Best Manual Coffee Grinder: Top Models RANKED (Updated for 2021)

If you aren’t grinding your own coffee beans at home, it’s time you start.

The benefits?

  1. Fuller flavor
  2. More robust aroma
  3. Grind can be tailored to your brew of choice

In this post we’ll look at the best manual coffee grinders available and answer 3 key questions as you choose your next (or first!) manual coffee grinder:

  1. Manual vs electric
  2. 3 factors to consider
  3. Stainless steel burr vs ceramic burr

Let's get started.

Why You Can Trust The Coffee Maven

Quick Picks
Best Manual Coffee Grinders

What's best for us may not be best for you. Let's expand upon the Top Picks above and highlight a few more of the Best Manual Coffee Grinders by category:

Not sure which is right for you? The next section should help...

3 Tips When Buying

Before we get to the individual Best Manual Coffee Grinder reviews, let's take a look at the rankings.

Overall
88
Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill

A premium option, the Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill is made of beechwood with durable stainless steel accents and a conical, stainless steel burr capable of reliably grinding from medium to course.
Overall
80
Douup Manual Coffee Grinder

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder

A compact grinder measuring just 3.6" wide, the Doupp Manual Coffee Grinder has a conical ceramic burr that grinds medium to course with a hand-dial grind size selector and is perfect for on-the-go grinding.
Overall
78
JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder

An inexpensive, nearly feature-less grinder, the JavaPresse manual coffee grinder has its uses. Specifically, it makes a fantastic portable grinder as its stainless steel construction and sleek design pack away easily.
Overall
77
Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder

With its short, stout design, the Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder has conical ceramic burrs and grinds into a rounded glass container, which makes it easy to see how much you've ground but hard to pour your coffee out.
Overall
76
KONA Manual Coffee Grinder

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder

A simple, sleek-looking manual coffee grinder, the KONA measures just 3.4" wide and has a conical ceramic burr with a glass jar and stainless steel crank for portable, freshly ground coffee on the go.

Is This Guide For You?

Our editors have rated and ranked each option. Without further ado, here are our official reviews in this all-encompassing buying guide.

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill
Overall Rating
88
Grind Quality (40%)
85
Design & Features (20%)
90
Durability (20%)
92
Ease of Use (10%)
88
Brand Reputation (10%)
90
The Bottom Line
A premium option, the Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill is made of beechwood with durable stainless steel accents and a conical, stainless steel burr capable of reliably grinding from medium to course.

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill Pros

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill Cons

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill Features & Specifications

  • Material: Beechwood exterior and chrome-plated, heavy-gauge steel accents
  • Size: 8.25″H x 5.1″W x 5.1″D
  • Burr: Conical, stainless steel

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill Pros

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill Cons

Peugeot Nostalgie Hand Coffee Mill Features & Specifications

  • Material: Beechwood exterior and chrome-plated, heavy-gauge steel accents
  • Size: 8.25″H x 5.1″W x 5.1″D
  • Burr: Conical, stainless steel
Douup Manual Coffee Grinder
Overall Rating
80
Grind Quality (40%)
72
Design & Features (20%)
83
Durability (20%)
88
Ease of Use (10%)
90
Brand Reputation (10%)
75
The Bottom Line
A compact grinder measuring just 3.6" wide, the Doupp Manual Coffee Grinder has a conical ceramic burr that grinds medium to course with a hand-dial grind size selector and is perfect for on-the-go grinding.

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Plastic body with stainless steel handle
  • Size: 8.7″H x 3.6″W x 3.6″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

Douup Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Plastic body with stainless steel handle
  • Size: 8.7″H x 3.6″W x 3.6″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic
JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
Overall Rating
78
Grind Quality (40%)
70
Design & Features (20%)
78
Durability (20%)
85
Ease of Use (10%)
95
Brand Reputation (10%)
82
The Bottom Line
An inexpensive, nearly feature-less grinder, the JavaPresse manual coffee grinder has its uses. Specifically, it makes a fantastic portable grinder as its stainless steel construction and sleek design pack away easily.

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Stainless steel exterior with plastic handle and sizing knob
  • Size: 9.3″H x 2.5″W x 2.5″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Stainless steel exterior with plastic handle and sizing knob
  • Size: 9.3″H x 2.5″W x 2.5″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic
Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder
Overall Rating
77
Grind Quality (40%)
70
Design & Features (20%)
75
Durability (20%)
87
Ease of Use (10%)
87
Brand Reputation (10%)
82
The Bottom Line
With its short, stout design, the Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder has conical ceramic burrs and grinds into a rounded glass container, which makes it easy to see how much you've ground but hard to pour your coffee out.

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Glass jar, plastic top, stainless steel crank and shaft, silicon base
  • Size: 9.1″H x 4.7″W x 4.7″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Glass jar, plastic top, stainless steel crank and shaft, silicon base
  • Size: 9.1″H x 4.7″W x 4.7″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic
KONA Manual Coffee Grinder
Overall Rating
76
Grind Quality (40%)
70
Design & Features (20%)
70
Durability (20%)
87
Ease of Use (10%)
87
Brand Reputation (10%)
82
The Bottom Line
A simple, sleek-looking manual coffee grinder, the KONA measures just 3.4" wide and has a conical ceramic burr with a glass jar and stainless steel crank for portable, freshly ground coffee on the go.

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Glass jar, plastic top, stainless steel crank and shaft
  • Size: 7.5″H x 3.4″W x 3.4″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder Pros

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder Cons

KONA Manual Coffee Grinder Features & Specifications

  • Material: Glass jar, plastic top, stainless steel crank and shaft
  • Size: 7.5″H x 3.4″W x 3.4″D
  • Burr: Conical, ceramic

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Choose a Manual Coffee Grinder?

Manual vs electric: It’s the first decision you’ll have to make when shopping for a new coffee grinder.

Which one is right for you?

Benefits of a Manual Coffee Grinder

BenefitWhy You May Care
Less expensiveYou aren't sure manual is right for you. You don't want to spend $100+ for an electric grinder.
Less noiseYou live with someone in a small space and don't want to wake them every morning.
Less heatHeat can affect volatile organic compounds in the bean, negatively impacting final coffee.
No power neededPerfect for camping or other on-the-go coffee needs.
More compactYou live in a small apartment and have limited counter space. You travel and would like to take your coffee grinder with you.
More romanticYou love the process of creating your cup, just like a cook picking herbs from the garden.

Yes, romantic.

I love waking up in the morning, adding my coffee beans and taking 2-3 minutes to grind them to a medium grind for my Aeropress.

Looking for something more practical?

Price and compact design. I swear by manual coffee grinders, but the connection I feel to my morning (or afternoon or evening) cup of coffee is a major reason, too.

Benefits of an Electric Coffee Grinder

BenefitWhy You May Care
FasterYou don't want to spend upwards of 3-5 minutes hand cranking your coffee every morning.
Achieves finer grindYou enjoy fine medium-fine or fine grind beverages, such as pour-over coffee or espresso.
Easier to set grind sizeYou'd rather select "setting #11" than try to dial a manual grinder's knob to what you think it was before someone changed it.
More consistent grindIn combination with above, you want the size to be the same from grind to grind

Electric grinders are a great example of you get what you pay for.

You may find you can improve your grind by “upgrading” from a $60-$100 electric grinder to a $20 manual grinder.

If you go electric, please make sure it’s a burr grinder.

How to Choose the Right Hand Coffee Grinder

So, you want a manual coffee grinder.

Good choice! (In my completely biased opinion.)

How do you choose between the many different grinder models available? Focus on these 3 factors:

  1. Material
  2. Size
  3. Burr quality

Material

Stainless steel, ceramic and wood. Stainless steel is lightweight, easy to clean, compact and durable. Ceramic has the most neutral taste and never imparts flavors, which stainless steel sometimes does. Wood is generally a design element and not part of the grinder’s functional components. It has great aesthetics but is usually clunkier.

Size

How big is it? How much does it weight? There’s no better or worse here, just what suits your needs.

Burr Quality

Stainless steel or ceramic. I’ll cover this is detail below.

Stainless Steel Burr Grinder vs Ceramic Burr Grinder: What’s the Difference?

Most of the manual grinders you come across will have ceramic burrs, but steel burr grinders do exist.

What’s the difference between stainless steel and ceramic?

FactorAdvantageComment
DurabilityCeramicCeramic burrs are harder and last about twice as long
Heat TransferStainless steel*Stainless steel burrs whisk heat away from the beans
CostCeramicCeramic burr grinders are generally less expensive

*Stainless steel burrs have higher thermal conductivity than ceramic grinders. So, how is this an advantage? During grinding heat is produced in the bean as it breaks apart. Stainless steel grinders do a better job of absorbing this heat and transferring it into the grinder and away from the bean.

Best Manual Coffee Grinder

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About The Coffee Maven
bryan de luca
Bryan De Luca

I'm Bryan but most people know me as The Coffee Maven. I grew up outside Boston, Massachusetts and received my Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Providence College. My first introduction to coffee was during my college days, when I used it as a source of caffeine to fuel late-night study sessions, but soon I became obsessed with the chemistry of coffee. How did changes to water temperature or contact time affect its taste? Why do beans from Africa taste fruity while beans from Indonesia taste spicy? I launched The Coffee Maven in February 2017 to explore these questions and help others brew their perfect cup. Welcome to my site, and thanks for reading!