Beginner's Guide to Hand Coffee Grinders: Japanese Hario Grinder Reviews and Features

FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to the Hario Home Entry-Level Hand Grinder

When it comes to drinking coffee, the beans matter most, and freshly ground coffee is always fresher. But how do you choose a coffee grinder? For beginners, picking "suitable" equipment is crucial, so the first dilemma arrives quickly: hand grinder or electric grinder?

Is a Hand Grinder a Good Choice?

Hario Canister

Price: Listed at $64, Amazon price $49 (March 2015)

Practicality and Design:

Hand grinders have existed for decades, and companies like Zassenhaus and Peugeot have made some excellent classic designs (unfortunately, we could not test and evaluate those here). Hario's modern takes evoke an era when hand grinders were essential kitchen tools. The Hario Canister's glass jar at the bottom is a quirky touch, and its grind adjustment works similarly to the Skerton and Acrylic models, but its dark metallic finish makes it the better-looking of the three.

This grinder weighs approximately 795 grams (28 ounces), which makes it more stable when set on a countertop, but its weight makes it less suitable for travel. The large capacity lets it grind more beans at once, and Hario added a plastic cover over the opening to keep grounds from flying out, though it tends to fall off during grinding.

Verdict:

For anyone who wants a vintage-look grinder on the countertop, this is a good choice. It is hard to rank it against other grinders outright, though: the Skerton design is easier to hold, the Lido looks more impressive on its stand, and the Acrylic has the better overall styling.

Knowledge Extension: Grinder burrs generally come in flat, conical, and ghost-tooth designs

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research center that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation just to let more friends fall in love with coffee, and every month we hold 3 low-discount coffee events, because FrontStreet Coffee wants more friends to drink great coffee at the lowest price. This has been our mission for 6 years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

A hand grinder only earns its keep with beans worth grinding fresh, so here are FrontStreet Coffee's picks for the hand-grinder crowd. First, the Yirgacheffe Red Cherry natural, a classic sweet, light-roast Ethiopian from the region that pioneered all-red-cherry natural processing; it smells of ripe fruit with a clear fermented aroma and berry notes on the palate, then citrus acidity, creamy smoothness, and ripe grape juiciness as it cools. Second, the Strawberry Candy Geisha blend, a combination of Panamanian washed Geisha and Costa Rican honey-processed coffee roasted medium to keep both its floral-fruit character and its roasted sweetness of caramel, raisin, dried fruit, and sweet rose florals.

Third, the Mozart from FrontStreet Coffee's Musicians series: Costa Rica is famous for sweetness, and the raisin honey processing here lets the cherries ferment slowly during drying, delivering Kyoho-grape sweetness plus pineapple and osmanthus aromas, roasted medium-light to highlight raisin, rose, and winey fermentation notes. Fourth, the Queen's Estate Yellow Bourbon from Brazil, a versatile all-rounder for pour-over, French press, moka pot, or espresso machine, sun-dried for pronounced sweetness and roasted medium for nuts, cream, cane sugar, and soft acidity. Finally, FrontStreet Coffee's own 2013 Yunnan small-bean Typica, planted in Lincang, Yunnan, since 2013 and naturally processed; at a medium roast it shows dried-fruit sweetness, plum, yellow sugar, and chocolate, a fitting reward for the extra minute a hand grinder asks of you.