Are you interested in milling your own grain, and wondering how to choose a grain mill? We have put this guide together to help you choose which mill to buy that will fit your needs.
There are many things to consider when choosing a grain mill, such as price, versatility, mill type and size to name a few. In this post we will go over all the different options.
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Price
First off mills can range anywhere from $50 to $1,000 so you can definitely find something within your budget. Figure out approximately how much you want to spend on a mill. We will say though, the cheaper models probably won’t produce a super fine flour texture like some of the more expensive ones.
Milling Mechanism
This will determine flour consistency and what types of products you can mill.
There are three main types.
- Stone burr
- Impact burr or micronizer
- Steel burr
Stone Burr
Stone Burr Mills use 2 stones that crush and grind the grain between them and have been used for centuries. Stone mills work slower, producing less heat, helping the grains maintain nutrients. Stone mills can grind a variety of grains, like corn, beans and even some spices. You cannot mill oily or wet materials. Stone mills can produce a good range of texture, from very fine flour for making things like biscuits to just cracking grain for cereal. These mills are available as hand crank or electric models. The stones can be made of natural material or a synthetic stone that is made of ceramic and corundum.
Top rated stone mills are:
- Mockmill
- Komo
- Nutrimill Harvest, Nutrimill Harvest (amazon)
Impact Burr or Micronizer
Impact Burr Mills have a milling chamber with concentric rings of stainless steel fins that don’t touch each other. They spin at many thousands of revolutions per minute. The grain bursts into small pieces as it impacts the spinning fins. Impact mills will produce very fine flour to coarse flour but not cracked grain. These types are all electric. You can mill a variety of grains, beans, rice or corn. You cannot mill oily or wet materials.
Top rated impact mills:
- Wondermill, Wondermill (Amazon)
- Nutrimill*, Nutrimill (Amazon)
Steel Burr
Steel Burr Mills use steel burrs to grind the wheat into small pieces. These are usually hand crank models with an option to add a motor. These types of mills operate at a slower RPM, much like the stone mill and are able to produce a wide range of textures from semi-fine to coarse to cracked grains. Although only a few are able to produce ultra-fine flour. These can also be adapted to grind oily and wet products such as coffee, sorghum or peanuts.
Top rated steel mills:
- Country Living Mill, Country Living Mill (Amazon)
- Family Grain Mills
- Wonder Junior Deluxe+ Mill, Wonder Junior Deluxe+ (Amazon)
Catch Bin vs No Catch Bin
Some models like the Wondermill or the Nutrimill have a catch bin that allows you to pour in your grain and leave it to do its thing until it’s done. These are good options for people who want to mill larger quantities of flour at a time. Mills without a catch bin have a spout that you put a bowl or container under to catch the flour. You will have to watch it to make sure it don’t run over. These types are great for smaller batches and when you want to keep the mill out to use frequently.
Models with a catch bin:
- Wondermill, Wondermill (Amazon)
- Nutrimill classic, Nutrimill classic (Amazon)
- The Kitchen Mill (Amazon)
Models without a catch bin:
- Mockmill
- Komo
- Nutrimill Harvest, Nutrimill Harvest (amazon)
Size and Appearance
Do you want your mill to stay out on the counter? Do you want to put it away every time? How much space do you have? Some models are very attractive and are great options to leave out for quick use. Some options are heavy and not as easy to move around. Stone mills for instance are a bit heavier then impact mills and not as convenient to move around.
Mills with beautiful housing:
Mill Rate
How much flour do you need to mill at a time? This could vary depending on family size. How many loaves of bread or how much baking you plan to do at once.
Mills with a quick mill rate for the price:
Warranty
Are warranties important for your purchases? Some companies such as KoMo have great warranties. All KoMo mills except for the hand crank model have a 12 year personal or at home warranty. Nutrmill Classic and Nutrimill Plus have a limited lifetime warranty.
Wondermill and Wonder Junior Deluxe+ have lifetime warranties.
Electric or Manual
Are you purchasing a mill to use now or for emergency preparedness? Manually cranking a mill requires a lot of time and energy. Manual models are great if you live somewhere without electricity or want it in case of emergency. There are models that have the option for both manual and motorized. If you want to use it now and frequently we suggest going with an electric or motorized option.
Mills with an optional motor:
We have put together a spreadsheet for a quick overview of a lot of mills on the market and the options we talked about here. We hope this helps you choose the best mill for you.
This information is based on our opinion and lots of research. We recommend you do your research and choose the best option for you!
This facebook group is a great place to talk to people about their experience with grain mills, and get feedback from people who might own the mill you are thinking of buying.
We hope to see you back looking for recipes to put that mill to work. All of our baking recipes here are created for fresh milled whole wheat flour.
Whole Grain Recipes
Mills We Personally Own
Mockmill: We recently bought a Mockmill 200. We ultimately chose that one because of mill speed and price. We wanted the Mockmill Lino 200 but it wasn’t in our budget. We leave it out on the counter top for frequent use, and use it almost daily. We love how many different grind textures we can get with it. From fine flour for baked goods to cracked grain for cereal and grits. This machine does it all.
Nutrimill: We have a Nutrimill classic in the family that has lasted well over 10 years with heavy use and has had no repairs. It makes a great flour texture for baked goods like cakes and bread.
Magic mill ll: We also own a magic mill ll. It is an old model that has been discontinued. It has been a wonderful mill. We got it second hand and have been using it for 15+ years. It did have a minor problem with the switch but we got it fixed, and it has worked great ever since.
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you!