5.0 out of 5 stars and I was afraid I had something that would be no better than a doorstop I was not sure if I wanted a mortar and pestle or not, I’ve been cooking for 30 some yrs without one. But in reading about them, I wanted to try one. I am so impressed. To be fair, My first impression was fear–I tried to grind dry rice to clean the mortar. I was not strong enough, and I was afraid I had something that would be no better than a doorstop. My husband was kind enough to grind the rice for me, but I was afraid that other things I wanted to grind would be too hard for me. Not at all. When I began to use it, peppercorns and other spices crush right up. I think the crushing brings out more flavor than using a spice grinder. I like my pesto because it maintains a better texture than it does when using a food processor. I can’t really compare to other mortar and pestles, but this is comfortable with a good amount of roughness inside and an attractive exterior.Variation: Size: 5.5"

5.0 out of 5 stars Grind like a pro! I use a mortar and pestle daily (I’m a compounding pharmacist, so I use them to make custom mixtures)…and so I can say authoritatively that most mortar and pestle sets sold for kitchen use are decorative but useless junk. They don’t grind well at all, and the pestles often do not fit the mortar properly (if the convexity at the pestle base is the wrong size, you won’t get an even particle reduction). Some mortars are too shallow and everything spills out, or too narrow and it’s hard to grind in them and difficult to get the spices out of them…etc., etc. But this sucker means BUSINESS.I wouldn’t use it at work, because the surface inside is a bit too rough for pharmaceutical mixing…but that makes it *perfect* for grinding seeds and spices, and it does so very quickly and with ease. There’s enough weight to the set that the mortar doesn’t slide around and the weight of the pestle helps you grind your spices. I ground up some whole spices for a curry powder and it was like, “Grind—grind—holy cow, it’s done already?!?” It’s quick and efficient.It’s also gorgeous. Looks great on the counter….and it’s heavy enough to make an effective weapon of defense. I can hear the “Clue” game now: “Mrs. White…in the Kitchen…with the Granite Mortar.” Seriously, though, I’d be careful where you put it, so it doesn’t get accidentally knocked over and break your toe. Just don’t perch it on the edge of the counter, set it to the back.Just one more thing would make it perfect: if it came with a mortar card. Those are little plastic scrapers we use at the pharmacy to clean material out of mortars. You can use a rubber scraper, but a mortar card works better. You can get them at pharmacy supply stores, but they come 50 to a pack (check “Total Pharmacy Supply dot com”, “small mortar cards”; they’re $12.50 for 50 of them). Or maybe your local compounding pharmacy would sell you one? You can always call and check! But if you’re looking for a good kitchen mortar, this is it.Variation: Size: 5.5"

5.0 out of 5 stars Practically Perfect in Every Way After using mortar and pestles that were too small, too smooth, or too ineffective, I finally found one that suits my needs. For example, I grow and grind my own herbs, love garlic crushed with a bit of salt, use dried herbs and seeds that should be ground immediately before using to get maximum flavor, and frequently make avocado on toast or my own guacamole recipe (it’s large enough for 1 big avocado). Finally, I’ve found an aesthetically pleasing mortar and pestle that’s versatile, well designed, fast, easy, perfectly weighted, and large enough to be useful. Although I took the precaution of “curing” it with dried rice, salt, etc., it was already “clean” so the process was fast. Washing is a breeze; rinse it in hot water (no soap recommended) and air dry. This is an excellent value that I can highly recommend.Variation: Size: 5"

5.0 out of 5 stars High quality but know what you're committing to The quality of this is very high. It’s heavy, the right size, and looks really good. This is the first time I’ve owned one of these and have wanted one for a long time. I didn’t realize that before it can be used, a new pestle must be seasoned. I also didn’t realize how much work it is to season one. It will be worth it in the end, but my goodness, does it take a lot of work. I’m about 4 hours into it and believe it’s about ready. Just know what your committing to 🙂Variation: Size: 5"