Pepper mills

Why grind your pepper in a mill?

Because pepper loses its aroma once ground. Ready-ground pepper opened weeks ago has little in common with a peppercorn crushed right over the plate. A pepper mill keeps the peppercorns whole until the last moment: the aroma and heat reach the dish intact.

A mill also lets you control the amount. A few turns for a salad, more for grilled meat, and a finer or coarser grind depending on the recipe. With two mills, salt and pepper each have their own place on the table.

What can you put in a pepper mill or salt mill?

Dry spices, as whole seeds or crystals.

• Easy: black pepper, white pepper, pink peppercorns, Sichuan pepper
• With a ceramic mechanism: dry coarse salt, which won't rust the burr
• Depending on the model: cumin, coriander, fennel or dried chilli, listed on several of our mills
• Avoid: damp salt, which sticks in the burr, and anything fresh or oily

Before filling, check your mill's mechanism on its product page: that is what decides what you can grind.

Which type of pepper mill should you choose?

The collection brings together manual wooden mills and rechargeable electric mills. Here is how they differ.

The manual wooden mill is still the simplest: no battery, nothing to break down, and a nice object on the table. Electric makes sense if you often season while cooking, with one hand on the pan.

Ceramic or steel burr: what's the difference?

Ceramic doesn't rust and doesn't hold on to smells from one spice to the next: it works for pepper as well as salt. Steel, used on some pepper mills, cuts the peppercorn precisely but must not be used for salt, which would damage it. Several of our mills come in a pepper version and a salt version, each with the right mechanism.

How do you care for a pepper mill?

A wipe with a dry cloth or a small brush is enough. Avoid running the mechanism under water, especially on an electric mill or a salt mill: moisture makes the grains stick and can damage the burr. Fill it over a bowl to catch any peppercorns that fall, and recharge electric models before the battery runs flat.

Frequently asked questions about pepper and salt mills

Manual or electric pepper mill: which should you choose?

A manual mill suits the table and simple use, with no battery to recharge. An electric mill grinds one-handed at the press of a button: handy while cooking, and more comfortable for people who find it hard to turn a mill. USB-rechargeable models mean no batteries to buy. Our guide electric or manual pepper mill compares the action, the mechanism and charging.

Can you put salt in a pepper mill?

Yes if the mechanism is ceramic, no if it is steel. Salt attacks steel and eventually jams the burr. If in doubt, choose a mill with a ceramic core, which takes both.

How do you adjust the grind?

Depending on the model, with a knob or nut on top, or with a ring at the bottom of the mill. As a general rule, tightening gives a fine grind and loosening gives cracked pepper.

What about grinding other spices in quantity?

A pepper mill is made for seasoning a dish, not for turning a jar of spices into powder. To grind spices or coffee in larger quantities, our electric spice grinders are a better fit, and for nuts, our hand-crank manual choppers. For a blend crushed by hand, a granite pestle and mortar also does the job very well.