Customer Reviews

Hario MSS-1B Mini Mill Slim Coffee Grinder

5 star:		(106)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Things you need to know before buying:

1. This product is small, very small. It is about 7 inches tall and 2 inches wide at the base. I knew it was small before buying, but cannot say that I wasn't surprised when I opened the box to see just how small it is.

2. The instructions in the package come in Japanese (no English translation). Be ready to figure things out for yourself, most notably, how to adjust the grind (it's at the bottom of the grinder, you have to manually turn a nut to adjust the grind from finer to coarser and vice versa).

3. It gives you up to 2 cups worth of grind space. Perfect if you grind you coffee just before drinking (like me), but not so if you want to grind large quantities at a time. This is very much a grind-as-you-go grinder.

4. As someone mentioned before, the finest grind takes a while to get all the beans grinded. Keep at it.

5. The grinding handle detaches and reattaches, it's not one whole product. You'll just need to store the handle near the grinder.

6. It's a great budget grinder. It grinds the beans at a consistent grind. That's what you're looking for. But, you're going to have to work for it. Be sure you don't mind the work before buying this product.

Overall, I'm a satisfied customer. I've used this grinder religiously every morning for about 4 months now.

I researched for a while before settling on this product. There are alot of people reviewing it that say it is too much work and it takes too long. First of all, that is not the case. It might take 1-2 minutes for enough coffee for 2 people and it is not difficult by any means. Second, if you are looking at getting a MANUAL coffee grinder then you have to expect it to take a little bit of MANUAL labor, that's kind of the idea. I guess people are too used to their automatic, electronic kitchen devices that don't require anything more than the press of a button. On that note, electric coffee grinders have a high rate of failure, something they call planned obsolescence. With a manual one there really isn't anything to have go wrong.

If you understand what you are getting then this is a great little product. The reason I decided on this one is because it has a lid to keep the beans from bouncing out which means you can hold the grinder in your hands and at an angle while grinding, as opposed to having to keep the device planted on a counter top or table while grinding. With this one you can walk around or go sit down or whatever you want while grinding. It also has a very easy adjustment mechanism to change the coarseness of the grind and the whole thing is very compact. The burs are ceramic so they will never wear down. To me, for the money this is the best one out there.

***UPDATE*** March 2012
I've had this grinder and have been using it for about 18 months. I have had no problems and am still very happy with my purchase. The ability to change the coarseness of the grind is one of my favorite features. If I want my coffee to be REALLY strong I can grind the beans into a fine powder (which takes a little longer) or if I want it to be regular strength I can set it to a more coarse grind (which takes less time). With a little experimentation you can find the setting that works best for you. This is a solid little contraption and I would still highly recommend it.

I bought this item because it wasn't possible to properly clean my electric burr grinder and my wife kept yelling about the noise and coffee dust. The HARIO does a good job of grinding the coffee and is pretty simple to operate but it's slow and takes effort. The directions are in Japanese but all you really need to know is pop off the handle and clear top, pour in the beans, put it back together and grind, grind, grind. My only grumble is that the HARIO is so small and slick that you have to death-grip the thing while you're cranking. I haven't experimented much with adjusting the coffee grind but that's accomplished by turning the little wing-nut thing on the bottom of the grind section. Screw it tighter for finer coffee or loosen it for a coarser grind. If you unscrew it all the way you can disassemble the device for cleaning. The bottom line...if you need a small, portable grinder for about one cup of coffee, it's worth the money. If you need quantity, speed and complete ease of use...look elsewhere. Thanks for reading my review.

I bought this along with an Aeropress coffee maker AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker with Bonus 350 Micro Filters specifically for use when traveling. The combination makes the best coffee I've ever made myself (and I've been doing this for over half a century). The combination packs into a very compact space, made it through TSA without a hitch, is apparently almost unbreakable (so I would not have worried had I checked my luggage, but I have learned to pack for up to 3 weeks with a carryon and this combination fit in very well). If this is set on the finest espresso grind it can take over 10 minutes to grind a full load (beans in the top, adjust the grind wheel on the bottom, easily used) but set slightly coarser it took about 2 minutes or less to grind enough to put through the Aeropress. I grind whilst watching TV (public television, of course) so I can take whatever time I need. The espresso grind, by the way, is a hard press with the Aeropress but it works. In short, combining this product with the Aeropress allowed me to buy beans in New Orleans and make coffee the way I like it. One must take along a heating coil if one's hotel does not reliably supply a coffee maker (mine did not); the total package along with a baggy full of coffee beans kept me going in the morning without having to pay for room service or spend time I didn't have during a conference finding a restaurant.
Bottom line: I am overjoyed with this product and with the combination I described above. Highly recommend.

My qualifications: Barista and coffee house manger of 16 years, coffee roaster.

I believe that anyone who loves coffee will benifit from having the Hario mini in their collection of brewing equipment.
The mini shines over the Hario Coffee Hand Grinder Skerton for three reasons.
1. The grind adjustment nut clicks as it is let out. Simply tighten the burrs all the way and then count clicks as you turn the nut to find the correct grind for your brewing method.
2. The lid. The Skerton does not have one and the beans fly out during grinding. The lid also fascilitates grinding in that if after a few cranks you realize the grind needs adjusted you can unscrew the body, turn it over, and turn the adjustment nut. Gravity pulls the beans away from the burrs so there are no worries about a jam.
3. Portability. Compact and light enough to easily go in a backpack.

Overall -

Pros:
*Ceramic, conical burrs sharp enough to cut the beans, not mash them. Also, ceramic stays sharp and can be
washed with water.
*Spring loaded shaft pushes the small burr into position.
*Can be fully disassembled for deep cleaning. All pieces are notched in a way that it is easy to reassemble.
*Low RPMs will not heat coffee particles
*Accurate grind adjustment
*Great for travel
Cons:
*Shaft wobble allows for inconsistency in particle size. This can be fixed somewhat with masking tape around
the shaft where it meets the bushings and around the outside of the large burr.
*Plastic body and receiver. Although durable it is still plastic.

I don't need to add to the overwhelmingly positive reviews that already exist. This mill is fairly simple to use even without English instruction.
In case you're a potential user, but worries about the lack of English instruction, this translation will hopefully remove your concern.

Front Cover page: nothing critical.
Back cover page: Turn the nut at the bottom clockwise to make finer grind, counterclockwise for coarser.

Inside page #1: Top: Cautions
1. Turning the handle when there is nothing inside or turning it counterclockwise will damage the burrs. Don't do it.
2. Turning the nut/dial clockwise too far may damage the burrs.
3. Small piece of coffee bean can get stuck and prevent coffee from falling down. This may result in turning the handle without actually grinding any coffee bean. Tap the coffee mill occasionally to prevent this from happening.
4. Over time, the mill wears down. When the amount of coffee beans you can grind decreases significantly, it's time to buy a new one.

Bottom: Directions
1. Grind a small amount of coffee beans to see how much you need to turn the nut/dial to get the fineness you need.
2. put 1-2 cup worth of bean into the hopper: 1 cup = 10-12 g, 2 cupts = 20-24 g (see marks on the hopper). Don't over-load above the 2-cup mark.
3. Hold the mill firmly in one hand as you turn the handle slowly. Make sure the hopper cover is closed tightly.

Inside Page #2: Top: drawing that shows individual components, pretty self-explanatory.
Bottom: Care instruction
1. You can take apart the mill for cleaning
2. The nut/dial can be removed by turning counterclockwise.
3. After taking the nut off, you'll be able to take out the inner and outer parts of the mill/burrs
4. Oil from the coffee bean will get on the mill. Wash with soap.
5. Do not put the parts in dishwasher. Do not use bleach.
6. Do not lubricate the mill with oil

I hope you'll enjoy your new grinder as much as I do.

If this were built with more expensive processes or finer tolerances, it would be a great product. Unfortunately, if your grinder shaft ever slips, it can quickly stop working. (what probably happened to others who complain about non-function)

The nitty-gritty details: The main shaft with pinched fins slides through a slotted plastic piece. (which snaps into the center grinding stone) The rounded-ness of the pinched fins combined with loose hole and slots in plastic leave plenty of room for the shaft to deform the plastic. Every time it slips, the grind nut is tightened, making future sticking far more likely. And so it progresses until the shaft slips constantly, sticking the grind stones tightly together every time you attempt to use it.

I might order again and hope a different grinder will not destroy itself. (my occasional use left me past the 30-day amazon return window)

Certainly a 5-star product but I think I should mention a few things.

1) Watch the size. It's very small, for individual cups of coffee, or coffee for a couple.

2) It cannot grind certain kinds of coffee.

No, I'm not nuts. Well not in this case anyway, hear me out. The mechanism that feeds the beans into the grinding surfaces has been carefully sized to grab onto the most common size of beans and it does for most coffees. But I have some Malaysian high-end coffee here that has beans that are a little bigger and it's almost impossible to get them into the actual grinder. Playing with the setting didn't change anything. I don't think this is common, just be advised.

I bought this product for my husband. After researching many types of grinders I finally settled on this one and I couldn't have made a better choice. After reading some of the reviews on the Hario Mini Mill, I was concerned about the size of it but after seeing the mill its not that bad. In our household my husband is the only one who drinks coffee and he normally only drinks 2 cups in the morning before going to work anyway, so this is perfect for him. He loves the fact that he can determine how fine he would like his coffee grains by just adjusting the screw at the bottom. Also, the grinding process takes him about 2 to 3 minutes, but he enjoys it. Would I recommend this product? Absolutely!!

MSS-1B is a wonderful little gadget, and worked perfectly right out of the box. I was planning to have a Japanese friend translate the instructions, but really didn't need it. I typically grind two tablespoons of beans for a large mug of coffee. According to the grinder's scale that was right on the money for what they call one cup. I was intent on beating the world record for speed, but it seems that a steady rotation works better than a fast one. On three consecutive mornings I have accomplished a one cup grind in a hair over a leisurely minute, with a consistent 108 turns. And that has been while walking around the kitchen! The main reason for purchasing the MSS-1B was that my electric "slicer" was loud, and would often wake up my wife. This little gadget is very quiet and discrete. And I can stick it in the glove compartment when I travel! Throw out those electric slicers - this beats them all.