Are you in the category of people who have been looking for the best mortar and pestle for herbal medicine?
Mortar and pestle are old-time tools that ancient people used in various aspects of their lives especially in the kitchen to grind and mash spices for cooking.
The mortar and pestle have over the years been used for different purposes from cooking to masonry and as well by traditional medicine users for grinding their herbs in preparation of herbal medicine.
Table of Contents
4 Best Mortar and Pestle For Herbal Medicine
1. M.V. Trading MTP92 Stone (Granite) Mortar and Pestle
This high-quality mortar and pestle are manufactured in Thailand and has a diameter of 9.25” and 6.50’’ inner bowl with and height of 7.25’’.
The pestle length is 9.25’’ which makes it very compatible with the mortar so that it doesn’t get uncomfortable when you are using it to grind your herbs.
The mortar and pestle of very high quality and it is handmade from a single block of extremely dark granite.
The mortar and pestle are excellent for bringing flavor and aroma out of seeds and of course, the appearance of both the mortar and pestle is very alluring. Because it is homemade, this mortar and pestle is very durable and won’t chip or crack.
Pros
- It is durable
- The design is very alluring and worthy of showing off in your kitchen
- It is excellent for bringing flavor and aromas out of your food
- It is handmade and hence of high quality
- It won’t chip or crack
- The size of the mortar is very compatible with the mortar
- The mortar and pestle is made with the finest raw material available
Cons
- It is quite heavy and weighs about 15lb so put the weight into consideration before placing your order.
2. SKEPPSHULT Cast Iron Mortar and Pestle
The Skeppshult cast iron mortar and pestle allows you to get the freshest aroma ever from your spices and herbs using both the mortar and pestle from Skeppshult.
It is handmade and specially made from virgin iron ore, this mortar and pestle are cast without any harmful chemicals that will raise any concerns whatsoever. The mortar and pestle come with a unique walnut wooden handle and a special unique shaping that makes it stand out among other mortars out there.
The Skeppshult mortar and pestle boast of a unique aesthetic design that perfectly blends the feel of traditional and modern design that makes your kitchen alluring and generally improves the décor.
Due to the iron construction segment of Skeppshult, their products can comfortably boast of unmatched durability and will definitely last for decades. This mortar and pestle are made with cast iron and Swedish walnut wood that is chemically free more reason why it is a must-have.
Pros
- It is durable
- The wooden handle is made with Swedish walnut wood that is chemically free, hence it is very safe for use
- The design improves the general aesthetics of your kitchen
- It brings out the best aromas and flavors from your herbs and spices
Cons
- It is not a solid cast, the iron casting is a hollow cast
- The wooden handle may break off on long usage
- It seems a little expensive
3. Tera Mortar and pestle set
This is a solid nature black construction that will crush your herbs into the right texture that you want it. The exterior is made with exquisite marble with an interior unpolished design which enables you to have maximum grinding and crushing experience.
Your herbs will quickly turn into a fine powder as you grind with this mortar and pestle. It is small and handy, which means that you can easily carry it around and even when you store it in the kitchen it does not occupy a lot of space.
I have noticed that it is really easy to use and also friendly when you hold it.
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Well packed
- Portable
- Very efficient
- Black marble construction
- Sturdy
- Value for money
Cons:
- It does not come with a warranty
I like the fact that this mortar and pestle is very easy to use, all you need to do is to get your herbs, prepare them and then put your herbs in the mortar and start to grind them with the pestle.
You will have a very fine finishes product. Also, when you are done using it, cleaning it will not be a problem at all. You should consider getting this mortar and pestle. It works excellently.
4. Jamie Oliver Mortar and Pestle, Unpolished Granite
The Jamie Oliver mortar and pestle allow for easy and quick crushing of spices, herbs, and many other ingredients used in the kitchen.
It is constructed with two walls and a base to form a very generous two cups capacity that will be able to contain enough quantity of the spice or ingredient you want to grind.
Both the interior and exterior of the mortar and pestle is unpolished and this enables for easy and efficient grinding of herbs and other ingredients
It is very advisable to properly season the mortar and pestle before you use, as this will help to remove grits and specks of dirt. Don’t know how to cure your mortar and pestle? Find out here.
This granite mortar set will give the best grinding experience and efficiency because of its unpolished surface.
Pros
- The surface is unpolished and this enables smooth grinding of herbs and spices
- It is very durable and efficient
- The mortar has about two cups capacity hence it is big enough for your use
- The two walls and base construction provides enough stability during grinding
Cons
- It is quite expensive
Indeed, The mortar and pestle are so essential that it has become a tool that no modern kitchen should boast of not having on its shelf.
It is indeed easy and very simple to use and of course, in this age having a mortar and pestle somewhere in your kitchen will not only improve your culinary skills but also add some dramatic turn to the aesthetics and décor of your kitchen giving it that ancient and traditional feel that is spectacular.
Mortar and pestle have proven to be very helpful in preparing herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, peppercorns, and any other cooking or herbal ingredients that need grinding.
Uses of Mortar And Pestle
Many people use mortar and pestle for different purposes ranging from medicine to other aspects like cooking.
In medicine
Mortars are used in pharmacies to crush and grind various ingredients before preparing prescriptions.
In the pharmaceutical industry, the best types of mortar used are porcelain-made mortars because there is no need for heavy crushing so the fear of them breaking is almost non-existent.
Mortars and pestles are also used in drug administration for crushing pills in order to speed up the absorption of the drugs.
Mortars are also used by traditional herb makers to grind their herbs to smoothness before using them.
In Food Preparation
Mortars and pestles also found their uses in the kitchen most especially when you are trying to grind up wet or oily ingredients such as ginger, garlic, thyme, guacamole, hummus, etc.
You can also use mortars in the kitchen for grinding your spices into powder to bring out the aroma and flavor more.
A lot of people use mortars and pestles in the kitchen and over a period of time, the mortar has become very spectacular equipment in the kitchen that serves a different purpose and has equally become a symbol of the modern kitchen.
Why Use A Mortar and Pestle When You Can Just Chop?
Most people wonder why they should go through the stress of using mortar and pestle to grind their herbs when they can just use their knives to chop through the herbs on a chopping board.
The answer is very simple, gradually crushing herbs with a mortar and pestle instead of chopping through them releases all the essential oils, flavors, and aromas the herbs contain.
If you want to get the best essential oils and aromas out of your herbs then it is better for you to crush them using your mortar and pestle. This is why a lot of people will choose mortar grinding of herbs over-using knife to chop them through
You notice the flavors and aromas of these herbs mostly when you crush them with mortar and pestle but when you chop through the aroma is noticed sparingly.
What is the Best Size for a Mortar and Pestle used For Grinding Herbs?
There is basically no ideal or best size for a mortar and pestle.
The size of the mortar and pestle you should have depends on what you are using them for, if you are planning to use your mortar and pestle for simple purposes like crushing of pills the I will advise that you get a much smaller one as this will be perfect for the purpose and occupy less space in your kitchen.
On the other hand, if you are using your mortar and pestle for other purposes that require a large quantity then get yourself a mortar and pestle that is large enough to attend to your needs and provide a larger surface area for grinding your herbs.
In essence, before you make your purchases of mortar and pestle. First of all, considers what you will be using the mortar and pestle for and make sure you are buying the best sizes for that purpose.
Are Granite Mortar and Pestle Safe for Grinding Herbs?
This simple question that has been asked by many deserves a simple and straightforward answer. Most people have over the years wondered if granite mortar and pestle are safe for grinding herbs, the simple answer to this question is YES!
To be more sincere, granite is one of the most popular and best materials used for making mortar and pestle. So long as you properly cured or seasoned the mortar upon purchasing to remove possible grits and dirt then it is very safe for grinding your herbs and other purposes you may want to use them for.
Does a Marble Mortar and Pestle need to Be Seasoned?
When you purchase your mortar and pestle the first thing you should do is to properly season them before using them… Are you at loos on how to season your mortar and pestle to read our last post on How to cure a mortar and pestle?
Any mortar and pestle you buy for any purpose at all must be cured or seasoned before you start using them for grinding your herbs and spices irrespective of whether the mortar is made of wood, granite basal, or marble.
Always season them before use. It is better safe than sorry, so even if the seasoning process looks like a whole lot of work it is better to still season in order to remove specks of dirt and grits before you start grinding. It will save you a lot of stress later.
What you should look out for before Buying Your Mortar and Pestle
Before you decided to buy your mortar and pestle there are numerous things you should look out for in order to buy the best mortar and pestle available in the market.
These are things you should never ignore no matter what as they will be a guide that will help you make the best purchases and not make any mistakes.
If you have not bought a mortar and pestle before there are chances that you will not be really familiar with the things to look out for when buying your mortar and pestle.
In this guide, I will let you in on the top features and specifications that you really need to pay attention to before you open that wallet or swipe that credit card details.
So, if you have been wanting to buy a good mortar and pestle for your use but at loss on the important things to look out for, then this simple guide is especially for you.
Below is the list of things you must consider before deciding to place the order for your favorite mortar and pestle.
What size of mortar and pestle do you want?
Before making purchases of mortar and pestle it is important that you take note of the size you need as there are different sizes out there. The size you want depends on the number of herbs you will be grinding with it.
If you are getting a mortar to grind small herbs or spices then you will be needing a small set but if you need mortar for large quantity herbs grinding then a bigger set will be set will do just fine for you.
Look out for the Interior!
Although as a beginner you may think that buying a mortar and pestle with very smooth surfaces is the deal.
Yeah looks like it but in reality, a mortar with a very smooth interior surface will be less efficient in grinding your herbs and spices moreover when you are grinding slippery herbs or spices, you will notice that the herbs or spices will be jumping around and out of the mortar instead of getting grounded.
So when you are purchasing your mortar and pestle it’s important that you go for one that has somewhat of a rough, unpolished, and grooved interior surface as the unpolished surface will help you more when grinding your herbs.
Check the Size of the Pestle
When it comes to buying mortar and pestle, look out for the size of the pestle.
Although it may seem like the size of the does not matter but it is actually very important. Buying a pestle that is too long or too short for the mortar will give you problems when you are grinding your herbs, so it is important that you go a pestle that is compatible with the mortar in size.
Consider the Material Too
Although stones mostly granite, basalt rock, and marble seem to be the traditional materials for making mortar and pestle, there other materials that are currently in use also for making mortar and pestle.
It is very important that you consider all of these materials, get to know their pros and cons before making your decision to either buy or not buy.
What material is best for a mortar and pestle?
Many people have asked this question on several occasions, what material is the best for a mortar and pestle? The simple answer is that no material is best for making mortar and pestle.
This is because each of the materials used starting from granites, marbles, stainless steel, plastic to wood have their own pros and con as well as user preferences.
One user may prefer to use mortar made with granite while another user will prefer to use the one made with wood and each of these mortar and pestle will be very efficient depending on the strength of the material used and the purpose for which it was used.
Consider the Price of the Mortar and Pestle
Looking at the price of the mortar and pestle you are about to purchase is very important as this will help you to make an informed decision instead of spending above your budget.
The normal price for a mortar and pestle ranges from $10-50, of course, we all know that most products you buy at a bit of higher prices tend to have more quality than the one you buy at ridiculously cheap prices.
Hey! You may be thinking that I am suggesting that you go for the mortar and pestle with the highest prices in order to ensure quality, No you should not do that for any reason.
Before you decide your budget for your mortar and pestle, first of all, consider the reason for which you needed a mortar and pestle. If you need it for minor crushing of pills and spices then it is advisable that you go for cheaper mortar within the range of $10-20.
If you are looking to get a very durable mortar and pestle and have in mind to use for purposes such as grinding plenty of herbs …. then you should look for a very high-quality set within the range of $25 to $100 or more and make the purchase.
Best Mortar and Pestle for Herbal Medicine
As discussed earlier, we saw that there is no best mortar for a specific purpose. The type of mortar you choose to choose for grinding a particular ingredient should be dependent on the type of herbs you want to grind and the number of such herbs.
Not minding the fact that there is no best mortar for specific purposes because we are looking at the best mortars and pestles for herbal medicine we have taken time to tour the world of mortars and pestles.
We have come up with this amazing list of mortars you can use for grinding your herbal medicine and enjoy the best efficiency so far.
If you are still reading the article until now, then it means that you are really interested in getting to know the best mortar and pestle for herbal medicine.
If that is the case then keep a tab on this space as we are about to roll out the best mortars and pestles that you can use for grinding your herbal medicine in order to enjoy maximum efficiency and durability.
Ready! Then let’s go!
Final Words
We have succeeded in giving you a comprehensive list of the best mortar and pestle for herbal medicine. It is now on you to carefully read through the features and descriptions to make your choice of purchase of any of the mortars and pestle listed above.
If you are still confused about anything, then do not hesitate to drop your questions in the comment box and we will definitely attend to your questions.