Best Spice Grinder in 2020 [UPDATED]

Best Spice Grinders

Are you looking to grind your own freshly ground spices and herbs? Below you will find the best spice grinders of 2020. As well as these recommendations, you will also learn more about these grinders, as well as how to find the best one and how to use them correctly.

Fresh herbs and spices can take your food to the next level by adding some really nice additional flavouring. Now you could just use a pestle and mortar but not everyone has time for that, if you are in a hurry and just want a specific spice ground then you want something electric that will grind it down in seconds. 

You could also buy ground spices from the supermarket, they are not that expensive. However they are also not as fresh, they have probably been on the shelves for months if not years. You can really taste the difference of a freshly ground spice than those that you buy from the shops. 

This is where you need a spice grinder, they are one of those kitchen accessories that should be in every modern kitchen. Trust me, using one of these and adding some additional spices or herbs to your meals will really bring out the flavour. 

Below you will find a list of the best spice grinder in 2020, and a guide on what to look for and how to keep them well maintained. I really hope this does help you find the right equipment for you and answers any questions you might have on them.

5 Best Spice Grinder 2020

Below is a quick list of the top grinders that I recommend;

What is a Spice Grinder?

If you are looking to mill spices, there are many ways in which you can do it. Whether you decide to chop them finely as possible, or use a pestle and mortar. The only way you are going to find ground spice is by using a spice grinder. These use high quality blades that rotate at very high speeds, helping to mill herbs and spices, even hard ones like cinnamon sticks and nuts. 

There are 2 types of spice grinders, those that are powered by a plug (although you can get wireless ones) and those that are manual ones that require a little physical force. Both of them are excellent and get the job done, however I find the automatic ones to be a lot simpler and they also tend to be easier to clean.

Recommended Spice Grinders of 2020

Andrew James Electric Spice Grinder

Andrew James is well-known for providing a wide range of high quality kitchen appliances and this Spice Grinder is no exception. At 150W it does provide enough power to be able to grind down hard spices as well as coffee beans. In fact it can ground coffee beans to a fine powder in as little as 12 seconds.

In terms of capacity it has a decent amount at 70g, so should be more than enough for everyday use. I really like the transparent lid, as this helps you to see exactly how fine it is grinding down. It does handle hard spices really well, with softer ones you might want to start in a pestle and mortar first.

If you do use it for 30 seconds constantly, it will stop working for 3 minutes in order for it to rest. This is not really a problem as it grinds down the spices really quickly. When it comes to the cost, it is low cost for such a good quality product, so overall really good value. No doubt you can see why it made the top as the best spice grinder.

Wahl James Martin Grinder, for Coffee and Spices

The Wahl James Martin ZX595 is a nice and compact spice grinder. It features a 150W powered motor, which is pretty decent for the size of the mill. You shouldn’t have any problems grinding all kinds of spices and even coffee beans. In terms of specifications it matches that of the Andrew James grinder, so both are equally as good as each other.

In fact both have continued to receive high reviews online. I would probably say I do prefer the design of this one a little more, the domed lid and transparent appliance does feel high quality. I also love the fact that the lid can be seen through, allowing you to keep an eye on how fine you wanted your spices to be. It does however have a couple of downsides, which is why I didn’t put it at number 1 as the best spice grinder.

The lid can be a little awkward to open due to the shape and the power cable is pretty short. These are not major issues but just something that’s worth noting. In terms of price however, it is very low priced compared to the quality you are getting. If you did decide to buy this one, I really don’t think you would regret it. 

Duronic Electric Spice Mill

If you are looking to mill hard spices on a regular basis, the Duronic Electric Spicer grinder is an excellent option. When you use an electric spice mill, it can often only be used for 30-60 seconds as it begins to overheat. The Duronic CG250 features an impressive 250W, which means it can easily grind the toughest beans and spices.

It will do it quicker than others and wont run the risk of overheating. It features a stylish design and is turned on by pushing down the lid, which is ideal for safety. In terms of capacity, it is able to hold 75g which is more than enough for your everyday use.

One of the things I really like about this spice grinder and why it reached the top 3 of my list, is just how easy it is to clean. When used the spices are ground into a stainless steel bowl, which is simply removed and washed. 

James Martin Spice Mill

If you are looking for a spice grinder that is versatile and able to mill different herbs, seeds and spices then this one is perfect. I like that by simply swapping the attachment you are also able to chop spices as well as grind them. This chopper attachment is perfect for chopping garlic, chillies and ginger.

Many spice grinders are designed to just mill dried herbs and spices, however this one can use wet ingredients. This allows you to create pastes, oils or even salsas, without having to use any other equipment. The Wahl James Martin Grind & Chop does have a decent motor size at 200W and features a decent 70g capacity.

The mill itself is very easy to use, place the herbs and spices into the bow and simply push down on the list. I really like how easy it is to clean, simply remove the bowl and attachments. It’s worth noting that these are also dishwasher safe, so you can ensure they get a deep clean.

Cuisinart Spice Mill

Sometimes equipment can be over-complicated and all you want is something that is simple to use. Cuisinart SG21U is very easy to use, as it has a simple one-touch control. Cuisinart are well-known for producing high quality products at a very reasonable price and this Spice Grinder is no exception.

It features a steel blade that is incredibly sharp, allowing it to mill even the roughest seeds and nuts. Most spice grinders you only get the 1 steel bowl, however with this one you do get 2 stainless steel containers. These are dishwasher safe and very easy to remove when you need to clean them. I also really like that these come with a lid, allowing you to keep your ground spices fresh.

Like most spice mills, if you have it on for too long it will be over-worked and require you to wait before you can use it again. When it does overheat, it will normally take around 5 minutes before you will be able to use it again. Not a major issue as most herbs and spices will be ground down within a minute or so. 

Spice Grinder Buyers Guide

As mentioned there are a number of different grinders on the market, below is a buyers guide to help you find the best spice grinder for you and your needs. I will run through things to help you make the best decision such as, ideal power, speed, capacity, as well as other things to consider.

Power

On average these grinders will range from 150-200W and determine how well it will cut through the spices and nuts, the higher it is the stronger it tends to be. I would therefore recommend going for something that is 200W, you will find commercial ones are 500W but that’s because they do have to grind through a lot of different spices in one go.

Speed

Now you might believe that power and speed are the same thing when it comes to spice grinders, but there is a big difference. You might have one that can mill a certain spice in 30 seconds and another one that takes a minute or so. Initially you might think the faster one is better but this could lead to it working more and therefore getting hotter quicker, if they get too hot then they often have to cool down before they can be used again. 

You want to get yourself a grinder that has the power above but also one that does it in a decent space of time.

Capacity

Capacity is not really a major issue, as most people won’t be grinding so many spaces up that they require higher capacity. Usually 50g would be enough, however if you do plan on grinding a decent amount of spices and herbs then you may want one that is a bit bigger.

Blades

It’s important that you have a read about what type of blades are used and what material they are made from. If you plan on using your spice grinder a lot, in order to get the best results you are going to want to get one with sharp blades or it just won’t cut through the spices. 

You therefore want to look at one that uses stainless steel blades instead of lighter and cheaper alloys.

Price

The price is naturally something that many people will consider, it can be confusing as there are so many different spice grinders on the market. Generally you will spend anywhere from £15-£45, in the best spice grinder list above there is one from each of these price points. 

I would say if you plan on using it on a regular basis then you might want to consider something in the mid to higher range IE £25-£45, however anything more than this is not really needed unless you are using it professionally.

Common Questions

How to clean a spice grinder?

Cleaning a spice grinder can often feel like a nightmare, as the spices can really cling to the grinder. You may also find it hard getting to all of those hard to reach places, IE under the blade. A really easy way of doing it is by putting 40g of white rice into the grinder and grinding this for around a minute. 

The rice will be ground up into a dust and will help to dislodge any spices in the hard to get to places. Simply empty and then go round it with a damp cloth to get rid of any additional residue. The rice also helps to reduce any flavourings that have been left from previous spices.

Can a spice grinder be used for coffee?

Yes you can use a spice grinder to grind coffee. The best spice grinder list above does show that some of the mills can be used for both spices and coffee. I would however recommend getting different ones, as coffee can be much harder to clean and can often leave some very strong flavours.

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2 Responses

  1. hi Martyn,

    will these grinders handle small amounts of spices like a teaspoon of coriander seeds for example. I was given a grinder recently when my beloved very old one died after 20 years use but it didn’t like just grinding 4 cloves and 4 cardamom pods… cos one needs the grinder to cover the range so to speak!

    any advice really welcome. Thank you!

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