Review on Portable Hand Crank Nutcracker Tool - Ideal for Hazelnuts, Soft Shell Pecans, Pistachios, Filbert Nuts, and Brazil Nuts - Adjustable, All Steel, and Affordable! by Lindsey Garcia

We really hoped this nutcracker would solve our problem. We grow almonds in our home garden and it is from this variety - Hardy Almonds - that the classic hard nuts are made. This machine can't get the job done, but we thought, to be honest, let's give it a try with some inshell nuts left over from Christmas. He worked better with them, but the machine threw shrapnel from above. He also threw everything else - broken shells and (often broken) nuts - out of a chute at the base. The grinder/cracker has a knob to adjust the width, but it's still a messy (and noisy) process. In a large size, a cracker is a fairly durable metal. To be honest, most "regular" nutcrackers don't do a very good job with our hardy almonds, little by little. After trying many tools, the one that worked best for us was a pair of long-handled vises, the kind of tools you buy at the hardware store. They're heavy, the pliers' teeth are curved on both sides for a good grip on the nut, and you can adjust the vise's position so it doesn't crush the nuts in the shell. Plus, the vise is only $14 each. While this hand-operated nutcracker is a good idea, it didn't work for us and we sent it back.