Helen’s Asian Kitchen Suribachi Set, Ceramic Mortar Bowl with Wooden Pestle

I like this mortar and pestle. It looks simple and elegant, it's easy to use and grinds really well. I got it in the mail last night. This morning it was time to test it out. 1 st I ground a few whole peppercorns into dust. Then I added some garlic, basil, olive oil, and made a really nice paste. So aaa, yeah, this works well, it's easy to use, the groves hold things in place, keeping it in the bowl. Like the groves on a millstone they make it easy to grind. The bowl is a good size, it holds a decent amount of stuff, fits into my hand comfortably and stays out on the counter when needed. It cleans easily and seems sturdy. This mortar and pestle is going to be very useful.

This is my first mortar and pestle and got this because my kitchen has a Japanese theme. The ceramic is beautiful and functional. Made a semi-pesto as soon as I got it. I didn't think it would work after I spent a couple minutes just trying to mash up some roasted garlic. But after adding the olive oil, basil, salt, and some dried herbs everything really came together quick. Also surprised how easy it was to clean. Just some hot running water was enough to get almost everything out of the nooks and crannies. The only negative I have to say is that the wooden pestle I got has a lanyard hole that splintered out. Would've been nice if it came with a cheap twine or leather lanyard to go with it. The rest of the pestle is smooth though and it didn't really stain from the green basil. Will finish with a mineral oil to give it some protection.

It works pretty well. I get the impression some reviewers were expecting something heavy that sits on the counter while grinding, but this is a perfect size to hold in my left hand while grinding with my right. The grooves are nice because at a certain point in grinding, I can switch to more of a swirling motion around the bowl, rather than just doing a crush-and-twist the whole time. Some of the ground spices do stay in the grooves. Inverting and tapping gets most of it, but you're going to lose some to the grooves. I'm OK with it. We're talking about such a tiny layer of spice dust that hangs on. And, in some applications, you could probably use a liquid ingredient to salvage some of that, if it's really a big deal. It washes up fine with a brush.One complaint I might offer, which may contradict the praise I just gave about its size, is that the small size does allow certain spices to fly out (a specific mustard seed incident comes to mind). I think this could be prevented by starting with a small amount and gradually adding more, so it's not too many seeds at once. But this is one place where I think a larger mortar or an electric grinder may be better.I am also not a huge fan of the wooden pestle. As with a lot of wooden implements, flavors and aromas can kind of hang onto the grain, and this is especially true when we're talking strong flavors and aromas such as spices. It's not a major problem, and I haven't noticed that it imparts unwanted flavors to the next batch of spices or anything like that.All in all, it's good for what it is. In hindsight, I would probably just skip it and get an electric grinder, but this works if you are into the fun of grinding by hand.

Went back to safety razor shaving little over a year ago and not looking back as cost per shave after initial purchase is less and you obtain a closer and better shave.I do own a Dirty Bird 1.5 scuttle that I use 90% of the time but was looking for something that I could take on the road with me. While searching the stores in San Jose came across a Suribachi bowl. The size was perfect and the ridges would enhance the lather just like my scuttle so decided to give it a try and not disappointed with my purchase. Works great with working up a lather and my initial thoughts of the rough ridges fraying my quality badgers and horse hair brushes have been unfounded so far.This one is actually my second bowl as I had the misfortune of dropping my original bowl while on a vacation trip and couldn't do without, so with the advantage of having a Prime account, I had this second bowl delivered to my hotel and in my hand within two days.Well worth the money I paid and will always have one of these in my DE\SE shaving collection.

I have a large and heavy granite mortar and pestle that I use for just about every spice, herb, chocolate nib, and even garlic. This smaller, lightweight, Ceramic Suribachi Set is perfect for when I don't want to lug my larger set over to the prep area. I find that I am grinding the smaller quantities of herbs more often using this set. Highly recommended -- especially if you already have the heavy duty granite mortar and pestle and want the flexibility for a gentler, lighter grind. The price makes this a value play for just about anyone looking for quality.