Care & materials

A mill is four materials doing four different jobs. Knowing which is which is most of knowing how to look after it.

What it is made of

AshEuropean ash, kiln-dried, turned solidChosen for stiffness rather than looks. A mill body is a tube under torque; softer woods flex and the grind wanders. Pale ash is sealed clear, black ash is dyed through before sealing.

Hardened steelPepper burrs and driveshaftA spiral-cut burr that cracks the peppercorn first and then cuts it. It stays sharp because pepper is not abrasive. Do not put salt through it.

CeramicSalt burrsInert, so salt cannot corrode it, and hard enough to hold an edge for years. It is also brittle — a mill dropped on a tile floor may survive the wood and not the burr.

Stainless steelCollars, caps on the steel modelsKnurled by hand-fed machine, left brushed rather than polished so fingerprints do not read. It will patina slightly and stop there.

GlassLevel ring, salt mills onlyA pressed ring set into the body above the base so you can see what is left without opening the cap.

Wipe, never wash

A dry cloth on the body. If something sticky has landed on it, a barely damp cloth and then dry it straight away. Never submerge a mill and never put one in a dishwasher — water swells the ash and rusts the shaft.

Empty the burr

Every few months, run the mill empty on its coarsest setting for ten turns. Old dust works its way out. Tap the neck against your palm over a bin.

Rice, for salt only

If a salt mill starts to bind in humid weather, grind a spoonful of dry white rice through it. It carries the damp out. Do not do this in a pepper mill — rice is harder than it looks and dulls steel.