To unlock the full flavor and aroma of your spice or coffee, a quality spice grinder can help to bring a dish to life with a vibrancy that shop-bought spice just can’t offer. How good the product is will depend on the method it uses and if it produces heat so you need to make sure you know what a good spice grinder looks like.
This is why we created the following list of the best spice grinders available. There are some electric grinders and some manual but each one will help you to get the perfect coarseness for your needs and will be able to grind a variety of spices and coffee. On top of this, we’ll take a look at how easy they are to clean and the neat features they offer.
Quick Summary of Best Spice Grinders
Secura Electric Coffee Grinder and Spice Grinder
This simple spice grinder is one of the best you can find showing it doesn’t cost a lot to unlock excellent value and performance. What you don’t expect in the price range is to get two different bowls for different grinds but that’s what Secura provide here. There is a dual-blade cup (chopper bowl for vegetables and nuts) and a single blade cup (grinder bowl of coffee and spices).
To stop the contents from heating and spoiling some of the flavour, there is an overheating protection so you can use it for longer periods for a finer grind and not worry about it impacting the quality of the motor or spices. There is a 2-year warranty included although you don’t often hear about people needing it. There is also a safety switch and it only requires a one touch operation to get going.
- Easy to use
- Two different bowls for different grinds
- 2-year warranty included
- Need to use cover and lid to prevent spilling
Rootroads Spice Grinder 4 PieceÂ
Best Compact
This neat product looks little more than a camera lens and for a manual spice grinder, it is one the best you can find. The contents is protected by a fine mesh screen which collects the pollen of the grind and keeps the device clean. To ensure you can maintain the product, it also comes with a pollen scraper.
The lid ensures you won’t get any spillages halfway through your grind and at 2.4 inches wide it is one of the most convenient ways of grinding your spices so can follow you anywhere. With diamond-shaped teeth to make sure the grind is always easy to turn you only have to open the bottom chamber to collect the contents and add it to your meal.
- Compact and easy to use
- Comes with a pollen scraper
- Strong & sturdy
- Not as effective on seeds
Kuhn Rikon 25550 Ratchet Spice Grinder, Black
From the reputable brand that is Khun Rikon, this impressive spice grinder is easy to turn thanks to the easy grip handle that you push back and forth and looks great on your kitchen table when it comes to adding a little pepper to your meal. The manual operation means you get to save electricity and features a knob for adjusting the coarseness once you have loaded it with peppercorns or any other spice.
Available in a handful of colors it is made from BPA-free materials so it is safe to use. It’s not well suited to spices that can be a little oily such as anise as they can impact the plastic but compared to a traditional pepper mill, it is much easier to use and looks great.
- Made from BPA-free materials
- Adjustable coarseness
- Easy to load
- Not as good with oily spices
KRUPS F203 Electric Spice and Coffee Grinder
Best Affordable
Using stainless steel blades, this spice and coffee grinder makes light work of peppercorns and all types of coffee beans. Standing at a mere 6 inches high it is one of the most compact products on the list but has the build quality to last a long time.
In less than 12 seconds it can grind around 3 oz of coffee beans which is enough for over ten cups and is easy to use on spices, nuts, and even grains. How long you use the grinder will determine the type of grind it provides so if it is a fine coffee you need for an espresso then you will want to leave it for longer.
- Easy to use from the moment you plug it in
- Grinds up to 3 oz at a time
- Can be used on a variety of foods
- Can heat up the beans which affects the quality on longer grinds
Quiseen One-Touch Electric Coffee Grinder.
For a spice grinder that is great for coffee beans as well, it is hard to beat the quality of this electric product considering the price. It is one of the easiest products to use thanks to the one touch operation and uses stainless steel blades to increase the durability and is easy to clean.
The 2.5 oz capacity isn’t the largest, but neither is the device itself so it is convenient to use and you’ll have no problem get it out of the cupboard every day. It grips to the kitchen top and has a see through lid, a safety lock and takes only a matter of seconds to turn peppercorns into a finely ground powder.
- Compact design
- One touch operation
- Easy to clean
- Not as durable as some of the competition
Cuisinart SG-10 Electric Spice-and-Nut Grinder
With a capacity of just over 3 oz, this is one of the better products from grinding larger quantities whilst still being compact. This is good as you can store some of the grind in the lid so you won’t have to make a second grind. Tailored towards grinding spices and nuts it features a heavy-duty motor to make light work of the spice and the stainless steel blades are durable.
That’s probably why it can grind whole cinnamon sticks although you’ll need to keep pressing the one touch operation button for 45 seconds to do so. It can be a little difficult to clean but it is one of the easiest electric spice grinders to use and has an impressive motor for something so compact.
- Large capacity
- Non-slip feet
- Includes recipes
- Can be difficult to clean
Spice Grinder Guide
No matter what type of spice you are looking to grind, you should pat yourself on the back for even considering a spice grinder. It is the best way of brightening up dull flavors and there is something very satisfying about adding freshly ground ingredients into a sauce. You’re only going to want to spend the time grinding spices if you can use a quality product.
This is where our buyer’s guide comes in. It details everything you need to know about spice grinders before purchasing so you end up with a product that can reduce cinnamon sticks and peppercorns to a satisfying powder, or turn coffee beans into fresh grinds for a perfect brew.
What To Look For In A Spice Grinder
Easy to Clean
This is one of the issues with using an electric spice grinder. After you have emptied the contents, it can be difficult to remove the fine grinds from under the blades. Using a kitchen towel is often a handy way of keeping things clean and if the bowls and lid are dishwasher safe then that is a bonus.
This is especially important if you are looking to grind coffee beans after you’ve used the device to grind strong spices.
One-Touch Operation
Most electric spice grinders tend to feature a one-touch operation. This means you can use your other hand to hold the device to keep it in one place as the blades worm their magic.
Adjustable Grinds
This isn’t something you tend to get with electric spice grinders although there is an easy way around it. By holding the button for longer you can get a finer grind. This might require some experimentation on your behalf but most products come with advice on how long it takes to create a certain grind.
Some manual spice grinders will give you adjustable settings to make this easier.
Durable Blades
No matter what type of spice grinder you go for, the blades need to be durable and rust-resistant. This will be the case if they are made from stainless steel which is the most common material used. They are more hygienic and easier to wipe clean than a lot of the alternatives.
Capacity
If you want to make large quantities of spice or coffee then you will need to buy a spice and coffee grinder that can give you enough from a single operation. Electric grinders tend to give you more scope for storing a larger amount of ground spice.
Added Features
To make their product stand out from the crowd, a lot of manufacturers will include a few neat extras to their product. We’ve seen some that have magnetic lids to hold everything in place and others that come with two bowls with different sets of blades. This might not be a deal-breaker but it can open up some more options for you.
Design
A lot of people will say this isn’t as important as performance but they are either kidding themselves, or it comes a very close second. Because you will probably use it frequently, you want the spice grinder you buy to look good. Most of them are compact and don’t take up a lot of room on your kitchen top and a lot of the time they come with smooth edges and a black or silver design that is neutral enough to fit into most kitchen designs.
Brand Reputation
This can be a good thing but it isn’t uncommon for choosing a reputable brand to work against you. This is because you often pay more for a brand name and don’t always get a lot of extra quality.
Still, if you find a product that has a lot of positive reviews such as any from our selection above, it doesn’t matter what brand is behind the product – you know it is going to be a good purchase. A lot of the time the better brands do give more in terms of a warranty or money-back guarantee to protect your purchase.
Manual Spice Grinder Vs Electric
This is one of those comparisons that keep popping up so it is important to evaluate the benefits of both.
Manual
A manual spice grinder is great because you save money on your electric bills and using one is better for the environment. Not to mention, the actual process is satisfying and because you aren’t using a fast-spinning stainless steel blade, it won’t heat the contents and disrupt the flavor.
However, there is the downside in that there is more effort involved and the grind won’t always have adjustable settings. Still, a manual spice grinder is a good option for those on a budget as they are usually more affordable.
Electric
It is important to start with the convenience of using an electric spice grinder as it can turn a few ounces of peppercorns into a fine grind in a matter of seconds. Then there is the variety of spices you can grind. A manual grinder isn’t suitable for cinnamon sticks among other spices whereas a lot of electric grinders make light work of firmer ingredients.
On the downside, some electric spice grinders can heat the contents so look for one that has anti overheating technology.
Manual Spice Grinder Vs Mortar and Pestle
When it comes to choosing between these two, you are guaranteeing yourself a bit of manual labor. That’s fine, whatever it takes to release the full flavor of fresh spices. Still, what you go for depends on your preference.
Spice Grinder
These come in many forms so it is difficult to specify the particular traits but generally, they come with an easy to operate handle or turning mechanism and the blades tend to do most of the work.
Another bonus is that they can have adjustable settings and require minimal clean-up.
Mortar and Pestle
These look more attractive than most spic grinders but the workload is more intense. Having to pound peppercorns or cinnamon sticks can be time-consuming without a blade there to help. They are also more likely to break but there is something to be said for the eye-catching look and they are usually easy to clean.