The 10 best pepper mills to buy in the UK
Every kitchen needs a good pepper mill. Nothing quite compares to the taste of freshly ground pepper, which remains one of the most essential types of seasoning used in the kitchen. With the best pepper mill, you can easily add freshly ground pepper to anything you want. However, finding the right pepper mill is not as easy as some assume. Many cheap pepper mills are not worth the investment, so it helps to know what to look for so that you get the best quality.
Check out the buying guide below for all the info you need to find the best pepper mills for your kitchen:
What are pepper mills?
A pepper mill is a type of burr grinder that is used to grind dried peppercorns for seasoning. While designs vary, most work by using two internal revolving wheels that finely grind the peppercorn when rotated by hand or by a small electric motor. You can usually adjust the spacing between these wheels, with a wider spacing producing a coarser ground and vice versa.
Why should you buy a good pepper mill?
Pepper is an essential ingredient in countless recipes and the perfect seasoning, making it a must-have for most households. While you can buy ground pepper, it lacks the same flavour and aroma as freshly ground peppercorns, which are ground using a pepper mill. With the best pepper mill, you can easily season your food before, during, and after cooking it, resulting in more flavour than ever.
How to choose the right pepper mill?
Unsure what to look for in a pepper mill? Here are some things to consider before choosing among the best pepper mills:
- Material: Pepper mills are made from various materials, so consider which one works best for your needs. Metals like steel are popular for their durability and sleek appearance, ceramics are versatile so can be used to grind more than just pepper, and plastics like acrylic are affordable and durable. Consider whether appearance is important for the material, as many display their salt and pepper mills when dining.
- Grinding Mechanism: An often overlooked part of the pepper mill, always check the grinding mechanism to make sure it is of decent quality. For example, metal burrs made from zinc alloy or carbon steel are excellent for pepper, getting the right grind consistency while being durable. Acrylic grind mechanisms should be avoided as they are not as durable as their metal counterparts.
- Capacity: Pepper mills come in various sizes, so consider how much capacity you need from the mill. The larger the capacity the less time you spend adding new peppercorns, although anything too large can be a nuisance to store, so make sure to find the right balance. If you have lots of people dining, then a bigger capacity is certainly useful.
- Adjustability: The best pepper mills let you adjust the burr mechanism to various distances, allowing you to change the coarseness of the pepper as needed. While most grinders have this function, not all come with markings for each setting, allowing you easily find that perfect consistency.
What is the best kind of pepper mill in the UK?
Here are the two most popular types of pepper mills available to buy:
- Manual Pepper Mills: A manual pepper mill is operated by hand, usually by rotating the upper section of the mill. Cheap and available in countless styles, this is an ideal pepper mill for most people, although it can be tedious manually grinding when recipes require a lot of pepper.
- Electric Pepper Mills: Electric pepper mills work almost identically to their manual counterparts except for a small electric motor that rotates the burr mechanism. This makes it more convenient to use, especially when grinding at various consistencies for different recipes, although there may be running costs as it usually needs batteries.
Top 10 list of pepper mills in the UK 2024
The bestseller list compares brands and their pepper mills. Which pepper mill is the best?
- The OXO Better Guarantee: If you experience an issue with your OXO product, get in…
- Soft, comfortable non-slip turning knob
- Rests flat while upside down for easy refilling
- Its traditionally styled with genuine wood.
- Professional Oak wood pepper grinder is fully adjustable. Turn top nut to adjust…
- Pepper mill grinder is Easy cranking to turn coarse sea salt, pepper and other fillers…
- Widely Used It is ideal for grinding black pepper, rice, white pepper, mung beans,…
- Modern and Stylish Design The body of the spice grinder adopts a transparent and…
- Freshly Grind Spices The stainless steel lid can keep your spices away from moisture…
- Fast & Simple Operation & Portable. One second speed grinding, delicious…
- Suitable for family, kitchen table, restaurant, hotel and other occasions. Use freshly…
- Used for grinding pepper, kosher salt, sesame and other small particles simply food:…
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: Our Stainless Steel Salt and pepper mill is backed by…
- KEEP YOUR SPICES FRESH: We have this tightly sealed stainless steel lid to keep…
- ELEGANT DESIGN : This salt and pepper grinder features a modern design and are stylish…
- Nice Gift: This grinder is a perfect gift for love, also suitable for birthday gift,…
- Adjuatable Grinder Mechanism: Industrial salt mill pepper shaker with adjustable…
- Refillable Salt Pepper Mill: Professional salt or pepper are totally refillable.…
- High quality beechwood used in Peugeot mills is grown, harvested, dried, shaped and…
- Grinding adjustment nut on manual mills crowns those manual mills that are not equipped…
- The pepper mill is equipped with a helix-shaped double row of steel teeth that guide…
- All Cole & Mason salt and pepper mills are covered by our lifetime mechanism…
- To clean, wipe with a damp cloth and use a clean cloth to dry. We reco mmend you…
- The Precision+ range mills feature a spring loaded mechanism - allowing a fully adjustable…
- Nice Gift SetPepper mill set is suitable for a variety of spices like sea salt, pepper,…
- Support mills interchangeable:These two pack salt and pepper sets can be used interchangeably.…
- Adjusting CoarsenessAn efficient adjustable non-corrosive ceramic grinder on the…
- All Cole and Mason salt and pepper mills are covered by our lifetime mechanism guarantee.…
- To clean, wipe with a damp cloth and use a clean cloth to dry. We reco mmend you…
- The Precision range mills feature a spring loaded mechanism - allowing a fully adjustable…
We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For the list of the best pepper mills, we consider only products that are available on Amazon while the ranking is based on factors such as customer reviews, number of sales and keyword. Last Update: 2023/12/08.