A hand mill for grinding spices is a very interesting kitchen attribute. It combines the undoubted benefit and aesthetics of the appearance, and also indicates the high culinary abilities and the delicate taste of its owner. And although the product is not an essential item, it can often be seen flaunting on a shelf or standing on the desktop with homemakers.
Device and purpose
The design of the mechanical mill for grinding spices is very simple and Consists of a robust housing, o-rings, a handle and millstones. The housing, in turn, is divided into two compartments, one of which is poured raw materials for grinding, and the second is poured already crushed product.
Capacity is often made of transparent materials., which allows you to visually track the number of spices inside the mill. Inside the case, at the border of the two compartments, millstones are located, which are a gear mechanism, during the rotation of which grinding of various types of salt, pepper, seasonings and spices takes place.
The greatest effect is obtained by the use of millstones with two rows of tines, which makes it possible to achieve virtually waste-free production and to obtain very finely ground raw materials.
More modern models of mills are equipped with an adjustment function, which is carried out by tightening or loosening the screw on the product cover and allows you to independently select the size of the milled particles. The next detail of the design is the handle, which not only transfers torque to the millstones and makes them rotate, but is sometimes the main decorative element of the mill.
There are pens in their design remote and built-in. The first are a kind of lever, which, like a coffee grinder, rotates above the mill body. The second smoothly continue the shape of the body and rotate around its axis, dragging the millstones along with it.
Hand mills are used for fine grinding salt, pepper and other spices and spices directly in the cooking process. This allows you to preserve the indescribable aroma of freshly ground product and give the dish a unique taste. In addition, hand mills often play the role of decorative elements of the interior, harmoniously combining with other objects.
Varieties
The classification of hand mills for grinding spices is made according to several criteria, the main of which is the type of construction. According to this criterion, disposable and reusable models are distinguished, which differ from each other in the maximum service life and price.
- Disposable They are a non-separable construction and are used exactly until seasoning ends in them. Such products are sold with spices already poured inside, replenishment of which is not possible. In height, they rarely exceed 10 cm and, with intensive use, are emptied rather quickly.
After the seasoning inside is over, the mill is thrown away. The advantages of disposable models include the lack of the need to purchase the necessary spices, compact size, simple design and low cost.
The disadvantages include the lack of decorativeness and the need to throw away a hundred rubles each time, which ultimately makes disposable mills an economically disadvantageous acquisition.
- Reusable models look much more interesting than their one-time counterparts and are presented on the market in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Among them there are both universal options designed for grinding any spices, and specialized ones that can grind, for example, only peas.
The first, as a rule, have reinforced millstones are additionally reinforced with special knives and can even be used for grinding salt. The second are designed taking into account the hardness of certain spices and often equipped with a graceful lever handle serving as a decoration for the product.
The pluses of reusable mills include the possibility of reuse, increased strength and excellent decorative properties, and the minus is a higher cost in comparison with disposable models overall structural weakness.
The next sign of the classification of hand mills is the material of manufacture, which is used as plastic, wood and metal.
- Polymer Products often have a transparent design and are characterized by low weight and low price. However, the millstones in such mills are often made of plastic. Although it reduces the cost of construction, it does not give strength and durability to it.
The most common synthetic material used to make kitchen accessories is acrylic. It is absolutely harmless to human health, does not emit toxic substances in contact with spices, it is beautifully painted in various colors and gives the product a bright and elegant appearance.
Such a mill will not be lost among other kitchen utensils and, in addition to solving practical problems, will serve as a wonderful decoration of the kitchen. In addition, plastic mills are not saturated with odors and are perfectly cleaned with warm water and liquid detergent.
- Wood It is also often used for the production of mills, it gives the products a noble and rich look.Such models look very aesthetically pleasing in the kitchen and fit perfectly into most modern interiors. However, wooden mills are more suitable as decorative ornaments than as daily workers. This is due to the ability of wood to absorb the smells of seasonings, which is why it is customary to use products for grinding only one of them.
Such narrow specialization significantly reduces the scope of application of wooden mills and does not allow to use them as actively as we would like. The case of wooden specimens is often decorated with carvings and varnish, and the handle can have both remote and built-in design.
- Stainless steel is a great option for making hand mills. In most cases, such models are equipped with metal or ceramic millstones, which guarantees high reliability of the design and significantly increases the life of the products.
Metal mills can cope even with the hardest kinds of spices, and are also very convenient for grinding oily seasonings.
As for the millstones, ceramics, stainless steel and plastic are used for their production. The latter can be seen in disposable non-separable models, while more durable materials are used to produce reusable samples.
Criterias of choice
The modern market of kitchen accessories represents a large assortment of mills, so choosing a suitable product will not be difficult. When choosing, you must consider parameters such as case and millstone manufacturing material, the presence of the function of adjusting the degree of grinding and the design of the handle.
So, for continuous use, the best option would be a model with metal millstones and a case, which, with careful use and proper care, will last a very long time.
Acrylic products with metal “insides”, the same handle and the ability to adjust the grinding are well established. The handle often has a remote design and a chrome finish, which in combination with a crystal clear case looks very stylish and modern. Such products will perfectly fit into any modern interior and will last a long time.
If the mill is chosen as a decorative element, then for classic, ecological, Scandinavian and rustic styles, the wooden model will be the best option. She will perfectly fit into the general appearance of the room and will be harmoniously combined with other home decoration.
An overview of the budget model of a manual mill for spices is waiting for you next.
