Skerton Plus
Ceramic burrs and a glass catch bowl, but the hopper and upper body the beans sit in are polypropylene - the classic "ceramic burr, plastic everywhere else" hand grinder.
Plastic-free verdict: Minimal plastic contact
The headline is right - ceramic conical burrs (rust-proof, no metal taste) and a borosilicate (heatproof) glass bowl that the grounds fall into. But the parts the beans actually sit in and pass through - the hopper, the upper main body, the grip, and the lid - are polypropylene plastic, and the hopper lid and non-slip cover are silicone. So beans travel through plastic before reaching the burrs, even though the grounds end up in glass. The metal here is limited to the handle, fixing screw, stopper, and adjustment nut. A perfectly good budget ceramic-burr grinder, but not the plastic-free one it's often assumed to be.
Verification: Manufacturer confirmed · reviewed 2026-07-06
What it's made of
| Part | Material | Food contact |
|---|---|---|
| burrs ceramic conical burrs; rust-proof, low heat transfer | Ceramic / Stoneware / Porcelain | Yes |
| hopper / upper main body PP; beans are loaded into and pass through this before the burrs | Polypropylene (PP, | Yes |
| grip | Polypropylene (PP, | No |
| lid PP lid over the hopper | Polypropylene (PP, | Yes |
| catch bowl heatproof (borosilicate) glass bowl; grounds collect here; made in Japan | Borosilicate Glass | Yes |
| hopper lid / non-slip cover silicone; hopper lid contacts beans, non-slip cover does not | Silicone | Yes |
| handle | Stainless Steel (304 / 18-8) | No |
| fixing screw / stopper / adjustment nut | Stainless Steel (304 / 18-8) | No |
Hario's popular budget hand grinder, an update of the original Skerton with a burr-stabilizing plate for a more even grind. It's frequently recommended as a cheap "plastic-free" ceramic-burr option, which is only half right: the burrs are ceramic and the catch bowl is glass, but the hopper, upper body, grip, and lid the beans sit in and pass through are polypropylene, with silicone on the lids. If your concern is the grounds ending up in glass, it delivers; if you want beans to never touch plastic, the PP hopper disqualifies it. Included here as the definitive "ceramic burr but plastic elsewhere" example.
Pros
- Ceramic burrs and a borosilicate glass catch bowl
- Inexpensive; large ~100g capacity
- Glass grounds bowl doubles as storage
Cons
- Polypropylene hopper, body, grip, and lid - beans pass through plastic
- Silicone hopper lid; not fully plastic-free anywhere but the burr and bowl
- Fiddly external grind adjustment; can be inconsistent
Notes
- Glass bowl made in Japan; the mill, hopper, lids and cover are made in China
- Sibling models (Mini-Slim, Skerton Pro) share the ceramic-burr + plastic-body pattern
Categories: Coffee Grinders
Sources
Every material claim above is backed by these. This is the scattered info we centralized.
- review https://lionrushcoffee.com/products/hario-skerton-plus-ceramic-coffee-mill materials breakdown - handle/fixing screw/stopper/adjustment nut stainless steel; hopper lid and non-slip cover silicone; lid, grip, and main body (hopper) polypropylene; glass bowl borosilicate (heatproof) glass
- manufacturer https://www.hario-usa.com/products/ceramic-coffee-mill-skerton-pro brand confirms ceramic burrs and heatproof glass bowl