I’m not always the daintiest backpacker.

This grinder has 13 settings, each defined by a ‘click’ on the burr wheel. It’s easy to adjust back and forth between settings but lacks the fine steps necessary for great espresso. It’s great for Aeropress, French press, and everything in between.

Timemore has totally disrupted the coffee gear market in the past few years with its high-quality, low-priced gear. It’s almost unbelievable. But I have tested the Chestnut C2 grinder (as well as their other grinders, the Chestnut C3 and Slim Plus) every which way, and I cannot find a reason to complain. They simply perform well above other grinders in this price range.

The Chestnut C2 uses a 38-mm conical burr to deliver consistent grounds at all sizes. In my tests, it was just a small step down in terms of uniformity from the pricier 1Zpresso JX. The stepped adjustment is easy to use, though I’d love to see a few marked locations to make it easier to return to previous settings. I ended up marking key spots on mine with a dab of nail polish.

That’s nearly as fast as some electric grinders! However, the same does not hold true for espresso. It slows considerably at finer sizes, and the stepped adjustment isn’t quite fine enough. 

The C2 is a slender, comfortable grinder with an aluminum body and steel crank arm. The latest edition has a fold-away arm to make it more efficient for traveling. Timemore has opted to use durable plastic for any parts that don’t receive wear and tear. While some users may object to this, it keeps this grinder affordable and lightweight, and I haven’t noticed any damage or dips in performance as a result. 

In 2022, Timemore released the Chestnut C3, which I also tested for this review. It features an upgraded burr based on the higher-end Chestnut X grinder. I found the quality of the grinds very similar between the two, with the C3 being slightly better in the espresso range. However, the C3 was substantially slower than the C2 and more expensive, so I still recommend the Chestnut C2 as a better value for most users.

Once upon a time, the Hario Skerton Pro was one of the better hand grinders on the market, a much-hyped update to the popular Hario Skerton. But in recent years, premium hand grinders have really taken off. So while this grinder is no longer among the best of the best, I think it remains a fantastic budget grinder that will meet many users’ needs.

The main thing I love about this grinder is its reliability. It’s not flashy but delivers reasonably uniform grounds at every size. I was particularly impressed with the consistency of its fine coffee grinds, making it suitable for espresso or even Turkish coffee. At the coarse end of the spectrum, this grinder definitely outperforms the older Skerton thanks to tighter engineering. It’s great for coffee press.

The Skerton Pro gets a bad rap as a travel grinder due to its glass catch cup and awkward bulbous shape. Those critiques are fair, but I think Hario’s foresight to make the hopper compatible with a mason jar makes it a great on-the-go pick. Use a mason jar to pack your coffee beans, and leave the catch cup at home.

What keeps this quality grinder from being the best? Well, it definitely doesn’t have a top-of-the-line burr. The consistency of the grinds is good, not amazing. And it’s quite slow. It took me about three times as long to grind coffee beans with this grinder versus the 1Zpresso JX. But for a grinder around $50, I can’t help but continue to be impressed by the value.

How We Tested These Grinders

I ran each of these grinders – and many others that did not make the list – through a series of tests to make direct comparisons between them.

I checked grind speed with each grinder by grinding 15 g of medium roast coffee to a medium fineness to brew coffee in a V60 dripper. The Kruve Brewler was used to keep the grind size as close as possible in each case. For grinders designed for espresso, I also timed how long it took to grind 20 g of coffee to a fine-level grind for a double shot. 

Blind taste tests with three team members were conducted using the grounds from the grind speed test. Tasters sampled V60 brew and/or espresso, noting differences in clarity, sweetness, and body.

The consistency of the grind was evaluated using the Kruve coffee sifter system to determine the percentage of fines and boulders in each batch of ground coffee particles. This test was carried out in various settings.

I measured grind retention for every grinder. But it was essentially nil in every case due to the conical burr sets, vertical design, and slow grind speed common to all hand grinders evaluated.

The grinders were also evaluated on feel, a more important metric for hand grinders versus electric. I noted how balanced the grinder felt in my hand and how smoothly the cranking arm turned with and without beans. The ease of setting and grind adjustment was considered.

The results of all the above tests were factored along with price and durability to arrive at the final list of the top eight.

Why Choose A Manual Coffee Grinder?

A manual burr grinder is an alternative to an electric grinder for creating the freshly ground beans needed to make delicious coffee at home. While they require a bit of manual labor to operate and can’t grind as much coffee at a time, they have many advantages compared with electric grinders. 

The primary benefit is that a manual grinder allows you to obtain a much better burr set for a much lower price. Other perks include:

• They don’t require electricity to operate
• They don’t produce heat
• They’re portable
• They’re quieter
• They are good for single-dosing

How To Choose The Best Hand Coffee Grinder

Resist the temptation to save money by buying a below-average hand grinder. Every coffee expert knows you can’t underestimate the importance of the grinding process.

Now it’s time to understand what separates a good grinder from a bad one. Don’t ignore the following when shopping around.

The Importance Of The Burr Set

The burrs are the most important part of any coffee bean grinder. Don’t even think about grinding coffee beans with a blade grinder. Burrs are also the component of the grinder enduring the most stress; after all, they’re doing all the work. You have two common options, steel or ceramic, each with good and bad points (1).

Ceramic burrs are harder but more brittle than steel, so they can last twice as long, provided your grinder doesn’t sustain too many bumps and bangs. They also tend to be less expensive. 

Stainless steel burrs are found on most premium grinders, including the Mazzer Omega grinder, because they are sharper than ceramic, though they will dull faster. Steel burrs are less prone to damage – a key consideration if you travel with your grinder.

Flat burrs are common in high-end electric burr grinders, but virtually all hand grinders use conical burrs, though the precise geometry can vary by brand. Conical burr sets have lower retention and deliver excellent performance at the slower grind speeds of manual grinders.

Burr quality is the ultimate factor in determining grind consistency. So no matter the material, invest in a grinder with good-quality burrs.

Size And Weight (Or Lack Thereof)

One reason many people invest in a hand coffee mill is its portability. If you want to grind on the go, choose something with a cylindrical shape, small size, and low weight – all of which make it easy to pack and grip. A removable or fold-away crank handle is another key feature of a portable grinder.

There is no reason not to opt for a larger and more robust model if you plan to use your grinder primarily to make coffee at home. Removing size and weight as factors gives you far more options and may allow you to purchase a more durable option.

Capacity

Portable coffee bean grinders are small and compact. The hoppers have low capacities, and you can crank a limited amount of beans in one go.

The smallest manual grinders have a capacity of around 20 g, which is enough coffee for about one cup or a double shot of espresso. If you regularly brew for two or more people, these pint-size grinders will slow down the process. A good rule of thumb is 15 g of capacity per serving, so if you typically brew for a couple, choose one of the grinders with a 30 – 35 g capacity.

Batch brewing is time-consuming with a hand grinder (and a workout!), but it is possible. Choose an option with a large hopper, and be prepared to refill it more than once to brew a full carafe.

Build Quality – Will It Last?

The material of the grinder body, internal mechanics, and grounds catch bin all impact the longevity of your burr coffee grinder.

The material is particularly important if you plan to travel with your grinder or take it on camping trips, bearing in mind that durability and weight tend to increase hand-in-hand. Look for a model made with steel or aluminum that can withstand a bump or two without breaking, for example, the made-for-the-outdoors VSSL coffee grinder. Similarly, avoid glass grounds’ catch containers if you plan to toss your grinder in a backpack.

Longevity – Are The Parts Replaceable?

Electric grinders come with warranties, but manual grinders often don’t. You don’t want to buy something you use a couple of times before it stops producing consistent results or breaks down!

Well-made products often offer long-term or lifetime warranties because they are manufactured with precision and expertise. That’s why we recommended reputable brands when putting together this list. It’s worth spending a little more upfront in exchange for long-term reliability and satisfaction.

You can also check with the grinder manufacturer about buying replacement parts. Many sell individual grounds’ catch containers, burrs, or crank handles. Accidents happen, and it’s nice to be able to fix your grinder rather than buying a whole new one. 

It’s important to note that how often and how well you clean your grinder will significantly impact the longevity of its burrs and the quality of your coffee (2).

Number Of Grind Settings

Your grinder’s number of settings is the largest factor that dictates its suitability for different brewing methods. Our free coffee grind chart can help you determine the grind you need for your favorite brewer. 

For espresso, it is important to be able to dial in the grind size with great precision, so the more settings, the better. Many espresso-focused grinders have a stepless adjustment system, essentially infinite settings. Of course, it is equally important that the grind be consistent at all settings. For filter coffee, you can get away with fewer grind options, but you’ll still need consistency through the medium range of the grind spectrum.

Don’t forget to consider the ease of switching between settings. Many hand grinders use a system of clicks to adjust grind, which can be tiresome or confusing if you plan on going back and forth between filter and espresso.

One hack to ensure grind consistency, even if your grinder isn’t quite up to par, is to invest in a coffee sifter like the KRUVE. This system of tiered sieves creates uniformity, ultimately enhancing your brew.

Related articles:

The Verdict

The above are all good options…But if you’re looking for the best, I suggest the K-Ultra by 1Zpresso! This is the top manual grinder in 2023 thanks to its quality build, sleek design, and excellent burrs. 

1Zpresso’s specialty “K Burr” geometry delivers consistent grounds at all sizes, making this grinder suitable for a variety of coffee brewing methods, from cold brewing to espresso. It is competitively priced for its quality, making it not just a good buy but a good-value buy for many coffee lovers.

---