The best pepper grinder for you might look different than those comically large, wooden mills at casual dining restaurants (I'm looking at you, Olive Garden). Fortunately, they come in all shapes, sizes, purposes, and styles—you're not tied down to a particular design that might not mesh with your kitchen décor. Our best overall pepper grinder is a duo by Windsor & Everett that looks fabulous on or off your table. Chefs and home cooks alike benefit from freshly ground spices, so if that set doesn't catch your eye, read on to see more of our favorites.
Willow & Everett stainless steel salt and pepper grinder set
Staff pick
This pair of stainless steel salt and pepper mills by Willow & Everett fits comfortably in your hand, and a custom grind is only a couple of twists away.
Pros:
- Ceramic grinder
- 3/4 cup capacity
- No mess
- Easy refills
Cons:
- Glass body may shatter if dropped
Tired of stale, pre-ground pepper wearing out its welcome in your spice rack? Then take a look at Willow & Everett's slim, glass-bodied salt and pepper grinders. Each one holds a 3/4 cup of peppercorns, coarse salts, and any other spice you can imagine. They're equally at home on your dining table and kitchen counter, and the grind coarseness is adjustable between fine and coarse. Thanks to a top-oriented, ultra-sharp ceramic grinder and lid (which might be their best feature), these leave zero mess behind when you set them back into their stand.
Chew Fun electric gravity salt and pepper grinder set with blue LEDs
What goes up must come down
Available singly or in pairs, Chew Fun's gravity grinders make freshly ground pepper and salt a part of every meal — with zero effort on your part.
Pros:
- AAA battery-operated
- Available in silver, black, and white
- Gravity grinder
- Shatter-proof acrylic body
Cons:
- Not rechargeable
The last thing you'd expect from a pepper grinder is for it to light up. Chew Fun's electric pepper mills do this, and it's not just to make them look cool. It illuminates your food as you season it, allowing you to see exactly how much pepper you've put on your meal. We chose the matching salt and pepper set for a couple of reasons. It's a fantastic deal to get two electric grinders for the price of one, and using them is a one-hand task. Once the peppercorns fall onto the grinder's ceramic blades, gravity does the rest and activates the grinding mechanism.
Cole & Mason Derwent salt and pepper mill and grinder set
A twist on a classic
Rich walnut wood tops twin twist grinders from Cole & Mason, hearkening back to original designs.
Pros:
- Two mechanisms for salt and pepper
- Clear acrylic body
- Refill-friendly
- Five grind settings
Cons:
- Glass body would look nicer
- Can't submerge when cleaning
If you're looking for a pepper grinder that offers a broader range of coarseness choices, then Cole & Mason's salt mill and pepper grinder pair should be your pick. Topped with warm walnut wood and clear acrylic sandwiched in the middle, they offer five different settings ranging from powdery-fine to evenly cracked pepper (or salt, we like Himalayan Pink). While they may not light up like their competitor above, they are designed with the ideal grinding mechanism for their contents — carbon steel for peppercorns and diamond-cut ceramic for salts.
Cuisinart SG-3 stainless steel rechargeable salt, pepper, and spice mill
Toggle between salt and pepper
Use Cuisinart's SG-3 stainless steel salt and pepper mill right side up for freshly ground pepper and turn it over to grind salt.
Pros:
- Rechargeable
- Clear spice containers
- Single-button operation
- Removable crumb tray
Cons:
- Low capacity
- Fine or coarse grinds only
Cuisinart's been a top, trusted brand amongst cooks for decades, known for its high-quality kitchenware and appliances. With their dual-chambered SG-3 rechargeable spice mill, they've found a way to improve upon the humble pepper grinder. A quick twist of either end will produce fine or coarse dried spices and herbs. Unfortunately, there's no in-between when it comes to choosing your grind; but we feel that the single push-button operation, rechargeable base, and two spice receptacles are worth that inconvenience.
Peugeot BALI FONTE cast iron pepper mill
Kitchenware for fans of cast iron
Reminiscent of Japanese cast iron teapots, Peugeot's eye-catching pepper mill stands out in any kitchen.
Pros:
- Comes pre-filled
- Compact size
- Adjustable grind knob
- Cuts instead of crushing
Cons:
- Heavy at 1.3 pounds
- Small capacity
The convenience of an electric pepper grinder is undeniable. Still, if you tend to cook with whole spices, they might not fit inside. Peugeot, a French automotive brand, has actually made pepper grinders for longer than they've made cars. Their cast-iron pepper mill comes filled with Sichuan peppercorns and grinds pepper or other whole spices like cloves or allspice by first cutting them into small bits. That dual-step processing method yields a consistent grind with maximum flavor release every time. It also has an adjustable silver knob that sits atop the lid, allowing you to calibrate your grinder for optimal results regardless of the spice inside it.
Bottom line
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Pepper grinders and spice mills are an item that every kitchen should have, and today's selection makes choosing one a cinch. While we'd happily recommend any pepper grinder on this list, our best overall by Willow & Everett still wins out. We love this set's generous capacity, frustration-free refills, and the fact that it makes zero mess on your table post-grind.
If you're looking for something unique, or gift-worthy, then Peugeot's weighty, nubbly-textured cast iron grinder is perfect for peppercorns, is pre-filled, and can grind all sorts of whole spices as well.