To Find the Best Handheld Coffee Grinders, I Put the Top Ones to the Test—and Drank Far Too Much Coffee

Throughout my time in the specialty coffee industry, people frequently ask me how to improve their morning brew. My answer has always been the same, to the point where I’ve started to sound like a broken record: Grind your coffee fresh, right before brewing, ideally with a burr grinder. 

Why? Well, coffee goes stale very quickly. “The thing we love most about coffee—its rich, alluring, chocolatey, and nutty aroma—is made up of volatile aromatic compounds that degrade and off-gas quickly,” explains Alex Kaplan, head of coffee at Cometeer and Certified Q Grader. “As you increase the surface area of coffee by grinding it, you speed up the staling reactions. Fresh coffee can stale just minutes after grinding, leading to a flat and dull flavor.”

Burr grinders give you a consistent grind, which helps with even extraction and, in the end, better coffee. However, electric burr grinders are countertop appliances and might be overkill if your go-to brewing method, like a pour-over or an Aeropress, requires only a small amount of coffee per brew.

Enter the handheld grinder. These small, portable burr grinders are affordable alternatives to their countertop cousins. Because they require no electricity, they’re great for travel or camping, too. Of course, when naming the best handheld coffee grinders, the details matter. To find my favorites, I tested eight of them. 

The Tests

• Consistency Test: To test the consistency of each grinder, I ground 20 grams of coffee using its medium coarseness setting. With a Kruve sifter, I used the smaller screen (500 microns) and larger screen (1400 microns) to determine how much of the grounds fit into the ideal range for pour-over coffee (around 500 to 1000 microns in size). 
• Taste Test: With each grinder, I brewed a cup of pour-over coffee using Serious Eats’ recommended pour-over brewer and method. I used a ratio of 20 grams of coffee to 320 grams of water and tasted each cup, noting how well brewed and balanced it was, and if there were signs of over- or under-extraction. I repeated this test with the top performers to make sure the results were replicable.
• Usability Test: Throughout testing, I evaluated how easy each grinder was to hold and how smoothly its handle turned. I also evaluated what it was like to adjust the grind setting and timed how long it took each model to grind coffee.
• Cleanup Test: Finally, I tested how easy it was to clean each grinder. To do this, I disassembled the grinder according to the manufacturer’s directions, noting how easy it was to remove and replace the burrs, and if the grinder came with a brush or other accessories to help with cleaning.

What We Learned

A Consistent Grind Resulted in the Best Coffee

Throughout my tests, I found a strong correlation between particle size consistency and coffee quality. This tracks with how coffee pros understand the brewing process. “Particle size distribution plays an essential role in how coffee flavors are extracted during brewing. Poorly ground coffee will tend to both over- and under-extract, resulting in sour, bitter, harsh, and hollow flavors,” Kaplan explains.

Overall, the grinders that produced the fewest particles below 500 microns in size and above 1400 microns resulted in balanced, well-extracted coffee.

How Long It Took to Grind Coffee Was More Important Than You May Think

I don’t think anyone wants to spend much time grinding coffee by hand first thing in the morning. But it’s not just a question of convenience: The length of time it takes to grind your coffee says a lot about the quality of the grinder’s burrs and, ultimately, how good your coffee will taste. 

“Good hand grinders are easier to physically turn than poor ones,” Kaplan says. “Very sharp and strong burrs have less trouble cracking and breaking down beans than weak, plastic burrs.”

My testing showed that the grinders that took about one minute or less to grind 20 grams of coffee produced fewer ultra-fine and coarse particles. Grinders that took two minutes or longer had more particles above 1400 microns. Dual ball bearing systems helped create smooth-turning handles and made grinding feel easier, but if the burrs weren’t properly sharpened and adjusted, there was still resistance and choppiness when grinding the beans.

Easy Grind Adjustment Led to Better Coffee

Being able to dial in the correct coarseness on a grinder is crucial for a full-flavored, balanced cup. While all of the grinders I tested were adjustable, one feature led to more consistent results: clearly displayed markings. All of the grinders had notched marks to give some guidance, but the ones with numbered marks or small images (like on the 1Zpresso grinders) were better. These clear indicators made it far easier to dial in a precise grind coarseness for a specific brewing method, like a medium-fine grind for pour-over or a coarser grind for French press.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Handheld Coffee Grinder

The best handheld grinders share a few traits. First, the burrs are high-quality and deliver a consistent grind coarseness every time. Beyond that, they also grind the beans quickly and efficiently. Great grinders are easy to adjust and include clearly marked settings. 

Our Favorite Handheld Grinders

The Best Handheld Coffee Grinder

1Zpresso JX Manual Coffee Grinder

$139 at Amazon View on 1zpresso.coffee

What we liked: The 1Zpresso JX was the top performer across every test. I was not only a fan of its performance but also of its design. It had a rubber grip, ergonomic handle, and a catch bin that was securely attached to the base of the grinder. With clearly marked numerical settings, it was also easy to adjust its grind coarseness. In the speed tests, this grinder worked the fastest, clocking in at 48 seconds for 20 grams of coffee. This efficiency indicates that its burrs are sharp and well adjusted. The resulting coffee was well extracted across multiple tests, too. Although there was some noticeable static buildup that attracted ultra-fine particles, it comes packaged with a brush that helps with cleanup. For storage and portability, the 1Zpresso’s handle folds up against the body of the grinder. 

What we didn’t like: There wasn’t much to dislike about this grinder. There were more large particles (a.k.a. “boulders”) in the distribution test than with competing models, but that didn’t negatively affect the resulting coffee. 

Key Specs

• Capacity: 30 to 35 grams
• Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Dimensions: 7.2 x 2.2 inches
• Burrs: 48-millimeter stainless steel burrs
• Time taken to grind 20 grams of coffee: 48 seconds

The Best Splurge Handheld Coffee Grinder

Comandante C40 Nitro Blade Grinder

$350 at Amazon View on Webstaurant Store View on Prima-coffee.com

What we liked: The Comandante was fun to use, thanks to its high-end build quality, ergonomic and stylish design, and its high-quality burrs. Its dual ball bearing drive and sharp burrs make it efficient and easy to crank by hand. It also achieved the second-fastest grind time of the bunch, at 50 seconds. Once it was properly dialed in, it produced great, consistent particle distribution with a majority of the grounds falling between 500 and 1400 microns. It also made excellent cups of coffee across multiple taste tests. 

What we didn’t like: The Comandante was by far the most expensive grinder I tested. This level of build quality and performance will likely only appeal to the most obsessive and precise home baristas.

Key Specs

• Capacity: 30 to 35 grams
• Weight: 1.25 pounds
• Dimensions: 8 x 4 inches
• Burrs: 39-millimeter stainless steel burrs
• Time taken to grind 20 grams of coffee: 50 seconds

The Best Budget Handheld Coffee Grinder

Timemore C2 Max Manual Grinder

$75

$60 at Amazon View on Prima-coffee.com

What we liked: This budget grinder delivered great results throughout all of my tests, competing with (and besting) far pricier models. Thanks to its well-adjusted burrs and an easy-to-crank double ball bearing system, it took just over a minute to grind 20 grams of coffee. Its consistency was top-notch, with a majority of the grounds landing right in the sweet spot for pour-over coffee. In taste tests, the Timemore’s coffee was balanced and delicious. It was also easy to disassemble and clean with help from an included brush.

What we didn’t like: It doesn’t have any clear numerical grind size markings, which makes finding the correct setting trickier than other models.

Key Specs

• Capacity: 30 grams
• Weight: 1 pound
• Dimensions: 7.2 x 2 inches 
• Burrs: 38-millimeter stainless steel
• Time taken to grind 20 grams of coffee: 1 minute, 7 seconds

The Competition

• JavaPresse Manual Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder: This budget grinder from JavaPresse produced surprisingly consistent results, but I docked points for its 3.5-minute grind time and lackluster build quality.
• Eureka Baby Grinder: While it’s definitely well built, there were some notable design flaws with this model. The Eureka Baby grinder took over four minutes to grind 20 grams of coffee, and the particle distribution was inconsistent. Also, the catch bin was too small. It's currently unavailable.
• 1Zpresso Q Air Manual Coffee Grinder: When testing this grinder, I quickly discovered that it couldn’t accommodate 20 grams of coffee, so I proceeded by grinding 15 grams. Even then, it showed a relatively higher-than-normal proportion of large boulders compared to the other grinders.
• Hario “Smart G” Manual Coffee Mill: This budget model from Hario performed relatively poorly in all of our tests. It took over two minutes to grind all of the coffee, and it had a high amount of both fine and coarse particles.
• 1Zpresso X-Ultra Manual Coffee Grinder: While this grinder performed at a high level across all of my tests, it had one major (and messy) flaw: The catch portion attaches magnetically, and it’s very easy to accidentally dislodge.

FAQs

Why does having a good coffee grinder matter?

Grinding is the most important step in brewing great coffee. Quality grinders will significantly improve the flavor of your morning cup, ensuring coffee maintains as many of the aromatic and flavor compounds that make it delicious. Having a grinder that produces a consistent coarseness also helps to ensure that coffee will be properly extracted every time. “It is a time-tested adage that you should overpay for the grinder and underpay for the machine,” Kaplan says. “With a great grinder, coffee becomes a delight to brew in a variety of methods, be it pour-over, espresso, French press, or cold brew.” 

Can you use a handheld grinder for espresso?

Handheld grinders with a wide range of settings will be better for espresso than grinders with just a few settings. But because good espresso requires a super uniform, very fine grind, you'll get better results with a dedicated espresso grinder.

Are handheld coffee grinders quiet?

They're quieter than electric grinders!

How do you clean a handheld grinder?

Most handheld grinders easily disassemble for cleaning. Once the burrs are exposed, wipe them with a dry brush or cloth. Try to avoid getting water near the burrs, even if they are stainless steel.

How long will the burrs last on a handheld coffee grinder?

How long burrs last depends on their material and quality. Without any massive catastrophes, ceramic and stainless steel burrs should last five to 10 years if properly cared for. 

Why are handheld burr grinders recommended over spice grinders for grinding coffee?

Spice grinders slice and shatter beans into wildly uneven sizes, creating fines and boulders that will inhomogenously extract during brewing, resulting in bitter, sour, weak, hollow, and harsh flavors. “Simply put, it's much harder to brew tasty coffee with bad grinds,” Kaplan says.

Why We’re the Experts

• Dylan Ettinger is a Serious Eats contributor who specializes in coffee, spirits, cocktails, and barware. With over a decade of experience in the specialty coffee industry, he has spent the last four years testing and reviewing coffee grinders, espresso machines, pour-over cones, and other home coffee appliances for a variety of publications.
• For this piece, he combined his experience in the coffee industry with that of Alex Kaplan, head of coffee at Cometeer and Certified Q Grader.
• Dylan tested eight handheld coffee grinders for this review.