RSVP International Marble Mortar & Pestle Grind Herbs, Spices, Garlic and More, 4 Dia x 2.13", White Marble

This grinder works great for garlic and anchovies. Took me a while to get used to it. It doesn't come with any instructions for those of us who are 'uninformed' so at first I tried to use it as it shows in the picture, with the larger, round end inserted in the bowl. I assumed that was the end to use as the pestle for grinding the ingredients.However, It actually works much better using the smaller end as the pestle while holding it by the larger, round end.At least it works much better that way for me when grinding garlic and anchovies into a paste for Caesar's Salad Dressing.I also grind capers and coarse ground mustard for the recipe and this does the job very nicely.Instead of putting large amounts in at a time, it works a lot faster if you do two or three smaller amounts. Buzzes right through the recipe twice as fast as trying to do it all at once in large amounts. It might be due to the strength of my hands (which isn't so good and makes them hurt if I have to push too hard for too long) so others with larger or stronger hands might be able to grind the larger amounts easily.It also does the anchovies much quicker if you dice them just a little before grinding.I didn't want another huge thing cluttering up my kitchen space knowing I'd probably just stow it away and forget about it most of the time so I tried this smaller size and really like it. This doesn't take up a lot of counter space and it's very nice looking too so I leave it out where it's always handy and therefore gets used a lot since I don't have to stop and dig through cupboards for it!It also cleans up quickly and doesn't retain any odors!

Nothing like a good manual tool. Works great for grinding spices, keeps temperature cool and noise very low compared to high-speed electrical units. Much better than a standard mortar & pestle as the the close fit keeps bits & pieces of broken seeds in the bowl, not all over the counter.Do note: marble is a naturally porous material, so both faces absorb oils and odors from ground spices. When switching spice classes from savory to sweet (i.e. from cumin to cinammon, for example) it takes careful soap & water cleaning to remove 95% of the residual odor, but a little bit does remain. Not enough to noticeably cross-contaminate however.The item is probably not dishwasher safe. It's natural plain marble and I expect it would start to crack or pit after a few trips through the dishwasher.Specs & details: This spice grinder weighs 917 grams (combined) and is nicely balanced & stable in use.Bowl diameter at the rim is 77 mm, depth at center 35 mm, shape is more or less a ball-and-socket type design with about 0.5 to 1 mm gap size difference between the grinder & the bowl. The outside is polished to a shine, the inner working parts of the bowl & grinder are rough finish with circular machining marks & ridges left on, to facilitate friction & better grinding action. Base has thin green felt 'card-table' type material on it to reduce sideways slippage. However, this felt bottom is very thin and not durable. After about a week with just a few washings (needed often, see below,) it is already starting to peel off. Not a big deal.Mine is marked "Made in Taiwan".

Perfect for large spices that need to be crushed for certain flavor effects: coriander, cumin, coriander & mustard seeds. Also a good way to mix in just a little liquid or oil. Not too much as the pestle is a perfect fit with the mortar.I'd also use if for crushing tablets & pills except it's kind of big for the job. One tiny pill or pill chip doesn't warrant lifting a pretty hefty mortar. However, the unique marbling & fit make it a helpful and handy gizmo you'll not only use but will want to display. I'm very pleased!

This is an excellent spice grinder with a sturdy, well fitted pestle. We got it for varied kitchen spices such as dried oregano and basil, fennel seeds, small flakes of cinnamon bark. It looks nice sitting out on the counter and is heavy enough so that if the cat pushes it onto the floor he really meant to do it.It is perfect for its purpose but it is too tightly fitted and too small for grinding cornmeal, wheat flour and coffee. It will handle a couple of cardamom seeds but obviously won't grind a pound of them. All of these things need a bigger mortar and pestle, dedicated grinder or flour mill. I suppose one could grind flour with it but that would be like cutting their lawn with scissors; it will take a long time. Here is a better product for making flour:  Nutrimill Home Grain Mill  and one to make coffee:  Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (CCM-16PC1) This spice grinder has a nice rough internal finish and something I really like: the machining marks on the mortar part are not entirely removed. This makes it better for grinding, though I presume marks will wear away in time since marble is a soft stone. I don't worry about traces of marble dust in my food since it is mostly calcium compounds which the human body treat in the same way as it does those expensive oyster shell calcium tablets we buy in the health food store.Any varieties of stone objects sold as "marble" may be metamorphed limestone i.e. real marble, or microcrystalline un-metamorphed limestone. The two have geological difference but in a spice grinder the difference matters very little. I have no idea if this tool is marble or microcrystalline limestone, but it looks more like marble. And regardless of which one it actually is, if you soak it in vinegar, lemon juice or other acid you'll dissolve it just like the old marble statues in Italy are dissolving away under the effects of acid rain.As an obsessive/compulsive note about color, ours had more grey and less white than the photo. I find the color more pleasing than the one pictured. The color should not be a precipitant for emotional problems in anyone who is aware that "white marble" normally has grey streaks and is sometimes all grey. White marble is "white" in the sense that it is "not pink" and "not black", if you follow that logic. If one is looking for pure milk white they should probably search for "alabaster" instead of "white marble", remembering that "alabaster" can refer to a marble, a limestone, sometimes an onyx, seldom a chalk but occasionally a dolomite.

Broken on arrival from USGo elsewhere

開封時に接触面がツルツルしてると思っていたが粉をふいたようにざらざらしていたので使用時に大理石かモルタルが食品に混入しないかの不安はあった。モルタルの安全性がレビューになかったのであればいいなと思った。出品者に正しい情報提供を求めたい。