Customer Reviews

BIA Cordon Bleu 8-Ounce Mortar and Pestle Set, White

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is the perfect size for most uses in the kitchen, especially for crushing spices or herbs. The mortar's non-porous surface is also great since it will not absorb odors or flavors like stones or wood might. The pestle has a rougher end (unglazed) that makes it easy to use and best for even crushing with little slippage.

High quality material; medium quality manufacture. The pestle is a little short and assymetrical. Also a heavier base would be better, but works well for small amounts of spices, seeds, dried leaves.

The mortar is not very big it only holds 8oz but your only grinding spices and herbs you don't need it to hold any more. is does not retain smells at all and can be put in the dishwasher or microwave.the only thing it could not grind well was annato seed , but it works great on pepper, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, anise, and all my other spices. well worth 10.00

i read the reviews and was convinced this was the right mortar & pestle to begin mixing my own spice combinations using whole spices. what was gleaned from various reviews of other items on Amazon was to stay away from certain materials because of issues of staining and porosity, etc. and thus with so many informative reviews it was a safe bet to try this 8-ounce ceramic mortar & pestle out.

it has fulfilled my basic expectations and the initial experience has been a lot of fun. smashing or crushing and then mixing spices together in this way opens up a lot of possibilities. so far i have only made a garam masala blend of whole spices though have yet to cook with it. my other initial goals are making spice rubs for ribs using whole spices instead of powders to begin with. as well, perhaps salad dressing.

what i noticed is that circular spices can 'pop' in the process of grinding and while this bowl is big enough for a a few tablespoons of various whole spices, any more and it seems they would be bouncing all over the surrounding countertop. with this in mind, it was possible to carefully grind about 3 tablespoons of ingredients and perhaps more if powders were included, though if you are planning to make a larger amount then a larger mortar & pestle set would be advised. though this appears to be the reason those who use these devices tend to have several sizes in their collection, because smaller amounts likely are easier to grind in smaller mortars and vice versa. in this way it is an excellent choice for small amounts, in my experience, though over time i may invest in a larger set for larger volumes. i had no idea what to expect and now have a better idea of what will be needed. that said, i am glad to have purchased this set as a vital kitchen tool for my cooking needs/goals. and it is also very rewarding to use, smelling the pungent spices, seeing the colors, and noticing how nicely white ceramic cleans up and is without a mark after its use. it is also impressive how strong it is for being so elegantly thin and glassy.

* highly recommended for grinding small quantities of whole spices *

I purchased this to crush medications for my elderly father, the drug store pill splitters and crushers were just not working and a pain to use. I am amazed at this set- worth every penny! Takes my dads pills and grinds them into a fine powder in seconds - no large pieces or grit! LOVE IT! Makes pill time so much quicker and easier! Cleans easy too. Can't believe I didn't try one of these years ago!

I have a marble mortar and pestle, but the bottom is a little rough and stained so I wanted to find a new set. I mainly use my sets to grind dry herbs and seeds for herbal teas and this little set appeared to be what I wanted, so I ordered it. This was the perfect size for me and the porcelain is tougher than you'd think. I use it daily and it is holding up very well. Since it doesn't absorb odors, I'm going to try garlic in it.

The vitreous porcelain bowl interior is smooth for about 1/2" down from the rim, then it has a slightly rough texture. It feels a bit like the finest emery paper and is on the bottom of the pestle too, creating opposing "gripping" surfaces. The bowl actually has a capacity greater than the 8 ounces stated in the description if you want to mix liquids directly in it.

The pestle is asymmetrical as mentioned in another review, and I believe this is part of the design rather than poor workmanship. I tend to keep the bowed side down towards the mortar when grinding because it seems to direct the force better.

Perfectly sized for most grinding tasks in the home kitchen. The white glaze stops at the base of the pestle and bottom of the mortar, so you get a good grinding surface. It is attractive and serviceable and easily cleaned. My only qualm is the "made in China" label. Considering the various lapses we've heard about lately, from pet food to toothpaste, that did strike a note of concern.

This is my first mortar and pestle set. I bought it because the price was right and it looked quite durable. I didn't have a use for a great big one, as I wasn't planning on making salsas or dips in it. I just wanted something to grind up spices, etc. that was lightweight and easy to clean. This fits the bill. It's a good value.

This is perfect for my needs. I really like that it goes right into the dishwasher. That why I didn't buy a wooden one, or the stone ones that cannot be cleaned in the dishwasher. I am very satisfied with this purchase.

This was a complete waste for me. I bought it to make ground garlic for a garlic, cheese champagne bread and for pesto. The surface is too smooth and the pestle not rough enough to grind anything (especially raw garlic, pine nuts and peppercorns)

It works great on celtic sea salt (powdered salt is tasty on popcorn and fries, try it).

I think the cheaper granite mortars would be a better buy and I'm wishing I picked one up at the Carniceria in Tucson for $8, such a deal, huh?

Anyway, I am surprised that so many people loved this product, I really can't imagine what they are using it for. Mine is purely decorative, I use it to hold kitchen odds and ends mostly.

Save your money folks, check out the ethnic grocery stores, I've seen mortar and pestles at the indian grocery too.