TechGearLab

The Peugeot Paris u'Select won over our testers with its consistent grind, ease of use, and quality construction. Like many pepper mills, this one requires a funnel to fill. We used a coffee filter shaped like a cone that allowed the peppercorns to fall into the center shaft, which holds 1.2 ounces of peppercorns. 
The Peugeot Paris u'Select was the only pepper mill we tested that featured a two-stage grinding mechanism. The case hardened steel grinding mechanism first breaks open the peppercorns and then uniformly grinds it producing a super consistent grind each time. The grind size selector is on the base and simply requires a twist, and we found selecting the grind size to be easy with both dry and wet hands. On each half rotation, the pepper mill dispensed a fraction of a teaspoon of pepper, allowing the user to control the amount of pepper being added. Our testers also appreciated the minimal pepper residue left behind after use, giving them less of a mess to clean up. If you're looking for a well-constructed, easy-to-use pepper mill with a consistent grind size, look no further than the Paris u'Select. 

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Why We Love the Peugeot Pepper Mill

The Cole & Mason Derwent Grinder stood out as one of the more modern-looking pepper mills we tested. We could easily fill it with 1.8 ounces of peppercorns, making it one of the larger capacity pepper mills we tested. The top cap fits very snuggly and requires a pull straight up to remove and is best done when there is a minimal amount of peppercorns remaining, as the force of the pull can cause them to eject from the top. 
The Cole & Mason preset grind size selector is located at the base and locks into place with a firm twist. For those with a lack of hand dexterity or strength, this could be problematic. The knob is fairly easy to grasp and twist for both large and small hands, and each rotation quickly grinds the peppercorns and produces a fair amount of pepper. Our testers did find on the finer grind settings that the pepper tended to clump some as it came out, making it a bit tricky to not over pepper eggs. We also found that the peppercorns occasionally bound up in the grinding mechanism making it harder to turn. For someone looking for an updated design for their pepper mill, we recommend taking a deeper look at the Cole & Mason.

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Our winning mill was easy to load, and thanks to its clearly marked grind settings, “you know exactly what you’re getting,” said one tester. The easy-to-read settings allowed us to quickly and seamlessly change grind sizes, and the pepper output was great, too: We saw clear differences between the pepper ground using the fine, medium, and coarse settings. The mill was easy to operate, and the clear body was a nice bonus when filling because it helped us to avoid overflow.

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If the Peugeot is unavailable, or you prefer a more-streamlined look, the Fletchers’ Mill model offers a similar performance with a solid build. But it lacks preset coarseness settings.

Handcrafted in Maine, the Fletchers' Mill Border Grill pepper mill is made from solid cherry and has a much more modern look than many grinders on the market. Our testers appreciate that the entire grind mechanism can be removed to access the grinder for cleaning. Thanks to its shape, the top knob design was easy to turn for both small and large hands.
The Fletchers' Mill grinder is easy to fill with a funnel but has the smallest peppercorn capacity of our test bunch, so in a high-use kitchen, it will need more frequent refills. According to the manufacturer, its locking nut grind adjuster has 33 different grind sizes. We were not able to discern 33 different grind sizes but could find a variety ranging from fine to coarse. However, we were disappointed in how easily the finely ground pepper clumped when it came out. Once the grind size was set to coarse, we found we could not just twist the locking nut back towards fine grind. To get back to a fine grind, we first needed to grind out the peppercorns in the grinding mechanism and twist the lock nut, repeating the process many times. If you prefer a top nut design for grind size adjustments, the Fletchers' Mill grinder is worth consideration.

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A favorite since its introduction more than a century ago, and still the best. It works faster than every other contender and always grinds evenly.

The century-old Peugeot is still the best and easiest mill to use, and you can’t beat its classic look.

The Peugeot has been a favorite since it was introduced more than a century ago and it’s still the best due to its ease of use, even grind, and classic look.

The Peugeot has been a favorite since it was introduced more than a century ago, and it’s still the best due to its ease of use, even grind, and classic look.

The Eparé Battery Operated Pepper Mill requires four AA batteries, but it finely grinds pepper and was the quietest electric model we tested.

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This mill is on the smaller side, but the Trudeau Seville grinds consistently (though not quite as finely as the Peugeot and Fletchers’ Mill models).

The top cap of the wooden Trudeau Seville 10-Inch pepper mill is easy to remove, so it was a quick and easy task to fill it with a funnel. It holds a little over an ounce of peppercorns. Our testers with various hand sizes all found the top knob easy to turn, and it doesn't require much hand strength, making it a great choice for many users.   
We found the carbon steel blades quickly and easily ground our black peppercorns in sizes running from fine to semi-coarse; however, we could never achieve a true coarse grind with this mill. Like most top knob pepper mills, once you change grind sizes, it can be difficult to obtain the same grind size again, but we found that we could repeat grind sizes more readily if we twisted the knob one-half turn at a time. For anyone on the hunt for a budget-friendly pepper mill, the Trudeau Seville 10-Inch is a solid choice.

Pepper Mill Comparison