This Heirloom-Quality Coffee Grinder Will Make You Rethink Your Morning Workflow

Weber Workshops sets a new standard for grinding coffee beans. Again.

Published June 19, 2024

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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Unless, of course, you’re Douglas Weber of Weber Workshops, the company renowned for its high-end coffee gear fashioned that wouldn’t look out of place in a laboratory. In fact, many of its products are fashioned with actual lab glass.

Driven by the mission to “redefine quality in the specialty coffee industry,” Weber (an alumnus of Apple) and his team “challenge the status quo” and “strive for continuous improvement,” his company says — two mantras that certainly color the company’s latest manual coffee grinder, the HG-2 Mk2.

Weber Workshops HG-2 Mk2

Starts at $1,595

Weber Workshops HG-2 Mk2

Weber Workshops makes a variety of coffee gear, including innovative portafilters, a watchmaking-inspired WDT device and an espresso-pour-over hybrid brewer called the BIRD (short for Brew in Reverse Direction).

But the company is most famous for its grinders, starting with the manual HG series, which introduced a two-speed transmission technology that cater to lighter roasts (typically troublesome for manual grinders).

Devised as an “heirloom” grinder, the original HG-1 has become something of a modern classic among the coffee cognoscenti. It featured 83mm conical burrs from Mazzer that rewarded anyone willing to grind coffee by hand with precise grounds and years of consistency.

Weber Workshops followed up on the HG-1 with the HG-2, which boasted a smaller footprint, foldable crank and finer grind settings. Now, the company has upped the ante once again with the Mk2 version of the machine.

The HG-2 Mk2 still features 83mm Mazzer burrs but brings a new bottom bearing to the machine and increases the loading capacity by 30 percent to make it more versatile for users who want to use it for pour-overs.

It grinder also houses Weber Workshop’s static-reducing Magic Tumbler, which eliminates the need to perform RDT (Ross Droplet Technique), says the company.

Manual vs electric grinders

Manual coffee grinders have largely fallen out of fashion, and for obvious reason: they take effort and time. But some enthusiasts still favor them over their electrical counterparts, in the same way that audiophiles still enjoy listening to vinyl records.

Manual gear like the HG-2 Mk2 allows users to dial in every part of their coffee-making workflow and connects to the brewing process in a way that the button on a machine will never match.

Hand grinders are also quieter and, theoretically, don’t heat up the beans as much as an automatic grinder. The high speeds of an automatic grinder typically introduces more friction and thus raises the temperature of the grounds, albeit briefly.

Pricing and availability

The HG-2 Mk2 is available now in two finishes: silver and black Onyx. It comes with an integrated cleaning brush and starts at $1,595 (the black finish carries a $155 premium).

While the grinder is certainly an investment piece, it’s one that many coffee drinkers would argue deserves consideration. After all, your grinder often does more to impact the final flavor of coffee than the brewer. And with Weber Workshops, there’s no doubt you’re paying for the best.