8 best salt and pepper grinders: Manual or electric mills to spice up your kitchen

Peugeot Saveurs is one of the oldest and most respected brands of salt and pepper mills out there – they’ve been making them since the 1840s. If you’re at a really decent restaurant, take a look at the underside of the grinders on your table and it’s pretty likely you’ll see that lion logo.

These modern versions of classic bistro-style mills will show you why the brand is such a big deal in the world of seasoning. Smooth and tactile, they balance sturdiness with refinement and are built to last, with specially designed grinding mechanisms for both salt and pepper (which come with a lifetime warranty).

The U Select function is patented and lets you adjust the coarseness of the grind to suit what you’re cooking, too. They might be pricey, but they really feel incredible and dare we say, you may never have to buy another salt and pepper mill again.

Combining a vintage-style sage colour with contemporary design, this pair of battery-powered salt and pepper mills would be right at home in a chic kitchen. They feel hefty, like they were built to last – and it seems they are, as they come with a long-life ceramic grinding mechanism and 10-year guarantee.

Super easy to use one-handed, their soft-touch finish gives a good grip and the button to operate is located at the top, easily reached by your index finger as you grasp the mill. The coarseness of the output is adjustable too. They do take four AA batteries each (so remember to stock up) but at less than £20 for the set, these mills are really fairly priced.

These stylish mills, with a minimalist Scandi-inspired design, are perhaps the chicest on our list. Their matte finish and soft nude hues mean they’ll enhance any table spread, taking the aesthetics up a notch or three. That said, it’s not all about looks here: as much thought has gone into their function as their form.

The mills are great for grinding spices and seeds as well as seasonings, and you can easily adjust the size of the grind. Because you invert them to use – the ground ingredients fall from the top of the “bottle” – you won’t get left with any debris where they’ve been standing, either. They’re also easy to fill, have a large capacity and distribute ground ingredients evenly and consistently.

These mills feel sturdy and robust, and the soft rubber grip makes them super easy to handle. Changing the size of the grind is really simple – there’s a dial at the top which clicks satisfyingly through the range of options. The chamber where the peppercorns are stored is a decent size – hooray for fewer refills – and, as it’s clear, you have a heads up on when you’re running low so you won’t get caught out mid-grind.

Topping up the grinder is easy: just open the twist cap on the underside and you have a wide opening to pour into. A great shout for those of us who aren’t that nimble-fingered – and there’s a version for salt too if you fancy the set.

This is a nifty and versatile bit of kitchen kit – one of those things where you’ll wonder how you ever did without, especially if you cook with whole spices regularly. Cleverly designed for pepper as well as all whole spices and seeds, this grinder has a ceramic milling mechanism that won’t ever rust and a screw-on glass spice jar that’s been tempered to make it strong and durable. Although if you do manage to break it, you can easily get hold of a replacement as opposed to having to buy a whole new mill.

If you’re using it for seasoning your meal, go one-handed, squeezing the wooden arms together. To amp up the output – say, if you’re grinding whole spices for cooking – you can use two hands, pulling the arms far apart before squeezing them back together. This mill’s function makes it great for the kitchen, while its cool design earns it a place at the table, too.

This salt and pepper mill set is a great example of what you get when practicality meets good looks. There surely isn’t a kitchen or dining table that these minimalist, neutral-coloured grinders wouldn’t fit in with.

Their matte finish gives them a whisper of Scandi style and a contemporary look – not to mention helps create a good grip for grinding. The size of the grind is easily changeable by twisting the silver cap on top, while refilling is a doddle too, thanks to the screw cap at the base. That said, the large capacity means you won’t find yourself needing to top it up often. Another mess-saving design, these grinders mill from the top, and the seasoning is disbursed nice and evenly.

If you’re all about minimising clutter from your work surfaces and avoiding a crowded dining table, a two-in-one grinder may be the way to go. Cole and Mason is another heavyweight in the world of salt and pepper mills, and we love this modern-looking, double-ended grinder it’s come up with.

Designed to dispense different seasonings, it has a brushed chrome middle and matte black, easy-grip ends. It’s around the same size as some of the other single grinders on this list, so much less bulky than you might expect, but still with a decent capacity. The ceramic grinding mechanism – which dispenses efficiently and consistently – comes with a lifetime guarantee, so this relatively small investment will really pay off.

This futuristic-looking electric mill won’t ever see you stealing batteries from the TV remote – it’s rechargeable and comes with a smart-looking dock that can plug into your countertop electricity socket (luckily, it’s good-looking enough to keep on show). Each full charge will give about 20 minutes of operating time.

Another great all-in-one option, this mill has two chambers that easily twist off the main body for refilling and are clear so you can see which seasoning is in each side. To operate, hold down the button in the centre – this clever mill will grind whichever side is pointing down at your meal or pot. It will happily mill spices and dried herbs as well as seasoning and comes with a measuring cap which you can grind directly into – really handy for when you’re following recipes.