Hario Skerton Pro Coffee Grinder

This was my first coffee grinder. It's still alive and well, I just can't be bothered to grind everything by hand every morning.I put a lot of time into figuring out which hand grinder to get. I wasn't ready to drop the money on an electric grinder, but I also wanted something high quality that would give consistently good grounds. The Hario Skeleton is your best bet if that's what you're looking for.The grinder itself is ceramic and very hardy. I've had mine for 5+ years and it's still in perfect shape with no sign of wearing out. You can set the ground size as small or large as you want, but be warned the smaller grinds increase the time you'll be grinding by quite a bit. The ground holder is large enough for a pot of drip coffee but small enough to hold in ... MoreThis was my first coffee grinder. It's still alive and well, I just can't be bothered to grind everything by hand every morning.I put a lot of time into figuring out which hand grinder to get. I wasn't ready to drop the money on an electric grinder, but I also wanted something high quality that would give consistently good grounds. The Hario Skeleton is your best bet if that's what you're looking for.The grinder itself is ceramic and very hardy. I've had mine for 5+ years and it's still in perfect shape with no sign of wearing out. You can set the ground size as small or large as you want, but be warned the smaller grinds increase the time you'll be grinding by quite a bit. The ground holder is large enough for a pot of drip coffee but small enough to hold in your hand or lap while grinding without feeling awkward. It's absolutely perfect for individual serving methods like the moka pot or Aeropress.This is a great introductory grinder if you're trying to make your way up the coffee snobbery ladder and want to get your grind on. I've since gotten an electric grinder, but I'm keeping this handy for travel and the impending apocalypse when electricity doesn't matter and quality ground coffee becomes currency.

Best hand grinder for the money

About 5 years ago my expensive electric grinder (similar to a Baratza) committed suicide when the case split from internal spring pressure and it jumped out of the cabinet and smashed itself on the floor. I bought a cheapie hand grinder as an interim measure. I became somewhat of a zen coffee drinker using an Aeropress and a pour over Chemex and decided a hand grinder fit the theme. As the cheapie grinder started to wear out I started looking at newer models. The Hario Skerton Plus was my first thought but the more I looked at the Pro the more I liked it, especially since Prima sells it at a good price and for very little more than the Plus. Now that I have it, I am glad I got it.The first pleasant surprise is how much less effort it takes to grind coffee. You ... MoreAbout 5 years ago my expensive electric grinder (similar to a Baratza) committed suicide when the case split from internal spring pressure and it jumped out of the cabinet and smashed itself on the floor. I bought a cheapie hand grinder as an interim measure. I became somewhat of a zen coffee drinker using an Aeropress and a pour over Chemex and decided a hand grinder fit the theme. As the cheapie grinder started to wear out I started looking at newer models. The Hario Skerton Plus was my first thought but the more I looked at the Pro the more I liked it, especially since Prima sells it at a good price and for very little more than the Plus. Now that I have it, I am glad I got it.The first pleasant surprise is how much less effort it takes to grind coffee. You might say that is because the burrs are new but I know my cheapie grinder always took more effort even when it was new. I was concerned that the handle,which has a hex socket that fits over the shaft would tend to slip off while grinding. That has not been the case and the convenience of removing the handle to fill the hopper and place the clear plastic shield is clearly an advantage. There is much comment about how the Pro gives a consistent grind. I can confirm that. For a similar grind there are less fines so my Aeropress does not clog the filter and there are fewer grounds getting through the mesh filler I use in the Chemex. The heavier, flatter rubber base really helps stabilize the grinder on the counter top. Just a note here is that as dust starts to infiltrate between the jar and the rubber base it will start falling off. some folks have commented on that. Just wipe or wash the jar and inside of the rubber base and it stays on again. The grinder is quieter, too. All in all, it is a good value for those of us who enjoy the zen of hand grinding.

Disappointing

I was encouraged by good reviews here but I've had this grinder for over a year now, and I really wish I had just spent a bit more for a better model. In my experience this grinder produces a very uneven grind, almost comparable to an electric blade grinder. It also takes a comparatively long time to grind the 16-17g I use for a cup, probably a good 1-2 min of effort, so if you tried to grind beans for multiple servings of coffee with this, it would be very inefficient. Although ease and time for grinding is dependent on the bean roast and hardness. The screw style grind adjustment is imprecise and hard to keep track of. The glass base is hard to screw in, on mine it catches on the threading and requires a good bit of force to fully screw in. The glass base also ... MoreI was encouraged by good reviews here but I've had this grinder for over a year now, and I really wish I had just spent a bit more for a better model. In my experience this grinder produces a very uneven grind, almost comparable to an electric blade grinder. It also takes a comparatively long time to grind the 16-17g I use for a cup, probably a good 1-2 min of effort, so if you tried to grind beans for multiple servings of coffee with this, it would be very inefficient. Although ease and time for grinding is dependent on the bean roast and hardness. The screw style grind adjustment is imprecise and hard to keep track of. The glass base is hard to screw in, on mine it catches on the threading and requires a good bit of force to fully screw in. The glass base also slips out of the rubber "boot", and is too big/awkward to comfortably grip. I have to sit down and hold it between my thighs. I do appreciate that the components come apart easily and are easy to clean.Will this grind your coffee? Sure, but it's not worth the cost. Either get a cheap blade grinder or get a more expensive, better functioning model that's worth the extra investment.

Does the job, but could be better

So I bought this back in December but only recently started using it do to the requirement to work from home. Glad I had this to assist in my daily caffeination requirements now that my routine doesn't include coffee from the office. So it grinds as expected and there is no complaint there. I have adjusted the size to meet my french-press needs and all is good. Two things stand out though. One is size. It is smaller than I anticipated, at least in hopper capacity. The second is the thoughtfulness of the design. The glass collection bowl unscrews from the grinding mechanism an it comes with a separate lid to allow storage of ground coffee in the glass bowl. That is all great, although after two mugs of french press there is nothing to store as the hopper capacity ... MoreSo I bought this back in December but only recently started using it do to the requirement to work from home. Glad I had this to assist in my daily caffeination requirements now that my routine doesn't include coffee from the office. So it grinds as expected and there is no complaint there. I have adjusted the size to meet my french-press needs and all is good. Two things stand out though. One is size. It is smaller than I anticipated, at least in hopper capacity. The second is the thoughtfulness of the design. The glass collection bowl unscrews from the grinding mechanism an it comes with a separate lid to allow storage of ground coffee in the glass bowl. That is all great, although after two mugs of french press there is nothing to store as the hopper capacity isn't that great to begin with. But the real issue is what to do with the gridding mechanism once you unscrew the glass bowl. The adjustment mechanism sits below the thread body so it won't sit upright on a flat surface. The crank attachment point sits above the hopper cover, so it can't sit inverted on a flat surface. You can lay it on its side, but it is round, and might roll off. I think this is kinda poorly designed given the designed expectation of storing ground coffee in the glass bowl.

Finally slipped

I’ve had my skerton pro for well over a year now and use it everyday. I am no coffee pro, I Just like different things to make life interesting. This grinder though it does the job, many things about if I fine frustrating. I ended up pulling the grippy bottom off because most of the time it would fall off well grinding anyways, and I also pulled off the one around the middle where you would put your hand around it to hold well grinding, because it felt to big in my hand. I think my hands might be to small for this unit because even with that off it still feels a bit big. And finally I have tile floors and it went for a spill and broke the glass. With this final straw for me, I think I’ll sell this unit and find a different one to use.The things I liked about ... MoreI’ve had my skerton pro for well over a year now and use it everyday. I am no coffee pro, I Just like different things to make life interesting. This grinder though it does the job, many things about if I fine frustrating. I ended up pulling the grippy bottom off because most of the time it would fall off well grinding anyways, and I also pulled off the one around the middle where you would put your hand around it to hold well grinding, because it felt to big in my hand. I think my hands might be to small for this unit because even with that off it still feels a bit big. And finally I have tile floors and it went for a spill and broke the glass. With this final straw for me, I think I’ll sell this unit and find a different one to use.The things I liked about it.1. Grinding capacity, I could grid so much at one time! Then I could just put the little lid on That came with it and I was good to go. But often I would want to just bring my grinder anyways and do it at the time of.2. Everything felt well made as well as the nice SS handle. I liked how the lid would go on, then the handle would hold it on well grinding.3. The look is great. Shapely and great use of materials aesthetically.

Lovely kitchen machine

I enjoyed experimenting to get the right grind for my stovetop machine and look forward to using this machine every day.The silicon base is a weird addition, like an afterthought. It doesn't necessarily make the grinder more stable or add to the experience of using it. So, I wonder if they didn't specify the right dimensions when they got this fabricated in China. I have put a few thick rubber bands around the glass so it doesn't slip around while I'm using it. Works nicely.On that note: a major decision point for my purchase was Hario advertised their products as made in Japan. I try to avoid products made in China (ethical objection to the use of forced labor and cultural suppression of minority religious and ethnic groups). Disappointed to see that Hario ... MoreI enjoyed experimenting to get the right grind for my stovetop machine and look forward to using this machine every day.The silicon base is a weird addition, like an afterthought. It doesn't necessarily make the grinder more stable or add to the experience of using it. So, I wonder if they didn't specify the right dimensions when they got this fabricated in China. I have put a few thick rubber bands around the glass so it doesn't slip around while I'm using it. Works nicely.On that note: a major decision point for my purchase was Hario advertised their products as made in Japan. I try to avoid products made in China (ethical objection to the use of forced labor and cultural suppression of minority religious and ethnic groups). Disappointed to see that Hario outsource some of the manufacturing to China and only manufacture the glass component in Japan. If I could buy a coffee grinder made in Australia, I would willingly pay double the price.

Nice but . . .

The Hario Mini Slim had been a part of my morning for more than ten years. When it started acting funky, I bought the Skerton Pro. After over a month of daily use here are my experiences. The rubber slip-on base is a nice idea, but it just slips off. I can't use it. It's designed to provide a nonslip surface for the base on the counter when grinding. But because it takes a good amount of force to turn the grind handle, it's just not ergonomic to use it sitting on the counter. I have to pick it up and hold it to grind. And the base just slips off. Holding it presents another problem. That is, it's difficult, not impossible, to hold the grinder with one hand and grind with the other because of it's size. And I have large hands. I tried sitting at the kitchen table to ... MoreThe Hario Mini Slim had been a part of my morning for more than ten years. When it started acting funky, I bought the Skerton Pro. After over a month of daily use here are my experiences. The rubber slip-on base is a nice idea, but it just slips off. I can't use it. It's designed to provide a nonslip surface for the base on the counter when grinding. But because it takes a good amount of force to turn the grind handle, it's just not ergonomic to use it sitting on the counter. I have to pick it up and hold it to grind. And the base just slips off. Holding it presents another problem. That is, it's difficult, not impossible, to hold the grinder with one hand and grind with the other because of it's size. And I have large hands. I tried sitting at the kitchen table to improve the angles, but not much better. In addition, the clear lid fits loosely and wobbles and rattles while grinding. Seems it should fit more snug. Lastly, the glass container is nice, but the inside has a lip , making it difficult to get all the particles out of it. In a way, I miss my Mini Slim. There are lots of pluses about the Pro model, nice handle, large capacity, storage lid, die cast handle. And it grinds nice and consistent.

Not the right tool for French press.

Other reviews I read mentioned uniformity issues on the coarse setting but due to the popularity of this unit and large bean capacity I thought it would be an improvement over my rotary grinder. This isn’t the case and I regret not having purchased something higher end.Otherwise compactness, construction and usability are quite good and I suppose I’ll try some other brewing methods to see why it can do. The coarsest setting is still not coarse enough for a French press and is uneven but dialing it down tighter does produce a more consistent grind. I’m not thrilled with the purchase but that’s on me. I think overall it seems like a nice grinder at a fraction that takes a fraction of the space an electric unit would have.

longtime user of Hario grinder -- very disappointed with "upgrade"

I broke the bowl of my original Hario Skerton. I appreciated that the hardware could be screwed onto a small-mouthed mason jar but it was very top heavy so I decided to upgrade to the new Skerton Pro. As advertised, I have found the grind to be a little more consistent and it's hard not to appreciate the change in how one adjusts the grind. But there are two problems with it that I haven't seen written about that for me make this a seriously inferior product.First, the hopper is considerably smaller than the original. It may hold 100 grams of ground coffee, but you can't grind more than 40 grams of whole beans at a time. I regularly grind more than that for a large Chemex and the original Hario Skerton handled the amount just fine. The loss of space is a ... MoreI broke the bowl of my original Hario Skerton. I appreciated that the hardware could be screwed onto a small-mouthed mason jar but it was very top heavy so I decided to upgrade to the new Skerton Pro. As advertised, I have found the grind to be a little more consistent and it's hard not to appreciate the change in how one adjusts the grind. But there are two problems with it that I haven't seen written about that for me make this a seriously inferior product.First, the hopper is considerably smaller than the original. It may hold 100 grams of ground coffee, but you can't grind more than 40 grams of whole beans at a time. I regularly grind more than that for a large Chemex and the original Hario Skerton handled the amount just fine. The loss of space is a combination of them having added quadrants to the hopper to add stability to the burr, and replacing the flexible silicon hopper cover with a hard plastic cover that dips down into the hopper. Yes, the plastic “wings” in the hopper add stability, but they neglected to adjust the size of the grinder to make up for the loss of space available in the original Skerton. And, as I said, the plastic cover adds to the problem because it sits inside the hopper. My second issue is that hard plastic cover, and, relatedly, its interaction with the grind handle.With the old rubber cover, you could just shift the cover to the side and pour in the beans without removing the handle. With the new set up, you have no choice but to take the handle off so you can remove the cover and then put it back together again. It's not just that it adds a couple of steps — or that, in my case, I have to do that twice for a full pot of coffee — it's that the handle is no longer screwed down. You not only have to pay very close attention to be sure that when you reassemble the whole thing, the grinder handle is seated properly (because it has a tendency to want to sit a bit above the plastic cover), worse, the small bit of downward force that is a natural part of grinding coffee beans acts as a lever, and thus has the effect of slightly lifting the handle from its proper seating. I suspect over time, this will result in stripping the bolt or reducing the quality of the grind if done repeatedly. The upshot: they replaced a fussy grind adjustment with a fussy grind handle, but this time, if you're not careful, you may end up damaging the unit through regular use.Save your money until they do another upgrade.

slow and difficult

The grind value is difficult to calculate. I thought that I was unscrewing the whole apparatus before I realized that was how you get a more course grind. I think I found the equivalent of a medium fine grind. However, it takes at least twice as long to grind as my Timemore G1 Plus. Also, the apparatus is difficult to hold and grind. The angle is wrong to rest it on the counter and grind, and I can't just hold it and grind like the Timemore. I had gotten this one as an extra to keep at work and maybe keep some grounds available, but I will not be keeping this. I can't return it b/c it has been used, so it will just be donated.