Grain Mill

[Hines' Honey]

Does anyone have a recommendation on a good grain mill? I am in the market for one and am looking for some pros/cons from real users. I am looking at a second hand Magic Mill III, and also a Wondermill.

[Red Apple Guy]

Before buying a mill, I borrowed a friend's Magic Mill and she gave me some wheat berries. The resulting whole wheat bread tasted much better than breads made with my standard flour, King Arthur (an excellent whole wheat). So, since the magic mill is no longer made I now have KTEC Kitchen Mill (a.k.a. BlendTec unit) which looks very similar to the Magic Mill. I've used it weekly since Christmas with excellent results. It's lower in price that others I had priced (about $180). I can recommend the Magic Mill or BlendTec units, but have no information on the Whisper Mill. The only issue I've seen with the Magic Mill is a tendency for the housing to have small cracks over long usage. The one I borrowed operated fine even with the cracks.

Red

[Chocolatl]

You might check some homebrewing sites. Many homebrewers mill their own grain.

[Toadflax]

I recently purchased a grain mill. I did a lot of research beforehand and had pretty much decided on a NutriMill or WonderMill. Both were about $260.

But, the Wolfgang Tribest mill kept calling my name. Much more expensive but it actually stone grinds. Also a very attractive unit, made of wood, and it doesn't take up much space. I bought it and have no regrets. It produces a wonderful fine flour. It lives in my dining area and doesn't look like an appliance.

The home ground whole wheat flour is delicious - nothing like the whole wheat flour or bread products you purchase at the grocery store. I was expecting a great deal of difficulty converting DH & myself to whole grains but we both love it.

All that said, I think either of the first 2 mills I mentioned would do a good job too.

eta: oops, just realized this is a year old post ... sorry about that.

[Red Apple Guy]

Nothing to be sorry about, feedback like yours is terrific. I still grind and bake weekly and love whole grain breads.

Can you give us an idea of the rate of grinding, how finely it grinds, and the heat build-up as it grinds?

Red

[Toadflax]

So far I have just ground hard red spring wheat and usually do just what I need for a recipe. As yet, I am still blending it with some all-purpose flour for bread so I don't need to grind a lot to make a loaf in my ABM. It takes 3 minutes to grind 13.5 oz. (by weight). I use it on close to the finest setting and the flour is, in my opinion, very fine.

Sometimes I use a sieve to remove the bran (which I then use in muffins) and the flour appears much like an unbleached all-purpose flour.

I measured the temperature right after the grinding was done and it was 93ºF. I would expect it would be warmer if doing larger amounts of grain.

I have seen videos comparing different mills and although this one is said to be as noisy, decibel-wise, as others it is a different type of noise and I don't find it that bothersome. Some of them sound like vacuum cleaners and that would annoy me.

I really do feel that this mill was a bit of an extravagance and, had I purchased it to feed a family more economically, I would probably have made a different choice. But, my DH told me I should get the one I wanted so I did!

[Red Apple Guy]

That'll learn him!

It sounds like a teriffic grinder. Mine sounds like a jet engine, so I grind in the garage to prevent being sent outside where good dogs and bad husbands belong. My mill produces more heat which is not a good thing, but I can chill the grain before grinding and eliminate that issue.

Red

[Red Apple Guy]

double post

[PB & J]

Does anybody have any reviews or feedback on a metal grain mill attachment to a kitchen aid mixer?

[Red Apple Guy]

I know people that grind using the KA attachment. The grind is somewhat coarse and I hear some run the grain through twice.

Red