Ultimate Guide to Electric Salt and Pepper Mills

When purchasing a new salt and pepper mill, you have two options. You can go for a traditional manual grinder, or you can opt for an electric mill. If you’re here, you’re likely curious about what an electric mill is and how it works.

Electric salt and pepper mills are battery-operated devices that season food at the touch of a button. They are usually contemporary in design and typically made from stainless steel and glass. The main advantage of an electric mill is its ease of use.

If you’re considering an electric mill for your kitchen, read on to discover everything about them, including my top electric mill recommendations.

What Is the Difference Between a Pepper Mill and a Salt Mill?

The main difference between a pepper mill and a salt mill is what the grinding mechanism is made of. Salt mills typically don’t have a metal grinding mechanism; the grinder is often made of ceramic or plastic. On the other hand, the grinder in pepper mills is made of metal.

Salt and pepper mills are not created alike, and there’s a reason behind that. You see, salt does a great job of corroding metal. It’s even reasonably efficient at corroding stainless steel.

Because of this, you generally won’t find a metal grinding mechanism in a salt mill. The preferred material for a salt mill grinder is ceramic, although you will also see plastic grinding mechanisms, particularly on cheaper models.

Pepper, on the other hand, is a lot friendlier than salt and doesn’t adversely affect metal components. This is why most pepper mills feature metal grinding mechanisms. 

Manual Mills vs. Electric Salt and Pepper Mills

The key difference between manual and electric mills is the type of power applied to the grinder mechanism to make it work.

Manual mills feature a twistable top section. To activate the grinder, you must grip the main body of the mill with one hand and use your other hand to twist the top section back and forth.

An electric mill is more straightforward to operate. Batteries power them, and there is little effort to get the pepper out. You usually simply press a button to activate the grinding mechanism.

The second key difference is the look and style of each type of mill. Manual mills are more traditional in appearance, with a curved design and a wide, round top section that is easy to grip. The most common material for manual mills is wood.

Electric mills tend to look far more contemporary in their design. The most popular style is long, sleek, and straight, with stainless steel casing to house the mechanisms and a clear section to store the pepper or salt.

What Are the Benefits of Electric Salt and Pepper Mills?

While it is hard to beat the satisfaction of grinding your pepper manually, electric grinders do have several important benefits:

• An electric mill’s ease of use makes them particularly good for anyone suffering from mobility issues. Conditions such as arthritis and repetitive strain injury can make operating a manual mill impossible, so this is a big plus for anyone with mobility issues. 
• Kids also struggle to operate manual mills. I know mine like to help me with the cooking, and their favorite part is operating the pepper mill. An electric one is much easier for them to use.
• Electric mills fit better into modern or contemporary kitchen decor. If design aesthetics are important to you, then you may want to choose an electric mill to go with your kitchen.
• Electric mills are speedy. An electric mill will season your food much faster than a manual one, which comes in handy when juggling multiple dishes in the kitchen.

Are There Any Disadvantages to Electric Salt and Pepper Mills?

The main disadvantage of electric salt and pepper mills is that the batteries will run out at some point. This can be inconvenient, particularly if you don’t have any spare batteries on hand.

And like any electrical device, there are more working parts than a manual device, so you have a higher potential for something to break. You can tell this is the case from the warranties offered on the different types of mills. 

For example, Peugeot 一 a high-quality brand 一 offers a five-year warranty on its manual mills but only a two-year warranty on its electric mills.

The Pros and Cons of Electric Mills at a Glance

Pros	Cons
Extremely easy to operate.	The batteries need regular changing.
Kid-friendly.	More likely to break.
Modern/contemporary design.	Shorter warranty.
Produce pepper fast and consistently.	Heavier and less portable.

Are Electric Salt and Pepper Grinders Worth It?

Electric salt and pepper grinders are worth it unless you are a staunch traditionalist who prefers manual mills. They’re fast and easy to use, and their modern style makes them equally at home in the kitchen and the dining table.

One key point to remember is the quality of your chosen mill. Like everything, you get what you pay for, so purchasing a low-quality electric mill will see you needing to replace it sooner than you’d like.

Always go for the best electric mill available for your budget. You’ll not only have a good quality device, but you’ll also get to enjoy it for much longer.

What Are the Best Electric Salt and Pepper Mills?

If you’ve got your heart set on a set of electric salt and pepper mills, here are my top recommendations for 2022:

The best electric salt and pepper mills are AmuseWit Gravity Electric, Peugeot Elis Sense U-Select, FinaMill Battery Operated Pepper Mill & Spice Grinder in One, SaengQ Gravity Electric, Sangcon Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Mill Set, and Corkie Rechargeable Electric Salt or Pepper Grinder.

Let’s review each of these mills in greater detail.

Best Budget Electric Mill: AmuseWit Gravity Electric Pepper or Salt Grinder

The AmuseWit Gravity Electric Pepper or Salt Grinder (available on Amazon.com) is the way to go if you need a decent electric mill on a tight budget. It looks great, and you can choose from three colors to suit your style. 

What’s more, different settings allow you to adjust the coarseness, and a handy LED light shows you exactly how much salt or pepper is coming out.

Best Premium Electric Mill: Peugeot Elis Sense U-Select Pepper Mill

Peugeot is often considered the gold standard for salt and pepper mills. Their Elis Sense U-Select Pepper Mill (available on Amazon.com) features Peugeot’s patented coating to prevent corrosion. The stainless steel design is robust, with different settings for precision grinding.

Best Ergonomic Electric Mill:  FinaMill Battery Operated Pepper Mill & Spice Grinder in One

The FinaMill Award Winning Battery Operated Pepper Mill & Spice Grinder in One (available on Amazon.com) has a superb ergonomic design and allows you to easily grip and grind your salt or pepper.

Available in a variety of colors, the unique feature of this mill is that it has interchangeable pods. If you have multiple types of pepper or salt you like to grind, you can keep them in separate pods and use them as needed.

Best Glass Electric Mill: SaengQ Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder

If you want to see your salt and pepper, you need an electric mill with a large glass chamber. SaengQ’s Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder (available on Amazon.com) satisfies that requirement. This grinder is rechargeable and also features an LED light and grind adjustor.

Best Metal Electric Mill: Sangcon Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Mill Set

The Sangcon Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Mill Set (available on Amazon.com) is a great choice for anyone who prefers the look of metal. Ultra-modern and sleek looking, the black and silver design looks at home in any contemporary kitchen.

Best Rechargeable Electric Mill:  Corkie Type-C Rechargeable Electric Salt or Pepper Grinder

Why deal with pesky batteries when you can simply plug in your electric mill and let it charge? Corkie’s Type-C Rechargeable Electric Salt or Pepper Grinder (available on Amazon.com) charges quickly via USB and features a handy display that tells you when the battery is running low.

Final Thoughts

Electric salt and pepper mills are a super-convenient addition to your home if you’ve always found grinding spices difficult.

Hopefully, I’ve helped you understand how electric mills work, what makes them unique, and which one to buy. Happy (and easy) grinding!

Sources

• Gardenweb: Pepper Mill vs. Salt Mill – what’s the diff?
• Holar: Choose the Best Salt and Pepper Mill that Fits Your Needs
• Cole and Mason: Cole & Mason Electronic vs. Manual Salt and Pepper Mills
• Peugeot: warranty