The 12 Best Spice Grinders for Fresh Spices

There's nothing quite like the aroma of freshly ground spices. In today's modern world, there's no need to settle for store-bought mixes that lack the delicious scent and high quality that spices you grind yourself make. These days, you can choose from one of the many electric grinders out there that help you make delectable mixes and fill your whole kitchen with their rich scent.

Quick Comparison: Top 12 Best Spice Grinders

What to Consider When Choosing a Spice Grinder

Home cooks today want more than just a spice mix purchases off the rack at their local store. With so many people choosing to make fresh blends of their favorite herbs and spices, it's no wonder spice grinders are so popular these days. If you're looking to grind spices, herbs, nuts, or coffee, an electric grinder might be the choice for you.

With so many options on the market, there are several factors to consider when selecting which one will fit your needs. Each comes with a variety of options, but one key factor that the best spice grinder will have is that it can be cleaned easily. Grinding causes many tiny particles of the food item to cover the inside of the lid and the bowl, so cleaning is essential.

Grinders that can be taken apart and washed in the dishwasher will offer the best user experience, and help you to preserve the quality of the device. Longevity is vital, and keeping the blades free from debris is essential.

You'll also want a grinder that's not just for spices or coffee but can handle a wide array of food products. If it can be ground, find a mill that can process it! These factors are just the tip of the iceberg.

Some of the other key features you'll want to focus on include the type of blades, the motor wattage, grinding capacity, construction and durability, and the size of the device. Below, we'll discuss these factors and how to make an informed choice about the grinder that's the best match for you. We'll also look at how the ever-more-popular grinder works and why it's gaining so much popularity among chefs and everyday cooks alike.

How a Spice Grinder Works

Spice grinders work in two different ways, depending on which type of grinder you are using. The two main types that are the most common are electric and manual. Here's a quick breakdown of how each type of grinder works:

Electric grinders chop up everything from nuts to spices to coffee beans quickly. They use a blade powered by a motor, and they get the job quickly. Downsides to this type of grinders include the motor overheating and shutting off and challenges cleaning the device.

Manual grinders work with gears made of metal or ceramic that turn and crush the spices. There's no electrical use, but you do have to turn the knob yourself. The downside to this type of grinder is that it can be hard on you if you have any issues with your wrists or arthritis, and the device can also be hard to clean.

Other Uses for Spice Grinders

As you've already gathered, grinders can be used for far more than just spices. Some of the many things you can put into these powerful little appliances include:

Nuts

Seeds

Coffee beans

Pepper

Herbs

Any spice

Some popular options from above are sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, apricot kernels, cashews, peanuts, macadamias, cacao nibs and paste, milk thistle seeds, flax, spices, black pepper, and coarse grain sea salt.

The home chef can go from ho-hum to professional by adding any of the above ingredients to their dishes. Thus, making a spice grinder an essential for those who are looking to elevate their cooking. If you aren't sure why you would want to grind spices versus buying them in the store, you've likely never smelled the fresh aroma of spices that have just been ground.

The rich smell can level up any meal to five-star cuisine status, thanks to the burst of flavor and freshness that your ground spices add. Plus, you can also make spice blends that are unique to what you find at the store. Forget a signature scent; you could have a signature spice.

Grinding coffee beans is gaining in popularity as well, as beans that have just been ground will have a stronger taste and smell. This, in turn, leads to better tasting, higher-quality coffee.

A variety of recipes will call for ground or chopped nuts, or chopped seeds. When you have a grinder, there's no need to spend extra on store-bought ingredient options.

Essential Considerations When Selecting a Spice Grinder

There are quite a few crucial factors to consider when you are selecting the spice grinder that will fit in best with your needs and lifestyle. While the type of mill is widely viewed as the most important, there are other vital factors as well. Let's take a look at everything you need to weigh as you make your selection.

Manual vs. Electric

As we mentioned earlier, the two main types of grinders are manual and electric—and each have their positives and negatives. Overall, more people seem to gravitate towards electric grinders. This is mainly because an electric grinder can get the job done quickly and effectively, with very little output from the user.

On the other hand, while a manual grinder isn't quite as fast, some prefer this option because there is no reliance on a motor, which can be finicky. Many electric motors will overheat after a short amount of use, and once the motor goes out completely, the device is useless.

With a manual appliance, as long as you can turn the knob and the gears work, you'll be able to grind up your essentials. You do need to consider, however, that a manual grinder may not have the same power output as an electric grinder. You may not be able to grind up heartier things as quickly.

Overall, the choice between manual and electric depends on your wants and needs. Need more power and want to get the job done fast? Stick with electric. If you want to avoid dealing with a motor, then a manual option might be the best choice for you.

Capacity

Whether you're mixing up a batch of spices for a large recipe, or you need to grind just enough coffee for a small pot, the amount of raw material the grinder can handle does matter. Look at the amount in ounces or grams that can be placed inside the device at one time. If you go with an appliance that has a smaller capacity, you may spend a lot of extra time grinding batch after batch of spices.

Most grinders will have a capacity of about 2.5 ounces or 7 grams. For most people, this is plenty, but there are some more abundant options out there. Consider size before purchasing a grinder to meet your needs.

Safety

Whirring blades can lead to cuts, scrapes, or worse. Ensure that you are looking at the safety settings of the device. Most of the top options out there will have an automatic lid lock, which makes it so that if the blade is on, the lid is locked.

Devices should always have blade safety settings, and if they don't, you might want to consider a different model.

You'll also want to look at the material used to make the appliance. BPA has been proven dangerous for humans. Ensure that you check that the device is BPA to ensure you and your family's safety.

Ease of Use

No one wants to spend hours trying to figure out how to use any appliance, let alone a small grinder. Ease of use is critical here. You want a device that's just a button away from starting up the motor for fast grinding when you need it.

If you have a manual grinder, it's essential to look at the knob or handle that you will use to grind the spices or coffee beans. This handle should be comfortable to hold and not dig into your hand.

You also want to ensure that the gears turn correctly so that you don't have to put a lot of extra elbow grease into grinding your spices. Poor quality here could lead to a very challenging situation when you are attempting to grind your signature spice.

You'll also want to look at whether the device has a removable bowl. The bowl is where the ground spices, seeds, nuts, of coffee beans will fall after they have been ground. Removal of the bowl is vital so that you can carry the ground material to wherever you will need it, without making a huge mess.

Quality

Quality of the materials, the construction, and the motor or gears can mean all the difference between a grinder that you have for years and one that stops working after just a few months. Let's take a closer look at these quality factors:

Material – Plastic won't have near as long of a lifetime as heavier-duty materials like ceramic, stainless steel, or cast-iron. While some plastics can be durable, pay close attention to whether or not the item feels flimsy or not.

Construction - Too often, small grinders will be shoddily made, ensuring that something will fall apart or break eventually. We've heard of some mills where the lid doesn't quite fit, or the seal doesn't stay in place. If you buy a grinder with a warranty, you can test it out first to determine if it appears durable and well-made. 

Motor or gear durability – Test your grinder out right when you get it, and see how the motor does. Does it make weird noises or stop working because of a lack of power? This is the sign of a motor that can't stand the test of time.

For the gears on a manual grinder, ensure that they turn quickly. If from the start, they lack in ease, this will only get worse with time.

Cleaning

Pay close attention to how your grinding device will need to be cleaned. Models with dishwasher-safe parts will save you time, so look for that if possible. Most will require that you use soap and water and wash by hand.

When washing by hand, pay close attention to the blade and be extra careful. Ensure that you dry all parts thoroughly to avoid rusting or other damage.

Ensure that cleaning is possible by getting a model that comes apart easily. Removable bowls and baskets allow you to thoroughly clean, so make sure the device can be broken down and put back together without too much hassle.

Conclusion

There is a wide selection of spice grinders available to consumers today, so you must focus on what aspects of the grinder are most important to you. Everything from the capacity to motor wattage to cleaning should be weighed before you make your decision. Carefully consider what will be the best choice for you in the long run, as this should be a device that is in it for the long haul with you.