Zassenhaus ZASS4|# 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!

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.

Very sturdy, produces a consistant standard of grain which can be adjusted from powder to coarse grain by simply turning a dial on the bottom. Top quality construction, it looks like a mighty chess piece on the table. Most happy.

Great product; will buy again.

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

Broke after 2 weeks of use do not buy.

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