what does a spice grinder do

A spice grinder or spice mill in its most basic form is a tool used to grind spices, nuts and seeds into powders. These powders can be used to season or flavour foods or used in place of wheat flour.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Spice Grinder

The majority of blade spice grinders available are also marketed as coffee grinders (sometimes exclusively so). While these devices can be used to grind coffee, the reality is you’re probably better off with a burr grinder for coffee. Burr grinders allow you to more consistently control your coffee-grind size, leading to better brewing results.

Instead, we think these blade grinders should be used for what they excel at—grinding spices—regardless of how they’re marketed and sold. (In a rare shift, Cuisinart broke with their competitors and decided to market their grinder exclusively for spices and nuts, not for coffee.) However, if you prefer to use a blade grinder for coffee, we suggest you purchase two, keeping one strictly for grinding spices and the other for coffee. This will help you prevent unfortunate cross-contamination—cumin-tinged coffee doesn’t sound like “the best part of waking up” to me.

Blade grinders are available in two major styles—fixed cup and removable cup. Models with a fixed cup can be harder to clean, but there’s not as much risk of spices getting into the motor housing. With the removable cup models, there is some risk of ground spices working their way down into the motor housing over time, which could shorten the lifespan of the grinder. On the flip side, the grinder cup itself is easier to clean, limiting cross-contamination of flavors.

For the past several weeks, we’ve been on the hunt for a great spice grinder—one that quickly pulverizes tough spices down to a powder fine enough that it will blend into soups and curries without leaving them gritty. When it comes to spices, the finer the grind, the better. Consistency, too, is key. A spice grinder that’s capable of blitzing cinnamon into the finest powder is useless if some jagged shards remain in the mix.

Speed is important not just to save you time in the kitchen, but also to ensure that the spices don’t heat up during prolonged grinding times. Heat releases many aromatic compounds, which is something you want to happen during cooking, not while you’re prepping your ingredients. If a unit takes minutes to properly grind the spices and heats them up in the process, you’ve already lost a lot of flavor.

Because your spice needs may vary, we also wanted to find grinders that work equally well with smaller and larger quantities of spices. Blending as little as a teaspoon can become challenging for an electric grinder, but a good unit that can handle smaller amounts can save you from also needing to equip your kitchen with a manual grinder or a small mortar and pestle.

Easy clean-up is essential, especially for a step that might seem excessive to some. We marked down units with annoying ridges or nooks that became caked after repeated use. We also looked for spice grinders designed in a way that prevented too many granules from getting trapped beneath the blades and ones that didn’t spill powdery spices during use.

Straight to the Point

The best spice grinder is the Cuisinart Electric Spice and Nut Grinder. Its incredibly fast and has a removable bowl thats dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. For about half the price, we also like the Krups Fast-Touch Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder, which has a fixed cup. However, we still found the Krups easy to clean.

Fresh spices liven up a dish unlike anything else. You can travel to India through garam masala and be transported to China in a flash by a fiery Xinjiang blend. Unfortunately, the volatile aromatics in spices dissipate rapidly, leaving pre-ground coriander tasting less of citrus and more of stale pine.

The best way to purchase spices is to buy them whole, so their complex aromas and flavors remain under lock and key until you decide to set them loose. With a good spice grinder, this is as easy as it sounds. A mortar and pestle is useful for small, on-the-fly spoonfuls of fennel and mace—you can read about our favorite mortar and pestles here—but if you find yourself frequently pounding away for large batches or daily cooking, then a great electric spice grinder is a necessity.

We rigorously tested the top 13 models to find you the ones that quickly blended spices to a fine and consistent powder, while remaining easy to use, clean, and store. Our favorites have stood up to repeated revaluation over the past five years, making them surefire picks.

Kitchen Tips and Hacks: Spice Grinder

FAQ

What do you use a spice grinder for?

Do I really need a spice grinder?

What are the advantages of grinding a spice?

What is the best spice grinder?

The best spice grinder is the Cuisinart Electric Spice and Nut Grinder. It’s incredibly fast and has a removable bowl that’s dishwasher-safe for easy clean up. For about half the price, we also like the Krups Electric Spice and Coffee Grinder, which has a fixed cup. However, we still found the Krups easy to clean.

What are the benefits of having a spice grinder?

The delightful aroma and flavor that comes with grinding whole spices really take recipes to the next level. Spice grinders are designed to grind whole spices into fresh blends, but they can also be used to break down coffee beans, seeds, and nuts—making them a versatile tool to add to your collection.

How do you use a spice grinder?

The high-capacity removable bowl and lighting fast grinding speed make the Cuisinart the ideal spice grinder for the spice fanatic. The grinder cup easily locks into place with a twist and is dishwasher-safe for fast clean up. The cord tucks away into the base for tidy storage and the grinder is simply activated by pressing down on the lid.