Porlex Mini II vs original Porlex Mini
The Porlex has been the definitive standard in coffee grinders when it comes to portable, travel-friendly options. Small enough to fit in the hollow of an AeroPress, and light enough to pack in a daily briefcase, many grinders have tried to emulate its fame, but few have succeeded.
But alas, with newer entrants like the Timemore C2 and made by knock Aergrind, formidable grind quality, compactness, and fit and finish can now be had at a comparable price point.
Shortcomings made plain, the Porlex Mini II came on the scene. Despite a similar design and footprint, it packs a few, thoughtful improvements. The question remains: just how does the Porlex Mini II stack up against the original?
Build
Again, little has changed from the original in terms of build and footprint. At around 250g (8.8oz), and just under 14cm tall, and less than 5cm in diameter, both the Porlex Mini II and the original are rather similar.
The cylindrical body of both grinders are constructed solidly from brushed stainless steel, and the crank arm from die cast stainless steel.
Despite the similarities, there we have the first deviation in design. Where the original had a pentagonal nut, the Mini II has a flat slot. This is likely in response to complaints about wear and tear.
The low manufacturing tolerances for the original Porlex meant that the pentagonal nut had suffered from wear issues that rendered it useless. The wing nut does, in theory, solve this, but I did find the material a tad bit soft, wearing a slight but detectable notch after my second 12g grind.
Apart from just changing the shape of the connector, Porlex had also slightly spiralled the flat wing nut. While applying clockwise torque, the anticlockwise spiral prevents the crank from dislodging unceremoniously.
Grind
Porlex proudly announces a new burr set on its product page for the grinder, and it seems to be true. Despite its accessible price point and compact size, the original Porlex Mini was plagued by poor grind consistency and grind times.
In response, netizens shared MacGyvered solutions to stabilise the burrs with rubber bands and business cards. Using the Mini II, the burrs noticeably chew through beans more quickly and steadily – the company claims 1.3x the grounds with the same number of cranks.
The outer burr, which used to jiggle wildly on the original, causing a wide grind variation and fines that clogged filter papers, has now been stabilised with the three notches (shown below). The bean hopper still maxes out at 20g, though, so the Mini II remains strictly in single-serve territory.
Conclusion: should you get the Porlex Mini II?
With local options that can be found under SGD 100, the Porlex Mini II is deceptively similar to the original – possibly why most reviews have not been updated to reflect these small but significant changes.
If your original Mini has given up the ghost with a worn nut or crank handle, the Mini II will feel familiar in all the right ways yet enhanced where it matters.
good review thank you.
as a newbie…Is the new Timemore C2 a better choice over Porlex mini II?