IMUSA USA LIS-005W Jumbo Mortar with Pestle, Wood

I a couple of these mortar and pestle sets to use in my herbalism classes, and they have been a wonderful addition to our apothecary work. The craftsmanship is beautiful— solid, and grounding to hold. It has a weight that feels just right in the hands, and it’s clearly made from quality wood.That said, these are handmade wood products and not flawless. I’ve included an additional photo highlighting a few imperfections—like a visible seam line and a slightly rougher edge near the base. These don’t bother me at all, especially since I teach with a strong emphasis on natural materials and the beauty of imperfection. But if you’re looking for a pristine, machine-perfect piece, it’s worth knowing.Functionally, it works beautifully. In class, we use it to gently break up dried herbs and flowers for tea blends, oils, and salts. I appreciate that the wooden surface doesn’t over-pulverize—just bruises and breaks herbs in a way that keeps their character intact.I included two additional photos with a half-pint canning jar for size reference: one inside the bowl to show volume, and one beside it to show height. It’s the perfect size for small-batch work and very easy to store.If you love working with your hands, appreciate wood grain and character, and want a tool that feels as grounded as the plants you’re working with, I think you’ll love this. I’ll likely buy a few more for my students.

It is small,but perfect for single person use. The granite makes heavy, so it is less likely to tip over. The bottom of the bowl and the pestal are scored for less slippage and better crushing. This is a really good pro. Enjoy!

I like the quality and the color and its durability and it works very well

my goal was to grind teaspoon quantities of seed spices and dried herbs for instant use in recipes in progress. this cute little thing delivers. forget rice in the seasoning directions, who would grind rice? 🤔 it made short work of fennel seeds and whole black pepper, about 30sec to fine powder. I appreciate the roughened working surfaces. I think that grips the seeds better. the exterior is to a satin polish, still elegant. you can get some more shine with a couple of drops of oil. others say it's hard to grip. indeed the base is too small to hold just that. even though my fingers get close to the pestle holding by the rim when working, it's not a problem. I'm keeping it 🧑‍🍳🍸

I’ve been using the IMUSA USA Small Polished Mortar and Pestle (3.75”, Granite) for a few weeks now, and overall, I’m very pleased with it. It’s a compact but solid tool that feels heavy and well-made right out of the box. The polished granite has a nice smooth finish, especially on the inside, which makes it easier to clean compared to rougher, unpolished mortars. It also gives it a sleek, modern look that I don’t mind leaving out on the counter.This set is ideal for grinding up spices, seeds, and small amounts of herbs or garlic. I use it mostly to crush peppercorns, make spice blends, and even to muddle garlic and ginger for marinades. It does a great job with dry ingredients, and with a little patience, it works well with slightly moist items too.That said, it is quite small—so if you're planning to make guacamole, pesto, or larger batches of anything, this probably isn’t the right size. It’s really more for light, everyday prep work. Also, like most granite mortars, there’s a bit of grit in the beginning, so I recommend seasoning it first by grinding some dry rice to remove any stone dust or loose particles.In short, this is a well-crafted and attractive little mortar and pestle that’s perfect for small kitchen tasks. It’s not a workhorse for large-scale prep, but for quick grinding jobs and adding a touch of traditional cooking to your routine, it’s a great buy. I’m giving it 4 stars only because of its size limitations, but the quality is definitely there.

Works great

This is very well built, heavy marble, nice mottled color. However, the pestle is a bit too big for the size of the grinding hole, somewhat restricting grinding motions. Most of all, the bottom of the pestle and the entire interior of the receptacle for herbs, tablets, whatever you want to grind, are rough surfaces, not smooth. As a result, the powders from our tablets stick to the pestle and the bottom of the grinding surface, and we lose quite a bit. We have to scrape it off with a knife to get the powders out, and it's not easy to get those surfaces clean when washing them. They must be washed after every use. We much prefer other mortar and pestles we have used which have smooth grinding surfaces and don't cause these annoying issues. We're going to find another one to replace this one as a result.

This is really good for small quantities of ingredients. You can set it on a hot pad, oven mitt, dish towel, etc. so it doesn't scratch your countertop. I would give it 5 stars if the pestle was longer. It's a bit too short for me to use it ergonomically.The texture of the mortar and pestle are perfect for grinding spices. Some other sets I've tried are too smooth to be effective.