Best Pepper Mill and Salt Mill: Peugeot, Magnum and More

A pepper mill is only as good as the mechanism inside it. The wood, the acrylic and the shape are what you see; the burr is what you taste.

By the Bonwits editorsUpdated October 13, 20265 picksSave to Pinterest

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Our top picks

5 picks, each linked to the exact listing

1
Best overallPeugeot Paris Salt & Pepper Mill Set, u'Select, Zirlion, 7 in, Chocolate
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2
The sensible entry pointOXO Good Grips Pepper Mill with Rotating Handle
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3
The modern oneCole & Mason Derwent Pepper Mill Adjustable Grind Select 6 Settings 19cm
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4
The one for salt or pepperZassenhaus Frankfurt Walnut Pepper Mill with Fully Adjustable High Performance Ceramic Grinder Filled Spice Mill 7 × 2.3-Inches
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5
The cook's millUnicorn by Tre Spade MAGNUM PEPPER GRINDER, Unicorn by TRE SPADE,Premium Manual Pepper Grinder with Steel Burrs, Adjustable Coarseness, High-Capacity Output, ABS Plastic, 6 Inch Small Size, Made in Italy
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The salt and pepper mills that grind properly

A pepper mill and a pepper grinder are the same tool, and most of them fail the same way. The grind is uneven, the adjustment slips, or the mechanism wears until it only cracks the corns in half. The housing is rarely the problem. What matters is the burr: what it is made of, how precisely it is cut, and whether the grind setting stays where you put it.

Pepper and salt need different mechanisms. Steel cracks and shears peppercorns best but corrodes in salt. Ceramic, and Peugeot's zirconia-based Zirlion, will not rust, so they are used for salt, and some ceramic burrs are hard enough for both. Before buying any mill, check whether it is built for pepper, salt or both, because a steel pepper mill filled with salt will be ruined.

We read the makers' specifications and warranties and sorted five mills, from a $17 plastic workhorse to a matched French pair with mechanisms guaranteed for life.

How we chose

The mechanism. Carbon or hardened steel for pepper, ceramic or zirconia for salt, from makers who state what is inside.
A grind that stays set. Preset or clearly marked grind settings, from fine powder to cracked, that do not drift while you grind.
Easy to fill. A wide opening or side door, so refilling does not mean peppercorns across the counter.
Warranty. The best makers guarantee the mechanism for life. Each pick states its cover.

We read makers’ specifications, warranties, care instructions and the sources listed at the end. We do not accept paid placements. How we choose

The 5 picks, in detail

Best overallNo. 1

Peugeot Paris Salt & Pepper Mill Set, u'Select, Zirlion, 7 in, Chocolate

Our take. The French bistro mills as a matched pair, steel for pepper and zirconia for salt, each with six grind settings and a lifetime guarantee on the mechanism.

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Made in: France
Keeps for: Decades; both mechanisms are guaranteed for life
Height: 18 cm, about 7 in, each
Body: PEFC-certified French beech, chocolate finish
Pepper: Steel mechanism
Salt: Zirlion zirconia mechanism, dry salt to 4 mm
Grind: u'Select, six settings
Warranty: Mechanisms for life; mill 5 years

Peugeot has made mills since 1810, and the Paris is its classic shape, turned from beech sourced from PEFC-certified French forests and made in France. This set pairs a pepper mill and a salt mill at 7 inches, sold as 18 centimeters, a size that sits neatly on a table without looming over the plates.

The mechanisms are the reason to buy Peugeot. The pepper mill has a case-hardened steel burr; the salt mill has Zirlion, Peugeot's zirconia mechanism, which grinds dry salt as fine as powder and will not corrode. Both carry the u'Select ring, six settings from fine to coarse, and both mechanisms are guaranteed for life, with a 5-year warranty on the mill itself.

Skip it if you use wet or grey sea salt. The salt mill is for dry rock salt with crystals up to 4 millimeters. And if you only need pepper, Peugeot's single Paris mills in 9 and 12 inches do the job for less.

The catch. The salt and pepper mills look nearly identical; mark them, because swapping the fillings ruins the steel one.

The sensible entry pointNo. 2

OXO Good Grips Pepper Mill with Rotating Handle

Our take. A cranked pepper mill that works one-handed, with a ceramic burr and a base that keeps grinds off the counter.

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Keeps for: Several years of daily use
Mechanism: Ceramic, adjustable coarse to fine
Operation: Rotating crank handle
Filling: Wide clear door
Extras: Snap-on base catches grinds

OXO's mill does away with the twisting top. A crank arm with a non-slip knob turns the adjustable ceramic mechanism, which is easier on the hands than twisting a tall wooden mill and fast enough to season a pan of food in a few turns.

Small practical touches make it a good kitchen mill. A clear door shows when it needs refilling and opens wide, and a snap-on base catches the stray grinds that most mills leave on the counter. The ceramic burr adjusts from coarse to fine.

Skip it for the dining table. It is plastic and looks like kitchen equipment, which is what it is. Keep it by the stove and put something handsomer out for guests.

The catch. A kitchen tool, not a table piece; the plastic body looks it.

The modern oneNo. 3

Cole & Mason Derwent Pepper Mill Adjustable Grind Select 6 Settings 19cm

Our take. An acrylic and steel mill with six clicked grind settings and a carbon steel pepper mechanism.

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Keeps for: Years; the mechanism is built for consistency, with a 2-year warranty
Height: 19 cm, about 7.5 in
Body: Clear acrylic, stainless steel finish
Mechanism: Gourmet Precision+ carbon steel (pepper)
Grind: 6 preset settings
Care: Wipe clean; not dishwasher safe
Warranty: 2 years

Cole & Mason's Derwent is a clear acrylic body in a stainless steel finish, so you can see the peppercorns, and at 19 centimeters, about 7.5 inches, it is a comfortable table height. Inside is the maker's Gourmet Precision+ carbon steel mechanism for pepper.

The six preset grind settings are its strength. Each one clicks into place, fine to coarse, so you can switch from a fine grind for a sauce to a cracked one for a steak and come back to the same setting every time. The Derwent is a pepper mill; Cole & Mason makes a matching salt mill with a ceramic mechanism.

Skip it if you want wood or a long warranty. Cole & Mason covers it for two years, where the French and German makers here offer far longer. Wipe it clean with a damp cloth; do not immerse it or put it in the dishwasher.

The catch. A short warranty for a mill, and acrylic scuffs over time.

The one for salt or pepperNo. 4

Zassenhaus Frankfurt Walnut Pepper Mill with Fully Adjustable High Performance Ceramic Grinder Filled Spice Mill 7 × 2.3-Inches

Our take. A walnut table mill with a German ceramic grinder that handles pepper, salt and dried spices alike.

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Made in: Germany (grinder)
Keeps for: Decades; the ceramic grinder does not wear or corrode
Height: 7 in, 2.3 in wide
Body: Walnut
Grinder: Ceramic, made in Germany
Grind: Infinitely adjustable, 6 marked positions
Grinds: Pepper, coarse salt, spices, dried herbs

Zassenhaus is a German mill maker of long standing, and the Frankfurt is its classic table mill, here in walnut, 7 inches tall. The patented grinder is ceramic, made in Germany, and the maker says it is harder than steel and completely free from wear and corrosion.

Because ceramic does not rust, the Frankfurt grinds salt as happily as pepper, along with dried herbs and spices. That makes it the one mill here you could buy twice, one for each. The grind is infinitely adjustable, with six marked positions on a ring scale from fine powder to a coarse, mortar-like crack.

Skip it if you want a big, fast pepper grind. A ceramic burr can be a little slower than a good steel one, and a 7 inch mill holds a modest load of peppercorns.

The catch. Slower than a steel pepper burr, and a modest capacity.

MAGNUM PEPPER GRINDER, Unicorn by TRE SPADE,Premium Manual Pepper Grinder with Steel Burrs, Adjustable Coarseness, High-Capacity Output, ABS Plastic, 6 Inch Small Size, Made in Italy

The cook's millNo. 5

Unicorn by Tre Spade MAGNUM PEPPER GRINDER, Unicorn by TRE SPADE,Premium Manual Pepper Grinder with Steel Burrs, Adjustable Coarseness, High-Capacity Output, ABS Plastic, 6 Inch Small Size, Made in Italy

Our take. The fastest pepper mill in most kitchens: a big steel burr, a side-loading ring and an output that seasons a steak in a few turns.

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Made in: Italy
Keeps for: Many years; the steel burr stays sharp
Height: 6 in
Mechanism: Oversized conical tempered steel burr
Filling: Sliding side-load ring
Adjustment: Wing nut under the base
Body: ABS plastic

The Magnum was designed more than 30 years ago by Tom David on Nantucket and has been a cult object among cooks ever since. It is now made in Italy by Tre Spade, the family firm that has long made its grinding mechanisms. The current version has an oversized conical burr of tempered steel that the maker calls the Superiore mechanism.

What sets it apart is output. The oversized burr moves a lot of pepper per turn, which is why cooks who season generously favor it. It fills through a sliding side ring, so there is no lid to unscrew, and a wing nut under the base sets the grind from cracked for steaks to fine for sauces.

Skip it for the dinner table. The body is black ABS plastic and looks like the tool it is. Keep it by the stove and put a wooden mill out for guests.

The catch. Plastic and utilitarian; a kitchen mill, not a table one.

Compare the picks

Pick	Best for	Made in	Keeps for	Buy
Peugeot Paris Salt & Pepper Mill Set, u'Select, Zirlion, 7 in, Chocolate	Best overall	France	Decades; both mechanisms are guaranteed for life	Check priceAmazon
OXO Good Grips Pepper Mill with Rotating Handle	The sensible entry point	Not stated	Several years of daily use	Check priceAmazon
Cole & Mason Derwent Pepper Mill Adjustable Grind Select 6 Settings 19cm	The modern one	Not stated	Years; the mechanism is built for consistency, with a 2-year warranty	Check priceAmazon
Zassenhaus Frankfurt Walnut Pepper Mill with Fully Adjustable High Performance Ceramic Grinder Filled Spice Mill 7 × 2.3-Inches	The one for salt or pepper	Germany (grinder)	Decades; the ceramic grinder does not wear or corrode	Check priceAmazon
Unicorn by Tre Spade MAGNUM PEPPER GRINDER, Unicorn by TRE SPADE,Premium Manual Pepper Grinder with Steel Burrs, Adjustable Coarseness, High-Capacity Output, ABS Plastic, 6 Inch Small Size, Made in Italy	The cook's mill	Italy	Many years; the steel burr stays sharp	Check priceAmazon

Compared.

Every comparison

Steel, ceramic or zirconia

Steel is the best material for pepper: it shears the corn cleanly and fast. It rusts in salt, so never fill a steel mill with salt. Ceramic and zirconia do not corrode and are used for salt, and a good ceramic burr like Zassenhaus's grinds pepper too, a little more slowly.

Kitchen mill and table mill

Many cooks keep two pepper mills. A fast, practical one by the stove, like the Magnum or the OXO, and a handsome wooden one for the table. The kitchen mill does most of the work, and the table mill lasts longer for it.

Care

Wipe mills with a dry or damp cloth. Never put a wooden or acrylic mill in the dishwasher or soak it. Keep salt mills away from the steam of the stove, where moisture clogs the grinder.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best pepper mill?

For a pair on the table, the Peugeot Paris u'Select set at about $120, with steel for pepper, zirconia for salt and mechanisms guaranteed for life. For the most output in a pepper grinder, the Unicorn Magnum at about $59. On a budget, the OXO Good Grips at about $17.

Can I use a pepper mill for salt?

Not if it has a steel mechanism, which will corrode. Use a mill with a ceramic or zirconia mechanism for salt, such as the Zassenhaus Frankfurt or the Peugeot salt mill.

Which pepper mill grinds the fastest?

The Unicorn Magnum is known among cooks for its high output, thanks to its oversized steel burr.

Are Peugeot mills worth the price?

For a mill you will use for decades, yes. The mechanisms are made in France and guaranteed for life, which few other makers offer.

What size pepper mill should I buy?

About 7 to 9 inches for a table mill. Taller mills hold more but can look out of scale on a small table.

Can I put wet sea salt in a salt mill?

No. Salt mills are made for dry salt. Moist or grey sea salt clogs the mechanism; keep it in a salt cellar instead.