Equipment Expert's Guide to Mortars and Pestles

Equipment expert Adam Ried shares with host Julia Collin Davison his top picks for mortars and pestles.
Read our full review: cooks.io/3gE7p9h
Buy our winning Mortar & Pestle: cooks.io/3z6dTEc
Browse our latest recipes: cooks.io/3f0Hdoo
ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America's Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.
If you like us, follow us:
americastestkitchen.com
/ americastestkitchen
/ testkitchen
/ testkitchen
/ testkitchen

[@cbass2755]

I've had mine for years. Used it for cooking and when my parents got old and I cared for them, all the medications were ground up and placed in puddings, applesauce or jello. My dear parents...I miss them. I'm a nurse so we use them in the hospital too if we need to. Great tools. I'm back to using it for cooking

[@cevxj]

Not all medications, including vitamins, should be ground. Some are time release.

[@janew2108]

God bless you for loving them.

[@josephgaviota]

@@janew2108 💯 agree.

[@61lastchild]

Why share so much?

[@josephgaviota]

@@61lastchild Please. We like to hear from other people. Don't be mean to someone, _especially_ someone who is helping to care for others. We want _MORE_ kind, caring people, not fewer.

[@RH-wj4rz]

I love Adam’s enthusiasm for all kitchen accessories!

[@ndzapruder]

His voice reminds me of the Jack-in-the-box on the Island of Misfit Toys. And I mean that lovingly. [edit] *CHARLIE*-in-the-box!

[@josephgaviota]

@@ndzapruder Agree, Adam is a kick in the pants! I just _love_ hearing from him, and from my two favorite ladies, Juliet and Bridget. I watch EVERY episode with them.

[@seikibrian8641]

@@josephgaviota * Julia.

[@jcisn]

For those of us that use a molcajete and tejolote, (I am one) and seeing it conform after years of use to a lens-like geometry focused on the making of food, I would not sell it for any amount of money. A testament to its longevity and usefulness. Like my cast iron skillets and carbon steel pans.... it will outlive me.

[@JoshuaVogel79]

I'm looking for a giant molcajete... Do you have a recommendation?

[@gerardotelese5337]

The one on the far right (marble with wooden pestel) is the really traditional one for pesto. Its not as good to grind spices and other thing...but it is the best specifically for pesto because the wooden pestle is much more gentle on the basil leafs, while the stole would be to strong and harsh and just smashes everything :) they are almost 2 different tools for different application.

[@sessionfiddler]

There's an article on Serious Eats by Kenji Lopez about all this too. I think he likes his molcajete for all purpose though.

[@willschmit436]

I loved this critique, but I think you missed an important point. All foods are not pounded in a mortar and pestle. Some are "ground". I have two M&P. One is a tiny apothecary unit that is probably made for a chemical lab or pharmacy. I use it to crush/bruise spices like cumin or oregano. The other is a volcanic rock one from the Mexican grocery store. I love the coarse surface that makes grinding tomatoes or chiles a dream. I always love your segments...

[@BobDuganFL]

I just wish ATK would learn a little bit more about some of the products they review. Straight up sides are horrible for a mortar and pestle unless you are just pounding vertically, which is a very limited use. It's quite often better to use a swirling, grinding action for salsas of different textures, guacamole, etc. And the fact that they didn't even mention molcajetes or lava surfaces is just sad. Love ATK but it seems then they don't have an actual expert they just wing it. Will still keep my yearly subscription but I have learned to just take their reviews with a grain of salt.

[@jimbrown1559]

There's a lot they miss, especially in their product reviews. Reviewing charcoal, they totally missed the important fact that lump charcoal's reason for existence is in grills like Kamados, NOT in Weber-style grills!

[@darcyjorgensen5808]

Had mine for decades. Use it for spices, pounding together ginger and garlic, fermented black beans, and now daily I use it for my dog’s various medication so I can stir them into her breakfast yogurt.

[@wastrelway3226]

One thing about this kitchen tool: unless you drop it and break it, it's good for a lifetime, and more. You can't say that about a food processor or a spice grinder.

[@curdt79]

I always appreciate when it's spread wider making the pounding more efficient.

[@JillKnapp]

I'm so happy that the Thai one from Import Food got positively mentioned here. We've had that mortar and pestle for at least 10 years (maybe more), and we love love love Bonus: The folks at Import Food are really lovely humans. I've been on their email list for probably 20 years at this point. :)

[@upscalebohemian5372]

I bought the winner here back in 2016 (I think it was the winner THEN too). I just went to use it for the first time (January 2024) and very quickly realized washing it out before first use isn't going to be enough. Search out KZbin videos for cleaning, curing, condition, and seasoning granite mortars or molcajetes for ways to get these ready for first use. On a side note I also own the white Carrera marble moratar with the wooden pestle shown in this video and while I may not use it for heavy duty things, when I have used it over the years I've found it satisfactory for whatever I was doing (but I wasn't grinding peppercorns or spaces in it). I even have a really giant one in the same style from the company in Italy that's specifically meant to be used for making pesto.

[@UneFemmeSansNom]

Serious Eats has a video on mortar & pestles as well that features both types you mentioned- the granite/granite pestle and the marble/wood pestle. The takeaway was granite was a better all-purpose since it can handle it all, including pesto - but the Italian style marble was definitely best for pesto!

[@upscalebohemian5372]

@@UneFemmeSansNom I've seen that. I'm glad to have both, and I like the smaller white marble one because it's so convenient to use, not too heavy and a good size. For most things, that's the one I use. I'm still trying to force myself to deal with the granite one sometime when I've got some time on my hands.

[@StarsForVets]

I love that whenever they recommend anything, it either sells out immediately or goes up in price by 50-100%

[@ShakeMyWay]

The latter.....

[@vxnova1]

@@ShakeMyWayyes 72 now

[@bigbob16]

​@vxnova1 for the small one...10/5/2023 $80 for the Goliath Winner here

[@AshesAshes44]

Only 100% more? And the price doesn't ever go back to anything reasonable. I'm getting a molcajete. Even in U.S. grocery stores, the price is decent

[@rebeccanater]

I mainly use mine (small marble on marble) for grinding eggshells for my plants

[@Aaron-kj8dv]

My GF's neighbor grows garlic and at the end of the year crushes all of it in a mortar and pestle and puts it in plastic bags and sells it. It's worth buying because you can freeze the garlic and it's so much more potent because it's smashed and not chopped so you use less in ingredients.

[@redpurse]

I always wondered how easy to clean rough stone of the oils like pesto and nut butters 🤔

[@Woodlawn22]

Me too. Can someone answer this please? Especially about the rough Mexican ones.

[@stickmanmob]

Extremely easy. The stone is very non reactive so with a touch of soap everything releases and cleans up easy.

[@UARELOVE1010]

@@stickmanmob Soap is not supposed to be used to clean, only water just like cast iron pans!!

[@bellenesatan]

​@@UARELOVE1010Hmmmm, no, not quite right. Modern dishsoap is made from gentle surfactants that are even safe for skin. No longer made with lye. You can use dish soap to clean both cast iron and stone, and if you're using the Dawn brand; even baby ducklings.

[@KenS1267]

@@bellenesatan This. Don't put either a mortar and pestle or seasoned cast iron in a dish washer or use anything abrasive to clean and you should be fine. However I almost always just rinse mine out with water. Just don't let it sit around dirty after use.

[@rhansfordwatson2143]

My girlfriend gave me one, and I'm going to use it for raw seeds to add to health concoctions, I love how enthusiastic the chefs are in presenting this wonderful little device ! Thanks.

[@rem1249]

I use and love a mortar and pestle that is used in scientific labs. It is heavy duty porcelain, glazed on the outside and unglazed on the inside and the bottom of the pestle. It is highly effective and easy to clean.

[@gangapurambhavani6001]

In india our ancestors been using them from many centuries even in 80sn 90s we dint had grinders,kids use to enjoy helping there parenst and grand parents in grinding the idpi dosa batters

[@ILMUBANGUNAN]

Trimakasih sudah ber bagi video tentang alat tradisional yang bagus

[@thanks600]

I used a plate shaped mortar made from stone, used not by pounding but more like grinding as in dragging the pestle across mortar surface.

[@melodynakamura4028]

I don't think they have any experts on staff that know how to properly use a mortar and pestle. Pounding straight up and down is not how to use one of these. I was taught to use a push, grind and swirl motion. I got a granite one from Target for about $22 several years ago.

[@Julian-do7bv]

I got my giant one at an estate auction for $13 it is perfect exactly what ive been looking and a fantastic price

[@Knulppage]

Mine is granite and I can feel the heavy pestle doing the work for me. The inside is rough, but not too rough. Did a great job of making guacamole and processing some foraged sumac. Can't wait to use it for a pesto.

[@morrismonet3554]

I do a lot more grinding than pounding.

[@tom_something]

I have the two on the right. The smaller one was an impulse buy, good for grinding small amounts of dried spices or for turning table salt into fine salt. The bigger one, I ordered online because I wanted to make pesto. It's good at doing that.

[@wastrelway3226]

I believe I have their "best buy" or something very similar. I don't need the "Goliath" and there are a lot of more or less fake ones out there. Even plastic ones, I think.

[@christianmonson5560]

if you have an asian grocery store near you, check there before you buy one of these. You can find one that's comparable with the best one here for like $20-$30.

[@DavidThomasTimmer]

I just inherited one from an uncle he got from an old friend many years ago. Let’s keep it going aye

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

Believe it or not I've been shopping around for a mortar and pestle,you guys just helped me a bushel.

[@Barbara-gy9jq]

I don't see that you tested the lava stone mortar & pestles. Is there a reason??

[@chianti95]

Is there a break in period for these marble or granite mortars, similar to how a molcajete requires significant preparation prior to using it for food prep? Can they be used immediately?

[@flightattendantsteven]

I bought mine at IKEA for &14 and have loved it. Originally, I literally bought it just as a decorative piece. LOL! But, one day tossed some peppercorns in there and my life hasn't been the same.

[@outlayabout]

+1 Came here to say this. IKEA sucks as a company, but its mortar and pestle is surprisingly legit. Both mortar and pestle are double-sided, with deeper and flatter sides. The flatter side is good for grinding small, individual items like pills.

[@josephgaviota]

@@outlayabout Good advice.

[@StevenD215]

@@outlayabout I think I have the same one. Do you find that the inside of yours is more discolored from usage now, even the pestle itself? I wonder if it's safe.

[@garymencimer]

The thousand year old molcajete and telojote used by ancient Mayans made of volcanic rock are hard to beat. Surprised you didn’t mention them in you review. They need seasoning, but worth the effort. Pounding? Try a rotational grinding motion instead.

[@Woodlawn22]

Can you please comment on how to clean them? And I agree with you on the pounding she was doing on those peppercorns. I would have been smooshing them between the pestle and the mortar surface.

[@deeanna3335]

Mine is a rough stone one from Mexico. Is just rinsing ok because it's been in storage for awhile.

[@beammeupscotty1955]

I too love my mortar and pestles. One, a 13 lb. 5 oz. granite monster I got from Costco some years back for something like $25.00. It was however intended for Mexican food preparation I think. The sides are a little low and the pestle was a short, 4.5" affair with a blob at each end. It was intended for crushing soft materials for fresh salsas...sort of like a molcajete but without the three legs. It is a decent design but I mostly crush hard, dry spices for Thai cooking so I bought a monster, 9" pestle off Amazon and now it works great. I also use a Thai ceramic, deep mortar and pestle which is the Thai go to for wet, softer ingredients like when making Som Tum or doing the garlic chili mash that is the basis of Pad Kapow stir fry. I didn't like the pestle that came with that set either so I turned a new one from a piece of live oak that came fell on my property last winter during the single hard rain we had.

[@iscavengersam]

I have that stone one- the Goliath. I got it from Tuesday Morning for about $20.

[@mark91345]

I have a small, marble one which I use to grind spices like cumin. Yes, the cumin pop out on the counter and it annoys me. I really do want a larger unit. There is something so satisfying about grinding your own spices or pestos. Plus, frankly, I don't like cleaning an electric grinder every time I want to grind one thing.

[@mariexichen1136]

Have you guys tested any of the "mushroom" style mortar and pestles?

[@dbmnfinity1]

#adamcandyyummy! he always makes my day!

[@monicawoodford9117]

Thank you for the mortle & pesel tutorial!

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Cool, scientific is the best. God bless.

[@GreenGretel]

Are those granite ones easy to clean?

[@tracyroake2815]

Good timing. I enjoyed your video but, I would like you to address curing your new mortar and pestle. I just bought one and ended up taking it back. I found instructions online to put white rice in the mortar and pestle with a little water and go until you make mush and to do that three times. Of course rinsing it out well no soap! And letting it dry in between. And I was still getting powdered Granite on the surfaces. Something I don't know?

[@troyclayton]

People who grind their food with stone end up grinding their teeth, that hasn't changed with time. I use porcelain because it's much harder and wears less, producing less 'grit'.

[@ra1der5]

You probably bought a molcajete made of basalt, not granite. Yes, they take time and patience to “cure” (season), but we’ll worth the effort.

[@suzettecalleja3122]

He didn't have a wooden one which a lot of people use in Europe

[@wocky661]

I was just wondering, don't you have to grind in a circular motion in a mortar and pestle, and not wham it down? I fond it way more effective in mine and also it doesn't get as much pieces flying around...

[@JacobDrosdick]

That's one method you can use

[@Dollybella23]

My winner is Iron Cast ❤

[@Lancers262]

I love my cast iron one. Heavy and performs as well as the stone ones but thin as the metal ones. It was a lucky find because I had to travel to multiple small restaurants supply stores because many online stores do not sell it.

[@josephgaviota]

Very interesting. I'm a HUGE fan of all things cast iron. I have the "third from the left" mortar/pestle combo ... which they didn't talk about at all. AND I would have found it interesting to hear about cast iron units.

[@StevenD215]

Surprised the Japanese suribachi wasn't included in the comparison.

[@erldagerl9826]

Interested how this design compares to other traditional designs, such as a molcajete or a suribachi.

[@vallang4832]

I have the gray granite big motor and œstral. I love it .

[@XzTS-Roostro]

I saw a black marble mortar & pestle at IKEA years ago that my mom bought, and she loves it.

[@zortella]

I'm surprised you didn't mention clean up. Can the stone items be washed or are they porous? do they retain particles in the rough surfaces?

[@adlz518]

That's what I was waiting to hear about too. I would think stone hitting stone you'd get chips or stone dust in your food; at least that's what I'm worried about.

[@carlosalvarado2564]

@@adlz518 that does occasionally happen depending on the stone used, some chip and grind down too. They also didn't even try wooden mortar and pestle traditional to the Caribbean. Which are more effective than people might think and easier to clean usually.

[@stickmanmob]

@@adlz518 Stone dust will end up in food but it is totally safe to eat and is just a source of minerals in your diet. The granite shouldnt chip without serious abuse. Cleanup is easy due to the nonreactivity of the stone: if you wash after use, no smells or stains remain.

[@wastrelway3226]

I've never noticed any problem with cleanup. And I have to say I'm pretty poor at cleanup.

[@shawnhampton8503]

LOVE my mortars and pestles. I have 7 of them in all sizes: from small to swimming pool sized.

[@Dhruv_Dogra]

Ha ha 😂

[@pscheidt]

What is with the wall behind them?

[@chefscottowens]

I bought mine!!!

[@sofabiru6852]

🤗😇

[@gstreetwunderbar4266]

Ask a compounding pharmacist his or her opinion about a mortar and pestle, and I think you'll be surprised by the recommendations. After experimenting with a number of different types and makes, I invariably end up using my dad's 60 year old sets of Coors Porcelain, and I'll never make Pesto in anything else-- they're bulletproof, chill well, and have enough edge granularity to pulverize anything. Most people pound the ingredients, but the real work it done by swirling, scraping, and pushing. Watch and query a real pharmacist before you acquire one of these tools, rather than taking your ultimate tips from a chef or gadgeteer, because, no offense, mortars and pestles are merely secondary or tertiary toys-- at best-- for a kitchen worker...just saying.

[@FusionDeveloper]

Winners current price (increased): (-7% off) $68.45 (Regular price: $73.95)

[@Maitree15]

I was taught with a molcajete, but I love collecting them ......I dont care, tiny, small large.etc etc .........lol

[@weston.weston]

Julia's on air personality seems warm and fun!

[@JTOTHEW3000]

No Olive Wood Mortar and Pestle?

[@windowsxseven]

"The stick you use for pounding"

[@topreviews6472]

The Rebiews are good.

[@thekatinator1926]

Ohh, I want it. Is 26 too old to send your parents a Christmas wish list? Lol. Too bad it's almost $70

[@jake9705]

The problem I had with my motar and pestle (and why I stopped using it) was that the interior was way too smooth. It was a heavy, granite mortar which I received as a gift. It had a wide, flat bottom and short walls. Between the interior's smoothness and the short walls, nothing seemed to get ground up! This malfunctioning but pleasant looking mortar and pestle now sits on my kitchen window-sill and holds odds and ends.

[@abrahamhernandez5719]

Mexicans be like: Hold my molcajete… 💪

[@tazblink]

The winner seems to be real granite but many of these are engineered stone. Bits of granite glued together so you get resin glue in your food and its hard to tell the different from real to manufactured.

[@markbogers7646]

Hallo

[@blippityblop2767]

I wish you would put the name of your recommended product on the screen as sometimes I don’t know how to spell the one you recommend. Freeling???Friling???

[@seikibrian8641]

Frieling.

[@7752]

Best advice I can give someone looking to buy one of these is make sure it has an unfinished/roughly-textured interior mortar. The shiny ones look nice, but food just gets squashed and slides around in the mortar instead of getting ground.

[@ra1der5]

Humph… why isn’t a true molcajete made of basalt presented in this comparison? For $60, Amazon has one that would put these granite and marble mortars to shame! And why are they pounding instead of grinding? I’m losing more and more confidence in ATK.

[@rockys7726]

Can you throw these into the dishwasher? Or will they crack from the heat?

[@David_T]

For dry spices, give me a spice/coffee grinder over a mortar any day.

[@wocky661]

Yes yes and yes. It MIGHT taste a bi different, but for the mess and the time, the coffee grinder is the way to go.

[@gordonslaymaker1411]

Good information but waaayyy off on the price of the "winning" M&P.

[@avalon449]

How about rating how you clean them out. The “winning” one would be terrible to clean.

[@lemmykilmister873]

🙂👍🏻

[@wallyallgood]

is the winner the 5” or 3”? it looks like the 5 but the 5 is $75 not $58 as mentioned.

[@dank6514]

I keep noticing that wall in the back that isn't smooth.

[@Cosmiccoffeecup]

I collect them when I travel.

[@greenzone5146]

Just get a molcajete from any Mexican market.

[@Elisheval]

I bought one from ikea. used it once.

[@ivangarciaramos3940]

Or you go to a small Mexican market, and support your local business and buy a molcajete made of volcanic rock for less.

[@arnoldziffel112]

"globe"

[@mikeg.1374]

Why not make pesto genovese with BOTH an M&P and a food processor? The sole question remaining is which to use first, and whether any ingredients should be added at different times. Thoughts?

[@adelemouakad3572]

How come you didn’t test wood mortar and pestle

[@annamullins4238]

Wish I had $58 so I could buy The Goliath. Keep up the GR8 work ATK and I'll keep watch'n and drool'n. Luv u all

[@melodynakamura4028]

It's 74 on amazon

[@annamullins4238]

@@melodynakamura4028 WOW... guess I'll bee drool'n a lil while longer

[@mathsinger]

Just checked. Mine is the Frieling Goliath. I think I got it after watching Julia Child.

[@desiitrianii]

wkwk. ulekan dongg.

[@Nathaniel_Peterson]

Consider getting a wooden pestle with a stone or marble mortar. This ensures that fine rock powder isn't getting into your food. It is noticeable.

[@juts89]

Always wondered how much stone grit you are putting in the food

[@arnoldziffel112]

It AIN'T $58

[@robertmalone3997]

My ex-wife hit me with the handle😂

[@MiaAnstine]

We’re they all cutes before you tested them?

[@brianblock2583]

So much talk of pounding. 🤭

[@adamhlj]

Clicking on the link to the "winning model" isn't even the same one showed!! Nor is it the same price! It's $10 more!

[@PaulSebastianM]

But you grind stone in your mixture... when you read "% ash content" on a package, like with flour, this is its source. Personally I'd like less kidney stones.

[@Emme999]

He missed out by not including a Mexican Molcajete

[@wendyjennings1502]

Which would had been #1

[@nancyoffenhiser4916]

Y'all got to go to a mexican grocery store for a molcajete made correctly.. the right tool for the job..

[@mrossainz]

whaaaat? No molcajete there? Oh my lord....

[@juanjosearnedokidd4439]

What? No Mexican style molcajetes? Grant you that the winner is somewhat similar.

[@Cujucuyo]

Just chew and spit, no mortar and pestle needed! /jk

[@goalscorerlajon]

You mean the molcajete!

[@Deadpool1322]

$58 for a molcajete, meanwhile a superior molcajete is at a Mexican flea market for a third of that price