Spice Grinders

Multitasking is a concept that originated in the computer engineering industry. It has, however, been applied far beyond computerese, including fields such as the manufacture of kitchen appliances. One such tool is the KoMo Grain Grinder and Flaker Mill. As is obvious from its name, the Duett can grind grains into fine flour for your breads or cakes, and can also flake them if you would rather have muesli.

The Duett is actually the result of the marriage of a KoMo Classic grain mill with the FlocMan grain flaker into a single casing. The grain grinder on the right side of the combo machine has a hopper capacity of over 2 lb. The grain drops into a grinding chamber consisting of ceramic and corundum millstones with a diameter of 3.35 inches.

The millstones are powered by an industrial grade 360-watt electric motor. In spite of its power, it runs quietly generating a noise level of only 70 decibels, a level slightly louder than normal conversation.

You can grind all types of dry grain with the Duett, including hard and soft wheat, rice, oat groats, spelt, buckwheat, barley, quinoa, rye, millet, amaranth, and sorghum. Spices, lentils, and beans such as pinto, kidney, red, and garbanzos can also be processed.

The flaker runs on a separate machine so you can do your grinding and flaking at the same time, qualifying it as a true multitasker. Its hopper has a capacity of over 1 lb. As its tapered stainless steel rollers do not have to work as hard as the millstones, its motor is less powerful than the grinder’s. Still, it is strong enough to flake oats at a rate of 2.8-3.5 oz per minute. Like the grinder’s motor, it is also a quiet operator.

Except for corn, the flaker flattens all kinds of grains. It can also be used to crush oil seeds, such as poppy or linseed, and certain spices. A ceramic bowl is included with the unit for catching flaked grains.

One advantage of opting for the KoMo Duett Grain Grinder and Flaker Mill is that it costs less that buying the Classic and FlocMan separately.

Dimensions are approximately 16″ H x 8.7″ D x 13″ W.

Constructed with stainless steel encased in a frame of beechwood, the KoMo Magic Grain Mill is exactly what its name says it is –magic. The main housing is cylindrical with a bowl-shaped hopper sitting at its top. The top and bottom ends of the cylinder are each ringed with bands made of beechwood. These bands are joined by a slat, also made of the same material, that spans the height of the stainless steel housing. Close to the top, a hole is drilled on the wood slat for a spout where ground grain fall out. The lid of the hopper is also made of beechwood. This combination of wood and stainless steel lends an aura of elegance and flair to the mill. Its successful mix of old and new materials makes it look like magic.

Underneath all of its charm, the KoMo grain mill hides a powerful industrial-grade motor and hard and durable grinding stones. The motor is a 250-watt powerhouse that spins the grinding stones to mill both soft and hard wheat, oat groats, rice, buckwheat, triticale, spelt, kamut, buckwheat, barley, rye, sorghum, quinoa, sorghum, and millet. The stones, which consist of corundum and ceramic with diameters of 75 millimeters, can also handle lentils and dry beans.

With the power of the motor and the hardness of the grinding stones, the Magic Grain Mill can process as much as 100 grams per minute with the machine set to produce finely ground grain. Adjustment of ground texture is easy as you only need to rotate the hopper to choose either fine flour for baking or corn grits for thick porridge.

The hopper has a fill capacity of 850 grams of wheat. It can, of course, be easily refilled even while the grinder is running if you need more flour than it can hold at a single filling.

The KoMo Magic Grain Mill has measurements of 345 H x 165 D x 170 W, all in millimeters. It weighs slightly over 6 kilograms.

The large hopper and the large motor of the Waldner Biotech Industry Grain Mill make it eminently suitable for use in restaurants and hotels where demand for bread, cookies, or any other food that are made of freshly milled ingredients is substantial.

The hopper of the Industry Grain Mill sits at the top of the machine. It consists of a large bowl that can contain as much as 3 kilograms of grain. A round cover protects the grains. The bottom of the bowl funnels into the grinding chamber.

This chamber is circular housing the 150-mm-diameter grinding millstones that are made of ceramic and corundum. They are resistant to wear and tear, and are self-sharpening, assuring you of a lifetime of service with a minimum of maintenance. Also, unlike steel, they do not generate heat when grinding which could adversely affect the grain and the flour. The chamber itself is self-cleaning.

The millstones can grind all types of dry grain such as oats, barley, or wheat. They are likewise capable of processing oilseeds, pulses such as peas and beans, seeds, and maize.

The millstones are rotated by a powerful 900-watt industrial motor, which runs quietly in spite of its power. Although all motors are bound to generate heat, this does not reach the ground grains as thick insulation material is installed between the milling chamber and the motor housing. This housing is pyramidal in shape. The hopper and grinding chamber, however, takes the place of a pointed apex.

Flour texture and consistency is adjustable, from fine flour to coarse grist. This is done by simply rotating the hopper using a scale printed on its circumference as reference. Ground flour pours out of the milling chamber via a tubular spout. When adjusted to a fine setting, you can expect 240 grams of flour to drop from the spout per minute.

Made of beautiful solid stone pine with a simple design, the Waldner Biotech Industry Grain Mill can be at home in all types of kitchens, from classic to contemporary. It has a footprint of approximately 1 square foot and a height of 21 inches.

The elegant beechwood veneer of the KoMo Fidibus 21 Grain Mill makes it look more like a decorative piece of artwork than a functioning grain grinder. This is especially true as the mill is small, measuring only a shade over one foot in height. It has a bowl-shaped hopper resting on the rectangular case housing the internal components.

Beneath its good looks and compact size, however, is a powerful and efficient motor paired with a grinding mechanism consisting of 2.5-inch corundum and ceramic burrs. The motor has an electric rating of 250 watts, or 1/3 horsepower, that can grind 100 grams of flour in one minute when adjusted to the finest setting. Of course, 100 grams will definitely not be enough for a family of four, but you can continually refill the hopper until you get all the flour you need.

The hopper, which is made of solid beechwood, has a capacity of 850 grams of grain. A tubular spout slanting downwards protrudes from the main casing, the opening of which is high enough to accommodate a 5-inch tall bowl below it to catch the flour.

The grain mill can process both hard and soft wheat, rice, oat groats, triticale, buckwheat, spelt, kamut, barley, millet, teff, rye, quinoa, sorghum, amaranth, and corn, and even lentils and dry beans. This means that it can handle plenty of natural and healthy foods. Herbs, flax, sesame, and fibrous materials, however, will only clog the burr grinders.

Grinding can be adjusted by turning the hopper. A graphic scale is mounted at the front of the mill for guidance. It can be set to grind super fine flour or cracked grain and coarse meal.

With a width of 7.7 inches and depth of 8.5 including the spout, the Fidibus 21 has a footprint of less than a square foot. This makes it suitable both for large and small kitchens. Owing to its beechwood finish and simple design, it can blend seamlessly with practically any kitchen décor or motif.

The real measure of a grain mill is its grinders. It may have an attractive casing in wood, plastic, or steel, but if it does not grind your grains the way you want them, or if they wear out too soon, it is really nothing. This is why the KoMo Medium Grain Mill stands out among the many brands and models of grain mills.

Grinders come in either steel (sometimes stainless steel) or stone. If you plan on grinding oily seeds, herbs, or spices, go for the steel; but if you want fine grain, you will want grinding stones. As a rule, too, stones last longer than steel.

Stone grinders can be made of natural or synthetic stones, with the latter generally considered superior to the former in terms of grinding efficiency and longevity. It is for this reason that the KoMo Medium Grain Mill utilizes synthetic corundum/ceramic burr stones. These measure 3.35 inches in diameter and can grind wheat, oat groats, rice, spelt, barley, millet, and plenty of other dry grains. It can also process dry beans but not oilseeds and fibrous materials.

The stones are powered by a 360-watt electric motor. It is mounted on a suspension system that effectively absorbs the motor’s vibration substantially reducing operating noise.

Working together, the motor and millstones produce 3.5 ounces of flour per minute at the finest setting. At this rate, it can process the 1 pound and 14 ounces of grain that the hopper can hold in approximately 5 minutes. If you need more flour you can keep the grinder running continuously while refilling the hopper.

The design of the KoMo Medium Grain Mill is plain and simple. It is essentially a box with a hopper sitting on its top and a spout where grounds fall out. There are no knobs for adjustment of ground texture. To do this, you only need to rotate the hopper aligning a mark on its bottom section to a scale mounted at the front of the mill’s main body. What makes it attractive, though, is its birchwood casing. It has dimensions of 7.25″ W x 8.5″ D x 13.2″ H.

Combo appliances and multi-tasking tools are beginning to grow in popularity as a way to save on space and money. There are washer/dryer combos and openers that not only remove bottle caps but also opens tin cans, punch holes in canned milk, and uncorks wine. It is thus not surprising that Waldner Biotech of Austria should come up with the Combi Star Grain Mill.

The Waldner Biotech Combi Star Grain Mill is an ideal kitchen tool for people who appreciate the health benefits of using only newly ground grain for flour and freshly flaked oat groats for porridge or muesli. These eliminate the need for chemical preservatives that are potentially harmful.

Made from solid stone pine with clearly visible wood grains, the Combi Star is an attractive rustic-looking mill. It consists of a box with a spout and a 1-kg capacity rounded hopper sitting on top. One side of the box, the one away from the spout, protrudes forward.

A self-sharpening ceramic and corundum millstone measuring 90 mm in diameter is inside the pine casing. It grinds all kinds of dry grains as well as pulses, oilseeds, and maize at 130 grams per minute when adjusted to the finest setting. The millstone is impervious to wear and it can grind grains to any degree of fineness you wish, from coarse grits to the finest flour. All you need to do is rotate the hopper to choose your desired consistency using a printed scale on its bottom for guidance. Stainless steel rollers, on the other hand, flake cereals at 80 grams a minute. The steel rollers are washable and easy to maintain.

The mill is powered by a 360-watt industrial motor which features an overheat protection mechanism. As any other motor, it generates heat but it is insulated from the milling chamber. This keeps the latter cool thus preserving the nutrients in the grains. The chamber is also self-cleaning.

The Waldner Biotech Combi Star Grain Mill has measurements of 13″ x 7″ x 11″.

Constructed from beautifully finished solid beechwood in a unique hexagonal design, the KoMo PK 1 Grain Mill makes a perfect appliance in any kitchen whether traditional or contemporary in decor and motif. Its measurements of 16″ H x 9.7″ D x 9.4″ W do not make it too bulky to leave on your kitchen counter.

The six-sided cabinet houses corundum/ceramic grinding burrs. These are self-sharpening stones that will continue grinding grains even after years of use. Neither corundum nor ceramics generate heat when grinding, thus your grains are not adversely affected.

Also inside the cabinet is a 360-watt, or 0.5 horsepower, electric motor that powers the 3.35-inch grinders. With this power, it is extremely efficient and reliable, yet it remains very quiet with a minimum of vibration. When set at the finest level, the grain mill is capable of producing 3.5 ounces of flour. These fall out of the mill through a tubular spout that extends from the cabinet making it easy to set a bowl to catch them.

The grinders, backed up by the powerful motor, are capable of grinding different types of grains. They can easily process both hard and soft wheat, barley, oat groats, rye, rice, quinoa, and corn among others. They can also handle dry beans such as pinto, kidney, garbanzo, and red beans.

The hopper sits atop the cabinet. It is also hexagonal but it tapers at the bottom to where it is attached to the cabinet body. It has a lid with a spherical handle that is also made of beechwood. It has a capacity of approximately 10 ounces or 2 pounds. Turning the hopper adjusts the fineness of your grounds, ranging from coarse meal or cracked grain to extra fine flour.

If you already own a Bosch Stand Mixer or any other Bosch machine with model numbers beginning with MUM7 or MEK7, and you are planning on adding a grain mill to your kitchen so you can make your own flour from healthy whole grains, you can save a few dollars by buying a Bosch MUZ7 GM1 Grain Mill Attachment.

This attachment is easily attached to the stand mixer or machine. All it takes is a few twists and turns of the knobs in front of the motor. It is made of rugged plastic that is extremely tough, durable, and resistant to impact.

The grinder consists of a steel cone grinder that can grind all dry grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and rice. These grains must be completely dried otherwise you run the risk of clogging the grinder. Corn, however, is too hard for the mill. In addition to the grains, the MUZ7 is also capable of grinding sesame and flax seeds. Medium fineness is recommended for these oily seeds for best results. Dried mushrooms and herbs can also be processed in the mill attachment.

The texture and consistency of the grounds can be adjusted infinitely from fine for your flour to coarse for grits. Unlike other mills, it is possible to make adjustments even while the motor is already running so that if you are not satisfied with the grounds that are pouring out, you can still change the setting.

The Bosch MUZ7 GM1 Grain Mill Attachment has dimensions of 13.1 x 9.2 x 5, all in inches, and weighs approximately 2.2 lbs. It has a hopper capacity of 1.6 lbs of grain.

The beautifully finished stone pine housing of the Waldner Biotech Family Grain Mill gives it a stylish and elegant look that blends well with most kitchens, particularly traditional kinds with wood cupboards and cabinets.

Equipped with a 360-watt industrial motor, the mill is capable of grinding 170 grams of grain with a fine texture for each minute of operation. These fall from a tubular spout attached to the grinding chamber. The motor, however, is isolated from the grinding or milling chamber by an insulation material in order to prevent heat from affecting the grounds and damaging their vital nutrients. It is housed within the base of the mill that is shaped like a pyramid truncated at the top.

A combination of ceramic and corundum grinding stones sized 100 mm in diameter are spun by the powerful but quiet motor to crush the grains. These can process all dry grains, pulses, oilseeds, and maize. An advantage of these stone grinders over the metal kind is that they do not generate heat. Also, the ceramic and corundum do not wear out and are self-sharpening making them low-maintenance millstones. These are enclosed by a circular casing that sits atop the pyramid. This enclosure or milling chamber is self-cleaning.

The bowl-shaped hopper has a capacity of 1.3 kilograms. Apart from holding your grains, it also houses the adjusting mechanism that regulates the consistency of the grounds. By simply turning it, you can set your desired texture from fine to coarse. An easy-to-read scale is on the part where the hopper joins the milling chamber. This guides you in your selection of the texture. A lid is provided to cover your grains.

Manufactured in Germany, the Jupiter Stone Flour Mill boasts of the vaunted excellence of German engineering. The boast is not entirely empty. The mill is indeed durable, efficient, and versatile.

The Jupiter Stone Flour Mill is actually a close sibling of the Jupiter Steel Flour Mill sharing the same base and motor. Indeed, both steel and stone mills can be installed interchangeably with the same base. The only difference they have is their grinders. While the steel mill features hardened surgical stainless steel burr grinders, the stone mill uses carborundum, an extremely hard compound of silicon and carbon.

Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages. For one thing, while stones may last longer than steel (even stainless steel) grinders, they operate more slowly and are not suited for oily seeds as these could clog the stones. Steel burr grinders can handle oily seeds but will not grind as finely as stones.

If, for whatever reason, you prefer stone grinders, the Jupiter Stone Flour Mill is worth a look. With its all-white premium Lexan plastic housing, it makes a graceful and refined addition to your kitchen regardless of its décor and motif.

The caborundum grinders can process up to 15 pounds of flour at the finest setting per hour without generating heat. This preserves your grains’ nutrients. As a bonus, it does all its grinding quietly.

Although the stone grinders cannot handle oily seeds, it can take on most dry grains such as wheat, rice, corn, spelt, and barley. A knob mounted next to the grinding mechanism enables the adjustment of grounds from coarse to fine.

The stone grinders are easily detachable from the base allowing the installation of other Jupiter attachments such as a flaker mill, fruit press, vegetable shredder, and food processor. In case of a power outage, the supplied wooden base with a hand crank mechanism can be used to run the mill.