Choosing the Right Grain Mill (5 Questions to ask)

If you are having a hard time choosing the best grain mill to mill whole grains at home, answer 5 simple questions and you will be able to confidently pick the best option for you and your family!

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The decision to invest in a grain mill can be daunting as there are so many options. I am confident I can direct you towards the best option for you in the grain mill buying guide!

If you are brand new to milling your own flour, START HERE! The world of fresh milled flour has become so very popular because of the nutty flavor and nutritional value from whole grains.

Wondering what wheat berries to use for what recipe? CLICK HERE!

Please keep in mind that most grain mills are rated for home use and are great for milling your own grains. However, there are professional models available as well.

You also have a choice between an electric grain mill or manual grain mills. Today, though, we are only looking at electric models.

I have a manual mill with a hand crank for extended power outages, however it is quite cumbersome to use.

If you find yourself traveling, for instance, to a place without a reliable power source, consider purchasing a manual mill.

The 2 main types of Home Grain Mills available

The type of mill you choose will basically fall into one of 2 categories. Either is a great option for milling fresh flour.

• Impact Mill/Steel Mills – The impact mill is an electric mill that uses stainless steel milling heads or fins that burst the grain into a super fine flour.
• Stone Mill – Stone burr mills uses 2 stones that grind the grains into a coarse-fine flour based on how close the stones are together.

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I personally use a Nutrimill Grain Mill. Other brands are MockMill and Komo. Either of those will make a great choice, as well.

This is the STONE MILL that I use and love! Not only is the Nutrimill Harvest Grain Mill beautiful, but it is also quite the work horse!

I use the NUTRIMILL CLASSIC for an impact mill and have for many years!

While there may not be a “perfect grain mill”, answering these questions will make the decision much easier!

Question #1: How much flour do you plan on Milling? (Will you use Fresh Milled Flour exclusively?)

A big factor in choosing the right flour mill is determining how your usage will look.

Do you plan on making all of your bread products with fresh milled flour and do you plan on baking at least a few times a week?

This question is the starting point to choosing the correct mill for your needs.

If you are going to milling daily or at least several times a week, an impact mill may serve you best for frequent use. You can mill the most amount at one time for all of your baking for the week.

If you are the only one that will be consuming the bread or there are only 2 of you, a stone mill may work for your needs, as well. Stone mills work great for milling smaller amounts at a time or larger amounts if you need do.

Question #2: What is your Budget?

Buying a grain mill is an investment. So, it is imperative you keep in mind what your budget is from the very beginning.

Typically, impact mills are less expensive than stone mills.

This made my choice easy because budget was at the top of my list when I bought my grain mill.

The best choice for budget will usually be impact mills. However, there are some stone mill options that are $70 or so more expensive than the steel burrs mill.

With that being said, if you are pining for a stone mill, I would highly suggest saving a little extra and get what you want in the end.

Question #3: How much space do you have in your kitchen for a grain mill?

Space is an important factor when choosing a mill.

Impact grain mills are quite a bit bigger than stone mills. So, if you are tight on space the stone mills will be a great option.

While this may seem like a small issue, it really is important to note because a mill that is put away will be used left often than a mill that is always on the counter!

Question #4: Do you want only FINE flour or both FINE and COARSE flour?

This is a big one! I’ve had a lot of people tell me they wish they would have thought about this before making their purchase. And, many of them returned their first choice to get the mill that would better suit their needs.

An IMPACT MILL will basically mill FINE FLOUR. While there is a knob that you can turn to get somewhat coarser grinds, these mills WILL NOT CRACK GRAINS.

In contrast, a STONE MILL will mill from CRACKED GRAINS to SUPER FINE FLOUR and everything in between using stone burrs. Between the two, the stone mill gives the finest flour.

Question #5: Are AESTHETICS important to you?

While this was not a big factor for me personally, I know and understand there are a lot of people that take great pride in the aesthetics of their homes.

If this is you, I can almost guarantee that you will gravitate towards a STONE MILL.

Stone mills are beautiful as they usually have a wood grain housing and are very pleasing to the eye for leaving on the kitchen counter.

Bonus Tips

Noise – While both types of grain mills do make significant noise, the stone mills are a bit quieter. The impact mills can be quite loud, so I use hearing protection.

Ease of Cleaning – Neither one of these mills is particularly hard to clean. With stone mills, you will occasionally want to remove the top of the grain mill with the milling chamber and the top grinding stone to brush the stones off.

With the Impact mills you will want to occasionally wash the collection bowl and let all parts dry completely before using.

Warranty and Durability – All grain mills will come with a warranty depending on the manufacturer. For instance, most stone mills have a warranty of at least 5 years and Impact mills will often have a lifetime warranty.

Ease of Use – Both of these grain mills are easy to use, however the impact mills are much more beginner friendly, in my opinion.