Porlex Manual Coffee Grinder Review

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When it comes to grinding coffee there is so much choice that confusion and bewilderment will set in quickly and you will need a coffee to contemplate all of the different options available to you. We are here to help.

The most popular method to grind whole coffee beans is with an electric coffee grinder. The cheaper versions do a job and you can pick up a blade grinder for the price of a ready meal for two.

An electric blade grinder will chop the beans up invariably into different levels of fineness which will not provide optimum flavour for your coffee when brewed.

Electric burr grinders will provide more consistency of grind fineness as the beans are crushed in between two disks as opposed to chopped up with blades.

Both of those different grinder types sell extremely large volumes as they are targeted towards the volume end of the market and lean towards a consumer that understands grinding their own beans makes for a much better cup of coffee.

However, they have no time and convenience is of the utmost importance, so an electric appliance is just what the doctor ordered to get the job done.

But there is another way……..

If you want to take coffee bean grinding to another level then a manual coffee grinder may be your preferred option.

This is the kind of product that doesn’t just perform the function of converting your coffee beans into the fine grains that will produce a cup of your favourite beverage.

This is about making a statement about who you are. It’s about taking a more refined approach to the serious business of preparing your coffee beans yourself, not by a machine, and preparing them just the way you like them.

It becomes more of an art form than a simple function that gets done by the push of a button.

There is something very satisfying about personally crushing the beans and brewing the coffee that enhances the overall experience of drinking coffee and takes it to another level.

Being able to see every one of the component pieces that make up this product and knowing that there is no electronic automation makes you realise that this is the way it is supposed to be.

There are many different manual coffee grinders to choose from across a broad spectrum of price ranges.

If you are looking to use a manual coffee grinder for your coffee pleasure then we would recommend steering away from the cheaper end of the market.

This is the type of product where you get what you pay for and if you pay a few more pounds for a product like the Porlex coffee grinder then you will get something that gives you years of pleasure and will far outweigh the cost.

Overall Score 9.85/10

Design 9/10

The cylindrical shape is finished in a brushed stainless steel high gloss which makes it lean towards a more modern contemporary look and feel.

But then the black plastic top on the handle provides a contrasting balance that mixes both the modern and traditional to create an implement that would be worthy enough to sit on top of the kitchen worktop instead of the cupboard beneath it.

At less than 5cm wide and 19.1cm tall this will take up a lot less space than its electrical counterparts.

Functionality 9/10

This coffee grinder is made in Japan, not China so that tells you straight away that there has been a focus on quality as opposed to mass market products where lower prices are achieved through inferior quality components.

When you take it apart there are only 7 parts that make up the entire implement. As a rule of thumb, the fewer parts that you have then the less chance there is of something going wrong.

There are two discs that actually do the grinding that are in this case made from ceramic. Some grinders use steel but, in our opinion, ceramic is the best material for coffee grinding from a quality of grind and durability perspective.

You get to choose from over 10 different grind settings which is great as it is important to select the appropriate level of fineness for the type of coffee machine that you use.

A coarser grind is best for cafetiere’s, whereas a very fine grind is better for espresso machines.

It holds about 20-25 grams of beans which is enough for one very strong double espresso or two cups of regular coffee. To grind about 20 grams of whole beans into the grind size of your choice will take around one minute.

Ease of use 10/10

If you have not owned or used a manual coffee grinder then think of it a bit like a big pepper mill but with a handle.

Put some beans in the top and turn the handle. It will take a bit of elbow grease but the satisfaction you get more than offsets the work that you have to put in.

A very simple to use implement.

Value For Money 10/10

This not something you buy if you are looking to save money. But when you buy something of this quality you recognise that sometimes the most expensive is the cheapest in the end.

This will outlast its cheaper rivals many times over.

A great gift item as well as a self indulgent treat for any kitchen.

Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API