Priority Chef Heavy Duty Large Mortar and Pestle Set, 100% Granite, Non Slip Base, Make Fresh Guacamole, Salsa, Pesto, Stone Grinder Bowl, Herb Crusher, Spice Grinder, 4 Cup - Black

PROS - Heavy duty, gorgeous granite with a graceful and functional design, comfortable-to- hold pestle, pulverizes on demand, dries fast after hand washing without soap. It comes with a sticker you can put on the base to make the base non-slip (and non-scratching for delicate counter tops).CONS- Barley any! Because it is heavy, for some it could be awkward. I did experience some random rice grains jumping out before they started getting broken down.--If you landed here you still may be wondering, why, with all the modern gadgets that are already in our kitchens, is there a need for this ancient tool? Electric appliances like a spice grinder or food processor only cut up spices and other herbs, but a mortar and pestle crushes and pulverizes them. A mortar and pestle will release aromatics and flavors from the substances' membranes. When you use the tool it smashes into paste ingredients like ginger, garlic, curries, nuts, citrus peels. It may not be the "fastest" method, but it produces the most desirable results. And yes, this Heavy Duty Large Mortar and Pestle set item will not disappoint.I previously owned a marble mortar and pestle set that was 1 cup size. I could only grind up small batches at one time, and when the mortar fell onto the floor and cracked irreparably, I looked for something larger and more sturdy. That is why I ordered this item in the extra large, 4-cup size. Even though the item takes up a sizable spot on a counter or shelf, it is easy on the eyes if you leave it out. I placed mine in front of my knife block on the kitchen counter.

This set is exactly as described. Worth the money. Happy that I found a mortar that accommodates a larger portion of ingredients. It is quite heavy and big, and it looks good on the counter. If you follow the instructions exactly on how to clean and season the mortar, you're good to go and won't have a problem with residue on the food. Just be patient and follow the instructions. I have a granite counter and was concerned about mashing on the counter, but this mortar is so thick and solid that it wasn't a problem (no need to bang the pestle so forcefully). It came with 2 non-slip pads, although due to the weight of the mortar, I don't think it will slide that easily. It is deep enough to keep the food in. This makes a good gift if you know someone who likes to cook with fresh herbs or other stuff. I plan mashing some plantains and form them into bowls the size of the inside of the mortar and put meat in the center, then air-fry them, and I must try for the first time, making guacamole. I already used it to crush garlic, cilantro, oregano, small sweet peppers and other ingredients to season my food. Buy this product, you won't regret it.

The set is beautiful, and works great to crush seeds, for example black cumin seeds.It is heavy and stays in place.The pestle is comfortable to hold.Polished well on the outside, and working surface is rough.Follow the instructions to season it with rice and garlic, and clean it with water only.

I absolutely love my heavy duty large mortar and pestle set. I was looking for a mortar and a longer pestle to get back to the basics of pounding my garlic. greens etc. for cooking. I saw this and loved the size, especially the length of the pestle. Didn't want to pound my hand by mistake using a shorter pestle. This one is perfect size, granite, pestle and came with a stick on foam base. I followed the instruction for seasoning and it works fine. I don't soak it. wash and remove, dry promptly. I highly recommend this item.

Very hefty but mine arrived with a broken pestle and the promptly refunded me.I will probably just order another as this might just be a one off.Didn't read anyone else having thiers arrive broken but... they might not have done a review.

Classic mortar and pestle. Heavy gauge granite. Excellent, professional quailty.

Works great. I need this to mash up vegetables to mix with my guinea pig's recovery food. It makes short work of lettuce, cucumber and bell pepper. Mashes it into a liquid in short order so that it mixes thoroughly with the fine powder of the recovery food. The preparation for use wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought. Most of the granite powder came off with the first wash and the rest with the second. The third wash came out clean. It crushed the rice fairly quickly and only took twice before the rice powder came out clean white. Cleaning it after use was a breeze. I saw many reviews that said the packaging was insufficient and the item arrived broken. That wasn't the case for us. The original packaging was more than sufficient to prevent breakage. Overall a nice set.

I ordered one for myself and one for each of my daughters. I got the 4 cup size, which is large enough to serve in if using for guacamole, etc. It is beautiful enough to leave out on a shelf, seems really well-crafted and well-designed. The rough surface on the inside of the bowl and on the pestle should be really good for grinding spices. Should be an improvement over the one I have been using.