Buying a Pepper Mill: Tips For Making The Right Choice

Buy a pepper mill: that’s what matters

The finer the grains are ground, the more intense the flavor later in the food. One of the most important requirements when buying a good pepper mill is a high-quality cutting mechanism. This should ideally be made of stainless steel or ceramics to avoid sticking in the mill, for example. You should also pay attention to the following properties:

• It is food neutral and harder than steel. Furthermore, because it is wear and rust resistant, this material has a longer service life. While stainless steel is cheaper, there is a greater chance of rust forming with a non-premium material.
• The pepper mill should be easy to use. That said, it shouldn’t take too much effort to turn the grinder. In addition, it should fit comfortably in your hand. Many grinders with an electric grinder can allegedly be operated with one hand. This is often more difficult in practice than in theory. Test grinder beforehand.
• The mill must be stable so that it does not tip over so easily. There are now many creatively designed mills. However, if these keep falling over, you won’t benefit either.
• A wide entry makes refilling pepper easier. Is the refill mechanism easy to open and close?
• Hygiene plays an important role in the kitchen. A wood mill is quite good in this regard, as bacteria cannot accumulate on it as quickly. You should also advise against buying very large mills, as the grains may remain in the mill for a long time and lose quality.
• Take a close look at the processing of the device (material, stability, grinder, see below). Although grinders with a plastic burr are often cheaper, they usually have a shorter lifespan and grind the grains unevenly.
• With a good mill, you can also adjust the grinder (fine to coarse grains).

Electric grinder vs. manual grinder

Both types of grinders have their pros and cons.

• You can use an electric grinder, for example, to operate with just one hand. This is often useful when cooking when you have to stir with your other hand.
• However, such a grinder always needs new batteries/electricity and is more expensive overall than a manual kitchen helper. You have to operate a manual pepper mill with both hands, but you have the advantage of being able to dose the amount of pepper better. In addition, a hand-operated mill is technically less vulnerable and does not require batteries.