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Handground Grinders

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
I recently heard about Handground grinders, and then it just so happened that [MENTION=67116]Sneetch[/MENTION] got one and gave some impressions in THE CHEMEX THREAD.

Has anyone else had any experience with one? They sound somewhat interesting.

Cheers!
 
I bought a Kyocera CM-50 and did the OE bottom bearing mod. I've never looked back.

I may wear it out someday but so far it keeps working just fine

SO....

I have no experience with any other hand grinder for brew coffee.
 

martym

Unacceptably Lasering Chicken Giblets?
I got one and it works perfectly. I have used it for the Aeropress, French Press, Moka Pot, Chemex, Mr. Coffee, and stovetop Percolator!
It works like a charm. Grinds are very consistent. I am pleased. No complaints!
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
I bought a Kyocera CM-50 and did the OE bottom bearing mod. I've never looked back.

I may wear it out someday but so far it keeps working just fine

SO....

I have no experience with any other hand grinder for brew coffee.

Do you use your Kyocera for French press grind? I have the Hario Skerton with the same upgrade, and my French press grind still isn't as consistent as I would like to see it.
 
Do you use your Kyocera for French press grind? I have the Hario Skerton with the same upgrade, and my French press grind still isn't as consistent as I would like to see it.

I mostly use it for pour over (filtered).

For that it is pretty nice.

It is my "travel" grinder.

I have Baratza grinders plugged in at my homes. They seem to be pretty good at consistent press grinds.

The burrs are rather small in a hand grinder so you will want to crank at a rather slow steady pace.
 
Reading this thread with interest as I am also looking for a hand grinder. I would use it mostly for French Press coffee.

The reviews on the Hario indicate that without the bearing modification, the grinder does not as well for coarse grind. With the bearing modification the grinder would do coarse grind, but would not do fine grind as well. Because they are virtually the same design, I assume the Kyocera would be similar.

By the time I buy the Hario and import the bearing modification kit, another brand of grinder would fall into the same price range. Has anyone experience with or heard anything about the Porlex Tall hand grinder? It is stainless steel construction and holds 44 gm of beans.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I had a recent thread here looking for a hand grinder, and based on comments and recommendations, ended up with a Hario. It's been good for me, but I have been grinding for a cone filter not a french press, so can't comment on how it would work for a FP grind.
 
Have had another couple weeks with mine and still performing really well. One thing I have noticed is that it performs marginally better on smaller bean coffees, at least when grinding on the middle settings.

Cheers,
JW
 
I have a Hario Slim. I am not that thrilled with it to be honest. It is good enough for a Moka Pot but that's it.
I have yet to take it with me when we go on trips, mainly because we have 2 very strong coffees in the morning that keeps up going throughout the day.
About the Hario, I was surprised how much work it was to grind enough for a 3-cup Bialetti Express (about 18gr).
The grind quality is not suitable for an espresso machine, by any stretch.
 
Yep the Harlo and an German made one that starts with a z, are very good..
That "z"is for Zassenhaus, and it is very good, especially for travel purposes. But the current gold standard in hand grinders today are probably those made by the Australian company Roscoe, the Scottish company Knock, and the American company Orphan Espresso. There are also another couple of fabulously expensive ones but their names escape me right now.
 
As some one who loves espresso and espresso macchiato's made fro ma quite lever style espresso machine, I also found the enjoyment in hand grinders. The nicer old German ones made for a coarser grind for percolated and then drip coffees can also produce a wonderful fine espresso grind. Not al ldo , but many does it easily.

Here is a shot of 4 of my favorites:

L-R

PeDe (Dienes)
Lenhardt
Dienes
Alexanderwerk

Note: The thinner ones are considered, "knee" mills, and are to be held between your knees while grinding.

grinders.JPG
 
sweet collection of hand grinders. If I ever came across any I would grab them.

At home I use electric grinders and only hand grind when I am traveling.

proxy.php
 
Mick - Yes, great collection of hand grinders, and not a bad collection of electric grinders in your kitchen either! I assume one is dedicated to espresso (the one in front on the right with the doser and the serious tamper nearby) and another for drip, etc., but why the third? And when are you inviting me over for coffee? :)
 
Mick - Yes, great collection of hand grinders, and not a bad collection of electric grinders in your kitchen either! I assume one is dedicated to espresso (the one in front on the right with the doser and the serious tamper nearby) and another for drip, etc., but why the third? And when are you inviting me over for coffee? :)

I keep 2 pour over grinders because I roast my own coffee and typically I will have 2 or 3 origins roasted. I keep one of the brew grinders loaded with my "daily joe" and keep the second one empty to take a quick brew of something else, weighing only the beans I need to brew so that the second always stays empty, waiting to grind something different.

Should I end up with both hoppers with beans in them I have a OE modified Kyocera hand grinder I can drag out for a backup until the second brew grinder empties out.

I modified the Mazzer Super Jolly from a can doser to a time based single/double shot electronic. More fun than a barrel of monkeys it was too.... Mazzer Super Jolly Doserless Conversion
 
I use a Hario Mini Mill every day at work and it is fantastic. Very consistent grind which I have set for an aeropress I keep at work on my desk. At home I use a Baratza which I love also. Hand grinders take some elbow grease but it's not bad at all. I recommend the Hario which is fairly inexpensive and has very consistent grind, also adjustable grind from espresso to manual, maybe almost enough for press.


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I use a Hario Mini Mill every day at work and it is fantastic. Very consistent grind which I have set for an aeropress I keep at work on my desk. At home I use a Baratza which I love also. Hand grinders take some elbow grease but it's not bad at all. I recommend the Hario which is fairly inexpensive and has very consistent grind, also adjustable grind from espresso to manual, maybe almost enough for press.


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Yes, maybe almost enough. The irony is, although coffee enthusiasts with professional quality equipment often focus on espresso, it isn't that hard or expensive to get a decent espresso grind, the Hario Skerton does a fine job. I had to modify it a bit to allow stepless adjustment, and, viola. The Pede that Meaux pictures above is supposed to be very good, too. Otoh, a top notch coarse French press grind without excessive "fines" is not so easily or inexpensively achieved. With my grinders, I have to make do with a medium grind that isn't truly coarse. I travel with a Bodum stainless steel portable French press and a Zassenhaus Panama grinder. I do vastly better than typical hotel chain coffee, but for the very best, I'll have to wait for an invite to Mick's house. :)
 
I love my Hario Slim, I only have an aeropress is the house so it suits my needs and from my research is every bit as consistent as many of the higher end grinders (excluding espresso grind). Love that it can be easily disassembled for cleaning and has a pretty wide customization.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
As some one who loves espresso and espresso macchiato's made fro ma quite lever style espresso machine, I also found the enjoyment in hand grinders. The nicer old German ones made for a coarser grind for percolated and then drip coffees can also produce a wonderful fine espresso grind. Not al ldo , but many does it easily.

Here is a shot of 4 of my favorites:

L-R

PeDe (Dienes)
Lenhardt
Dienes
Alexanderwerk

Note: The thinner ones are considered, "knee" mills, and are to be held between your knees while grinding.

View attachment 764370
Nice collection of grinders. How does the Alexanderwerk function? Presumably that big ring is used to remove/open the input hopper? With the grind being dispensed on the backside or bottom?
 
Stillshaving,

It does not grind quite as well as the other conventional hand grinders shown, but the organic design is so nice in your hands. The small knob atop the handle is actually molder to fit in the space that is formed when you touch your thumb and forefingers at the tips when cranking. It purposely cast that way in plastic. The ring and wooden plug allow you "does" the grinder. 15 grams of bean is just about the lower end of maximum fill.

There is a inserted catch-cup under the burrs (The adjustment is accessed inside the base above the cup).. I have never found out much about Alexanderwerk as a company or the grinder- and have only seen one other in pictures. For many years I was quite active on Home Barista in the Lever Espresso machine forum. Hand grinders were a wonderful companion to my silent espresso machine.

I do also have Nuova Simonelli MCF next to my 1985 custom Swiss made Olympia Cremina for daily duty.
 

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