Quick look notes:
+++Variable, wholly consistent grinds on par with automatic burr grinders 10x's+ the cost
+++Ceramic burr grinders retain grind quality for a long time
+++Solid construction
+++Easy to operate
+++Lid prevents bean spillage
+++BPA-free plastic is durable, good for travel, and easy to clean
---Small capacity for both beans and fine (grounds)
---Instructions are mainly in Japanese
---Made in China (I realize this is a negative for some folks)
---Will lull you into the murky world of searching out the perfect (read: expensive) local roast
I don't shun electricity or automated processes, no, but I do find a certain amount of joy in a bit of manual labor when it produces something I am passionate about. I am also a sucker for economical efficiency. The Hario Mini Mill fulfills both of these ideals with gusto. One can easily spend a few hundred to well over a thousand dollars on a quality automated burr grinder, but there must always nag the possibility of diminishing returns.
I see this product filling a niche market: The coffee connoisseur who wants to save a nice chunk of change, would like to be one step closer to intimacy with their brewing process, or would like a nice option for grinding on the go. Perhaps all three. The Mini Mill excels at all three.
Variable grinds are adjusted via a rotating nut beneath the grinder. This allows for the coarsest grinds (for all you french press lovers) to a fine grind (for the auto-drip and pour-over crowds) to the finest of grinds (for all the brave Turkish style brewers). Adjusting the nut provides a nice, audible click, and I suggest marking down or making a mental note of the number of clicks from fully closed the provides the grind of your liking. TIP: Seven clicks from closed provides a perfect fine grind for my pour-over needs, but experiment to your liking.
And boy what a grind! Consistency is key and the mill delivers on that front. The fine falls into the convenient plastic holder. The fine container holds about 24 grams of grounds, which Hario states is enough for two cups of joe. But note that those are two small cups, so for most this might be enough for one strong cuppa.
The hopper logically then holds about 24 grams of beans and no more if you want the lid to close. And you want that lid to close so as to avoid a loose bean from shooting out and beaming you in the eye whilst you grind. It's a nice feature. The grinding itself is honestly a bit of a workout, but it is no more than I expected upon ordering. On average it takes me about two minutes of steady winding to grind 24g of beans, and I actually enjoy those two minutes. There's a bit a fun to be found in the manual process. The lid is clear, so you can watch the beans fall into the jaws of madness, and there's no question when it's finished because the sound of ceramic gnawing on crunchy beans lets up and the handle swings smoothly. The handle itself is comfortable and well constructed, with a knob that is just large enough to keep a firm grasp on without feeling unwieldy. The handle is removable, so keep that in mind for storage, but it does attach firmly with substantial depth, so there are no worries of it flying off while you are grinding. Also, the manual aspect of the little beast doesn't mean that it is also quite. It certainly removes the noisy whirring motors of its automated cousin, but it's not exactly operating in whisper mode either. Still, I grind near a wall shared by the bedroom of my sleeping wife, and I've yet to hear any complaints. Frankly, I find the crunch satisfying. TIP: I've found that sitting on a chair with the holder wedged between my legs provided the maximum comfort/efficiency/leverage for me while I'm grind, but I occasionally simply hold it in my hands with fine results. I do not suggest planting the device on the counter while grinding, as this increases both the noise and seemingly the amount of effort.
The whole package is small enough to pack away for travel/camping use (perhaps accompanied with an aeropress or similar device), and the plastic holder means no shattering and would also work well to carry some beans. I have yet to travel with mine, but plan to in the coming month.
The drawbacks of the device are few, but should be mentioned. I knew the capacity of the "mini" mill when I purchased it, but I will say that I was still slightly disappointed in just how few beans/fine this thing held. I knocked off a star for this, as I really wish that they'd simply made a slightly larger plastic container for the fine (see EDIT below). As stated above, the 24g is right at what I would use for a normal single cup for myself, and as I am generally the only coffee drinker in the house, this serves my purposes perfectly. When my wife also wants a cup, I simply split the magical liquid product between two smaller cups. With larger parties my sole option is to grind more than once. But it has always become a conversation point, and I love to relegate the extra grinding duty to curious guests. For those that consistently need a larger batch of ground, they might look into the Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton, which has a larger capacity.
Also note that the instructions are primarily in Japanese, though there are limited English notes for each section. The pamphlet also has useful illustrations, and I honestly had no trouble at all getting the thing up and running. Still, for those of us that like to read the instructions cover to cover, this might be a slight ding.
In the end, you will not find a better grind in this price range, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better one in a much higher price range. The quality of the design and build, as well as the consistency of the grind has made this one of my favorite purchases of the last few years. And since it's purchase I've found myself crawling the city for the perfect local roaster. All that said, this might be most useful only to those who really take their brewing seriously.
I should also say that I'm hooked on Hario. Brand loyalty is something that I'd generally roll my eyes at, but the consistent craftsmanship and reliability of this Japanese company has led me to let them take part in nearly my entire ritual of coffee preparation. And coffee is liquid gold. In addition to this grinder, I use their Hario VKB-120HSV V60 Coffee Drip Kettle Buono, a Hario VDC-02W Dripper V60 Size 02 White Ceramic Funnel, and Hario Coffee White Paper Filters Size 02 for V60 Brewer, 100 Count. Enjoy!
**Edit 9/10/13: I wanted to revisit this review and bump it up to five stars, as I see that the little grinder that can is on sale at the moment and I believe all coffee lovers should have one. I previously removed a star for the small amount of beans it processes at once, but I've since realized that this is illogical as its capacity is labeled here and heck, the name does have MINI in it. 10 months on, and this thing works like the first time. Better even, as I've developed my rhythm and wholly enjoy using it. And the size is perfect for my normal use. What are you waiting for?**
