ZassenhausZASS4|# Speyer Antique Pepper Mill, Dark Wood, 6x6x18.5 cm

A pepper mill may not be something that most people think a lot about. I cook a lot and use black pepper very often but I have only ever used very cheap pepper mills. They are very frustrating as they often grind inconsistently. The one I own now is the standard type mill where you load a central chamber and twist the wooden top. There is a little metal knob on top which is supposed to control the coarseness of the grind. On this cheap model when you twist the top to grind the pepper it gradually starts to loosen the knob and change the size of the grind which is really frustrating. I decided it was time buy a good quality pepper mill.I saw Rick Stein use a pepper mill on TV where the pepper was grinded by rotating a handle lever on top rather than rotating the whole top. The one he used was metal and looked like an antique. So I began to look around for a pepper mill of that type. This led me to the Zassenhaus Speyer on Amazon. When I first saw the pepper mill on Amazon I thought it was a really beautiful object. It looks like an item from a different era and I felt it would add a real touch of class to a table. It also described what seemed to be a very concise and accurate grind mechanism which is the most important thing to me. It had very good reviews and was made in Germany (we all know that means quality right) so I decided to go for this. I have not been disappointed.This pepper mill is fantastic. It looks and feels of quality. It is beautifully made of wood and has a nice weight to it. The rotating mechanism on top is nice to use, quite different to anything I have used before. Now onto the most important aspect, the grind. The grind from this mill is a thing of consistent beauty. If like me you like machines, engineering or objects that just do what they are supposed to do very well, then this is for you. On the bottom there is a rotating marker, twisting this adjusts the grind from dust right up to a very coarse grind. There are 6 numbers marked on the bezel which help you to remember a number for a particular size of grind. For example you might like 6 for coarse pepper for steaks and large pieces of meat, you might like a finer grind of 2 for a salad dressing where you do not want large grains.At approx £30 this is not a cheap item. On this occasion it really is a case of ‘you get what you pay for’. It comes with a 25 year warranty which is in itself pretty incredible, this shows the manufacturer believes in the quality of what they are producing. If you are the type of person that cares about the size and consistency of your pepper grind, this is the mill for you. If you are in the market for a high quality antique style pepper mill, that looks and feels beautiful then this is the pepper mill for you.I just cannot fault this grinder, I really love it!

I've had mine since 2013 and its still going great you can adjust the mill to fine or course, I love mine wouldn't be without it, it's high quality and looks good in my kitchen well worth every penny .Made in Germany built to last.

Absolutely love it:)it looks great , works perfectly every time and it’s very easy to use. I recommended it to my friends and they are all pleased with the purchase.It’s not cheap but it will last you long.

Delighted with this purchase. No problems at all. Starting to get to use more pepper than I ever did. Looks great.

You get what you pay for. No a cheap grinder but well worth the money. High quality piece of kit.

Very happy with this pepper mill, I does a very good job and looks good too.

I purchased 2 of these and I would have given it 5 stars but on of the mills came with no top piece. I would have returned it but I was away from home when it arrived and missed the return by date

Very easy to assemble. Easy to adjust the settings. Clear instructions. The crank works well though a little stiff at first.

Love it

satisfaite très élégant donne son effet

De lujo!

Super fast shipping given that it came from Germany. Seller emailed me twice to make sure grinder arrived, and that we were satisfied with the merchandise.We are very satisfied with the Zassenhaus mill — rather delighted, in fact. Thinking back over the years, finding a decent peppermill that actually works has been a years-long source of frustration.The last wooden grinder we had was ordered from a spice company 25 or more years ago for around $50, as I recall. It still works, but just barely; it is loose and goes out of adjustment easily, and the grind is unpredictable.We were pleased to find this mill after buying far too many unsatisfactory peppermills at various stores, from high end cooking supplystores to department stores.This new Zassenhaus is a precise machine, looks really nice and does the job well. Adjusting the controls on the bottom changes the grind, but we seldom do.It is larger than I thought it would be and has an adequate capacity pepper chamber. It's fairly easy for me to refill, and manual dexterity is not my strong suit.In these times of disposable junk from China, this is a nice change. We have a couple of grinders we bought at a local store that claimed to be from England (a hidden label inside box showed they were actually made in China) which are completely worthless at grinding pepper.I never seem to need to adjust the grind; kind of a set-it-and-forget-it thing. It probably grinds finer and coarser but evidently one grind is sufficient for our household.So I’m buying three more Zassenhaus grinders and hope they last a long time.These esthetically pleasing mills make an impressive gift, especially if you include a supply of fresh premium peppercorns. We order ours from TheSpiceHouse.com.The grinder with a larger twist knob top might be easier to use than the one with the pointy top and wooden ball, especially for people with arthritis or carpal tunnel conditions.I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this peppermill because it’s far better than any we have ever seen in stores, even at much higher prices.

Received the pepper mill. Its beautiful but didn't come with instructions... hope its easy to open and adjust.