Hand-Cranked Coffee Grinder Recommendation

[SeanMac]

Hi all,

I will be living in a hotel for three weeks this summer.  As a coffee geek, the thought of being forced to drink hotel coffee during this time is a bit frightening.  Rather than hopping in a car and driving to a coffee shop, my plan is to put together an on-the-go coffee kit that can be used for this hotel stay -- as well as future hotel visits and on-the-bike / coffee outside adventures.

I've pretty much decided that the AeroPress coffee kit is going to be my go-to coffee maker.  As I will be staying alone, I am after quality of coffee rather than volume.  In addition, this seems to provide reasonable easy hotel room clean-up, which also seems pretty important.

I did some searching on the coffee outside threads on this group and found several coffee grinders that are often spoke of.  One of them, the Porlex Mini, is currently available for about $65.

Porlex Mini

Some searching also led to some positive comments for a much less expensive JavaPresse grinder ($26) 

JavaPresse

I'm not opposed to spending money to obtain a quality product.  I am just trying to decide if the extra cost of the Porlex grinder is worth it in this particular situation.

Any thoughts / comments / recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Sean

EA, NY

[ted]

I have a porlex mini, but I’ve not seen a javapresse in person (let alone used one). I suspect they both do a fine job of grinding beans. Looks like they both use ceramic burr grinding mechanisms.
Main thing I notice is the javapresse seems to be a couple inches taller than the porlex. That might make it seem tipier if your holding it on a counter when grinding. Also it will be larger to pack.

[William!]

I had a hand grinder that was not the javapress but had a similar handle. It stripped after a year or two of daily use. The stamped metal of the handle is relatively soft, a poor choice for gripping the hexagonal nut on top of the grinder.

The Porlex appears to address this problem by using a better designed system for attaching the handle. I haven’t owned one though so I can’t comment on whether it has higher quality materials or if this design stands the test of time.

[Karl]

I second the Porlex! Used it for a few years (not everyday) and it works great.

Karl
Nash, TN

[Deacon Patrick]

Buy whatever you want to see if you like grinding by hand. If you find you enjoy handgrinding and want continue doing it for the contemplative work, the sensory wonders of tantalizing coffee and texture of the grind through the handle, get a Ledo 2. Best grinder we've ever used, and likely the last we'll need to buy, and that's grinding for 6 every morning. Grin. http://www.oehandgrinders.com/LIDO-2_c_23.html

With abandon,
Patrick

[John McBurney]

We have a Kyocera coffee grinder and it is a typically perfect Japanese product from a company founded on making high tech high quality ceramics which is what the grinding wheels are made of. It’s slow (think Kevin Kostner In Dances With Wolves) but never heats up the grind, and is almost infinitely adjustable from coarse to espresso. It’s small and lightweight enough to pack in a pannier, too. Ours has gotten us through several power outages. 

Much cheaper on Amazon. 

https://www.swissknifeshop.com/kyocera-ceramic-coffee-grinder?gclid=CjwKCAjwqfDlBRBDEiwAigXUaH0v_AE-xms2VnDeO3M1g9x9kt6FZvcWDfaeSGSX6nvChCtlGMsKMhoCe_8QAvD_BwE

John 

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[Kiley Demond]

Sean, PM'd you. Please check your spam folder if you don't see it. Thanks. -Kiley

[Mark Schneider]

I have used the Porlex mini for 2 years now and it still works fine. Metal burr grinders last longer and work better and in the long run are cheaper, but require a lot of cash up front. Cheaper grinders wear out quickly, and can be harder with light roasts especially before your first cup. If you really love good coffee you might try roasting your own, there's no comparison, and you can get started with a cast iron skillet or even better a ceramic roaster like the Zen.

Enjoy

Mark

On Sunday, April 21, 2019 at 8:05:47 AM UTC-7, SeanMac wrote:

[Alex from the North]

I use a Hario Mini Slim grinder with an AeroPress in my hotel kit, it works very well and costs less than half as much as the Porlex. I only use mine 15-20 days a year, so didn't see the point in spending more.

[Johnny Alien]

I agree with the Hario suggestion.  Best I have found for the price.  I have the Skerton. My suggestion would be to go for at least the plus level.

[Dave Grossman]

I have the Hario Mini and it is great.  I take it all over the place.  It is inexpensive and works well.

[Takashi]

An artisanal wooden grinder, which is more expensive, requires more time and effort, and produces more inconsistent grinds :)

https://flic.kr/p/xGpRys

Takashi

[Alex from the North]

Is that a mortar and pestle?

[Sean McAtee]

Thanks for your suggestions.  It seems like the Porlex mini gets a lot of love, as does the Hario.  I'm going to ponder this a bit more before making a final decision.  I guess I am a bit torn trying to decide how compact of a unit to purchase.  The Porlex mini is small enough that I can easily carry it on the bike.  I've also been reading a bit about the Hario "Mini Slim Pro" grinder.  Several list members have mentioned the Hario Skerton, but that model is larger than the other models that I have mentioned (so not as easy to pack or carry on the bike) and it also has a glass bottom, which may or may not be a concern.

I'm sure that any of the models that have been mentioned would meet my needs.  The struggle, as always, is making the decision about which model would "best" meet my needs.  I should write the model names on small pieces of paper, place the papers inside a hat, close my eyes and pick the winner.

Sean

On Tue, Apr 23, 2019 at 11:14 AM Alex from the North <alex...@gmail.com> wrote:

Is that a mortar and pestle?

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[sameness]

FWIW, the Mueller appears to be a $17.00 rebadged JavaPresse.

Jeff Hagedorn

Los Angeles, CA USA

[Glenn's Bike Garage]

I'm a big fan of the Porlex Mini and tour with one along with an AeroPress.  A couple of my favorite features: 1.The quantity of coffee beans it holds is the perfect amount for my taste using the AeroPress.  2.The Porlex Mini fits inside the AeroPress (minus the handle), a clever space-saver.  Paul

[ant ritchey]

Hario Skerton!

Was $40 new, been going strong for 7 years now.

On Sunday, April 21, 2019 at 8:05:47 AM UTC-7, SeanMac wrote:

[Sean McAtee]

Thanks again for all of your comments.  After doing way more research than seems necessary, I [think] that I have decided to purchase a Hario Skerton - Pro model.  This seems to offer the best combination of performance and durability at a cost that seems fairly reasonable.  It is a bit larger than the Porlex.  However, it is not so large that I cannot carry it with me on a bicycle camping trip.  I also feel fairly confident that the glass on the Hario grinder is thick enough that durability will not be a problem.

Sean

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[Chris L]

I have a skerton and the glass jar is very thick glass and it is overall, pretty heavy duty. 

 I rarely use my Aeropress so I don't know what size grind you will be shooting for, but the Skerton does a good job for finer grinds.  It's not so good for courser grinds, like French Press.  

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[hugh flynn]

There's always Zassenhaus to consider.

I have this old one, but they are still in business and produce a full line of small grinders including a manual grind, conical burr, stainless  "espresso" grinder that might fit the bill for you.

Not as costly as the gorgeous one Patrick posted, but not likely to suffer stripped handles or bolts like the lighter duty ones that are popular with the kids today.

Hugh "putting the sass in Zass" Flynn 

Newburyport, MA

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Hugh Flynn
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