Yes, it makes it easier to crank because of the additional leverage. But there's a catch: it's a much further reach out, up, down and back and actually ends up taking much longer (maybe 2x) to rotate the handle once thus slows down the grinding process and is thus is MORE tiring and takes forever! I guess it's basic physics which I should have thought through: you don't get something nothing. To get the extra "power" your hand, arm, shoulder has to cover a much larger distance. So, I'm returning it.