Product Info

Price:

$195, $220, $245

Our Rating:

      

Over the past year Best Pepper Mills has performed extensive research into all makes and models of pepper mills (and salt mills). We broke down our research into two basic areas. The first being commercial grade.

There are many companies both foreign and domestic that offer a variety of pepper and salt mills and they cover the gambit from wood to stainless steel and vary in prices from $25 to several hundred depending on your budget.

On the other side of the aisle is the handcrafted pepper and salt mills.

The most famous of these are the mills produce by an 84 year old gentlemen by the name of Pinky Martin. One day he decided to enhance the cooking show of Sara Moulton that was on Food Network so he sent Ms. Moulton one of his pepper mills. From the moment she set eyes on it she adored it and featured it on her tv show on every occasion and subsequently Mr. Martin sent Ms. Moulton several more which were also featured on her show. In addition, Oprah Winfrey saw one of Pinky's pepper mill and she had a show featuring his pepper mills. Of course, the orders skyrocketed. A huge waiting list developed as the elderly gentleman simply could not produce the orders quickly and after some 2000 pepper mills sold and built Mr. Martin ceased his production. In an attempt to capitialize off of Mr. Martin's celebrity status and the popularity of his pepper mills many woodworkers jumped into the fray. The market for handcrafted "Pinky" peppermills blossomed. On the downside many were fly by night and did not last very long.

One organization known as Exotic Wood Pepper Mills has stood the test of time. Ron and Robyn McKinney have produced hundreds of pepper and salt mills of exquisite quality and have been doing it since 2003. They like Pinky have never been able to produce mills for stock because a continual back log has existed since they open their doors 8 years ago. And even today there is a 4 to 6 week wait for your mill to be produced. On the upside the customer is given continual updates on the progress of their mill so the anticipation becomes greater and greater as time passes. And rest assured when the mill arrives it will literally blow your socks off. They are beautiful, elegant, exquisite and functional.

Exotic Wood Pepper Mills or Wood Pepper Mills  (name changed due to a copycat exotic "woods" pepper mills" offer many designs and wood colors and patterns that will complement your particular kitchen and dining areas. Ms. McKinney has extensive kitchen and dining area experience and can design a mill for your particular decor. In addition, all their mills possess the world renown mechanism produced by Chef Specialties.

Over the years one mill has stood head and shoulders above the others and that is the mill known as The Blackjack. Named for the famous card game because it consists of 21 layers of wood it is indeed a work of art. From the seamless construction, to the finest piano like gloss finish the Blackjack will easily become the focal point of your dining area. If it is a gift I guarantee you will be remembered for it.

Pros

Cons

The only con is the wait time. In our fast pace world who wants to wait 4 to 6 weeks after they place an order to receive it? Well, no one. And at Christmas time the wait is 10 to 14 weeks so if you don't place the order around the first of November chances are it will be after Christmas before you will receive your order. In fact, every year the last Christmas order are not shipped until February!

But as the old sayings goes, "Good things come to those who wait" and "patience is a virtue" and in the end you will be rewarded with an exquisite piece of art that rivals a Pacasso or any of the other master artists.