The Hario Skerton Pro is an iconic hand grinder that has been around for a few years now. We wanted to review it to see if this is still a good option to buy, considering the large influx of quality hand grinders on the market now.
Hario Skerton Pro
The Hario Skerton Pro is an entry-level manual hand grinder. It is a good option if you are looking for reasonable grind quality at an affordable price. The Hario Skerton Pro features a high-quality build and a large number of grind settings. It also has a very large capacity compared to other similar hand grinders. However, it does struggle with grind consistency, particularly at coarser grind settings.
Specs:
Why Consider a Hand Grinder?
There are a few benefits to investing in a hand grinder over an automatic grinder. The first of these is price. Hand grinders offer far more bang for your buck- because there are so few parts to a hand grinder, most of your money is going towards the quality and make of the burrs. Secondly, hand grinders offer portability. They tend to be far smaller and more durable than electric grinders, which makes them great for travel. Finally, the process of using a hand grinder allows you to make a hobby, a passion, art out of brewing. You get great satisfaction in grinding your own beans by hand.
Hario Skerton Pro Review
About Hario
Hario is a Japan-based company that is known in the coffee world for creating quality manual brewing gear. Perhaps their most popular product is the Hario V60 pour-over which has become a staple in third-wave coffee shops around the world. They also produce kettles, servers, and of course, grinders. So how does their Hario Skerton Pro grinder fare in the world of coffee grinders? The Hario Skerton Pro is Hario’s renovation of the classic Skerton with a bunch of improvements. These have elevated it from a sub-par grinder to a quality grinder that is easy to use, produces a uniform grind, and is now well thought of.
Design
The Hario Skerton Pro has an excellent design with a solid build. The grinder consists of a grinds bin made of heat-proof glass, protected by a non-slip rubber base. The grinder body is made from durable plastic with a large hopper and conical ceramic burrs. It also has a detachable metal crank handle. All the parts fit together well. Hario has included some thoughtful design aspects, including an airtight lid for the grinds container if you wanted to store ground coffee. Also, the grinds container can be swapped out for a mason jar. Overall the grinder has a sleek and modern look.
Usability
Like most hand grinders, the Hario Skerton Pro is straightforward to use. You simply choose your grind size, pour your beans into the hopper, whack on the lid and start cranking. A bit of muscle power, and voila! Freshly ground coffee. With a large hopper, the grinder is easy to fill. However, you will find that it does require a decent level of exertion to grind your coffee, and this can take a long time, depending on what grind size you are trying to achieve.
Grind Adjustment
Adjusting the grind setting is fast and easy with the Hario Skerton Pro. There is a small stepped knob under the burrs, which you can turn. It gives a small click for each increment. To start, you should turn the grind adjustment knob clockwise (to the right) until it is tight. This is the starting point. From there, you adjust the grind setting by turning the knob counterclockwise and counting the number of clicks as a reference. From there you adjust the grind setting by turning the knob counterclockwise and counting the number of clicks as a reference.
We recommend the following are a good place to start with your Hario Skerton Pro:
Grind Consistency
The grind consistency of the Hario Skerton Pro is passable but not on a par with other comparable hand grinders. It does achieve a consistent grind at the fine to medium level. However, the consistency is not as uniform at the coarser grind settings. If you are looking for a grinder for French Press or Cold Brew, we would suggest the Hario Skerton Pro is not the way to go.
Portability
The Hario Skerton Pro is probably not going to be your go-to grinder if you are looking for a grinder for travel. While it is doable, it is a rather large grinder, so it is not the most portable (although a handy hack is that you can attach a mason jar instead of the grind catcher if you do choose to travel with it). While this can be a negative, it is also a positive, as with its large size, it has a large capacity. The hopper can hold 60g of beans, and the grinds bin can hold 100g of ground coffee. This is almost twice the capacity of most other hand grinders, which makes it a good grinder if you want to grind a large quantity of coffee at a time.
Alternatives to the Hario Skerton Pro
Normcore Grinder v2
The Normcore grinder is an excellent option if you are looking for a budget hand grinder. The mix of compact size and quality construction makes it a great way to take your coffee obsession with you wherever you go.
It has 38mm stainless steel conical burrs and a stepped grind adjustment system with 24 clicks per rotation. The Normcore produces an even and consistent grind size, working well for pour over. It is capable of grinding for espresso but the limited grind adjustments make it difficult to dial in. Overall this is a superb grinder considering the affordable price.
1Zpresso JX Hand Grinder
This elegant-looking hand grinder is another excellent alternative. It offers superb grind consistency, impressive grinding speed, and large 48mm steel burrs. We can’t recommend it highly enough! The 1Zpresso JX has 24 possible grind sizes and is capable of grinding for both espresso and manual brewing methods. This grinder is making waves in the coffee world for a good reason, that the quality to price ratio cannot be equaled See our in-depth review here.
Who is the Hario Skerton Pro For?
With the explosion of high-quality and affordable hand grinders hitting the market, the Hario Skerton Pro is not our first pick for an entry-level grinder. However, it does still have a place in today’s market. If you are after an affordable hand grinder with a large capacity, this may be the grinder for you. However, if you are looking for better grind consistency or portability, there are other options that might be a better fit. See our guide to the best manual coffee grinders here.
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Cons:
The Final Verdict
The Hario Skerton Pro has been a popular grinder, offering good grind consistency, quality build, and an affordable price. However, there are a lot of new and improved hand grinders available now that offer better build and grind quality. The Hario Skerton Pro does still have a place if you are looking for a grinder for manual brewing methods that has a large capacity.
Happy Buying!
FAQs
What is the difference between the Hario Skerton and Hario Skerton Pro?
The Skerton “Pro” is Hario’s renovation of the classic Skerton with a bunch of significant improvements. The improvements include a new burr design with far more stability, a new grind setting system, and a slightly different look. And these improvements have rather remarkably taken the Skerton from what many felt was a sub-par grinder, to a quality grinder that is easy to use, produces a uniform grind, and is now well thought of.
How long does it take to grind with the Hario Skerton Pro?
The time the Hario Skerton Pro takes to grind largely depends on the grind size you are trying to achieve. You will find it is easier and quicker to grind at a coarser grind size than espresso. Generally it takes 1-2 minutes to grind to a medium level and double that for espresso.
What comes in the Box?
What is the Cheapest Hand Grinder?
You will find that there are a lot of cheap knock offs on the market today, however it doesn’t always pay to go for the cheapest option. You really want a grinder that is going to give you good grind consistency with a quality build. One of the cheapest, but well recognized hand grinders is the Javapresse.
