I first tried a Hario wooden coffee grinder at a friend’s place. It was a novelty for me as I had not used a manual grinder before. That grinder, however, was not precise enough in its grind and a little hard to grind. After looking around for a better grinder that was still affordable, I got an electric Melitta Molino Electric Burr Grinder. I really liked that grinder. However, I was not using it enough so I gave it away. I settled on a manual grinder that I could periodically use for smaller quantities of beans when friends came around and we could have more of a coffee experience. I came across the Skerton PRO.
This review is not on how to use it. It is whether I found it useful for my needs.
What I liked about it:
It was a good size even for my small hands and the handle was easy to turn.
The burrs were easy enough to adjust and the whole part was washable. The spring mechanism that kept the burrs at their intended distance seem quite sturdy. I have to admit that I had to grind it three times until I got an acceptable coarseness for my filter coffee.
The glass container that held the grounds came with a cover to store any leftover grounds that were not used.
I was able to grind small quantities of coffee beans and when I got tired, I had willing helpers to help me grind some more!
A friend had some coffee that she had bought while holidaying and did not have anyone to give it to. When she heard that I liked coffee, she gave me the two remaining bags that she had. This is review is about the grinder and not so much the beans. However, for the curious, Finca La Melodia was sour and mild and rather pleasant. At 125g, it was just nice for a small group or three or four people to enjoy. The website was in Spanish and one can look it up here.
The grind here is after the third attempt. I am not sure if it is the right grind size yet. I have tried it with filter coffee and a friend suggested I try this grind size in a cold brew.
The verdict on the Skerton?
I like it and it is fine for small quantities though I have to say that I was somewhat missing the Melitta when I was grinding slightly more. I guess for a novelty, it is fine, and there are always people who are keen to try their hand at grinding. The feel and make of the grinder is great, and if one is using it to grind daily, it is more than sufficient. Some people find grinding rather therapeutic so daily grind therapy can be had though I tend to grind enough for a few days whenever I grind.
Update as of 9 Feb 2020:
I had said earlier that this post is about what I thought about the Skerton PRO. If you recall, I mentioned I had problems with finding the right grind size. When I had the grounds as filtered coffee, it tasted a tad weak. But when I grounded them finer, it was too fine. A friend had suggested I use the grounds in a cold brew.
I did that yesterday and it turned out to be the best decision ever. After cold brewing for 18 hours, the coffee was just nice, strong enough, a tad sour and I could taste the coffee for what it is. I guess adjusting the size of the grind is something that one has to experiment with to get the right grind size.
Okay, I’m awake now!
Sudah makan? Have you eaten? 