If you love drinking coffee on the go, you probably have an Aeropress ready whenever the mood for a cup of Joe strikes you. As such, you’ve also looked for the best hand coffee grinder for Aeropress. After all, you can’t always have access to an electric outlet when you’re on the road. If you still want to enjoy a delicious and fresh cup of coffee, you need to be able to grind your beans to ensure optimal taste and aroma!
Manual coffee grinders are not all created equal. In fact, there are probably dozens of poor-quality grinders out there that are just a waste of time, effort, and money to purchase and use.
In this article, we’re going to take a look into how you can find the best hand coffee grinder for Aeropress so that you can always have freshly ground and consistently sized beans no matter where you go.
What to Look For in a Hand Coffee Grinder
Here are some of the factors that you should consider when choosing a manual coffee grinder:
1. Size
If you’re on the road, you want to have a portable and sleek manual grinder that’s easy to store, lightweight, and easy to grip.
The best type of manual grinder is the cylindrical type. The shaft of the grinder is a convenient and easy way to grip it while you are grinding your beans. What’s more, the shape of the cylindrical grinder makes it easy to store away in your bag when it’s not in use.
2. Capacity
The capacity of a manual coffee grinder refers to the amount of beans that you can grind in one grinding cycle. On average, an 8-oz cup of coffee will need around 7 grams of beans. Thus, the more people you’re making grounds for, the more beans you’ll need to grind.
3. Burr Material
For manual coffee grinders, the burrs are typically made from either steel or ceramic. Steel burrs are better for traveling since they are hardier and easier to clean. You can just rinse out the grinder after use and wipe it dry. Ceramic grinders are generally heavier and more difficult to clean, so they are more suitable for hand grinders for home use.
4. Number of Grind Settings
Compared to electric grinders, hand grinders have fewer available grind settings. In fact, most hand grinders will only be able to produce extra-coarse to fine grinds. It is very rare to find a manual coffee grinder that is able to create Turkish grinds unless you invest in expensive and high-end hand grinders with commercial-grade conical burrs.
However, keep in mind that even electric grinders are not always consistent when it comes to grinding sizes. If you plan to use your hand grinder mostly with your Aeropress, medium to medium-fine grounds is the best size to use.
5. Durability
The Aeropress is built to withstand the wear and tear of traveling. Thus, you want to be able to pair it with a manual coffee grinder that’s also durable and long-lasting! Look for hand grinders that are made from durable materials such as stainless streel, copper, or aluminum. If you’re on a budget, you can also opt for hard plastic, but metal hand grinders are much more durable and are a better investment.
6. Availability of Replacement Parts
Over time, your burrs are going to dull. You’ll need to replace them in order to keep your grinder in top working condition. You should also consider the other moving parts of your grinder, such as the crank handle and other plastic or rubber parts.
Check the manufacturer if they make replacement parts of your manual grinder. If they don’t make replacement parts, you should be wary of buying a certain model. After all, if you can’t replace a certain part -especially essential components such as the burrs or the crank handle -, you’re basically going to be paying for a disposable coffee bean grinder that you will need to replace once something breaks!
Comparison Chart
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| JavaPresse Manual Grinder | If you love using your Aeropress on the road, the JavaPresse is the perfect companion because it fits INSIDE the Aeropress tube! Now you’ll never lose your manual coffee grinder again. | ||
| Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Grinder | The Porlex Mini is the pinnacle of being able to travel with a coffee grinder. Its design makes it ultra-portable and you can literally store it anywhere. It can even fit in your pocket! | ||
| PARACITY Manual Coffee Bean Grinder | The PARACITY Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is made of 304 stainless steel. The burrs used in this device are made of ceramic, which ensures uniformity in the amount of processed coffee grounds. This device also helps avoid over-heating the coffee beans and maintaining the integrity of the flavor of the coffee. | ||
| Bretani Manual Coffee Grinder | Bretani Manual Coffee Grinder keeps fresh coffee flavor as it has a manual coffee grinder’s Professional ceramic burr that ensures coffee beans will not burn. It also makes its grinding process more detailed and makes the coffee powder more uniform. | ||
| Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill | The Hario Skerton is a beautiful manual grinder. With a clear glass body that allows you to see the amount of grounds produced, you can measure out exactly just how much you need for each cup. |
A Detailed Review on the 5 Best Hand Coffee Grinder for Aeropress
JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder with Adjustable Setting
If you love using your Aeropress on the road, the JavaPresse is the perfect companion because it fits INSIDE the Aeropress tube! Now you’ll never lose your manual coffee grinder again.
Value
It is affordable and durable. It has a great quality!
Functionality
It is easy to use and fits perfectly inside the Aeropress tube after use.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
We cannot stress enough how much we love the fact that you can fit the JavaPresse inside the Aeropress tube. Putting them together makes it feel almost like you have a built-in grinder with your Aeropress!
PROs
- Easy to use
- Fits inside the aeropress tube for easy storage
- It is affordable
- 18 different grind settings
CONs
- Difficult to clean
- No replacement parts available
- Slow grinding for fine settings
Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder
The Porlex Mini is the pinnacle of being able to travel with a coffee grinder. Its design makes it ultra-portable and you can literally store it anywhere. It can even fit in your pocket!
Value
It is affordable and durable. No warranty though.
Functionality
It is easy to use, but not recommended if you want fine settings. Great for an Aeropress (medium grounds).
The Earl’s Overall Rating
The Porlex Mini Manual Grinder is the perfect hand grinder for the travel enthusiast and minimalist. It’s straightforward, easy to use, and it still offers 13 different grind settings!
PROs
- Easy to use
- Minimalist design
- Ultra-portable design
CONs
- Grind size inconsistent for fine grinds
- Difficult to fine-tune the settings
- Small capacity (can only handle 1-2 coffees per grind cycle)
PARACITY Manual Coffee Bean Grinder
The PARACITY Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is made of 304 stainless steel. The burrs used in this device are made of ceramic, which ensures uniformity in the amount of processed coffee grounds. This device also helps avoid over-heating the coffee beans and maintaining the integrity of the flavor of the coffee.
Value
The hand mill with adjustable control and a hand grinder are used to get a finer or coarser grind of coffee powder. It gives you greater control and precision regarding the coarseness of coffee beans while producing French Press, Drip Coffee, Espresso, Turkish Brew, and so on. The manual coffee mill is compact enough to use wherever you are, and you may tote it to your office or take it when you’re traveling or camping. You may have a fantastic cup of coffee.
Functionality
A convenient machine because it is portable and effortless to use.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
This grinder works well for its purpose. It is pretty simple to put together, and its size helps avoid clutter in the kitchen. It is also ideal for one or two cups of coffee and comes with an adjustable grind.
PROs
- With portable size
- Made of food-grade 304 stainless steel
- Easy to wash after use
CONs
- Short life-span usage
- Craftmanship needs Improvement
Bretani Manual Coffee Grinder
Bretani Manual Coffee Grinder keeps fresh coffee flavor as it has a manual coffee grinder’s Professional ceramic burr that ensures coffee beans will not burn. It also makes its grinding process more detailed and makes the coffee powder more uniform.
Value
This manual coffee grinder is affordable and is definitely worth it.
Functionality
Easy to use and carry, although its steel is somewhat thin compared to other brands.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
The Bretani Manual Coffee Grinder is the best for you if you love consistent and uniform coffee powder. This is also ideal for coffee lovers who love to travel, go camping, and always on the go as it is portable and easy to carry around.
PROs
- Very affordable
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Very quiet
CONs
- Very thin steel
- Durability issues
Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill
The Hario Skerton is a beautiful manual grinder. With a clear glass body that allows you to see the amount of grounds produced, you can measure out exactly just how much you need for each cup.
Value
It has a great price point but the glass body is fragile and difficult to travel.
Functionality
If you’re using dark roast, the hand crank is heavy and difficult to turn. Not recommended for oily roasts.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
We loved the rubber base on the Hario Skerton Pro because it givese more stability during grinding. What’s more, the clear body of the grinder shows just how much grounds you’ve produced.
PROs
- Simple and compact design
- Easy to clean
- Rubber base for more stability during grinding
CONs
- It is heavy
- Glass body is fragile
Wrap it Up!
There you have it, our choices for the best hand coffee grinder for Aeropress. When it comes to our top pick, we must give it to the JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder. Not only does it perform well and looks good, but the size of the grinder makes it a perfect fit into the Aeropress tube. You’ll be saving space in your bag AND you can always be sure that you’ve got a grinder on-hand anytime you want one. However, if you want something smaller and even more portable, the Porlex Mini Manual Grinder is the best one for you. No matter which one you pick, you can be sure that you have a durable and reliable grinder that will produce consistent grounds that you can use with your Aeropress. Know more about coffee grinders.