Goliath Granite Mortar and Pestle (5")
Last verified by the Lifetime Picks Editorial Team
Why we picked it
Real natural granite — not aggregate composite
Cilio's Goliath granite mortar and pestle by Frieling is the European-style mortar Wirecutter, Serious Eats, and ATK all surface as the home-grinding tool worth buying once. The 5" interior bowl is the right size for a serving of pesto, curry paste, or spice rub — bigger than the dollar-store mini-mortars (too small for real cooking) but more manageable than a Thai 8-inch granite mortar (overkill for home use). The granite is unpolished interior (rough enough to grip seeds and spices), polished exterior (food-safe and easy to clean), and the pestle weight is enough to do the work without your shoulder doing all of it. r/Cooking and r/AskCulinary cite Cilio specifically over the painted-mortar imports that look similar — Cilio's granite is real natural stone, not aggregate composite. Hand-wash only. Made in Germany.
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Community & Review Summary
423 Amazon reviews
Reddit satisfaction score
Total mentions (0 positive)
Amazon sales rank
Price History
Current price: $68.33
We'll plot the curve here once we've captured a few weekly snapshots. For the full multi-year history, check CamelCamelCamel below.
Pros & Cons from Reviews
Pros
- +Real natural granite — not aggregate composite
- +Unpolished interior bowl grips seeds and spices
- +Polished exterior is food-safe and easy to clean
- +5" interior is the right size for home pestos and pastes
- +Pestle weight does the work — no shoulder fatigue
- +Made in Germany by Cilio
Cons
- -Heavy (~10 lbs) — not for top-shelf storage
- -Hand-wash only — never dishwasher
- -Unpolished bowl can retain garlic / spice flavor (cure with rice grind)
- -Premium price vs cast aluminum or stainless mortars
Warranty & Returns
Warranty
Manufacturing defect coverage from Frieling USA
Return Policy
Most items are returnable within 30 days of receipt for a full refund. Some categories have shorter return windows.
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