I’m embracing coffee geekery with a small ‘g’. I’ve been looking at the porlex tall grinder; ceramic burrs, stainless, Japanese made and about £30. The fact that it’s quiet is a big plus too as we live in a flat with poor soundproofing. I keep reading other hand grinders as being compared to the Porlex so thought “why get a copy?”

So, what do you use? Anyone else hand grinding on STW?

Here it is:

i’ve got a Zassenhaus (sp?) job that looks a bit like the bigger of those 2.

it’s not the quickest way of making a cup of coffee, and i wouldn’t/dont want to spend the time on a school day, so i now have to buy 2 types of coffee, pre-ground stuff for those times when i’m in a hurry or feeling lazy, and beans for days like this when it’s quite nice to spend a few more minutes doing breakfast properly

does the coffee taste any better? – i don’t think i could tell the difference, but the smell of the fresh ‘grounds’ is lovely.

I’ve had a Porlex for over a year now and it’s great. Good quality and adjustable grind, easily grinds enough for my 2 cup Bialetti. I don’t drink more than one cup a day of proper coffee, and I reckon going above that volume an electric burr grinder would more likely fit the bill. For counter space and low noise it cannot be beaten. Plus it’s significantly cheaper so if you’re just getting into it then an excellent starting point.

I have a Porlex, it’s ace and a nice, mellow way to start the day. If you have guests, my advice is to let them grind their own beans. It’s good for them… 🙂

I have a nice spong which works well.

Cheers, good feedback 🙂

If only there was an easy way to link one up to your training rollers/turbo?

Did you sell the frame

stupid, use a duralit burr and stop being silly!

Any thoughts on the mini vs. tall ones? It says they are the same capacity, but the mini looks more travel-worthy

WHO THE HELL TAKES THEIR COFFEE MACHINE TRAVELLING?!?!

WHO THE HELL TAKES THEIR COFFEE MACHINE TRAVELLING?!?!

Amateur 😉

Hora, you asking about my Marin? It’s gone if so.

As for mini vs tall, the tall has a proportionally longer handle. The mini is probably the one for a committed coffee quaffer on the go. You could fashion a pump style frame mount with some jubilee clips, O-rings and Sugru.

Manual grinders are great, but so damn noisy. And if its one you can’t hold in your other hand/cup in armpit/jam between legs then it ends up banging and rattling against the work-surface. trust me early in the morning, *that* noise does not go down well, or the scratchs you will inevitably be left with in said wooden work surface.

I try to start most mornings by grinding my own beans.

Dad has managed to clamp his cordless drill onto his cheapo burr grinder, has somewhat smoothed the grinding action and made it quieter, if you overlook the drill noise.

LOL @ timber and CM

Mine clamps to the work surface or bolts to the wall. Spong FTW again.

Noisy, however, is an understatement. Our neighbours commented on it! 😳

If you are going to make coffee for anyone but yourself you’ll be an age with a hand grinder. Save a bit more and get a proper grinder.

I bought the porlex one – great little grinder and gives you a satisfying feeling knowing you’re hand-ons with your coffee. For about 4 weeks. Then I bought a Dualit burr grinder because I couldn’t be arissed any more.

In contrast to the ‘can’t be arsed’ faction, I find grinding enough beans for a double espresso shot in the morning pleasantly therapeutic. I wouldn’t want to grind in bulk by hand, but as I only have about two friends and one of those is a sock monkey, that’s mostly irrelevant and you can always force guests to grind their own beans by offering them decaf tea – an aberration – instead.

Ultimately hand grinders are a bit like singlespeeds – not suitable for effete mainstreamers, but ideal if you have a soul and think it’s deranged spending 100 quid or more on a glorified electric pepper mill 😉

It also means you can still have freshly ground beans in a power cut / Armageddon / if your electric grinder fails and fills the room with choking, acrid, black, caffeinated smog. Which is nice. Oh, and the Porlex isn’t particularly noisy, more white noise-ish than anything. Those Spong things look absurd btw…

Gotta love those psuedo-artisans 😉

Gotta love people who don’t know irony when they see it 😉

[/quote]decaf tea

*shudders*

I’ll take an unwanted Porlex off someone’s hands if it’s a burden, my email’s shameer AT gmx.co dot uk

I see myself grinding small batches, the effort doesn’t bother me so much. The lack of plastcky bits, replaceable parts and small size appeals.

I don’t see myself buying an electric mill, I’d probably continue to buy ground coffee if it didn’t work out between me and the moulin. The portability is enticing for big tent camping with the Mrs.

Gotta love people who don’t see when people have seen their irony and answered with irony hence the smiley and then post about their irony…. ah forget it…. 😉

Just as an addition, the Porlex is pretty quiet, only emits the sound of the beans being crunched. Would be fine in a family home, unless you grind your beans in bed, then it may wake someone.

Been using Porlex mini for 9months or so now, got a good popeye arm from it.

I use a Hario Skeleton grinder. Ceramic burr, adustable grind. Silicon grip on base, which keeps the grinder planted when grinding. Separate lid for the jar for storing in the fridge. Noise not an issue. Not got experience with any other grinders, but happy with this one.

Gotta love people who don’t see when people have seen their irony and answered with irony hence the smiley and then post about their irony…. ah forget it….

Are you being sarcastic now? 😉 🙄 😕

If you are going to make coffee for anyone but yourself you’ll be an age with a hand grinder. Save a bit more and get a proper grinder.

Really? I can grind enough for 4 people in about a minute.

Those Spong things look absurd btw…

How very dare you

Really? I can grind enough for 4 people in about a minute.

You are tight with your coffee then.
We drink filter as well as espresso (double shots every time) so hand grinding would be a chore/bore.

?! I work on 2 rounded desert spoons per cup as my general rule.. Is that tight? never had any complaints. Maybe you need an absurd grinder?