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10 best pepper mills

Add a shake of seasoning to your food with style

Wednesday 30 March 2016 11:45 BST

It livens up almost every dish you prepare, so it's no wonder there’s a mind-boggling array of options when it comes to choosing a pepper mill. Whether you like the touch of a button, or the twist of a top, or something else entirely, here’s our pick of the best mills to suit your style and stand up to daily use.

1. Masterclass electric grinding mill: £12.99, Very

This battery-operated mill grinds salt, pepper, herbs or spices at the touch of a button. The ceramic mechanism is designed not to rust, and it comes with a five-year guarantee. The mill can be adjusted from coarse to fine: great if you like a degree of control over your seasoning. There’s also a light to help see how much seasoning you are applying.

2. Le Creuset pepper mill: £25, Debenhams

Le Creuset’s cookware is famed for its lifetime guarantee, and while that doesn’t quite extend to its colourful range of pepper mills, there’s still a healthy 10-year promise that they will do the job in the long run. A hardened ceramic mechanism is designed to crack even the hardest of peppercorns.

3. Peugeot Onyx Soft Touch: £46.99, Houseology

Precision is behind the design of Peugeot’s sporty-looking electric mill. The chefs’ favourite comes with a lifetime guarantee, a covering of ‘soft-touch’ material that’s easy to handle, and a patented system for accurate grinding. The mill can be used for salt or pepper, includes a light, and is adjusted by a small and subtle thumb-wheel under the grinding mechanism.

4. Cole and Mason Oxford pepper mill: £12, Lakeland

This classic mill by Cole & Mason is made of sustainably-sourced wood coated in a white gloss lacquer. Adjusting the steel grinding mechanism is done the old-fashioned way, by turning the metal knob at the top. If you’re not fussed by gadgets, this elegant and functional mill is ideal for everyday use in the kitchen, and doesn’t look bad on the dinner table either.

5. Chef’n Nosh pepper mill: £19.98, Lakeland

The real advantage to this slick design from Chef’n Nosh is that you can adjust the grinding mechanism without changing your grip. Pushing down gives a finer grind, while pulling up allows for a coarser one. The mechanism is stainless-steel, and the body has a glossy black finish. There is a matching salt version too.

6. Tylko Totem mill: £36, Tylko

The Totem mill has been designed with customisation in mind. Via app or web, you can play around with different colours, shapes and configurations until you have the perfect piece to match your kitchen. It’s not just about looks though – the beech wood mill has a CrushGrind ceramic mechanism that, unlike steel, won’t rust and cause your seasoning to lose its effect.

7. Brighton Tall Acrylic pepper mill: £15, Marks & Spencer

At 33cm tall, this pepper mill is lofty, although not quite a match for the one in your favourite Italian restaurant. Marks and Spencer’s classic mill comes in striking red or black acrylic, and with a name like Brighton, it’s not difficult to see how its curving shape might be inspired by the domes of a pavilion. The taller design stores a bit more than your average mill, requiring less frequent filling.

8. Dexam Savvy Grip pepper mill: £16.46, Amazon

Squeezing the handles of this practical and simple mill showers your meal with seasoning. Unlike a traditional mill, it can be used with one hand. Removing the top leaves a wide area to refill peppercorns easily without spills, and the turning the base adjusts the mechanism from coarse to fine. The transparent body lets you see when the mill needs a refill.

9. Wrong for HAY Ori mill: £25, Amara

This lightweight pentagonal design is made in ABS plastic and comes in a range of five colours including light grey, yellow, coral, olive green and black. The design is minimal and but operating it is fairly intuitive: twisting the top adjusts the ceramic grinder. The mill can be used for salt too, and looks great in a pair.

10. William Bounds Tall WW Love Pepper Mill: £39.95, Amara

The crank handle on this stately pepper mill by William Bounds delivers more pepper per turn than your average twisting mill. It has a three-step adjusting ring that offers fine, medium or coarse grinding. The ceramic mechanism, natural wood casing finished in glossy black, and polished steel handle all make it a very grand addition to the kitchen and table.

Verdict

A professional-looking gadget with a decent guarantee, the Masterclass electric mill will have you feeling like a chef without having to shell out too much for the privilege. If you’re after a more traditional mill, Le Creuset’s offering is a classic that comes in a huge range of bright and cheerful colours.

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