588364 Fri Jan 16 08:25:00 -0800 2009 12 41 Cookware 0 4331770 hey all- I'm looking for a quality pepper mill that i can use both in cooking and on the table. my decor is contemporary- but function is more important than style and I'm hoping it will last quite a while... thanks! Fri Jan 16 08:25:00 -0800 2009 233247 qwerty78 1 4331815 Don't buy the acrylic ones. Look pretty but don't last. Crack in a very short time. Peugot (sp?) seems to be the best common brand. Fri Jan 16 08:38:18 -0800 2009 4331770 251167 billieboy 2 4355716 Unicorn Magnum Plus by far - go to cooksillustrated.com and read reviews Sun Jan 25 08:50:25 -0800 2009 4331815 253735 bayoucook 1 4331838 You may think me insane for telling you that you to get this one but i'm not kidding http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=101799 I can be a bit obsessive at times and I went through a peppermill run earlier this year and went through 5 pairs trying to find one that would give me a really great grind. This one blows all the rest away, I tried 2 different Peugeot's and 3 no name brands. My girlfriend knew i had been trying to find the perfect one for about half a year and got me the snowman one and it is amazing. Unlike most it has a spring resistance to make sure it keeps a tight grind no matter the thickness of the grind. The action is tighter then most but the end result is superior. The only other one i tried that gave a great grind was this one http://www.napaview.com/napa-peppermills.htm at the time i was a baby in my peppermill search and it seemed too expensive. Almost forgot my friend has a Unicorn Magnum Plus and it is excellent perhaps even better then the snowman but they are simply cuter. So thats my 2 cents :). Fri Jan 16 08:42:30 -0800 2009 4331770 76015 Ben7643 2 4335314 thank you for that...it made me laugh as soon as I opened the link. Sat Jan 17 17:04:17 -0800 2009 4331838 15774 MSK 1 4331949 you may want to check out this thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/586950 Fri Jan 16 09:15:28 -0800 2009 4331770 224238 Caralien 1 4332808 I was given an Alessi pepper mill that I love. I have been using it for 5 years now. Always sparks conversation. http://www.alessi.com/en/2/3357/oil-cruets-condiment-sets/aam04-b-anna-pepper-pepper-mill Fri Jan 16 13:04:20 -0800 2009 4331770 139219 Sooeygun 1 4332866 The wooden ones that Penzey's sells are pretty good. Stay away from any pepper mills that are made with plastic (from anywhere). Fri Jan 16 13:21:10 -0800 2009 4331770 111371 greglor 2 4333676 greglor -- must agree with the Penzey's pepper grinder. If you like a lot of pepper (and we do) this one puts out a lot without much effort. It is the only one we have found that will handle the Special Extra-bold tellichery peppercorns (because they are so big). We have several expensive grinders and they do not do as good a job as the Penzey's grinder. Highly recommended. Fri Jan 16 19:46:37 -0800 2009 4332866 123710 pepperqueen 1 4335095 The Magnum and the Magnum Plus are the only two worth having. Sat Jan 17 15:14:07 -0800 2009 4331770 86802 vanillagorilla 1 4355708 thanks for these! I'm not sold on the looks of the magnum but am loving the vic firth- one more question though. if a grinder is labelled as a "salt mill" rather than pepper- can I still use it? http://www.amazon.com/Vic-Firth-Tronco-10-Inch-Cinnabar/dp/B0000CNVBU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1232901434&sr=1-1 thanks! Sun Jan 25 08:46:27 -0800 2009 4331770 233247 qwerty78 2 4358441 Forgot the appearance.. the Unicorn Magnum grinds like a god, and most of my use is in the kitchen proper, so I don't need something pretty while grinding over a stockpot. Salt mills generally have nylon grinding mechanisms - either cause of corrosion, or softer grinding of salt crystals. I do not believe they are swappable.. Mon Jan 26 09:01:23 -0800 2009 4355708 176367 grant.cook 2 4385166 no you can't salt mills have either a plastic or ceramic grind mechanisms. good pepper mills will always have a metal grinding mechanism. you cant use a metal grinding mechanism for salt either as it will corrode. Tue Feb 03 17:08:46 -0800 2009 4355708 76015 Ben7643