# Do you like to use a electric grinder, or Mortar/Pestle?



## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

Hello,

I'm curious when people grind spices, do you use a electric grinder, or do you use a Mortar and Pestle?

Websturaunt is where I'm buying most of my gear, and the electric grinders are over 100$, but I see some "coffee grinders" for decently cheap on Amazon. I've seen a few people mention these work just as good, but I'm curious if anyone disagrees with that?

Then I see some M/Ps on the site http://www.webstaurantstore.com/search/mortar-and-pestle.html

They are either Granite or Marble. I'm curious which Stone I should go with, if this is the better route.

It seems that the Electric Grinder is usually recommended over the M/P, but in reality I'm not 100% sure how much I will be using it.

The first recipe I looked at in this cookbook calls for Schian/Schzuan Peppercorns, and I need to grind them. The other ingredients I need might already be in powder form, so not sure how much I will be using the peppercorns, or other ingredients that I get whole, such as "Star Anise."

I'm curious if you can smash garlic in a M/P? This recipe asks for "smashed" garlic (another asked for minced).

Thanks all.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Buy the cheapest electric coffee grinder you can and use that for hard spice grinding. Not just a timesaver over mortar/pestle but a better result in most cases. 

Garlic and soft herbs are a different topic. Maybe best if you start a new thread on them.


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

BrianShaw said:


> Buy the cheapest electric coffee grinder you can and use that for hard spice grinding. Not just a timesaver over mortar/pestle but a better result in most cases.
> 
> Garlic and soft herbs are a different topic. Maybe best if you start a new thread on them.


Thanks !

I was looking at this one 
But read reviews about bad smells which is no bueno for me.

What about a hand grinder?


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

I use both.

A cheap (well, actually, nothing is cheap here) coffee grinder for fast grinding of hard spices like coriander, black pepper etc.

A pestle and mortar for pastes, garlic and herbs (and sometimes hard spices)

With other words: I would buy both if I were you.

If you only want to buy one: The pestel and mortar is more versatile in my opinion.


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## lasagnaburrito (Jun 9, 2015)

butzy said:


> I use both.
> 
> A cheap (well, actually, nothing is cheap here) coffee grinder for fast grinding of hard spices like coriander, black pepper etc.
> 
> ...


Thanks! IF I were to go electric, I would go for a beter model, for fear of motor issue and nasty smoke.

What kind of M/P should I buy? Does stone type matter? There are a few kinds, not sure what I need...

What about the manual grinders?

Thanks a lot.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

I use both the M&P and also my NutriBullet using the smaller "cup" that comes with it. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/laser.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Pepper: Spend some serious money here and get a good pepper grinder, one that looks good on your table, as well as working well.  You will be using this for years to come, and only for pepper, so spend some coin and get a good one 

Other spices:  As others have said, a cheap electric coffee grinder, I get mine (B&D) at the drugstore or Mal*Wart.

Garlic:  I have never used a garlic crusher, I have never bought that crud-in-a-jar or in a tube.  I buy whole heads, and peel as many cloves as I need.  Either I mince them on a cutting board, or I smash them with the blade of my knife and grind it to a pulp with a bit of salt.  I HATE washing one-purpose tools that I use for 30 seconds.....

Stay away from on-line food equipment sites.  You need to hold the actual piece of equipment in your hand and see for yourself if it is actually useful,or future land-fill.  Best bang for your buck (Bricks and mortar, that is,) restaurant supply stores, next down the line are hardware stores, garage sales are pretty handy too.


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Must be nice to have that much storage /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

Seriously - you should learn knife skills, proper techniques and watch really good cooks work - I pointed you in that direction in your other thread - you will be surprised at how few tools you really need to cook well.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

I really like the way that my NutriBullet grinds seeds like fennel used in my pizza and caraway in my bread baking.


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## mikael (Nov 2, 2013)

I use both. Cheap coffee grinder for hard stuff. Fennil seeds cinnamon etc.
Mortar for softer stuff. Or for fun. I always liked the mortar.


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## chefshanes (Jun 19, 2016)

im with foodpump for the pepper grinder, absolutely get something that is made to last, mine is cast iron, an its lasted for 25 years without a problem.

for dry herbs and spices an electric grinder is fine and a most capable method, any cheap thing is fine, like the bullets these days are amazingly cheap and can smash out pulverized herbs and spices within seconds.

but when it comes to including fresh herbs such as for making sambals, bumbu, krueng, salsa etc I actually use an Indonesian mortar and pestle which are named "Ulek" (pronounced oo-lek) and "Cobek" (pronounced cho-bek), and together known as "Ulekan"... there are a few types but the best "combo" to get is the riverstone Cobek bowl, coupled with a palmwood Ulek to do the mashing.

I just used the Chinese type for many years until I found the Ulekan... now I have 3 Ulekan, and no Chinese mortar and pestle, hahaha.

One beautiful thing about using the Indonesian type is that you can serve it to the table with the sambal or salsa in the same bowl you make it in, a very "earthy" touch to table presentation for a dinner party etc.


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