Customer Reviews

Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen 5.5-inch Ceramic Suribachi Set

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is the best deal I've ever seen on such a quality Suribachi, not to mention that it has the little bamboo brush included....for cleaning the grooves. This Suribachi has a beautiful glazed finish and it is the perfect size for your kitchen...not too small nor too large. I highly recommend the product.

I had a few mortar and pestle sets, and decided to try a Japanese version and ordered this one. The ridges do help and I'm using it more and more over the others. The ridges make it a little harder to clean, but don't let that deter you.

This is a well made suribachi and it is quite a value. I tried it on peppercorns, sesame seeds and dried rosemary and it works great.

I can't believe all the years I wasted trying to grind spices with a mortar and pestle when this clever little device was around. You can grind things up in seconds and also mix things in it, and when you're done, use the little bamboo brush to quickly and efficiently wipe all the ingredients out! It's easy to wash, too. (You might think those good grooves would trap food particles but they don't.) Everyone should have one of these.

I was looking for a new mortar and pestle set since my older one was made from a soft stone and was pitting. I figured I'd give this one a try. It didn't work for me. If one is using only herbs with this, I think it would work well for bruising fresh herbs and/or powdering leafy herbs. It does NOT work with seeds or roots. The grooves made in the bottom and sides of the bowl catch and hold these smaller and/or harder things and it is very difficult to get the embedded material out of the grooves. The little "brush" that comes with the set is mostly a gimmick. One the the "bristles" broke on the one included with the suribachi set on the first use and it wasn't strong enough to brush out the seeds or roots pushed down between the grooves. If you're looking for something light-duty, this MIGHT work for you. If you're looking for a real mortar and pestle set, pass this one by.

Much smaller than I would have thought. The picture is kind of deceiving. However, it is a great design and can handle most grinding mortar/pestle jobs you would need. If you need to grind and pulverize some chili or other items and don't want the 20lb granite version this is a great choice.

I have a large and heavy granite mortar and pestle that I use for just about every spice, herb, chocolate nib, and even garlic. This smaller, lightweight, Ceramic Suribachi Set is perfect for when I don't want to lug my larger set over to the prep area. I find that I am grinding the smaller quantities of herbs more often using this set. Highly recommended -- especially if you already have the heavy duty granite mortar and pestle and want the flexibility for a gentler, lighter grind. The price makes this a value play for just about anyone looking for quality.

I like the suribachi, and it was inexpensive, but in retrospect I should have gotten a mortar and pestle from my local asian import store. Twice the price, but made of granite. It's a pain to crush spices in this thing. Crushing garlic, ginger and other herbs/veggies is a breeze, though.

Love this Suribachi set! Much bigger than comparably priced mortar/pestle sets, beautiful design inside and out. The texture and ridges inside the bowl help to achieve a much finer grind of spices and herbs, and the bamboo brush gets all the bits out easily.

Exactly as discribed, small 5 & 1/2 inch! It is exactly like my grandmothers smaller bowl. This is so much nicer for grinding fresh and dry, I wouldn't trade it for the old type, ever. And yes it takes a little more time to clean, but for what it does, it isn't that much more work, I use a small button type vegetable brush with plastic bristles to clean mine, works so much faster then the bamboo brush.
(I hope you get in the larger 8 inch bowl for bigger jobs some time soon)
Helen's Asian Kitchen 5-1/2-Inch Ceramic Suribachi Set