The best pepper mill will make it easy to enjoy freshly ground peppercorns. Available in a range of styles, colors, and sizes, there's a perfect mill for every kitchen.
Also known as pepper grinders, pepper mills grind large peppercorns into a finer powder. Like coffee grinders, they use burrs to release the aromatic oils from the peppercorn, adding flavor to your food. There are electronic models, as well as traditional, petite, and oversized ones too. Plenty have designs worthy of spicing up your dining table décor too.
I worked my way through hundreds of pepper mill reviews and tested some myself, so I can personally vouch for their quality. A good pepper mill is faultless with its grind consistency, spans a range of textures, and is built to last.
If you're an aspiring home cook and looking for kitchen essentials, these pepper mills are must-haves.
Best pepper mills 2024
You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Dimensions: 7.5 x 2.2 inches
Capacity: 1 lbs
Materials: Aluminium
With sixty different coarseness levels and a powerful grind, this sleek mill has 75 grind settings. It's slick and easy to hold, so cook and grind at the same time. The grind sizes are incredibly consistent too.
Dimensions: 5.31 x 7.48
Capacity: 1.4 oz
Materials: Stainless steel
Peugeot is an iconic pepper mill maker. Coveted by chefs and home cooks alive, this sleek, precise pepper grinder can do it all. With six, consistent settings and a lifetime warranty, this is a pepper mill to rival all pepper mills.
Dimensions: 2.2 x 5.5 inches
Capacity: 1.94 oz
Materials: Ceramic, stainless steel
Known for their brilliant basics, OXO's pepper mill is perfect for those on a budget. The reasonable price doesn't mitigate any quality features, as this has five coarseness settings. It's not too hot on the finest grinds, but is excellent overall.
Dimensions: 9.88 x 6.73
Capacity: 2 oz
Materials: Plastic and ceramic
At the touch of a button, this mill effortlessly grinds up spice. It comes with easily interchanagble spice pods, so you can use it for salt, cardamom and much more without flavor blends. Using the integrated LED light, you can keep an eye on how much you've ground too.
Dimensions: 2.36 x 6.46 inches
Capacity: 0.99 lbs
Materials: Stainless steel
Cole & Mason makes timeless pepper mills. If you're looking for a classic style, these are hard to beat. They feel premium, but not too heavy and refill with minimal mess. They grind consistently across a range of textures. These are my everyday set.
Dimensions: 2 x 8 inches
Capacity: 1 oz
Materials: Ceramic
Nothing says luxury quite like Le Creuset. Finished with high-gloss ceramic, available in a range of bright and traditional colors, these add finesse to any table. The metal dial makes it easy to adjust grind settings and it's consistent on texture too.
Dimensions: 9.4 x 2.8
Capacity: 1 lbs
Materials: FSC-certified wood
Designed by the iconic Sarah & David Ross, this mill brings a fresh, beautiful blossom design into your home. It's available in a range of colors and eight coats of high gloss lacquer with an S and P stainless steel screw to complete the perfect matching set. If you need something smaller, make sure to check out their minis (they're beautiful).
Dimensions:15 x 2.7 inches
Capacity: 2lbs
Materials: Ceramic and wood
Dramatically oversized, this long, elegant grinder is stylish take on Italian grinders. You'll need both hands to hold it and you'll want them too; the walnut wood feels beautiful. This is best used for coarse grind sizes.
Dimensions: 5.5 x 2.7 inches
Capacity: 7 oz
Materials: Ceramic
Pepper mills are beautiful, especially when paired with a matching salt one too. This isn't sold as a set, but buy two and they'll look gorgeous together. They boast impressive build-quality and versatility too.
FAQs
What material should my pepper mill be made from?
Whether it's ceramic, wood, or stainless steel, as long as your pepper mill is durable and food safe, it is perfect. I look for wood or stainless steel, because they're easier to maintain and less likely to chip.
What pepper mills do chefs use?
Pepper grinders are some of the culinary industry's worst-kept-secrets. Most professional chefs like Peugeot grinders and Olivier Roellinger even collaborated with them. They're top quality and incredibly consistent too.
What's the difference between a pepper grinder and a pepper mill?
For the average foodie, there's no notable difference between a grinder and a mill. Pepper grinders are made with ceramic mechanisms, whilst pepper mills have hardened steel. The results are incredibly similar, so don't worry about the differences.
Final thoughts
Pepper mills are a brilliant opportunity to make a subtle style statement. You'd be surprised how many people ask me about mine (the Cole & Mason set). Classic pepper mills don't change in style, so if you're looking for timelessness, they're an excellent option.
The modern, electric grinders are an excellent gadget. They're not gimmicks; they're a luxury. When I cook with an electric grinder, it feels like I have superpowers. One hand can grind, the other can stir, chop, wave, and dance. For me, the most important next step is finding a matching salt mill.
How we test
At Homes & Gardens we try to test everything we recommend. I have used both the large and small Le Creusets, the Peugeot, and the Cole Mason set, so know what it feels like to use these on the regular. However, for many of the others, I had to employ my expert research skills. I read through a range of customer and expert reviews to find the strengths and weaknesses of each pepper mill. With either my personal review or my throrough research, you can rest assured: there will only be pleasant surprises with these pepper mills. If you're interested in finding out more, we have a dedicated page discussing how we test our products.
-
How to clean artwork – tips from professional painters and curatorsWe spoke with artists and gallery curators about whether it is worth cleaning artwork yourself or better left to the professionals
-
Peony pests and problems – expert advice for trouble-free bloomsPeonies are the favorite flower of many gardeners, yet this spring flower is susceptible to pests and diseases
