If you are like me and keep several different varieties of salts in the kitchen, then a good quality salt grinder is a worthwhile investment. You can always purchase fine salt or coarse salt flakes, but if you want salt with a little more ‘personality’ than a salt grinder is just the thing you need.
I keep my salt grinder loaded with coarse sea salt and use it to distribute salt evenly and easily over my baked goodies, salads, and gourmet dishes.
You are literally spoilt for choice when it comes to buying the best salt grinder for your kitchen. Some salt grinders come with specialized adjustable grinding mechanism that help regulate the texture of salt. This way, you can choose your salt output to have your textural preferences: finer or coarser.
You might be wondering what is wrong in buying those pre-filled disposable salt grinders which you can easily find in the spice and condiments section of grocery stores. But if you think about it, buying a salt grinder which you can refill over and over with your choice of salt is a worthwhile investment over the years. Plus you will be saving our already overburdened landfills from all that disposable plastic trash.
So let us continue the discussion on the best salt grinders to buy.
Types of salt grinders
Electric
Electric salt mills or salt grinders are battery-operated, easy-to-use grinders. A majority of salt grinders are also useful for grinding pepper but most companies make two different units for the job. This way, you can add precise flavouring to your dishes at a push of a button.
Most electric salt grinders come with ceramic grinding mechanism. They can last for years. Most electric grinders consist of a dial that helps you adjust the mill to desired consistency or fineness.
Some electric salt grinders come with LED lights/displays to help guide the volume and position of salt being dispersed. Electric grinders certainly allow easy, single-handed operation while cooking or serving, whereas manual grinders require both hands.
Manual
As the name suggests, a manual salt grinder does not come with batteries and you need to use your muscle power to grind the salt or pepper.
Most salt grinders come with a cylindrical body having two compartments. These rotate over each other and as the salt moves from one compartment to the next, it gets ground and crushed in the process.
Some manual salt grinders do not have the option of changing the texture and that is a drawback you’d want to avoid, especially if you use different varieties of salts. However, when you select a good manual grinder from top brands, you get the adjustment feature as well.
Key features of a salt grinder
Settings
A salt grinder should come with adjustable grinding control to have finer or coarser grind to suit your taste preferences.
Most grinders have a knob at the base of the grinder. You turn the knob in a clockwise direction for a finer grind and in the anti-clockwise direction for a coarser grind.
Certain brands of grinders allow up to 6 levels of adjustments.
Grinding mechanism
In certain manual salt grinders, the grinding mechanism can occur in single stage or two stages. Good salt grinders come with two-stage grinding and conical burr mechanism.
In the first stage, the salt flakes or stones are cracked and in the second stage, finer grinding action takes place. This is necessary for flavour retention.
Grinding mechanism also consists of ceramic, metallic, or acrylic burr mechanisms. These decide the durability of the grinder as well as its efficiency.
Ceramic burrs are longer lasting while acrylic or plastic grinders are usually seen in disposable grinders.
Very hard or large spices, impurities like stones, or crystals in salts can damage the blades and shorten the life of the grinder.
Capacity
In selecting a salt grinder for home use, you do not need large capacity. So, longer and bigger grinders are not necessarily better.
Naturally, you do want a large enough capacity so that you are not refilling them every day. Most grinders for home use come in 6.5 inch barrel length. Commercial grinders can be as large as 12.5 inches in length. Select a grinder that you can grip comfortably in both hands.
Material
Some salt grinders are made with chrome plated alloys. They grind well but do not last long.
Carbon and stainless steel mechanism works best and is long lasting.
If you are using highly corrosive salt varieties, then it is best to avoid metallic burr mechanisms.
Ceramic mechanisms are hard and last really long. They grind fast too: half a teaspoon takes about 5-10 seconds.
Acrylic burr mechanisms are used in disposable-type spice grinders; you throw them after the spice is over.
The outer body of the grinder can be made of glass, copper, stainless steel, wood, or other attractive finishes.
Wooden grinders look great but they tend to chip when washed with water. Glass body grinders can shatter and you certainly do not want shards of glass in your salt.
Stainless steel or copper-plated grinders look good and are also longer lasting but you have to open them to see if they need refilling. Acrylic and glass body grinders let you know when refilling is required without having to open the mill.
Copper finishing tend to tarnish over time and needs special cleaners to restore their shine.
Best salt grinder
1. Cole and Mason Stainless Steel Derwent Salt Grinder
Cole and Mason Derwent salt grinders come in four finishes: copper, gunmetal, stainless steel, and wood. These modern salt grinders have an attractive finish and will look great on your dining table.
Pros
- With Cole and Mason Derwent salt grinders, you get 6 different settings to choose from for fine or coarse salt grains
- The attractive, see-through, acrylic body tells you when you need to refill your grinder
- Instead of simply crushing the salt crystals, the precision grinding mechanism strips it into crystals for maximum flavour retention
- It is one of the best-selling salt grinders on Amazon, with thousands of happy customer reviews and positive ratings
- Easy to hold, clean, and use
- Ergonomically designed
- Value for money
- Durable
- Great for gifting
Cons
- Difficult to refill
- It does not grind efficiently larger crystalline salts like Himalayan salt.
2. Peugeot 23492 Paris U'Select
Peugeot salt mills come in 5 different sizes. Each mill offers two stages of grinding; in the first stage, the grinder cracks the salt crystals, and in the second stage it does the actual grinding. This helps retain the flavour of the salt.
Pros
- Case-hardened steel grinding mechanism is virtually indestructible. And long lasting
- You can adjust the texture to coarse or fine/powdery
- Beechwood mill body is easy to clean, lightweight and balanced
- Stylish and elegant, this salt grinder makes a great gift
- Value for money
Cons
- It requires effort to operate
- Does not grid very large Himalayan salt crystals efficiently
- Cracked at the bottom for some users after a short while.
3. OXO Good Grips Mess Free Stainless Steel Salt Grinder
OXO Good Grips salt grinder comes in three different finishing styles: stainless steel, copper, or black stainless steel.
Pros
- Adjustable grinding for fine or coarse output
- Non-corrosive grinders made with ceramic mechanism that does not absorb food or spice flavours
- Clear, acrylic and see-through body tells you when it is time to refill the grinder
- Easy repairs and replacement
- Ergonomically designed grinder that gives a non-slip grip
- One of the best-selling salt grinders on top retail sites; has received thousands of positive reviews
- Durable
- Easy to use and hold, and easy to clean
- Great for gifting
Cons
- Expensive.
4. Wolbert 1 Mill Pre-filled Himalayan Pink Salt Grinder
Wolbert salt grinder comes with one full load of beautiful pink Himalayan salt.
Pros
- Attractive glass body is see-through. It shows the beautiful pink salt crystals and also tells you when it is time for a refill
- Wolbert salt grinder makes a great gift
- Ergonomically designed, the size of 7.5×2.5 fits your hand perfectly
- Ceramic grinding mechanism does not crush or masticate the crystals, instead, it gently strips down the salt crystals into layers to give you maximum flavour and nutrition
- Easy to clean, use, and easy to remove the salt and refill the unit
- Value for money
Cons
- Glass body is prone to shattering
- Not very durable; most units broke within a year of use.
5. Cole & Mason Capstan Wood Salt Grinder
Cole & Mason wooden salt grinder comes in two different sizes: 6.5 inches and 12.5 inches. The wooden finish gives the grinder an elegant look.
Pros
- Very attractive looking and efficient grinder with wooden finishing. Lovely to gift to someone special
- Ceramic mechanism is diamond-sharpened to give smooth and easy turning
- Top knob allows you to adjust the coarseness of your salt output
- Lifetime guarantee
- Easy to clean
- Durable
- Great value for money
- Reusable/refillable, good for the environment
Cons
- Wooden finishing tends to chip/fall off after a few months
- The grinder only grinds certain types of salts.
6. McCormick Mediterranean Sea Salt Grinder
This salt grinder is not refillable and reusable.
Pros
- McCormick Mediterranean sea salt is much more nutritious than regular table salt. It is harvested off the Mediterranean coast of France
- An adjustable grinder that allows you to grind coarse or fine
- It is easy to use
Cons
- Expensive considering the fact that you cannot reuse it
- Non environmentally-friendly.
7. Cole & Mason 505 Salt Grinder
Cole & Mason acrylic, see-through grinding mill is made with precision ceramic grinding mechanism. The ceramic grinder is diamond sharpened, so you get smooth and even-turning while grinding.
Pros
- Diamond sharpened blades for smoother turning of the mill. Also makes the grinder durable
- Easy to refill
- Adjust the salt output coarseness/fineness with a simple turn of the top screw
- Attractive looking grinder: has a unique door knob design and is of the right capacity for home use
- Easy to clean
- Lifetime guarantee
- Value for money
- Great for gifting
Cons
- Does not give very fine salt output. Many users have complained about the texture of salt stating that it comes out too coarse for their taste
- Unit tends to leak.
8. OXO Clear Salt Grinder
OXO clear salt grinder comes pre-filled with salt and is made with non-corrosive ceramic grinding mechanism that is durable and provides efficient grinding output.
Pros
- Ceramic grinders do not absorb odours of other spices
- There is an easy-to-use facility to adjust the grinding level for fine or coarse grinding
- Acrylic, see-through material shows you when it is time to refill the grinder
- Easy refilling
- Ergonomically designed, easy-to-use, and easy to clean
- Thousands of positive ratings; one of the best selling salt grinders on top retailer sites
Cons
- Material quality is not too good; many units broke down within a few months.
9. Silk Route Spice Company Salt Mill
The salt grinder from Silk Route Spice Company has received thousands of positive reviews. It is also a grinder preferred by chefs across the world. This is a recyclable grinder and it comes pre-filled with ready-to-use, high grade Atlantic Sea salt. This is a product from South Africa.
Pros
- Recyclable
- Easy to use
- Long lasting
- Comes in many different flavours for other spices like whole peppercorns, Himalayan Pink salt, smoked salt, BBQ seasoning
- Kosher certified salt
Cons
- Made with plastic so may not be durable..
Conclusion
A good quality salt mill or salt grinder is a must have for every kitchen to help you grind those sea salt flakes into finer salt for cooking.
After all, you don’t want chunks of sea salt in your water or herbal teas. Salt with great texture is also an important addition to your eggs, salads, and steamed vegetables.
A sprinkling of freshly ground gourmet salt can give your dish all the ‘flavour hit’ it needs.
I hope the above reviews of the best salt grinder help you make an informed choice.
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