Do you want to enjoy a fresh and fragrant coffee every morning? A good grinder lets you extract coffee beans' best flavors and aroma every morning. Investing in the best manual coffee grinder for under $100 gets you the right equipment without breaking the bank.
Sure, there’s no better way to enjoy coffee than using the best roasted and freshly ground coffee. But, with the hefty price tag on coffee grinders, this dream can seem like slipping through your fingers.
However, there’s a silver lining. You can find a good deal on a manual grinder that gives you equally good results – for a fraction of the price. We’ve scoured the market to find 5 superior options so you can finally start enjoying gourmet coffee shop quality coffee every morning – for FREE.
1. JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
Built with 18 adjustable settings, the JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder lets you enjoy coffee how you like it. The adjustable settings give you complete control over how coarse the beans are. The hand-operated grinder with crank features a professional grade patented dual-plated ceramic conical burr assembly to prolong its durability by up to 5x than regular grinders.
Unlike metal, Japanese ceramic doesn’t lose sharpness faster or develop rust over time. Further, the high-quality ceramic material maintains uniformity in the coffee grounds for balanced flavors. The grinder’s burr design also helps to heighten the flavor of a delicious cup of coffee. This is because the Japanese ceramic grinder produces very little heat to help maintain the strong coffee flavor.
This manual grinder won’t wake the neighbor, thanks to its peaceful quiet operation, unlike electrical grinders. The hand-operated lever also eliminates the need for messy power cords or batteries. Measuring just 7.5 inches long by 1.8 inches wide, the coffee grinder is portable, allowing for easy storage and convenient travel if you need to take it with you.
Pros
- Durable and flavor-retaining Japanese ceramic grinder burr
- Full control over the coffee grounds’ coarseness
- Portable and lightweight (fits into a bag)
Cons
- It can be a little slow when grinding beans for espresso
2. Triple Tree Manual Coffee Grinder
The Triple Tree Manual Coffee Grinder features a modern, sleek, and clean design that elevates the look of your kitchen counter. The grinder comes with two 11-ounce jars that collect the ground. Each jar has an airtight lid for short-term storage, so you don’t spend time grinding during the morning rush. You also get a brush for cleaning up and a tablespoon scoop.
The affordable hand coffee mill also has a lengthened stainless steel handle, making manual grinding less effortless. Its use of a ceramic burr reduces heat generation to maintain the authentic pleasant coffee taste and aroma.
Pros
- Brush and scoop included for neat and convenient grinding
- Adjustable settings grind beans fine and coarse
- Free glass jars to store coffee grounds or beans
Cons
- No label to indicate coarseness level
3. Vivaant Manual Coffee Grinder
Vivaant Manual Coffee Grinder integrates a dragon tooth stainless steel conical burr that grinds beans for different brewing styles. Whether it’s drip, espresso, or French press, the manual grinder produces fine-tuned, evenly-sized grounds. Unlike regular burs, the premium stainless steel conical burr grinds twice as fast and consistently and produces evenly sized grounds.
The grinder is fitted with 6 adjustable settings – all you do is adjust them without disassembling the grinder. This lets you produce fine to coarse grounds for various coffee drinks and brewing methods.
Pros
- Sizing labeled collection glass jar and lid for short-term storage included
- Holds up to 1.2 ounces of beans or up to 6 tbsp of grounds
- Portable and lightweight (fits into the palm of your hand)
Cons
- May not produce ultra-fine grounds
4. Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder
The Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder features a stylish wooden mill fitted with cast iron burr for easy operation and long-lasting durability. The grinder is also fitted with an ergonomic wood-covered cast iron hand crank to fit on your hand comfortably.
The hand crank mill accommodates high-capacity grinding to serve a sizable crowd per grind. Yet, it remains portable enough for easy and convenient travel and storage. The coffee grinder is also pretty versatile, coming in handy both at home and even during camping. You can grind coffee beans, spices, nuts, and grains.
Pros
- Customizable, aesthetically pleasing wood color pattern
- Highly hard cast iron burr for fine powder grinding (great for espresso)
- Stores up to 16 tablespoons of ground coffee
Cons
- Lacks coarseness indicator
5. LHS Manual Coffee Grinder
LHS Manual Coffee Grinder is an outstanding affordable option if you are on a strict budget. The manual coffee grinder is fitted with ceramic burr and has 2 free containers for collecting and storing coffee beans and grounds.
The ceramic burr retains the coffee’s authentic flavors with minimal frictional heat. Further, the grinder has 4 adjustable levels, producing coarse to acceptable grounds. Based on the consistency, you can grind coffee for Turkish coffee, espresso, drip, and French press.
Pros
- 4 adjustable levels recommended for 4 popular coffee brewing methods
- See-through glass jar lets you observe the grinding consistency as you grind
- Affordable option
Cons
- Produces a squeaky noise
Factors to Consider When Buying A Manual Coffee Grinder
Don’t know how to pick the best manual coffee grinder under $100 for your needs? Here are the two common features to pay attention to;
Burr Material
The grinder’s burr does the heavy lifting when grinding your coffee beans. This grinder part comes in different materials, including stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramic. While both materials have perks, ceramic is probably the best option.
Cast iron offers a hardness option for easier grinding, especially for acceptable grounds for espresso or Turkish coffee use. Stainless steel offers excellent resistance to the elements, including rust. On the other hand, ceramic is hard and rust-resistant. Plus, it doesn’t generate excessive frictional heat, maintaining the coffee’s authentic flavors, aroma, and roundness.
Size and Capacity
The capacity of your coffee grinder is essential based on your sizing needs. If you are serving a family, you want a grinder that works faster and comes with a collection jar that can store more. After all, you don’t want to go through the strenuous manual grinding labor for more than one session.
Even a tiny capacity option is acceptable if you need the grinder for single-person use. You can go for the regular size with a 4 to 6-tablespoon jar capacity. You can also choose a grinder with an airtight-lidded jar that keeps ground coffee fresh for a few hours or days to make multiple cups of coffee.
Meet the expert
Donaldina is a coffee lover and freelance writer from Tanzania. Coffee runs deep in her family - tracing its roots to her grandmother’s running of their first coffee farm in the mid-70s. She enjoys spending her time writing and co-running her grandmother's small robusta coffee farm with her sister in northwest Tanzania during the summer seasons.