Top 5 compared
The best electric salt and pepper grinders
Seasoning with one hand while the other keeps stirring, and no more twisting a stiff mill.
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The top 5 at a glance
An electric mill grinds at the press of a button, which helps at the hob with a spoon in the other hand, and for anyone who finds twisting a mill hard on the wrists. Battery mills run on AA or AAA cells; rechargeable ones never need new cells. Ceramic grinders, which salt doesn’t corrode, are the usual choice.
A charging base keeps both mills together and topped up, but it needs a spot near a socket or USB point; mills that charge by cable tuck into a drawer instead, and the LARS NYSØM does both. The battery mills here come without their cells, so have a pack ready.
What matters
- A grind that adjusts from fine to coarse, ideally on an outside dial.
- A light, to see how much is landing on the plate.
- A see-through body or lid, to know when to refill.
- A lid or cover that opens for refilling without taking the mill apart.
#1CIRCLE JOY Rechargeable Salt and Pepper Grinder Set with Charging Base
£20–£30
Lift a mill off its base, press the button and a white light shows the grind landing; put it back and it charges. The see-through lid on top opens for refilling the 110ml chamber without taking anything apart.
What owners say: Owners like having no batteries to buy, find it easy to fill and say it grinds well and looks good on the table.
A closer look: The base charges both mills, so it’s worth giving it a permanent spot near a socket or USB point, by the hob or on the table. Beyond salt and pepper, the maker lists rosemary, fennel seeds and chilli flakes among what it grinds.
- Top-fill see-through lid
- 110ml chamber
- Grinds rosemary and chilli flakes
Best for: No batteries to buy
- Power
- Rechargeable, charging base
- Grinder
- Ceramic
- Grind setting
- Fine to coarse
- Light
- White LED
- Body
- Black, stainless steel
#2VOXON Rechargeable Salt and Pepper Grinder Set (6 grind settings)
£20–£30
A stainless steel pair that charges by USB-C cable instead of sitting on a base, so both mills tuck into a drawer. A big button on top grinds under the thumb, and a dial on the outside picks one of six grinds.
What owners say: Owners rate the grind and the build, like the look and say the charge lasts well, though a few doubt how long the mills will hold up.
A closer look: Each mill charges on its own cable in about an hour, and VOXON puts a full charge at more than 40 uses of a minute or two. The clear container lifts out for washing, and because the dial sits outside, changing the grind never means touching the peppercorns.
- Tucks into a drawer
- Big thumb button on top
- Container lifts out to wash
- 100ml chamber
Best for: Tidying away in a drawer
- Power
- Rechargeable, USB-C cables
- Grinder
- –
- Grind setting
- 6 settings, outside dial
- Light
- LED
- Body
- Stainless steel, clear container
#3Russell Hobbs Classics Electric Salt and Pepper Grinders (23460-56)
£29.99 RRP
A brushed stainless steel pair with ceramic grinders and a base that lights up as it grinds, each running on four AA batteries. A tap of the button seasons the plate, and the grind adjusts between fine and coarse.
What owners say: Owners say they add a nice touch to the kitchen and are easy to use, though reliability divides them, with some reporting a mill stopping within weeks or months, and some think it dear.
A closer look: Batteries aren’t included, so have eight AA cells ready; rechargeable AAs save buying more over the years. The lit base also helps when seasoning in a dim corner of the kitchen or at a candlelit dinner table.
- Batteries not included
Best for: Candlelit dinners and dim kitchens
- Power
- 4 × AA per mill
- Grinder
- Ceramic
- Grind setting
- Fine or coarse
- Light
- Lit base
- Body
- Brushed stainless steel
#4mwellewm Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set with Base
£10–£20
Two black battery mills that stand in a base between meals, with clear chambers that show what’s left and a ceramic grinder that goes through five levels, from very fine to very coarse.
What owners say: Owners call them well made, with a coarseness setting that goes very fine and a chamber that’s simple to fill, though several say a set of batteries lasts only about a month and opinions split on how sturdy they are.
A closer look: Four AAA cells go in each mill and none come with it, so buy a pack at the same time; the base keeps the pair together on the table rather than wandering off to the hob. Each chamber holds about 65ml, so it suits topping up little and often.
- Pair stands in a base
- About 65ml per chamber
- Batteries not included
Best for: Pepper ground very fine
- Power
- AAA batteries
- Grinder
- Ceramic
- Grind setting
- 5 levels, fine to coarse
- Light
- No
- Body
- ABS, clear chambers
#5LARS NYSØM Spænding Electric Salt and Pepper Mill Set
£30–£50
Slim mills in nine colours from a Vienna design brand, for all the Danish-sounding name. They charge on a USB-C station or through a USB-C socket on the head, and a dial on each mill sets the grind from fine to coarse.
What owners say: Owners love how they look on the table and how well they grind, and like the setting underneath, though some say a mill stopped charging or working after four to six months.
A closer look: To refill, slide off the cover on the back, pour in the salt or peppercorns and slide it back on. The station lives on the worktop between meals, and either mill can also be charged from a USB-C cable at its head, handy for a barbecue or a holiday let.
- Nine colours
- From a Vienna design brand
- USB-C socket on the head
- Slide-off back cover to refill
Best for: Matching the kitchen’s colours
- Power
- Rechargeable, USB-C station
- Grinder
- Ceramic
- Grind setting
- Dial, fine to coarse
- Light
- LED
- Body
- Steel, aluminium, ABS
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1CIRCLE JOY | #2VOXON | #3Russell Hobbs Classics | #4mwellewm | #5LARS NYSØM Spænding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| Price | £20–£30 | £20–£30 | £29.99 RRP | £10–£20 | £30–£50 |
| Power | Rechargeable, charging base | Rechargeable, USB-C cables | 4 × AA per mill | AAA batteries | Rechargeable, USB-C station |
| Grinder | Ceramic | – | Ceramic | Ceramic | Ceramic |
| Grind setting | Fine to coarse | 6 settings, outside dial | Fine or coarse | 5 levels, fine to coarse | Dial, fine to coarse |
| Light | White LED | LED | Lit base | No | LED |
| Body | Black, stainless steel | Stainless steel, clear container | Brushed stainless steel | ABS, clear chambers | Steel, aluminium, ABS |
| Best for | No batteries to buy | Tidying away in a drawer | Candlelit dinners and dim kitchens | Pepper ground very fine | Matching the kitchen’s colours |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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