The Hario Skerton Pro Coffee Grinder is a simple, elegant machine with a dash of nostalgia. Like the original coffee mills and grinders from the 1700s, the Skerton Pro is hand-cranked.
While it doesn’t offer a ton of fancy features, this classic burr grinder is a favorite among coffee purists and has great quality for the price.
Looking for another manual coffee grinder option? Check out our buyer’s guide!
Things to Consider about The Hario Skerton Pro
The first thing to consider about the Hario Skerton Pro is covered in the introduction above. The Skerton is a product that does one thing very well, not a product that does several things at once.
The Skerton grinds beans to the perfect consistency and texture so that you can have better coffee. Many coffee makers have bean grinders built into them, and at that point, the difference comes down to quality and specialization.
The Skerton Pro is what you would call a burr grinder. Burr grinders work by combining two abrasive surfaces which break down whatever is being ground.
In the context of coffee, many people prefer them because they allow for a more consistent grind size. Depending on the coffee machine the grounds will go into, the results of using a burr grinder may vary.
Coffee lovers often have nice coffee makers which can fully draw out the aroma and nuance of the taste from finely-ground coffee beans, but a cheap pot coffee maker might not.
There will still be some differences in taste, but to fully appreciate the use of a burr grinder of any kind, you will need an excellent way to brew the coffee as well. As far as burr grinders go, the Hario Skerton Pro is a good choice, but not everyone will fully appreciate its value.
Features of the Hario Skerton Pro
| Electric or Manual? | Manual |
|---|---|
| Style of Grinder | Conical Burr |
| Height | 8.1 inches |
| Width | 3.9 inches |
| Weight | 1.43 lbs |
| Hopper Capacity | 100 grams |
| Material of Hopper | Glass |
| Material of burrs | Ceramic |
| Grind size range | Fine – coarse |
| Warranty? | No |
| Travel Safe? | Yes |
| Replacement Parts? | Sold Separately |
Hario Skerton Pro Coffee Grinder Review
The Skerton Pro is a burr grinder for coffee beans, and it works about how you would expect from looking at it. The grinder itself has a rotating top and a spring-loaded bottom burr which ensures the best consistency of bean grounds. The knob and lever on the top of the grinder spin easily to grind fresh beans.
The Hario Skerton Pro’s objective is to whet a customer’s appetite for better-quality coffee, which they can make in the comfort of their own home.
Once you have better coffee grounds from fresh beans, you will want a better coffee maker to brew it and add things like cream or foam. The Hario Skerton Pro gets you started so that you want more of the finer trappings of a true coffee aficionado.
Pros
- As advertised, the Hario Skerton Pro grinds beans to a consistent fine texture that draws out much more flavor from eclectic coffee beans.
- The Hario Skerton Pro has a small and compact profile and is light enough for you to take it on the go if need be.
- Allows you to grind your whole beans, making the coffee beans that you buy compatible with a much wider array of coffee makers.
- Since the objective is to get people interested in other products down the line, the Hario Skerton Pro is made to be as easy as possible to use.
- The grinder itself comes assembled and does not need batteries or access to an electrical outlet like many other grinders.
Cons
- Some people find using the grinder difficult because it is manual. You have to hold down the lid while grinding and turn the lever at the same time.
- Turning the lever while grinding beans may be physically strenuous for some people.
- The process of grinding beans is entirely manual and requires you to stand there and do it.
- The burrs wear down over time and are difficult to replace.
Features and Benefits of The Hario Skerton Pr
Hario Skerton’s burr grinder has the top features of any burr grinder and a few added features for easier use. Overall, it’s a very simple product, but it does everything you need it to do.
Grinding Power
Let’s start by looking at how a burr grinder works in general. Two abrasive surfaces grind together, crushing each bean to the same consistency.
Blade grinders have several spinning blades similar to a blender, which break down your coffee or espresso beans in seconds.
Blade grinders do not technically grind the beans as much as cut them into the desired consistency. Much like the medicinal mortar and pestle, when the Hario Skerton Pro says it grinds beans, it means it grinds them.
Adjustable Settings
The Pro model also makes it easier to adjust the consistency of your grounds without straining more on the handle.
To adjust, you simply turn a knob on the grinder to select a coarser or finer grind. Use our handy chart to keep track of the ideal grinding consistency for each type of coffee.
Manual Operation
The interaction between you, the person turning the crank, and the burrs themselves is part of the experience of using a burr grinder in the first place. You feel like you are taking an active role in making your coffee taste better every time you use it.
The Hario Skerton Pro exists to give you that experience, perhaps even more than it exists to do its job. The grinder was not designed and is not intended to be particularly efficient.
Hario touts that the Skerton Pro is intended to get people interested in grinding their coffee. Selling people that experience is a large part of why the Hario Skerton Pro is completely manually operated. The plethora of automatic bean grinders does not have the same overall effect on you.
Consistency of Coffee Grounds
Burr grinders are famous for grinding beans to a uniform consistency since they do not use gravity to move the beans to the grinding mechanism. The Hario Skerton Pro uses springs to bring the grinding burrs to the beans.
The burrs grind the beans until they are too small to break them down any further. You can tell when all of the chunks of coffee beans are ground to the desired grind consistency based on how easy it is to turn the crank on top of the lid.
The Skerton Pro also offers an adjustable grind so you can grind your beans to various consistencies for espresso, drip coffee, and pour-over.
Sleek Design
We like the design of Hario’s newer pro model. While they retained the classic shape of an old-fashioned burr grinder, Hario designed the pro with sleek black lines, a stainless steel handle, and glass.
The manual grinder looks chic and modern, but with a touch of old-timey class.
The materials are high-quality and very durable. A black rubber base creates a sturdy foundation protecting a compact but high-capacity glass bowl. The handle is stainless steel.
Fully Washable
Each part of the Skerton Pro is detachable and safe to wash with soap and water. You may take a little time to get used to reassembling the parts – and you have to be careful they don’t loosen over time.
Many coffee grinders are tough to clean completely, so easy washability is a great feature of this product. To wash, remove each piece and wash in warm, soapy water. Make sure you rinse well to get rid of any soap residue and dry with a gentle cloth. Let it air dry to ensure no moisture remains.
Non-Slip Base and Grip
One of the more useful features of the Skerton Pro is the non-slip rubber base. For a hand-grinder, a sturdy base is important to help you hold it still as you turn the handle. While Hario’s isn’t foolproof, the rubber base gives you a little extra leverage.
The base is also designed to provide a small amount of suction to a countertop. We didn’t find the suction very powerful, but it’s better than nothing.
Additionally, the sides connecting the grinder at the top to the container on the bottom are made of silicon for an easy and comfortable grip.
Portable
If you’re the kind of person who enjoys bringing your coffee equipment to the office or on vacation, the Skerton Pro is a great product to consider. It’s compact and sturdy, and can easily fit into a gym bag or suitcase without taking up too much space.
Despite the portable size, the bowl can still hold 100 grams of coffee grounds.
Simplicity
Overall, the Hario Skerton Pro is a simple product that exists to perform a simple task. It grinds coffee and espresso beans better than many other bean grinders, and that’s its only purpose. It does one thing, but it does it well.
Comparing The Hario Skerton Pro to Other Leading Hand Grinders
The Hario Skerton Pro is an excellent manual grinder for coffee lovers on every level, but it’s not the only option. Below are comparisons of some of the leading hand grinders on the market matched up to the Hario Skerton Pro. Keep in mind that manual grinders can vary in price points, much like electric grinders.
| Hario Skerton Pro | 1Zpress JX Manual Coffee Grinder | TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 Manual Grinder | HEIHOX Hand Coffee Grinder | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric or Manual? | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Style of Grinder | Conical Burr | 48-mm Conical Burr | Conical Burr | Conical Burr |
| Height | 8.1 inches | 6.69 inches | 5.7 inches | 7 inches |
| Width | 3.9 inches | 2.24 inches | 2 inches | 2.2 inches |
| Weight | 1.43 lbs | 1.5 lbs | 0.95 lbs | 2 lbs |
| Hopper Capacity | 100 grams | 28 grams | 25 grams | 30 grams |
| Material of Hopper | Glass | Aluminum | Stainless Steel | Aluminum |
| Material of burrs | Ceramic | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
| Grind size range | Fine – coarse | Fine – coarse | Fine – coarse | Fine – coarse |
| Warranty? | No | 1 year | No | 1 year |
| Travel Safe? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Replacement Parts? | Sold separately | Sold Separately | No | No |
Alternatives to The Hario Skerton Pro and Conclusions
The Hario Skerton Pro is an excellent burr grinder for coffee lovers who enjoy the rituals and physicality of making good cups of coffee – and don’t need too many bells and whistles for their coffee setup. Additional features, like a sleek, portable design and easy-grip surface, make this an excellent choice for a basic grinder.
However, while the Skerton Pro is an elegant product, you may want a coffee grinder that’s easier to use or has more settings and options.
For an affordably priced but high-quality electric grinder, we recommend looking into the Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill. Just touch a button and let it go; no hand grinding is necessary.
For the true coffee specialist, the Baratza Vario Grinder is in a league of its own, with 230 different grind settings and extreme precision in the grinds.
If you’re just getting started and not quite sure what you need in terms of coffee gear, we have a complete buying guide to the best coffee grinders on the market.
Happy Caffeinating!
Hario Skerton Pro Coffee Grinder Review: A Manual Grinder That Looks Great
Read our Hario Skerton Pro Coffee Grinder review. Discover why this coffee grinder is a must-have in your kitchen.
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