Mark MorphewIn today’s fast-paced world, it seems like nobody has time to appreciate the finer things in life, such as coffee.
Sure, you can go and grab a cup from your local Starbucks, but let’s be honest, nothing can truly compare in flavor and quality than actually taking the time to grind up your own coffee beans, heat your water, and then brew.
Even when you do decide to grind your coffee beans, you’re often inundated with modern push-button coffee grinders that are overly complicated and want to rob you of the pleasure of manually grinding your beans.
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But all is not lost. You can still get your hands on an antique coffee grinder if you miss the old-fashioned days.
In fact, many coffee enthusiasts claim that once you have tasted coffee ground using an antique coffee mill, you’ll never go back to a modern electric model.
How To Tell If You Have A Vintage Grinder?
Electricity was invented in the late 1930s, but it didn’t become popular until the 1950s. So, the first telltale sign of an old-fashioned coffee grinder is if it has a handle.
It goes without saying, but coffee is older than electricity, so if your grinder has a manual crank arm, the chances are it’s pretty old – or a modern variation on a vintage style.
Another sure sign of an antique coffee grinder is the material it’s been made from.
Typically the older coffee grinders are made out of cast iron, wood, or sometimes glass if it’s made out of plastic, there’s a good chance that it was made after the 1950s.
Getting your hands on a real old coffee grinder can be costly and, to be honest, pretty hard. Most are either snapped up by enthusiasts or demand a high price in antique shops.
So unless you can’t live without a real old vintage coffee grinder, I recommend that you buy a replica. Luckily enough, there are new coffee grinders that have been made in the same way as the old antique mills that won’t break the bank.
Sound good? Can’t wait to get your hands on an old-fashioned coffee grinder? Keep on reading and discover four of the best.
Best Rated Antique Coffee Grinders
Below I have handpicked some of the best antique coffee grinders to bring a bit of old into your hectic modern life.
Take your time and appreciate coffee the way it’s meant to be, slow.
Zassenhaus Santiago Coffee Grinder
If you are looking for an old-fashioned grinder, I highly recommend you take a look at the Zassenhaus.
This German company has been manufacturing coffee grinders for over 150 years, so with this grinder you get the original old coffee grinder but with modern parts.
The Santiago uses the preferred conical burr grinding mechanism and can crank out coarse and an extra-fine grind to suit any coffee brewing method (even Turkish coffee).
Zassenhaus are so confident that their manual coffee grinder will stand the test of time, they even offer a 25-year warranty on the mechanism.
What We Love
- Conical burrs protect the integrity of ground coffee beans.
- This grinder can also grind for Turkish coffee.
- High-grade carbon steel conical burr.
Take Note
- Slightly heavy, making portability a challenge.
- The grind setting dial has no numbers.
Peugeot Antique Coffee Mill
This wooden Peugeot Antique coffee grinder has been handcrafted from beech wood with a rustic weathered finish to give it that old, vintage look.
The design of this coffee mill is almost identical to the original that was made in France by the Peugeot brothers back in 1840.
This modern replica looks the same, but with the modern grinding mechanism, it’s able to produce a uniform grind from coarse to extra fine.
Peugeot offers a lifetime warranty on the grinding mechanics and a 5-year warranty on the wooden exterior.
It’s not the cheapest coffee grinder, but you are going to get a grinder that will probably outlive you.
What We Love
- Durable stainless steel grinding mechanism.
- Able to grind very fine powder – perfect for espresso machines.
- Lifetime warranty on the mechanism.
Take Note
- It only holds about one cup worth of coffee beans.
Evelyne Cast Iron Vintage Style Coffee Grinder
Looking for a grinder with an old vintage look? Take a look at the Evelyne manual burr coffee grinder.
I love the big cast iron crank wheel on this retro grinder. Not only does it look great it makes grinding your beans super-efficient.
Operating is easy. Just place your coffee beans inside of the bowl, crank the handle to turn the ceramic burrs, and within a few minutes, you will have freshly ground coffee which can then be found inside in the wooden drawer.
The Evelyne is fully capable of producing a fine coffee grind suitable for Turkish coffee or other popular pour-over and drip brewing methods.
The coarser French Press grind is also possible using this retro grinder.
What We Love
- Heavy-duty cast iron grinder mills directly into the collection drawer.
- Has many grind settings for extra fine all the way through to coarse.
Take Note
- Can be a little hard to find the right grind setting.
ROK Coffee Grinder
The last antique-inspired coffee grinder on my list is the ROK. The ROK grinder has a medieval look that is reminiscent of a torture device rather than a grinder.
However, with its strange looks aside, the ROK is a great, robust manual coffee grinder that can outperform its electric counterparts.
It features the preferred burr grinding mechanism (48mm stainless steel conical burrs) that can crank out any coffee grind to suit all coffee brewing methods.
Out of all the old-fashioned coffee grinders above, the ROK provides the best grind quality, and to be honest, it’s on par with most of the high-end electric coffee grinders (and it’s quieter too).
Are you left-handed? Not a problem with the ROK; you can set it up for either right or left!
Make sure to read my full ROK grinder review.
What We Love
- Indefinite bean hopper capacity.
- Durable stainless steel conical burrs.
- Ergonomically designed.
Take Note
- Grinds coffee beans are not as consistent as some other manual grinders.
- A bulky large size means it’s not suitable for travel.
When he's not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you'll find him busy doing DIY projects around the home and taking his German Shepherd for a walk, who funnily enough is called Kona!
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Since the creation of the Bean Ground coffee blog in 2014, Mark and a small circle of coffee hobbyists have rigorously tested, reviewed, and researched coffee gear. In most cases, they have purchased the items themselves with the sole intention of rating and evaluating.
In that time, they have built up a list of quality points to look for and what makes specific equipment better than others. They cut through the noise and marketing hype that often surrounds products to give you their unbiased opinions so you can make clear decisions on your next purchase.
