Does anyone have a Peugeot pepper grinder?

[Soop]

I'm eyeing up these bad boys as a potential xmas present (to me) http://www.cookwarebycsn.co.uk/asp/sh... It's a lot to pay for a pepper grinder, but I expect it will last forever (and thus pay for itself in the end). I've heard good things about Peugeot. What are they like?

[smkit]

I just bought an Oliver Hemming Spice Boy and love it. I also had a Unicorn Magnum Plus for a few years (lost it in a divorce), and I must say I like the Oliver Hemming better so far. Don't get me wrong, Unicorn is a great grinder but the Spice Boy looks better IMO, isn't as messy, and is the easiest grinder to fill that I have ever used. It isn't as fast as Unicorn but few are, and it doesn't hold as much pepper as the Magnum Plus. Anyhow, I am enjoying it, and I love the fact they combine a mortar into the design of the grinder.

You can buy them at Unica Home. http://www.unicahome.com/catalog/item...

You can also search eBay and Amazon, but you will have more limited choice in colors.

Happy grinding.

[beachmouse]

Spouse bought one of the Williams-Sonoma clearance table last year. He's not sure if he'd pay full price for it, but is happy with it- seems well made and durable, and is an attractive piece of kitchen gear.

[Paulustrious]

I never buy salt mills, just pepper mills. Some salt mills have a flimsier grind mechanism, and my (peugeot) pepper mills seem to work well with salt.

[Soop]

apparantly salt is corrosive though, so you need stainless steel - if your pepper mill mechanism is stainless, then it's all good, but it might wreck another over time.

[Paulustrious]

Hadn't though of that. Obvious now you mention it.

[QSheba]

I don't have the salt mill- only the pepper mill. I couldn't link to *only* the Peugeot clear pepper mill.

[QSheba]

I have the clear Peugeot pepper grinder: http://www.surlatable.com/product/peu...

I am not a fan. It get this really awful smell when I have my black/white peppercorn combo in it- which didn't happen in my wooden grinder. (the peppercorns used were from the same bulk Penzey's bag). So now I can only use it for plain black peppercorns.

[mmdad]

What size do you think is the best to have for the kitchen cook?

[Soop]

Personally, I'm thinking 15-20cm. I don't think it's much of a big deal, just refill less often, and I think it's about the right size for my hands.

[Paulustrious]

Just make sure they fir in the shelf where you want to put them.

[EarlyBird]

I finally ended my Great Pepper Grinder Odyssey just a few short months ago.

I went through a number of cheapo lucite grinders. They either ground too fine or too coarsely and gave the user no control. Or they fell apart.

I went to a pretty copper Turkish version, and it only gave very fine grind. Gave it to a friend who doesn't care.

I went to a high end one (sorry, can't recall the brand) and it would sort of just jam.

Finally I said, "Darn it! I am good enough for a world class pepper mill and I will have one!" And I forked over meaningful bucks for a famous Peugot. It was not the one you show, but a silver one about 7 inches high. What a pain in the neck to use. I had to constantly re-tighten while grinding, and after the finial falling off and into my soup too many times, I took the little sucker out to a shooting range and put a .303 caliber rifle bullet through it (I thought use of a British round on a French product was proper).

Then I found the William Bounds Grinder. THE grinder. It was a quarter the price of the Peugot, easy to fill, easy to adjust grinds, utterly dependable in every way. Simple, unpretentious and reliable. Just like a grinder should be.

[Joe Blowe]

In my book, my Unicorn Magnum is far better than my Peugeot:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/313234#1776551
http://bit.ly/4xswgm
.
.

[Soop]

I just found out this morning that the mill I already have is adjustable! -__-*

I still like the peugeot ones, but I think I'll have a go with this one for a bit

[dmd_kc]

The manual ones are very nice. The battery-operated ones are not nearly as reliable (obviously, I think).

The fewer automatic moving parts the better in all gadgets, in my opinion.

[Robin Joy]

Electric ones (and "pepper ball" types) do have the advantage of single handed use, which can be useful if you are stirring, or have one raw meat-tainted hand.

[miss.foodie]

Personally, I like Peugeot mills and Marlux mills the best. To me, the grinding mechanism of both Peugeot and Marlux feel fairly similar. I ended up purchasing Peugeot mills because Marlux mills are hard to find in Canada. I think they are more popular in Europe. A couple of years back, I purchased a Marlux mill for a friend from HomeSense (part of TJMaxx/TKMaxx group of companies) here in Canada. After I tried it at their place one night during dinner, I discovered the grinding mechanism on the Marlux felt different that the normal cheap pepper mills. And that's how I got hooked on high-end pepper mills. I started researching the mills and keeping an eye out for them. But I never did see Marlux mills again in Canada or the US. While I was searching for Marlux mills, I came across the Peugeot mills at many kitchen stores here in N. America. I tried them out and discovered that the grinding mechanism had a similar feel to the Marlux. Because I shop at HomeSense regularly, I started keeping my eye out for them. I found HomeSense carried them on occasion at hugely discounted prices compared to normal retail prices. It is hit and miss with what you find a HomeSense and I wanted a matching pair of the salt & pepper so I waited until I found the perfect pair. One time last year, I lucked out and there was a whole bunch at HomeSense so I ended up purchasing a pair of the Chateauneuf with the U-Select function. The pair (salt & pepper) together cost me $80 CAD. They were perfectly flawless! I've checked the price of this model at the local Williams-Sonoma store and they were selling for $120 CAD for each mill!!!

You may want to check out the Peugeot website for all the different models. http://www.psp-peugeot-usa.com/products/mills.htm
The Fidji model that you are interested in is listed under Wood & Stainless mills. If you click on 'View Products' button under Wood & Stainless mills, you will actually find a Fidji model that has the U-Select feature. The U-Select feature is pretty new. I've only see it around in the last 2-3 years. You may want to see if you can find it at a local store and test it out to see if it gives you better control on the grind. Here is more info about the U-Select...
http://www.psp-peugeot-usa.com/techno...

Hope this helps.

[Soop]

Dude, that's really helpful!!!!

*edit* I really like the idea of U select, but I can't see any using that that I like the look of

[Soop]

Hmmm. I like a coarse grind. I'll have to research which one is best.

[BobB]

As mentioned, one nice thing about the Peugeot is that you can adjust the grind from powdery fine to very coarse (almost, but not quite, coarse enough for a proper steak au poivre, which really needs cracked peppercorns, not ground).

[c oliver]

That's why mine gets used multiple times a day - super coarse to super fine.

[jaykayen]

The Peugeot I use has a very loose nut: it needs constant adjustment.

[mmdad]

I am thinking that the vic firth is currently making the best. They are really nice.

[BiscuitBoy]

Love my Vic....Can't beat it for the money

[danbob]

I have 4 Peugeots, one each for black, white, green and Schezuan peppercorns. The oldest is 10 years old. I don't think I've even had to twitch the adjustment knob one iota in 10 years. Rock solid product. DAN

[ctscra]

I bought a William Bounds maybe 20 yrs. ago. After 13 yrs. it started acting up and the company chose to send me a new model which is still going strong. It's a great grinder with multiple settings and the customer service did right by me.

[BobB]

I have a 25+ year old Peugeot that works as well today as the day I bought it, but I have heard reports that the newer ones are not as well made as the older ones.

[Soop]

Tends to be the way these days -___-

[c oliver]

Mine's only about five years old and I see no difference since I was given it.

[Claudette]

I bought one for my husband two years ago, and it's great: very fine grind, very tight mechanism, and it looks terrific (it's the one that looks like a miniature silver space tube with a rotating space wheel on top). I like coarse grind, so I never use it, but I love looking at it. For the price, you're darn right I'll be using it as art!

[Paulustrious]

I have three of them - they all work well. The mechanism on them looks to be the same, even though they cost different amounts.

[bayoucook]

I have the Unicorn Magnum Plus, recommended by CI. I have put it thru' pepper hell for the last 4 years and it is unbeatable. Love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Unicorn-Magnum-...

[Eric in NJ]

I bought a Peugeot and it is a good grinder, but the adjustment knob does get loose allot. I then bought the Unicorn Magnum and even though it is black plastic as apposed to wood it is a darn good grinder if they both broke at once...I'd buy another Unicorn

[Mother of four]

I also own the Unicorn, and in my mine it's the very best pepper grinder that I have ever had! So easy to fill, and grinds like a dream! I also ordered it because of CI.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Awesome topic. I am also looking for a decent pepper grinder. My current one changes its grind size as I grind. When I start at coarse grind, it will move toward fine grind setting in a few twist, so I have to keep on loosing the top nob. A pain in the butt. I read Oxo has a good reliable one at an afforable price. The problem I am not getting it is that (1) its fine grind setting is not very fine (2) I don't like the plastic look. I heard the Vic Firth one is good too?

[Soop]

I've got a cheap one which is permanently set to fine grind. It's not very good, but I'd give it to you if I didn't need it in the meantime.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Soop,

What brand is that? Well, I probably will want to get a grinder which I can set different grind size.

[Soop]

generic vinyl, got it from a supermarket for £4-5

[c oliver]

There are a bunch of threads here that discuss this (both pro and con). I'll just say I LOVE MINE!. If even travel with it. I took it from NoCal to NYC and Cape Cod. I'm in Rio now and regret that I didn't bring it. It's that big a deal to me :) But I'm an old fart and small things get me excited these days!

[Soop]

Heh, me too I guess :)
I read a few Amazon reviews of those kind, and one thing that worried me was the quality of the metal top. Apparantly it's quite thin.
The other thing is the looseness of the adjuster. Is yours OK?

[c oliver]

I have nothing to compare it to as this is my first "good" pepper mill but I don't find the top "thin" or in any way flimsy. And one of my favorite features is how wide the range is of the adjuster, from super coarse to thin as thin can be. I use it multiple times a day for probably five years so far and feel it's like new.

[Soop]

Your endorsment is good enough for me ^__^
I wonder if I can get away with it as a present for BOTH of us? (meaning I get more presents for me :D)

[c oliver]

Helllllooooo. Haven't you ever heard the expression "what's yours is mine and what's mine is mine"?