Equipment expert Adam Ried shares with Bridget his top picks for pepper mills.
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What about easy to clean, grinders can get funky catching steam grinding over pans. I tossed an acrylic one we had cause I couldn’t take it apart to clean it properly. Funky smelling pepper corns and dust got caught in the gaps and crevices of the grinder.
I own the Unicorn Magnum (little black one, but larger model) and I love it! Barely have to grind it to get the amount of pepper I need, easily adjustable grind size that stays consistent. The company is based out in Nantucket, MA and use a stainless steel grinder from Italy.
My mother had a mill with a hand crank, so you don't have to turn as much to get pepper. Sadly, they don't seem to exist anywhere anymore and I think that's a real shame. I can't find their review that says why they're bad, but I'd like to hear them on that, because I disagree. I found it. The one thet tested had short handles with a up curve. I see why that's bad. My mother's has a very long crank and it's straignt down. Yes, it takes up space, but it works so well!
While I agree that the Unicorn Magnum is not particularly easy to load, it is not the most important aspect of a pepper mill. It is filled up maybe once every couple months but the grinding function is used every day. Grinding performance is by far the most important and most tiring aspect of any pepper mill. While adjusting the granularity from the bottom is in convenient, you literally do it once for the lifetime of the device. Personally, I would rate performance under this breakdown: 75% grinding performance (how tiring it is, consistency, etc), 15% filling, 10% ease of adjustment
i love pepper corns
It would be cool if they would identify each one of them…
That's what I use I got the copper salt and pepper grinder for 100.00.
i would disagree on the hand crank. i have chronic tendonitis in my hands and the best pepper mill for me to use is an old hand crank mill my mother's great aunt gifted her as an engagement present. it does need refilling frequently because it is very small, but that also means it is quite light in weight. it has a square belly with a round neck which lies easily between thumb and fore-finger (won't slip even with stiff hands) and the crank doesn't need grasping to turn as top grinders do. it's a lot less painful for me to use than other grinders.
I bought the Cole & Mason set several years back. I gave in and tried the Oxo set based on ATK/Cooks Illustrated, and used the C&M for white peppercorns. The Oxo lost its finesse in grind settings. I just picked up a Peugeot, and will never buy anything else. I didn’t get the select a size model, but one with a tradition screw to adjust grind size.
I think your reviews sometimes bias to ease of use over quality and repeatability. Peugeot for the long haul for me!
I checked out your #1 pick on amazon and it seems there is a major design flaw in the product. I hope the company sees the reviews and does something to correct it asap. I would have been interested in purchasing, but will look for another brand instead.
$50 BUCKS WTF
All are useless as they don't have a hand crank. My arthritis doesn't allow for me to use these kinds of mills. Especially important at work.
The Peugeot is the Paris u'Select model. It has a grinding selector like the Cole and Mason you chose as number 1. What a big mistake to point out that the Pegeout is set at the top and that this is a serious problem.
The one on the far right is much less expensive, also has a dial for the grinder, and doesn't make a mess in your cabinet because it dispenses from the top. This channel is really going downhill lately. $50 for a pepper grinder? Are you out of your fucking minds?
Original video from 7 years ago.
👍
I bought two of these based on your review and gave one to my mom. 👌. But the price has gone up so much!
Usually you have a winner or best and a good econnomy one or best for the buck. What happened, what if we are looking for pepper mediacracy at a bargain price?
I have an OXO softworks best pepper mill I have ever used. Loads from the bottom. Grinder is on top. So no pepper on the table. It grinds fast so if you need a lot of pepper for blackened fish or cream pepper sauce. Your not twisting all day.. Nice grind size selector switch on the side. I've had mine for 3 years and beat the tar out of it. Wipes the floor with there pick. O yeah it's only 20 bucks. Actually $18.99 to be exact.
No pepper cannon review! 😱
Always go electric. Makes your life so much better. Especially the gravity ones that you just flip upside down to turn on
I have had the little black Unicorn pepper grinder as well as their salt grinder for over 10 years, and they both work great. Filling them is very easy for anyone who has a brain, you simply hold it in on hand and fill them, it takes less than a minute. They both have little trays that the sit in to catch any grinding that may somehow fall out, though they don’t really spill that much.
I don't understand why you discount the hand crank. I have issues with hand and wrist pain. The crank is so much better for these issues. To say you don't like it without the reasoning for the statement makes it a little less likely that I would want to follow your advice in the future.
I have the one which loads from the side. I really like it.
Why dismiss the hand cranked style of pepper mill ??? The absolute best pepper mill I’ve ever used was made for COSTCO over 25 years ago. Clear plexiglass, fat 3” round hand size, and with easy torque grind handle. I’ve never seen anything better.
Do you recommend a best buy second?
I have no problem with filling the unicorn mill which is the black one and it’s the best pepper-mill ever!! Highly recommend
I'mma speak up for one you didn't choose to review: the Männkitchen Pepper Cannon. At $199 it's indeed crazy expensive, but its engineering is A-EFFING-MAZING. The body's machined from a single billet of aerospace-grade aluminium, the burrs are high-carbon stainless, and it reloads a full half cup of peppercorns from a top that pops off with a single button push. It grinds huge quantities of pepper all the way from 8 mesh to 60 mesh, which I bet your Cole and Mason can't do. I don't at ALL regret shelling out for a Pepper Cannon. It's something that'll probably be willed to my daughter when I die, and last her whole lifetime as well.
I own the Unicorn Pepper Mill (Short Black One). Usually I take what ATK has to say with no questions asked but I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. The side port is not difficult to load, comes with a little plate to catch the extra "drips", it has a huge output, and is made right in their neck of the woods. I have many more positive things to say but I will keep it at that. I hope this is not a sign of the end of trust worthy reviews from ATK
$50 for a pepper mill?! Hard pass.
That is so expensive.. if you cook regularly, then you’d get used to how to adjust the coarseness.. and there are sooo many pepper mills that are transparent nowadays.. the OXO mill essentially has all the features plus the grinder is on top so it doesn’t leave residue on your table top AND it is so much cheaper
I have and love that black one. It is easy to load. Take a piece of paper and make a funnel. Fill it up. Dispenses pepper very well.