Grain Mill?

[AmandaL]

Can anyone recommend a small, easy to use grain mill?

[SarahG]

Hi Amanda,

A few months ago, I was wondering the same thing.  I really wanted to grind fresh nut flours, flax seeds, and spices, but I didn't want something too large or too loud (we live in an apartment), and price was a major factor.  My blender did not even come close to doing the job.

I ended up buying a small Braun Aromatic coffee grinder on Craig's List for $10 (they sell for about $18 new). Since I don't drink coffee, I had never had one before and didn't know how it would work, but I thought it might fill in until I could afford a better grinder.  I can say now that I am very pleased with my little coffee grinder and have no plans to buy a larger grinder.  I use it every day and it is very fast and convenient. It grinds flax seeds wonderfully and works well to make nut flour out of nuts, coconut flour out of shredded coconut, and small amounts of freshly ground spices needed for cooking. I have appreciated being able to bake gluten-free and grain-free breads, muffins, and pancakes, while saving a great deal of money on the nut flours and knowing they are as fresh as possible. I have also used it for some grains like rice and millet, and it seems to work just as well, grinding everything very finely with its sharp blades.  It does not seem to overheat the grains or seeds, which I am always checking for.

I will add a few disclaimers, however. First of all, I am told you cannot use it for spices if you want to use it for coffee.  Secondly, I am only grinding small amounts for about two people, and I am not using it for making grain flour for bread, which would mean grinding much larger quantities. And, of course, I have only had it for a few months so I don't really know how durable it is long-term for the amount of use I give it. 

Perhaps someone else will give you information about other types of grinders which you may find more helpful, but I wanted to pass this along because I believe anyone, regardless of their space or budget limitations, could benefit by adding freshly ground nuts, seeds--especially flax seeds--and spices to their diet.

[MiraD]

I'm going to start with a disclaimer here...I am a distributor for Groten Molen mills through my business http://www.grainsandmore.com. 

That said, if you are looking for a mill that will grind flours but not nuts and seeds your two best bets, in my opinion, are the K-Tec or the Groten Molen Wondermill.  The K-Tec is less expensive, noisier and a little messier to deal with.  Both work very well, have enclosed burrs that are guaranteed for a long time and give you control of the grind from fine to coarser.  They cannot grind nuts and seeds because the oils will destroy the mechanism.

If you want a mill that you can use to grind seeds and nuts, think nut butters, in addition to grinding grains from fine to cracked your best bet is the Groten Molen Wonder Junior.  It is a hand mill and does an amazing job.  Very easy to clean.  A bit pricey though.  The next best choice, in my opinion, is the Country Living Mill but it is a lot pricer and I think it's harder to clean but it works very well.  For an inexpensive-ish hand mill the Back to Basics mill is a good choice.

A coffee grinder works well for flax seeds but if you're trying to do nuts or larger seeds or grains you will wear it out very quickly.  The add-ons for a Kitchen-Aid type appliance will also burn out the motor quicker if you use them to grind grains.

Hope this helps.