Large Stainless Steel Mortar and Pestle Set/Spice Grinder/Molcajete, 18-Ounce/2.25-Cup, Brushed Finish

I find this stainless steel mortar preferable to other types for a variety of reasons. Unlike alot of products, this one does NOT have deep grooves in the bottom, so none of the crushed spices get trapped in the bottom of the bowl; and since it is stainless steel it is much easier to clean and keep in a sanitary condtion than other types. Also there is no staining or carry over of taste from one use to another. This version has a rubber gasket on the bottom so it is a lot less prone to sliding slipping or tipping as you are grinding things. It is also a very convienient size, not so large as to be cumbersome, but big and heavy enough that you can even grind dry or soaked nuts to a fairly small size without burning the motor out on your food processor. Since it is stainless steel and not oversized for the job, it's much easier to move and store and clean than similar mortar and pestles made out of stone, with no fear of it cracking or shattering if you drop it. Would advise hand washing as opposed to the diswasher, as even stainless steel can rust over time if bombarded with the jets of a dishwasher, especially if it is improperly placed, allowing the water to sit in it for long periods, so i recommend wiping it out right after use, washing it in the sink, and drying immediately by hand- do not leave it soaking in the sink or dish washer and it will last alot longer. I had no trouble with particles coming out as i crushed things, if you can't do the job with this, you probably need a high end food processor.

for this size, in this price range this is likely the top of the mountain in materials,design, and function. works good with everything so far, heavy duty or not.did have one issue, the non slip bottom fell off really fast- but it still functions fine, the glue just doesn't stick (and none i can find) to the rubber they used. so when you wash it ether be very careful not to disturb the glue, or do what i do and just take the bottom off while washing it.not listed or described in the product description is that the upper part of the pestle is obviously hallow, and the lower is weighted... but probably not entirely solid. it is still heavy enough to do the job without fault, but being picky i wish it was solid.overall great product, especially for under $30

Not recommend

Significantly larger than others available on Amazon, which would have been much too small for my needs. It's not insanely bulky or anything, but there's no shortage of capacity. The pestle is of a very nice shape. Looks awesome, as well.When looking for a mortar and pestle, you have to consider what you intend to use it for. The advantage of stainless steel is that you won't be losing a ton of ground powder or anything else into rough sides as happens with most mortars. This thing won't stain, is very easy to clean, and won't "eat up" your product or hold onto bits of it, mixing them into the next thing you introduce to your mortar. If you're looking to grind tougher things into powders, though, you'll have better luck with a material that has a rougher texture, like unpolished porcelain.For my needs, which are recuperating everything I put into the mortar back from it when I'm done, mixing powders and rarely crushing straightforward things down to powders, I'm extremely satisfied with this one.

Why did I wait so long to get this?! Why, because I did not know a stainless version existed. Then I did not know whether or not a stainless version would work as well as the old fashioned stone version. This was exactly what I had hoped for and better being stainless.I have to crush 15 supplements 2x daily for my dog who has a rare liver disease. Several of these feel as hard as rocks. I prefer using stainless for anything dog. I am also very clumsy, and feared breaking by dropping. I was also concerned about the grooves in stone versions throwing off her dosage from lingering powder.This stainless set grinds and powders supplements and pills fantastically. The weight is great in my opinion....not too heavy to handle but just heavy enough to stay stable and steady while using. It fits my hand well too for handling. I can put up to 9 tablets in at once, all different textures, and it powders them all perfectly to my liking. The inside is slightly textured so the pills don't go flying out but not too textured for much to stick.I would HIGHLY recommend this product for pill/tablet/vitamin crushing. I rarely write a review, but I know I had a hard time choosing and felt it was important to help others know what I thought of it for this use.

It's okay, but the design of the pestle isn't very good. It takes much longer to turn garlic to paste compared to a more dome shaped pestle. It's fine if you just want to smash something. The mortar is strong and heavy enough. The soft base provides a good amount of grip on smooth surfaces. It would be a five star item with a redesigned pestle.