Yahoo Finance A Simple Pepper Mill Might Be the Trick to More Flavorful Meals
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A Simple Pepper Mill Might Be the Trick to More Flavorful Meals
We updated this story in July 2022 to ensure all the products are in stock. At the time of the update, the Unicorn grinder was unavailable, but not discontinued; the manufacturer hopes it will be restocked around October. It remains on the list because we stand behind our recommendation. We also added more information about how we tested these pepper grinders.
Swapping from preground black pepper to freshly ground black pepper is an easy way to improve the flavor of your dishes. Whole peppercorns contain volatile oils that are released when the peppercorn is cracked. Because those oils dissipate quickly, the flavor diminishes over time (meaning the stuff in the can isn't very flavorful). Just as you'd use a coffee grinder for the boldest coffee, you'll want a good pepper mill to capture all the spicy, complex flavors and aromas in your peppercorns.
A pepper mill, also referred to as a pepper grinder, passes peppercorns through burrs to grind them into fragments. The mill allows you to choose your grind size from fine to coarse so you can select the best texture whether you're jazzing up charred corn with parmesan butter or making a unique cocktail like the Bees Knees. The pros in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab tested pepper mills from the top brands to find the best.
Our top picks:
Our recommendations include manual and electric picks as well as some new grinding styles. Read on for details on how we test peppermills as well as tips on what to consider when shopping for a pepper mill.
courtesy of suppliers - 2/9
1) Good Grips Contoured Mess-Free Pepper Grinder
OXO
amazon.com
$17.95
This grinder came out on top in our tests thanks to its compact and intuitive design. The five preset grind sizes are clearly marked and easy to select. There is clear differentiation between fine and coarse grinds, meaning this grinder is suited for both spot seasoning and grinding larger quantities into a separate container for measuring. The top-grind design also means no mess when you set the grinder down after use.
It also holds 62 grams (about 1/2 cup) of peppercorns, which is an efficient use of space for a grinder of this size. The clear body lets you see when it’s time to reload, and it was one of the easiest to refill in our test: The bottom unscrews, allowing access to a wide mouth.
• Height: 5.47"
• Grind settings: Five preset settings
• Grinding mechanism material: CeramicOXO - 3/9
2) Paris u'Select 9-Inch Pepper Mill
Peugeot
walmart.com
$46.95
Given that Peugeot invented the pepper mill back in 1874, it's no surprise that theirs has a classic silhouette, making it perfect for kitchen-to-table use. It's carved from beechwood that's sourced in France and has a smooth, matte finish, so it looks and feels good. It's engineered with a two-stage grinding process: first, sharp teeth crack the whole peppercorns; then, a smaller set of teeth mill the cracked peppercorns. This process allows for a more uniform output and enables the spice to be turned into an extremely fine powder if desired.
It has six fixed grinding settings that are easy to select and clearly labeled on the base of the mill. The grinding action was smooth in our tests. The finest setting was very fine, and the coarse setting was nicely coarse.
• Height: 8.9"
• Grind settings: Six preset settings
• Grinding mechanism material: Stainless steelPeugeot Paris - 4/9
3) Stainless Steel Rechargeable Salt, Pepper and Spice Mill
Cuisinart
amazon.com
$49.99
This electric mill is a good pick for those who want ease and speed or who want a pepper (and salt!) grinder that operates by pushing a button rather than twisting. It's designed with two chambers so you can keep salt and pepper — or even whole cumin seeds and pepper! — ready for use. The unit is rechargeable: Simply store it in the charging base — which includes a removable crumb tray for easy cleanup — and an indicator light will let you know the grinder is ready. The grind size is adjustable from fine to coarse, but the dial does not include preset grind sizes.
The clear spice holders let you see when it’s time to top up. It includes a 1-teaspoon cap to make grinding to measure easier, but in our tests, we found that the slow grinding meant it took a fair amount of time to hit a teaspoon.
• Height: 9.75"
• Grind settings: Dial with no presets
• Grinding mechanism material: CeramicCuisinart - 5/9
4) 9-Inch Magnum Plus Pepper Mill
Unicorn Mills
walmart.com
$120.00
This American-made pepper mill has been so popular that it is currently sold out, though the producers hope it will be available again in October. The producers refer to the steel grinding mechanism as “aggressive.” And after our testing, we agree — in the best way. The grinding action is smooth and provides a generous output. The grind size is set via a thumb screw on the bottom, which holds the grind size nicely, but it can be hard to recapture a precise setting if you adjust your grind frequently. It has a unique method for refilling that our tester found very easy to use: You pivot the neck to open the circular chamber, and then slide it back to close.
We liked the clean, minimalist design. Plus, this lightweight grinder had the largest capacity in our test — it held a whopping 150 grams (nearly 1.25 cups) of peppercorns. This makes the Unicorn a real workhorse: clean grinding and a long life between refills.
• Height: 9.2"
• Grind settings: Thumb screw with no presets
• Grinding mechanism material: Steelunicorn mills - 6/9
5) Ortwo Pepper Grinder
Dreamfarm
amazon.com
$40.31
The double-handle design of the Ortwo can be squeezed with one hand — the only manual pepper grinder we tested that allows single-handed grinding. This is a great option if you’re whisking or have been touching raw chicken with your other hand. It can also be operated like hedge clippers with two hands. While the output of the single-handed squeeze was sufficient for light seasoning, the two-handed operation ground the largest amount of pepper of any grinder in our test. If you love making large quantities of dry rub or recipes that feature pepper (like pepper-crusted steak), this is the grinder for you.
The grind size is set with a dial that lets you select from six preset options. The settings were clear, but it was difficult to adjust the grinder from the coarsest setting back to the fine settings: The dial was jammed with partially ground peppercorns and required clearing. But it was one of the easiest to fill, with a wide-mouth 2-ounce jar that unscrews from the handles. The jar is borosilicate glass, so you can see when you need to refill, and it’s dishwasher safe (but the handles and grinder are hand-wash only).
• Height: 5.71"
• Grind settings: Six preset settings
• Grinding mechanism material: Ceramicdreamfarm - 7/9
6) Good Grips Radial Pepper Grinder
OXO
amazon.com
$14.95
This pepper grinder is a favorite with the recipe developers in our Test Kitchen. It makes it easy to grind a lot of peppercorns at once, which is helpful for grinding into a larger container and measuring out for recipes. Its plastic body fits comfortably in the palm while the nonslip handle turns smoothly. In our tests, it was easy to fill via the little door on the front of the unit. Its see-through window was also helpful in determining how many peppercorns were left in the grinder. The grind setting can be adjusted on the bottom of the grinder and range from fine to coarse.
• Height: 6.5"
• Grind settings: Dial with no presets
• Grinding mechanism material: CeramicOxo - 8/9
7) Essential Adjustable Ratchet Grinder
Kuhn Rikon
amazon.com
$27.80
Those who struggle with traditional grinders might appreciate the unique grinding method of this Kuhn Rikon pepper mill. It works via a ratchet mechanism that allows you to toggle the handle back and forth for a more ergonomic motion than twisting. The grind size is set with a dial on the bottom: It’s easy to rotate between coarse and fine, but it lacks the precision of presets for selecting a specific grind size.
It comes with a measuring cup that locks into the bottom of the grinder, making it easy to see your volume in 1-tablespoon increments up to 3 tablespoons. The output is good, and the front loading door made refills easy.
• Height: 9.88"
• Grind settings: Dial with no presets
• Grinding mechanism material: Ceramickuhn rikon - 9/9
8) How we test pepper mills
We evaluated 10 pepper mills for this test, using more than 4.5 cups of peppercorns to fill each grinder to its maximum capacity. We compared their performance by grinding each mill for a controlled amount of time on the fine setting, medium setting and coarse setting. We weighed the output of each setting to help gauge how long it would take to season foods and measure for recipes. We then assessed the ease of returning to the fine setting from the coarse setting, which can be a challenge for many grinders: The coarse grounds can get stuck and make the adjustment difficult. Our tests yielded 36 grams of ground pepper — that's a lot when you consider that 1/2 gram would likely be quite generous on your morning eggs!
We also considered the weight of the grinder itself, the ease of operation and whether the grind sizes were preset or manually selected.
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