I Tested 34 Pepper Mills by Grinding Oodles of Black Pepper (and, Yes, My Wrists Hurt)

Besides salt, no spice or seasoning is more ubiquitous than black pepper. It comes from the Piper nigrum plant and is botanically related to stone fruits and coffee beans. To get black pepper, the plant’s berry-like fruits are harvested from its vines, cooked, and dried until dark, shrunken, and wrinkly. (White and green peppercorns come from the same plant but are skinned or color-treated before drying, respectively.) 

Like all whole spices, peppercorns contain volatile compounds that start to dissipate and oxidize as soon as they’re cracked open. The longer ground pepper is exposed to air, the more flavor it loses. So, how do we get the best flavor from our precious pepper? Grind it fresh (duh)! While electric spice grinders are great for larger quantities, handheld pepper mills are essential for adding black pepper on the fly while you’re cooking.

As a black pepper lover, I’ve experienced the tedium and wrist ache of grinding enough pepper to season, say, a pot of pepper gravy (my fave) or make a traditional steak au poivre. That’s why I set out to find the best black pepper mills to make grinding easy. I retested our previous top picks alongside some noteworthy new competitors. My winning models were comfortable, fast, and had consistent results, whether fine or coarse.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Pepper Mill

Cole & Mason Derwent Pepper Grinder

$50 at Amazon $50 at Walmart $50 at Sur La Table

The Derwent mill proved its reliability and efficiency in every test. It cranked out a teaspoon of ground pepper in under 20 seconds and had six grind settings that made adjusting the coarseness easy.

The Best Budget Pepper Mill

Kuhn Rikon Mini Pepper Grinder

$22 $19 at Amazon View on Kuhnrikonshop.com

This model has been our longtime budget-friendly favorite. It ground pepper just as fast as the Cole & Mason Derwent mill, plus it was quick and easy to refill. 

The Best Splurge Manual Pepper Mill

Männkitchen Pepper Cannon

$200 at Amazon View on Mannkitchen.com

This modernist mill was a robust and sturdy grinder. It had a wide range of coarseness levels and produced a teaspoon of pepper in less than half the time of most other models. 

The Best Electric Pepper Mill

Black Rain Peppermill

$199 $170 at Amazon

The Black Rain Pepper Mill was by far the fastest grinder of the bunch; it produced a teaspoon of pepper in just 15 seconds. It could grind fine powder or a coarse, cracked-pepper mix. The best part? It did it all with a push of a button. 

The Tests

• Capacity Test: I filled each pepper mill with black peppercorns, using a parchment paper funnel when necessary. I noted how easy it was to fill and how much the mill held in grams.
• Grind Size Test: I evaluated each pepper mill's grind coarseness settings. For mills that lacked distinct grind size options, I adjusted their burrs in increments to see the extent of their capabilities.
• Speed Test: I timed how long it took to grind one teaspoon (about 2.3 grams) of black pepper per mill. For manual grinders, I also counted how many twists were needed. To ensure standardized results, I adjusted each pepper mill to grind to a medium-fine “table ground” coarseness (where most of the pepper could be sifted through a 28-mesh screen) before doing the test.
• Comfort and Usability Test: Throughout each test, I noted how easy each mill was to use and if it was comfortable to turn. I marked down grinders that were hard to grip or strained my hand or wrist.

What We Learned

Some Mills Were a Pain to Fill

Refilling the pepper mills often felt like an exercise in frustration (and picking peppercorns up off the floor). I appreciated models like the HexClad HexMill Pepper Grinder, Männkitchen Pepper Cannon, and the OXO Good Grips Pepper Grinder, which had openings that were 40 millimeters or wider. I could practically pour peppercorns freehand into both of them. On the other hand, the Le Creuset Acrylic Classic Pepper Mill’s hole was only 30 millimeters wide and required a funnel to get peppercorns inside. 

The width of the opening wasn’t the only thing that influenced how easy a pepper mill was to refill. Many of the models had one or more crossbars that ran across the top to stabilize the shaft that feeds peppercorns into the grinding burrs. I didn’t notice better performance in mills with these braces, and they could be obtrusive and annoying (particularly in grinders that already suffered from small openings). For example, the Zassenhaus Speyer Crank Pepper Mill had three crossbeams and a 26-millimeter opening; it required both a funnel and lots of shaking and shimmying to get the peppercorns to fall into its narrow gaps. Luckily, a large opening could offset the nuisance of the crossbeams, and—vice versa—smaller openings were easier to manage when they had no obstructions. The winning Cole & Mason Derwent and Kuhn Rikon Mini Vase grinders had tapered 25- to 30-millimeter openings but were quickly filled with a parchment sling since they didn’t have hindering crossbars. 

Large Capacities Were a Perk

No matter how easy a pepper mill was to fill, I still preferred those with larger capacities that wouldn’t need to be topped up as often. The Cole & Mason Hampstead Electric, Fletchers' Mill Federal, and Zassenhaus Speyer grinders all held less than 25 grams (about three tablespoons) of peppercorns. Their capacities were small compared to the Cole & Mason Derwent, Kuhn Rikon Mini Vase, and OXO Good Grips mills, which could hold more than double that. The HexClad HexMill Pepper Grinder had the largest capacity of the lineup at more than 80 grams (almost 10.5 tablespoons). 

Preset Grind Sizes Were Convenient

About half the mills I tested required manually adjusting the grind size by twisting a knob on the top or bottom of the grinder. This moves the burrs closer together or further apart, making the grind finer or coarser, respectively. It took trial and error—grinding, adjusting, then grinding again—to home in on the coarseness I wanted. The knobs often hurt my fingers because they were difficult to grip and even harder to turn. I preferred models like the Cole & Mason Derwent and Black Rain Pepper Mill, which had clearly marked presets, from fine to coarse. The ability to notch the coarseness up and down eliminated the guessing game of manual adjustments. 

A Smooth Top Was Easier to Grip

I found classic bulb-topped mills (like the Le Creuset, Fletchers’ Federal, and Peugeot Paris models) less comfortable to grip and twist than models that had a flat-top surface to hold. The knobs on top of these traditional grinders (used to screw their lids on and adjust their burrs) prevented my palm from sitting flat against the mill, so I couldn’t get as much leverage for grinding as I could with smooth-topped models like the Kuhn Rikon Mini Vase and Cole & Mason Derwent. The Männkitchen Pepper Cannon had the best grip of the bunch; its smooth, rounded top allowed for a full grasp around the top, while the vertical indentations circling the lid provided excellent traction. 

Efficiency Was Key

I may break out my electric spice grinder if a recipe calls for more than a tablespoon or two of ground pepper. Otherwise, I want a pepper mill that can efficiently grind what I need. During testing, I found two main factors that determined a mill’s efficiency: effort and output. Mills that were hard to turn (and, thus, high effort) were the aforementioned bulb-topped models and the Zassenhaus Spyer grinder, which had a long handle that was terribly strenuous to crank. Those mills made my wrist ache, especially when I needed more than a few twists' worth of pepper. 

A high-effort mill can still be manageable if it grinds a lot of pepper quickly, and even a low-effort mill can become tedious if it takes forever to output the amount you need. The OXO Good Grips mill was one such example; it had a flat top and turned smoothly, but it strained my hand when it took 50 seconds (and 84 turns) to produce a teaspoon of ground pepper at 28-mesh coarseness. Though it only took a push of a button, the Cole & Mason Hampstead Electric Pepper Grinder also got tiring to hold after almost a minute of grinding. On the other hand, all of the winning models accomplished the task in 20 seconds or less. The Männkitchen was particularly outstanding in this area—it ground a teaspoon of black pepper in only eight seconds.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Pepper Mill

The best pepper mills are easy to grip and grind pepper quickly. Grinders with large capacities can go longer without needing a refill, although mills with wide, unobstructed openings make the refilling process easier. Those with marked coarseness presets are easier to adjust and let you return to your favorite settings consistently. Electric mills can be great for people with limited hand or wrist strength, and speed is a boon for both electric and manual models. Comfort is subjective, but I liked pepper grinders with flat gripping surfaces more than traditional bulb-shaped mills. 

Our Favorite Pepper Mills

The Best Pepper Mill

Cole & Mason Derwent Pepper Grinder

$50 at Amazon $50 at Walmart $50 at Sur La Table

What we liked: Though it wasn’t the flashiest model in the lineup, the Cole & Mason Derwent mill checked all my boxes. Its flat top allowed for a comfortable grip and good leverage while twisting. It had preset grind sizes that went from flour-fine to perfectly chunky. It was one of the quickest grinders I tested, and it milled a teaspoon of pepper in just 19 seconds (and 30 turns). The transparent body made it easy to tell when peppercorns were running low, but that didn’t happen often since the mill could hold over one-third cup. When it was time for a refill, it was relatively easy without crossbars blocking the opening. 

What we didn’t like: It could be a little stiff to twist, particularly on finer settings. When moving from coarse to fine, I had to clear out any chunky bits in the burrs before it could adjust. The lid didn’t screw into the base, so it could pop off if the grinder was lifted by grabbing the top alone. 

Key Specs

• Empty weight: 10 ounces
• Dimensions: 2.3 x 2.3 x 7.5 inches
• Materials: Acrylic with stainless steel grinding burrs
• Capacity: 50 grams (about 6.25 tablespoons)
• Grind settings: 6 levels, adjustable by turning a ring around the body of the grinder
• Cleaning instructions: Wipe clean only. Do not submerge in liquid.

The Best Budget Pepper Mill

Kuhn Rikon Mini Pepper Grinder

$22 $19 at Amazon View on Kuhnrikonshop.com

What we liked: This little mill was less than half the price of most other models in the lineup. Though it was short in stature, it held almost a half cup of peppercorns. Its lid came off to reveal a large opening without crossbars or poles in the middle, which made refilling simple. It was easy to use and ground a teaspoon of pepper in 19 seconds and 30 turns (the same as the winning Cole & Mason Derwent mill). I also liked that it sat grinder-side up, which kept pepper crumbs off the counter. 

What we didn’t like: The Mini Vase mill didn’t have preset grind sizes, so I had to fiddle with the dial in the center of its burrs (which was slippery and hard to turn) to adjust it. Even when fully tightened, the grinder couldn’t produce very fine pepper. The finest setting still had distinct (albeit very small) bits of pepper throughout, and the coarsest had chunks of peppercorns that were cracked into halves and thirds. Though it may not be surprising considering its price, some reviewers online have noted that the plastic components in the lid are prone to cracking. 

Key Specs

• Empty weight: 8.3 ounces
• Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 4.75 inches
• Materials: Nylon plastic with ceramic grinding burrs
• Capacity: 57 grams (about seven tablespoons)
• Grind settings: No presets; grind size is adjustable by turning the knob to lift and lower the burrs manually
• Cleaning instructions: Grind coarse salt through the mill to remove residual oils for routine cleaning. For deeper cleanings, unscrew the central ceramic burr and clean with a stiff brush and warm water. Let the cone dry completely for 24 hours before placing it back in the grinder. 

The Best Splurge Pepper Mill

Männkitchen Pepper Cannon

$200 at Amazon View on Mannkitchen.com

What we liked: When I opened the box, I could tell this mill had been thoughtfully designed for serious cooks. Its matte black exterior made it look striking and sophisticated, but it wasn’t just a decoration—it achieved near-perfect scores in every test for usability and performance. It had a wide opening and thin crossbars, so it was super easy to fill—no funnel or extra tools needed. It had a wide coarseness range (75 levels!) and could grind finer than any other model I tested. Its grooved lid provided unparalleled grip, while its secure bottom cap prevented pepper from falling out of the bottom between uses. My favorite characteristic was the Pepper Cannon’s speed. It ground a teaspoon of pepper in only eight seconds—almost twice as fast as every other mill. 

What we didn’t like: There’s no getting around it: This mill is expensive. Its intense output may be too much when used tableside—I’d recommend caution when grinding directly over individual plates. (Perhaps grind into a separate dish first.) A previous reviewer noted that its indented lid dug into their palm, and I also got a sore spot on my hand after using it repeatedly during testing. However, I doubt this would be a big issue for home cooks unless they grind large quantities or use it constantly. Though it boasted 75 “preset” grind sizes, it was only a half-step up from manually adjusted mills and required the same trial and error to home in on the intended coarseness level. 

Key Specs

• Empty weight: 18.6 ounces
• Dimensions: 7.5 x 2.25 x 2.25 inches
• Materials: Anodized aluminum with high-carbon stainless steel grinding burrs
• Capacity: 56 grams (about seven tablespoons)
• Grind settings: 75 preset “clicks” along its scale, adjustable by turning the dial on the bottom of the grinder to lift and lower the burrs
• Cleaning instructions: Clean the inside with a brush and wipe the exterior with a damp cloth. Do not wash. 

The Best Electric Pepper Mill

Black Rain Peppermill

$199 $170 at Amazon

What we liked: After I used many manual grinders, this high-quality electric mill was a relief for my aching wrist. It was not only easy to operate but also fast: It cranked out a teaspoon of ground pepper in only 15 seconds. It had five simplified grind settings ranging from almost floury to peppercorns broken into quarters and fifths. Unlike the Cole & Mason Hampstead Electric mill (which uses six AAA batteries), the Black Rain can be plugged in and recharged. It never needed it during testing, though, since it can grind for six to eight hours on a single charge. 

What we didn’t like: The first two settings produced fine grinds, but the third notch and up were pretty coarse. I wish there had been one more setting between the second and third levels for another medium-sized option. Though I loved how fast this grinder was, it could be too much if you just want a pinch for a personal serving. I’d recommend grinding in a separate container until you get used to its output speed. It is also quite pricey. 

Key Specs

• Empty weight: 22.3 ounces (1.4 pounds)
• Dimensions: 2.6 x 2.6 x 7 inches
• Materials: Aluminum with carbon steel grinding burrs
• Capacity: 47 grams (about six tablespoons)
• Grind settings: Five levels, adjustable by turning a ring around the body of the grinder
• Cleaning instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth. Do not submerge in liquid.

The Competition

Also Recommended:

• Peugeot Paris u'Select Manual Wooden Pepper Mill: The Peugeot Paris has been a longtime favorite of associate editorial director Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, and it was a former winner in this category. Sadly, the model I had struggled to feed the peppercorns into the grinder, even though they were within the mill’s specific size range. I turned it hundreds of times during the speed test without any pepper coming out. When it did grind, it was slow to output much. Though this doesn’t match the performance described in previous rounds of testing, some online reviewers echo the issue I experienced.
• HexClad HexMill Pepper Grinder: This mill was a close runner-up to the Männkitchen grinder. Its design was similar to the Männkitchen, plus it had the largest capacity of the lineup and came with a lifetime warranty. It got marked down because it spilled a lot of loose pepper from its burrs when uncapped and it weighed almost two pounds when filled. Still, it would be a handsome gift or high-performance alternative if the Männkitchen mill is unavailable. It’s senior editor Grace Kelly’s preferred pepper grinder.

Not Recommended

• Fletchers' Mill 8-inch Federal Pepper Mill: This mill was another top pick when the Serious Eats team first tested it, but it didn’t stand out compared to newer options. Its knobbed top was uncomfortable to grip, it didn’t have marked grind settings, and it was hard to turn on finer grinds.
• OXO Good Grips Contoured Mess-Free Pepper Grinder: This grinder had a few things going for it: it was budget-friendly, had a large capacity, was easy to fill and turn, had adjustable coarseness levels, and kept pepper bits off the counter. Unfortunately, it was slow and couldn’t grind very fine.
• Le Creuset Acrylic Classic Pepper Mill: This mill made a statement with its vibrant color, but its flat knob was tough to adjust and made the bulb uncomfortable to twist. I also didn’t like that unwinding the knob to achieve a coarse grind also made the bulb feel loose and wobbly. 
• Zassenhaus Speyer Crank Pepper Mill: The Zassenhaus crank grinder looked endearingly old-fashioned, but it was awful to use. It had a small hole for filling and a tiny capacity. Worst of all, it flung pepper all over while grinding because it was so jerky and stiff to turn. 
• Cole & Mason Hampstead Electric Pepper Grinder: This mill had a small capacity and took almost a full minute to grind a single teaspoon. It also ground really coarse and couldn’t achieve a fine powder. Though it used to be our favorite electric mill, the Black Rain model beat it handily. 
• Fletchers' Mill Border Grill Pepper Mill: This mill had the smallest capacity of any model we’ve tested—a teeny tiny 19 grams total—and the exterior was too slippery to get a good grip on while grinding.
• PepperMate Traditional Pepper Mill: This was an absolute beast when it came to grinding pepper—a teaspoon in 20 seconds, and with only 17 rotations!? But it was just so uncomfortable and rough on the hands that it was challenging to use for long periods.
• Trudeau Seville Pepper Mill, 6-Inch: Both uncomfortable to hold and the slowest in the group, the Trudeau Seville Pepper Mill simply was not up to snuff.
• ZWILLING Enfinigy Electric Salt/Pepper Mill: This mill looked so sleek, but it sounded like a warbly ghost while in use. It was also the quickest out of the electric pepper mills, but I wasted quite a bit of time trying to adjust the grind size settings.
• Eparé Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Mill: This was another snail among rabbits, and it's electric, which made it even more disappointing.
• Cuisinart SG-3 Rechargeable Salt, Pepper and Spice Mill: The button placement for this electric mill—on the front, middle panel of the body—was excellent. But the overall machine was heavy, cumbersome, and too slow.
• Unicorn Magnum Pepper Mill: While this was the fastest pick from our previous testing, it is no longer available. 
• PepperMills Supreme Model 200: Per our last review, this mill was quite loud and not all that fast. 
• Peugeot Olivier Roellinger 5.25-inch Pepper Mill: This clumsy, impractical, box-shaped grinder had some of the worst consistency and required far too many cranks. 
• Dreamfarm Ortwo: With particle inconsistencies across a variety of settings, this model was easily ruled out of contention. 
• Cole & Mason Oxley One-Handed Pepper Grinder: It took forever to grind just one teaspoon of pepper with this mill, and it's currently unavailable.
• Eparé Electric Pepper Grinder: This model did fine, but took about twice as long to grind pepper as our favorite one-handed model.
• Chef'n PepperBall: This model was entirely inefficient at grinding pepper.
• Kuhn Rikon Vase Grinder: Even though this mill’s cousin won our testing, this larger size was uncomfortable to hold and turn.
• Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Ratchet Grinder: This mill required way too many cranks to achieve a mere teaspoon of pepper.
• Olde Thompson Bavaria Peppermill: This mill did a decent job, falling in the middle of the pack in most of our tests, but it was top-heavy. 
• Atlas Brass Pepper Mill: This mill was heavy and expensive and didn't crack coarse pepper very well.
• William Bounds Spice Swinger Pepper Mill: This pepper mill did an extremely poor job of finely grinding pepper.
• William Bounds Comet Pepper Mill: This mill only had three settings, disqualifying it early on.
• Unicorn Keytop Pepper Mill: This pepper mill was slow and not as capable, with coarse grinding. It's also currently unavailable.
• OXO Radial Pepper Mill: This pepper mill sent peppercorns all over the floor when dropped.
• Cole & Mason Capstans Pepper Mill: This mill took too long to grind pepper, and I found some cranks of this grinder didn't produce any ground pepper at all.
• Trudeau Professional Pepper Mill: This mill was uncomfortable to hold and difficult to load.

FAQs

What’s the difference between a pepper mill and a pepper grinder?

This one is easy: nothing! We like calling them “pepper mills” to differentiate them from spice grinders (and because it sounds a little more sophisticated), but the two names are ultimately interchangeable.

How long do whole peppercorns keep?

Whole black peppercorns can be kept for several years without going stale or losing flavor when kept in a cool, dark, and dry environment. For maximum freshness, though, we recommend using them within a year of purchase.

How long does freshly ground pepper keep?

Ground pepper loses flavor complexity and potency as it ages. As soon as peppercorns (or any other whole spices, for that matter) are broken open, the volatile oils responsible for their flavor start dissipating and breaking down from exposure to oxygen. If you want the best flavor, use whatever you grind within a few weeks (up to four months), and keep it away from oxidizers like heat and bright light.

How do you clean a pepper mill?

If you only use your pepper mill for pepper, you likely will rarely need to clean it out (if ever). Most models we tested were not dishwasher-safe and could be damaged if submerged in liquid. If your mill needs a refresh, wipe the exterior with a lightly dampened cloth and use a soft, dry brush (or a can of compressed air) to remove internal debris. For grinders with ceramic burrs, you can also grind some coarse salt to clear out residual oils.

Can you grind salt in a pepper mill?

You shouldn’t grind salt in pepper mills that have steel burrs because salt can corrode the metal over time. Mills with ceramic burrs can be suitable for salt but double-check the mill’s user instructions before making the switch. Though handheld mills can help break down coarse chunks (like how some pink salts are sold), there isn’t a flavor benefit since salt doesn’t contain volatile oils like black peppercorns and other spices do.

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashlee Redger is a food writer who has been reviewing equipment for Serious Eats since 2022. She has interned at America’s Test Kitchen, created products and menu items for national brands, and developed hundreds of recipes for home cooks.
• Ashlee has written many reviews for Serious Eats, including electric spice grinders and kitchen tongs.
• This is an overhaul of a previous review in which Abigail Clarkin and Grace Kelly assessed more than 30 pepper mills. Ashlee retested the top-performing models alongside a few new options.
• To find the best pepper grinders, Ashlee followed previous testing procedures to analyze each mill’s capacity, grinding capabilities, speed, and comfort. She also noted how easy (or not) they were to refill.