When I met my man, I noticed he had a great pepper mill. It's true, I noticed it straight away. He had me, and about ten other people, over for dinner and I remember watching as this substantially weighted little metal sculpture made its way around the table, across to the stove and back again. It was like a gleaming little first-date fairy.
Years later, that pepper mill is now shared property and I'm here to say that the Perfex Pepper Mill is still a favorite. It has developed a beautiful patina, it grinds pepper day in and day out, and I actually look forward to that time every few months when I get to open its little trap door and fill it up with peppercorns.
The Perfex can be found at cookware shops and Amazon for about $60 to $80, which is not inexpensive — but for an item that will last a lifetime, possibly bring you love, and certainly will never let you down, is there any question?
• Find it: Perfex Cast Aluminum Pepper Mill, $80 at Amazon
More Pepper Mills From The Kitchn Team
• Stephanie's Pepper Mill: Trudeau Seville Grinder
• Sarah Rae's Pepper Mill: Olde Thompson Pepper Mill
• Anjali's Pepper Mill: Spice Market Mill from Anthropologie
• Elizabeth's Pepper Mill: Peugeot Paris
• Dana's Pepper Mill: The OXO Good Grips Pepper Grinder
• Emily's Pepper Mill: Mortar and Pestle
• Regina's Pepper Mill: World Market's Acacia Wood Mill
(Image: Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan)
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I personally go for the Magnum (or because sometimes bigger is better, the Magnum Plus).
http://www.peppergun.com/products/magnum_plus.html
I too am a magnum kind of guy. I've never been able to figure out how to turn the cranks on the top of pepper mills that have the crank on top. Maybe I'm too clumbsy.
fresh pepper--- yum!
Every pepper mill I've ever owned leaks pepper--leaves pepper dust on the table or counter. Is this one different? I need incentive to splurge on such a high-end model.
Sara - honestly, it does leave a little. We sometimes keep ours on a tiny little plate (the kind that comes sometimes with a tea ball, I mean TINY) to avoid messes. I think it comes with the territory.
There is a pepper grinder made by Kuhn Rikon that has the grinding mechanism sitting on top when not in use. I have no idea how it actually works.
http://factorydirect2you.com/kurigr1.html
regards,
trillium
There is only way to go with peppermills, and I've had many: the Peppermate. http://peppermate.com/
They are funny and cute, have excellent machinery inside, and last forever. They also don't topple over the way those old-timey ones tend to do.
Sara Kate, Thanks for your candor. The perfectionist needs to know!
As far as the pepper leakage, I use the OXO grinders for salt and pepper. They stand upright, with the mouth at the top so no leakage. While it's not the most luxurious, it lets us see our salt and pepper that we love (Bengal grey sea salt and tellicherry peppercorns both from Kalustyan's) through its glass, and it's lasted almost 4 years now.
Sara - If you are looking for a great peppermill that does not leak get a Puegeot pepper mill. I have one that I keep on my counter top and it does not leak. Also this brand of mill gives a great grind from fine to coarse.
Sara is right. Perfex is the best peppermill ever made. Mine is almost 30 years old, has been in constant service all that time by a serious cook with a family of seven, is still beautiful, still grinds pepper just the way you want it.
A few years ago I had lunch at the home of the most noted 5-star chef in midcoast Maine and commented on the well-worn Perfex in his kitchen. His eyes almost misted with affection. "25 years old. Nothing in the world like it", he said, "and I've tried them all".
Yes it's small, but it holds a lot of pepper and its shape makes for stability and ease of handling. I fill it no more than once a week and I use a lot of pepper.
I find the crank much faster to grind and easier to use with damp or greasy hands than the swivel-top style.
And its styling is so classically handsome that if you polish it up a bit with a damp cup towel it can move from stoveside right onto a beautiful dining table.
If you always give it a little bump with the side of your hand before removing it from what you're grinding pepper on, it won't "leak" when you set it down.
"... the most noted 5-star chef in midcoast Maine"
Michael Gagné?
My wife likes to say she chose me because I was already in possession of an excellent blender.
I absolutely love mine. My husband spotted the pepper mill and salt grinder on sale at Williams-Sonoma a few years ago for $25 each. I don't know if the store was clearing out inventory or just mismarked them, but they are among our most favorite bargain finds.
I own a Perfex pepper mill and loved it with all my heart and then a number of years ago I inherited my MIL's copper Atlas pepper mill. My poor Perfex now languishes in a cupboard corner. Both pepper mills cost about the same so I was surprised by how much smoother and stronger the Atlas feels during grinding. But the bigger factor for me is that it reminds me of my dear MIL and her great taste whenever I use it.
MrLittlePants - I realize I've used a PepperMate, though I don't own one, and it's quite nice. I never checked into what it was called.
The Amazone link isn't $59.95, it's $80.
(just sayin')
I love my Perfex mill. I received it as a holiday gift 20 years ago, by request. It was $60 then and I was just starting out and couldn't afford it on my own.
Seeing it still in use and going strong makes the giver very happy.
My grandma found an old one, still in its original box, at a thrift store or yard sale. Paid a couple bucks for it. It works perfectly -- what a lucky find!
I've used a Prefex for at least 25 years. Paid $59 or 60 for it then and it is worth every penny.