Hario Mini-Slim Plus vs Hario Smart G
Stablemates — both from Hario, aimed at different mornings.
About CA$23 apart — the split below is what the gap buys.
Hario
CA$45–60 · US$35–45
This is a cheap, honest travel grinder that does one thing well: it grinds fine for pour-over and Aeropress in a package you can drop in a backpack. Accept that the ceramic burrs get sloppy…
Full record & live prices →Hario
CA$60–90 · US$45–70
This is a cheap, light, go-anywhere hand grinder for filter coffee, not a serious espresso tool. Buy it for the price and portability, and accept that the small ceramic burrs and short handl…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
On 5 of 6 measures these two tie. The single row below is the entire argument.
Mini-Slim Plus
Smart G
The price
Mini-Slim Plus costs less, decisively
CA$45–60· CA$60–90
Reliability record
Smart G leads, clearly
weakerstronger
Their burrs share a character — this choice will not change the shape of your cup.
The counter’s vote
Looks barely figure in either machine’s record — the counter can sit this one out.
Mini-Slim Plus: Compact, minimalist aesthetics appeal to travelers and desk aesthetes; no major polarization or design-award citations suggest it is functionally appreciated rather than bought for visual statement.
Smart G: Minimalist transparent design with matte black finish appeals to aesthetics-conscious users; modestly attractive on the counter but not a design-award winner or purchase driver.
Only the Mini-Slim Plus: a single-dose workflow.
Where they tie: espresso duty · brew range · built to last · value per dollar · quiet operation — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
So — which one?
Take the Mini-Slim Plus if —
- The difference stays in your pocket — or goes into beans
- You weigh every dose anyway
Take the Smart G if —
- It has to just work, every day
The measured differences here are small; the price gap is not. Take the Mini-Slim Plus and put the difference into fresh, roast-dated beans — they move the cup more than this split will.
Known weak points
Mini-Slim Plus
Ceramic burr breakage under pressure or drop impact; coarse adjustment steps unsuitable for espresso consistency; replacement burr sets not widely available; internal wear accelerates with high-volume filter grinding.
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
Mini-Slim Plus
Smart G
Class
Hand grinder
Hand grinder
Burrs
38mm conical
conical
Drive
Hand-cranked
Hand-cranked
Adjustment
Stepped (micro)
Stepped (micro)
Clarity lean
Syrup & body
Syrup & body
Espresso suitability
1.5/5
1.5/5
Brew versatility
2.5/5
3/5
Retention
~1 g
—
Single dosing
Yes
No
Hopper
24 g
24 g
Workflow demand
4/5
4/5
Maintenance
1/5
1/5
Noise
0.5/5
1/5
Build longevity
2.5/5
2/5
Dimensions
15 × 7.2 × 22 cm
—
Wrong match-up? Change one side → — any two on file compare.
Still torn?
This page weighs them against each other. The finder weighs them against your mornings.
Two minutes of questions — milk, noise, budget, space — scored across everything on file. It’s honest when the answer is neither of these.
Take the two-minute finder →