Super Strong (Granite) Black Stone Mortar and Pestle (8-In Diameter 3 Cup)

I bought this as a birthday gift back in the summer. We've had this for about 5 months now and it's just been great. It is a bit big but it's super useful for grinding mustard seeds or really anything you need. It is made out of stone so it is heavy. You could definitely do some damage to it if you dropped it on the floor. The outside and the handle of the pestle is glossed so it's very comfortable when you have to grind aggressively. The inside of the mortar and tip of the pestle are rough which allows for easier grinding. The bottom of the mortar is also a bit rough which prevents it from slipping and sliding on the counter top. That being said, it's not so rough as to damage the counter. If you have a budding chef in your household, then I think this makes the perfect Christmas or birthday (or anytime) gift.

This is coated in something - the bottom half inch all the way around did not have the coating - so it is almost white and gritty to the touch (flakes off).

This would be a very attractive addition to our kitchen counter but, alas, it doesn't do the job I had intended for it. I was hoping for a mortar and pestle that I could use to make various salsas the way I've seen them made in Mexico. But the bowl on this one is way to smooth for that. Ingredients, particularly wet ingredients, just slip and slide around as you try to maneuver them under the pestle. Yes, you could make a guacamole but so many salsas require grinding of peppers and crushing of garlic, tomatillos, chiles, onions, etc -- including when the bowl is holding a fair amount of liquid. But that's virtually impossible with this product because of the way things slip around. I worked really hard and spent a lot of time trying to make this one work but it took far more effort than is required with a true volcanic rock molcajete as used in Mexico and which I should have purchased in the first place. My mistake. After having this unfortunate experience, including paying to return a very, very heavy item, I went back and read all the positive reviews that I read before making this purchase. I see that most people aren't using it for the purposes I have in mind. Yes, you can definitely crush cloves and other hard spices into a powder with this, no problem, and you can smash up some avocados for guacamole. But this mortar and pestle does not do the job of a true molcajete. (I eventually bought a volcanic rock molcajete from Crate & Barrel.)

It doesn't look quite like the picture, its very rough not polished at all except for the top half of the pestle, other than that it seems well made, it's really big and deep. For large portions.This thing weighs a ton so watch your counter tops.

I ordered the same item from another Amazon seller but it was poorly packaged and arrived in pieces. This one arrived in tip-top condition. Both the mortar and pestle were protected by multiple layers of bubble wrap. The item is larger than I imagined. The bowl is nice and roomy. Before its first use I ground up some raw rice to remove any grit that might possibly flake off. This turned out to be an unnecessary step as the rice powder was completely free of anything other than rice.I am very happy with my purchase.

Liked due to the very large size grinding bowl. It is heavy and therefore sturdy. Would recommend

It's perfect. It's rough inside making it coarse enough to grind well while smooth enough to clean well. This is the 3 cup size. Underside is perfectly flat. I'm proud and thankful to have it in my kitchen. I did add felt to the bottom.

This mortar is fabulous. What can I say. It does the job.I use it when I make Thai and Indian food and I need to crush up chilies, garlic, shallots, and various spices.It's easy to wash and keep clean.