There are a lot of choices when it comes to coffee grinders and it can be intimidating to weed out the fluff and find the true gems, but it’s worth the effort.

This review will hopefully ease that burden by informing you about an incredible small piece of equipment: the Hario Mini Mill.

Is this the coffee grinder you’ve been searching for?

Hario’s solution to big, loud and expensive coffee grinders is small, inexpensive, but efficient. It’s a hand grinder. Yes it will require a little elbow grease, and yes it will take some effort, but the benefits are immense.

To start, I have noticed that in my six months of hand grinding that my grip has improved along with forearm strength. That may sound like a waste of energy, but the grinding process is very simple and typically only takes about one minute to grind 20 grams of coffee.

The Mini Mill itself is made from a simple design: the hopper on top feeds the beans to a duo of ceramic burrs which can easily be adjusted by twisting the nut below the hopper.

The grounds then fall into a clear container which is easily detachable to remove the grounds or adjust the grind settings. Add a handle on top to spin the burrs and you’ve got a hand grinder!

Adjusting the grind is simple with the nut below the hopper. You twist, it clicks, and the burrs move. If you forget how many clicks you’re at, you can easily tighten the burrs all the way up and start over. I typically use between 8 and 10 clicks for a pour over, and 15 for a french press. Others may have different preferences, and the choice is really up to you!

The grind consistency isn’t going to match commercial machines, but it’s close enough for home brewers. The main source of inconsistency is the movement of the burrs being too great while trying to achieve a coarse grind.

I have found that this mod improves the consistency significantly and recommend it to all Mini Mill owners.

Is the Hario Mini Mill for You?

Pros:

• Affordable ($30)
• Portable and Durable
• Consistent
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• Requires Effort
• Small Hopper and Container

I strongly recommend the Hario Mini Mill to any and all home brewers who don’t anticipate brewing more than three cups per sitting.

At that point it may be worth it to invest in a larger machine. However I believe this hand grinder is the preferable, affordable solution.

Need more information? See what people on Amazon are saying!