Grind GourmetSalt and Pepper Grinder Set, Refillable, Pump & Grind, Thumb Press (Reflex Black Set)

Update: May 2017. See the comment posted below. I was unaware that the mills would disassemble from the base. If I had known this, I would have gladly given the product 5 stars, so I've changed the rating. I've left the original review below because I do believe, given enough time and use, the mills would need to be taken apart to be cleaned. Use care with the threaded view windows. Other than that, these are good, solid grinder mills. I've been using mine for more than half a year now with no issues. Highly recommended! And a special thanks to the company for posting their comments.A handsome and impressive pair. The stainless steel finish looks good and is easy to clean. With grinders this small, there are always sacrifices. For starters, they're not adjustable, but what comes out is neither too coarse or too fine. And the salt mill seems to drop a little more than the pepper mill. My biggest concern is longevity. The way to refill these is to unscrew the bottom half from the clear acrylic center. Not a problem in or of itself, but if the threads on the acrylic part ever get 'boogered up' or stripped, these mills will be useless. I would advise anyone who has these to exercise EXTREME care when refilling and re-attaching the base.To me, this is a set to put aside for special occasions...those intimate dinners for two, to 'wow' your friends or guests, or to keep on the bar for making those spicy Bloody Mary drinks. But for everyday use? No, I'll still fall back on traditional shakers. That's not to say I believe these mills are fragile, but I don't see them practical for everyday use or for cooks who depend on precise measurements.

We first saw these grinders in the restaurant of the Stage 12 Hotel in Innsbruck, Austria last fall. We were struck by the design and one-handed operation. We were guests of the Hotel at the time, and tried to buy a set from them. We were told that the grinders were "special made" for them, and they had only enough for their requirements. We looked in all the shops during the rest of our trip through Europe for something similar - to no avail.Imagine my surprise when I ran across these (months later) on the internet -- made by a company in Vail, Colorado, and apparently copied by some others...… But these are the solid stainless steel ones like we had seen, and match the picture that I had taken of the original ones exactly. Totally happy to have found them here in the US!My ONLY concern with them is that they can be a bit hard to push. If you don't have good thumb strength, you may have difficulty using them one-handed -- but you can always revert to using both hands!

It's really very good. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is for two nitpicks. First, when you push it, it clacks pretty loudly and it's hard to avoid this since each press is a slightly different pressure needed. The second nitpick is that it is not adjustable and the grinding for the peppercorns isn't consistent (though not a big deal).Everything else about it is what the others say, it's nicely designed, it works well, it holds enough to last a good amount of time, it's on the elegant side and the grind is good enough.I'll say that it has helped me keep salt on the table. I have a bad habit of sprinkling salt in a very wide pattern to obtain consistent coverage. This just grinds it straight down, but spreads it out enough so you get reasonably consistent coverage. Now, when I pick up my plate after dinner, there's not this halo of salt all around it.

I bought my first pair of these salt and pepper grinders after seeing something similar in a restaurant - they were like pieces of art on the table and they delivered precise amounts. But I couldn't find the same ones so I bought these from Grind Gourmet. And I'm very glad I did! The GG version is much more solidly made than the ones I saw but just as beautiful. They look great on our dining table. Yes, they are a bit stiff to operate if you don't have strong thumbs, but all you have to do is grip the body in four fingers of one hand then press down on the top with the palm of the other hand. Voila! And I am so pleased with these grinders I just bought another pair for our second kitchen. Now, I think I will buy them as wedding gifts! Perfect! Highly recommended. Honestly, I just like looking at them on our dining table! I have rarely been as enthused over a product.

This is a very nice design, but the quality control is poor. One of the grinders I bought is actually crooked where the acrylic and stainless steel mate. It looked like the acrylic was threaded crooked. (Of course, this product is absolutely made in China, home of garbage of all sorts. So... not a big surprise, but certainly a disappointment.)In the end, I was able to unscrew the acrylic from the stainless steel, and it proved that the problem was incorrect assembly. The threads were straight and I was able to re-assemble the unit correctly.Now - I can say that these are okay. I give the product itself (design, useability, material quality) a 5 star rating. I give the quality control a -1 stars, F-, crap.This is what happens in a throw away society like ours. Everything must be made as cheaply as possible, even thought these are not cheap to buy! (Should be about $6.00 when made in China) How is it that a company like WMF can make / assemble their products in Germany, and they cost fractionally more than the Chinese stuff?Enough of my tirade, sorry.The bottom line - A quality set of grinders that you may need to fix. But, they are okay as grinders and can be recommended.

With that sleek, streamlined, modern look, I thought for sure that they’d have a smooth movement. They don’t. They feel like they need oil and maybe a little sanding. I barely have the thumb strength the dispense from one of them at all. They are just stiff and rough, like the internal gears are hitting and sticking a little. They’re ok for their looks, but their function really let this gift down.