Hario Mini-Slim Plus vs Porlex Tall II
Same class, different tax brackets.
About CA$33 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 →
Porlex
CA$71–99 · US$65–80
This is the travel grinder people actually keep for a decade: stainless everything, ceramic burrs that will not rust, and it slides inside an Aeropress. Accept that it is a filter-first grin…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
On 3 of 6 measures these two tie. The 3 rows below are the entire argument.
Mini-Slim Plus
Tall II
Reliability record
Tall II leads, decisively
The price
Mini-Slim Plus costs less, decisively
CA$45–60· CA$71–99
Built to last
Tall II leads, decisively
Brew range
Tall II leads, clearly
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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.
Tall II: Minimalist industrial look with modest positive regard in unboxing discussion; not a kitchen statement piece, but compact form cited as a portable plus.
Where they tie: espresso duty · value per dollar · quiet operation — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the Mini-Slim Plus if —
- The difference stays in your pocket — or goes into beans
Take the Tall II if —
- It has to just work, every day
- You are buying once
- You brew more ways than one
The Tall II at ~62% more buys real things: reliability record and built to last. If those aren't your mornings, the Mini-Slim Plus does the job and keeps the difference in your pocket.
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.
Tall II
No documented mechanical failures; primary complaint is grind consistency at espresso fineness and manual labour intensity at scale.
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
Tall II
Class
Hand grinder
Hand grinder
Burrs
38mm conical
38mm conical
Drive
Hand-cranked
Hand-cranked
Adjustment
Stepped (micro)
Stepped (micro)
Clarity lean
Syrup & body
Syrup & body
Espresso suitability
1.5/5
2/5
Brew versatility
2.5/5
3.5/5
Retention
~1 g
—
Single dosing
Yes
Yes
Hopper
24 g
44 g
Workflow demand
4/5
4/5
Maintenance
1/5
1/5
Noise
0.5/5
0.5/5
Build longevity
2.5/5
4.5/5
Dimensions
15 × 7.2 × 22 cm
4.7 × 4.7 × 18 cm
One owner each
“Have been using it since arrival every day without issue.”
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 →