Update on the "new" Penzey's peppermill

Got one for a Christmas present from someone at work. It definitely can handle the larger Extra Bold Tellicherry peppercorns but coarse grind is the ONLY thing it does. Supposedly adjustable, it is not. Several times it simply stopped grinding and when I returned it to the local store was told "we are having trouble with these new grinders" and was readily given a replacement. I do NOT recommend this grinder. I will keep it for the Extra Bold but for routine use I will use the other grinder Christmas present which is nicely adjustable

[Robin Garr]

I have been extremely happy with the OXO Good Grips pepper grinder, which I've been using for a year now and has proved durable, consistent, large capacity, all the good things. Here's a link to Amazon.com, tuned to WineLoversPage.com so if any of you buy it, I get a few pence.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CD ... arrswinelo

More than 25 years ago my kid sister gave me a large Peugeot pepper mill and I have to say it's been one of the more reliable pieces of kitchen kit I've ever owned. It still adjusts easily and precisely, and the burr is still sharp and King Of All Corns. I'd be tempted to buy one of their cars on the strength of this grinder alone, if they were sold here.

I'd be tempted to buy one of their cars on the strength of this grinder alone, if they were sold here.

And you'd probably be disappointed.

Peugeot cars were sold here for a while. Never were popular and they pulled out of the market because they simply could not compete. Couldn't handle American driving distances, were mechanically crap, pieces had a tendency to fall off at random times, and they were inefficient oil burners from poorly machined engines.

A friend bought one, just because they were French and exotic. She came to despise that car. Finally got to the point, since it was in such bad shape, that she would kick it and abuse it constantly. Figured it couldn't look or perform worse than it already did.

Darn it. You'd think there'd be a correlation between the two products, wouldn't you?

[Jenise]

More than 25 years ago my kid sister gave me a large Peugeot pepper mill and I have to say it's been one of the more reliable pieces of kitchen kit I've ever owned. It still adjusts easily and precisely, and the burr is still sharp and King Of All Corns. I'd be tempted to buy one of their cars on the strength of this grinder alone, if they were sold here.

And I have a Peugeot mill that I just hate. And for an $80 mill? Criminal. I couldn't get it to grind much of anything. So I took it back to the store I bought it at and was asked what kind of peppercorns I use. At that time, it was Tellicherry Extra Bold. "Oh well that's the problem," the clerk said, "Peugeot reccomends Malabar because it's the right size and the skins won't wad up." I was dumbfounded. I told her I'm a Tellicherry user and if Peugeot wouldn't grind Tellicherry then I didn't want their mill, but additionally, I'd tried the non-Bold Tellicherry and it hadn't worked any better. "Well, some of the mills just don't grind anyway so we'll replace it," she said, "sometimes we have to try two or three before we find one that works." At no point did she acknowledge that a high fail rate on a product that would only do a decent job with one type of peppercorn had a design flaw. This was a small specialty store in Canada that carried about 20 different models of Peugeot and no other brand. I wish I'd taken the second one back, too. Somewhere there's a perfect peppermill, but my Peugeot isn't it. I can't understand what the difference is between what I selected from and what people like you who love your Peugeots have.

For years I used a no-name mill that worked adequately. When it started to fail I replaced it with a Peugeot. The Peugeot is a diva, works great sometimes and is unusable at other times. I don't know what is its problem but my temper is fraying.

The Peugeot is a diva, works great sometimes and is unusable at other times.

Taking on the characteristics of its owner?

For years now, I have owned the big black Unicorn Magnum. No matter what I put into it, it just keeps grinding! Recently, I ordered the smaller version which comes with it's own tray to contain pepper dust. I use it for white pepper and love it, as well. I also have a set of William Bounds pretty, medium size acrylic salt and pepper grinders which are great. I keep this set to put on my table when serving guests who may want extra s & p, and I also take it with me when asked to bring a salad for a dinner. I choose my salads carefully taking into consideration what the hostess is preparing and I find that most do not have good salt and pepper. Just the usual Morton fine salt and who knows what type of pepper.

I keep this set to put on my table when serving guests who may want extra s & p, and I also take it with me when asked to bring a salad for a dinner. I choose my salads carefully taking into consideration what the hostess is preparing and I find that most do not have good salt and pepper. Just the usual Morton fine salt and who knows what type of pepper.

Hmmm, it would never occur to me to bring my own salt and pepper to a dinner. Is this a common practice among forumites?

I keep this set to put on my table when serving guests who may want extra s & p, and I also take it with me when asked to bring a salad for a dinner. I choose my salads carefully taking into consideration what the hostess is preparing and I find that most do not have good salt and pepper. Just the usual Morton fine salt and who knows what type of pepper.

Hmmm, it would never occur to me to bring my own salt and pepper to a dinner. Is this a common practice among forumites?

Not this one. I have taken a gift of a small container of exotic sea salt or lava salt or some such, but never a grinder or mill.

[Jenise]

I keep this set to put on my table when serving guests who may want extra s & p, and I also take it with me when asked to bring a salad for a dinner. I choose my salads carefully taking into consideration what the hostess is preparing and I find that most do not have good salt and pepper. Just the usual Morton fine salt and who knows what type of pepper.

Hmmm, it would never occur to me to bring my own salt and pepper to a dinner. Is this a common practice among forumites?

Karen's right: most people don't have good salt and pepper. However, people who don't have good salt and pepper don't appreciate or value the difference, so when cooking at someone else's home I make do with what they have. Karen, how do you pull that off without making people feel inadequate? You're such a good cook, they're probably already afraid of you....

The Peugeot is a diva, works great sometimes and is unusable at other times.

Taking on the characteristics of its owner?

Tut, tut.