The 5 Best Hand Coffee Grinders for Aeropress

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

Detailed Reviews of 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

Affordable and durable. Great quality!

Functionality

Easy to use and fits perfectly inside the Aeropress tube after use.

The Earls 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!

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

Affordable and durable. No warranty though.

Functionality

Easy to use, but not recommended if you want fine settings. Great for an Aeropress (medium grounds).

The Earls 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!

Zassenhaus "Santiago" Mahogany Beech Wood Manual Coffee Mill

Elegant and beautiful, the Zassenhaus Santiago Manual Coffee Mill looks like a work of art. Don’t let that fool you, however! It still offers 15 different grind settings and it produces a consistent size on the grounds.

Value

Beautiful to look at, but pricey for a manual grinder. This grinder is suited for boutique or upscale coffee shops who want a touch of class when it comes to their grinder.

Functionality

Easy to use with the grind size dial, but the machine itself is bulky and slips a bit during use.

The Earls Overall Rating

The Zassenhaus Santiago Manual Coffee Mill is what you want in your coffee shop or home if you want to amp up the atmosphere. However, if you plan to use it with an Aeropress, make sure to grind your beans before you go on the road since the machine can be difficult to travel due to its bulk and size.

Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder

The Handground Coffee Precision Mill is the product of a Kickstarter campaign. The campaign took off because the mill are easy to use AND delivers with the consistency found in electric grinders!

Value

Somewhat pricey and difficult to find replacements parts.

Functionality

Easy to use although the grinder is a bit big.

The Earls Overall Rating

If you love having a grinder that will deliver consistent grounds reliably, look no further than the Handgound Coffee Precision Mill. Just like its name, it delivers with precision when it comes to sizes, even with fine grinds!

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

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 Earls 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.

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. 

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