Whether you are preparing for emergencies or just wanting to be more self reliant, getting a home wheat grinder, also called a grain mill, is a good place to start.
If you are going to store wheat at all you will need a way to grind it up.
So what is the best home wheat grinder?
The best home wheat grinder or grain mill is the one that suits your needs and situation best. For example it you want to be able to grind your grain without power, a manual option is a must. If you will be grinding up both dry and moist or oily grains, then you will want one able to handle both kinds of grains.
My Favorites…
- Hybrid manual/electric
- Large 5″ steel burrs
- Full grain texture range
- Anti-clog design
- Great texture adjustment range
- Fast and efficient
- Suitable for wet or dry grains
- Works in a grid-down situation
- Can be motorized
The 10 Best Home Wheat Grinders Are:
1. Country Living Hand Grain Mill
- Double sealed industrial grade ball bearings
- Food grade powder coating
- Made of solid, cast aircraft aluminum
- Made entirely in the USA
- Adjustable - from cracked grain to cake flour
- Lifetime warranty
The Country Living Hand Grain Mill is my top pick for the best grain mill because it’s a high-quality, durable product that can work without electricity. And as you know, I’m all about things that work when the rest of the world doesn’t.
- Power Source: Hybrid manual/electric
- Burr Type: Steel 5’’ burrs
- Wet or Dry Grains: Dry
- Features: Power bar extender, option to motorize it, full grain texture range
Honestly, this grain mill offers the best of both worlds because you can buy an attachment to motorize it. The motorized version will grind at 60 RPM. If you’re into hand-cranking your grain it has an optional power bar extender that makes turning the wheel 40% more efficient.
In addition to the power bar, the grinding burrs are five inches in diameter (which is huge for a grain mill), which means less cranking for you.
This grain mill must be bolted to the counter but has a double-post clamp you can buy separately for portable use.
The output on the Country Living Mill is a cup of flour in 1.25 minutes. The simple design of the mill is easy to clean and durable, made of a cast metal alloy.
Check it out here: Country Living Hand Grain Mill
2. NutriMill Classic
- 20 Cup Bowl Capacity
- Stainless steel Microburst milling heads
- Mills 20 Cups in 5 Minutes
- Precision grain feed control
- Limited lifetime warranty
The NutriMill Classic is an impact mill with a 1.8 horsepower, 1200-watt motor. This mill grinds with stainless steel micronizing chamber and fins and boasts a very wide range of flour textures. You can adjust the milling heads in very precise ways which gives you a 400% range of adjustment from fine grain to coarse grain
- Power Source: Electric
- Burr or Impact Mill: Impact Mill
- Wet or Dry Grains: Dry
- Features: Anti-clog design, a wide range of grain textures
Excellent airflow keeps flour temperature at 118F. Again, the temperature of the mill has not been shown to decrease flour nutrition content, but it’s still something mill makers brag about. This design sits on the countertop with no need for clamps.
One issue grain mills have (especially the older versions) is that if they get plugged up, hit a rock, or other foreign body, they’ll stop grinding and you have to unplug it and empty everything out to get it restarted. The new NutriMill design overpasses this issue. If the mill stops, it has the ability to restart itself without a fuss.
Check it out here: NutriMill Classic
3. WonderMill Junior+ Deluxe
- Grind 1.25 cups of flour in a single minute
- BPA-free
- Heavy duty unibody construction
- Made from high-quality aircraft aluminum
- Included double clamp mount
- Stone burr set and a feed system for all types of grain (dry, hard, soft, wet, oily) and spices.
They call this model the WonderMill Junior+ Deluxe, but I don’t see anything “junior” about it. In fact, I may even rate it higher than the standard WonderMill just for the fact that it can handle both wet and dry grains.
- Power Source: Hybrid manual/electric
- Burr or Impact Mill: Corundum burr and stainless steel burr for wet grains
- Wet or Dry Grains: Both
- Features: Can use a drill bit adapter or a stationary bike to power it
This wheat grinder has two sets of burrs; one for dry grains and one for oily ones, which, let’s be frank if you’re the kind of person who is milling your own grain, you’re probably interested in making nut butter too. So why not get a machine that can do both?
The standard Junior+ is a hand-crank mill, but you can motorize it with a drill adapter and pulley. It does need to be clamped to the countertop but won’t damage the countertop.
Each of the burr types is four inches in diameter and can be switched out easily.
The body is made of cast aluminum in one piece which means fewer pieces to break or chip over the life of the mill. The bearings are heavy-duty bronze and can be replaced and the crank arm has an ergonomically designed handle. There is a double-post clamp that holds it to the countertop.
Check it out here: WonderMill Junior+ Deluxe
4. WonderMill Electric
- All-in-1 flour mill grinder, wheat grinder for flour, corn grinder, rice grinder, bean grinder, small grains grinder, weed grinder, etc.
- 1,250 W LG mill motor
- Grind large dry beans and small dry seeds
- Built to last
- Easy to use
WonderMill Electric is one of the most popular grain mills on the market. This is an impact mill, or micronizer, with a powerful 1250 watt motor that can grind up to 100 pounds of flour per hour.
That’s a lot of flour power.
- Power Source: Electric
- Burr or Impact Mill: Impact Mill
- Wet or Dry Grains: Dry
- Features: Three settings for coarse, bread and pastry flour, very powerful and fast mill, small grains grinder, large bean adapter
One issue with grain mills is that they can overheat, thus adding heat to the grain, which some argue makes it less nutritious. Sometimes they just need a period to cool down so the motor doesn’t burn out.
The motor in this grain mill is designed by LG Electronics and is such a high-quality item that some small commercial bakeries use this mill regularly without burning out the motor.
This mill works on dry grains only and is a fantastic option for large families or people who make a lot of bread.
Check it out here: WonderMill Electric
5. KoMo Classic
- 360 watts
- Grinds 100 grams of wheat per minute
- Housing and funnel made of solid beech
- 12 year warranty
- For soft cereals, hard and pseudocereals, spices, legumes and coffee
The KoMo line of grain mills are handcrafted with wooden housing units using an elegant design. These mills are popular in Europe, so just make sure you choose the 110V mill which is equipped with an American-style plug.
- Power Source: Electric
- Burr or Impact Mill: Burr (corundum and ceramic)
- Wet or Dry Grains: Dry
- Features: Small countertop footprint, high-quality materials, long warranty, food allergy compatible
The KoMo Classic mill is electrically powered and comes with a twelve-year warranty. From a durability and sustainability standpoint, KoMo stands out. You can have any of the individual parts of the mill serviced for years to come, or you can send the whole thing in to be repaired.
The classic mill uses corundum-ceramic burrs and can mill the gamut of grain textures. This mill pumps out 8-9 ounces of flour per minute. The hopper holds just over two pounds of grain. This mill can handle any type of dry grain or bean, but will not function with oily seeds.
Komo boasts that it is among the quietest grain mills in the world and creates minimal dust. Last but not least, the mill has an insert you can use if you’re grinding grain for someone with allergies. The insert completely separates the current grain from any past grains and ensures an allergy-compliant product.
Check it out here: KoMo Classic Mill
6. KitchenAid All-Metal Grain Mill Attachment
- Connect to any KitchenAid Stand Mixer power hub
- Quickly and easily grind a variety of non-oily grains
- 12 grind levels from 'cracked' to fine
- Included cleaning brush
- Grind wheat, oats, corn, rice
We *try* to have a rule in our house that any new kitchen appliance must serve more than one purpose. If you’re like us and like multi-utility items, the KitchenAid All-Metal Grain Mill Attachment is for you.
- Power Source: Electric
- Burr or Impact Mill: Burr
- Wet or Dry Grains: Dry
- Features: Twelve texture options, works on all KitchenAid Stand Mixers, affordable price
The KitchenAid All-Metal Grain Mill Attachment is perfect for those who don’t want to invest the money or pantry space on a dedicated grain mill. This attachment works with all KitchenAid stand mixers and is one of the more reasonably priced grain mill options.
There are 12 grain texture options to choose from, but note that this mill is equipped for dry, low-oil grains only (wheat, oats, rice, corn, barley, buckwheat, and millet).
This is a 30-day money-back guarantee on this item too so you get a trial period to test it out.
Check it out here: KitchenAid All-Metal Grain Mill Attachment
7. The Kitchen Mill Electric Grain Mill
- Mill up to 24 cups of natural flour in under eight minutes
- See-through mill pan to monitor your flour output
- Stainless-steel milling chamber
- Easy to use and durable
- Assembled in the USA
- Produce flour from grains, rice, popcorn, beans, corn, legumes, soybeans, rice, etc.
The Kitchen Mill Electric Grain Mill is an impact mill (micronizer) and is made of stainless steel and the lid, housing unit, and flour container are made from durable plastic.
- Power Source: Electric
- Burr or Impact Mill: Impact Mill
- Wet or Dry Grains: Both
- Features: Five texture settings, low dust design, completely enclosed flour catchment
This flour mill has a 1000-watt, 1.8 horsepower motor that is self-lubricating.
Five texture settings mean you can have coarse to very fine flour. This mill has filters to contain dust and grinds up to 1 pound per minute. With many flour mills, the milled grain comes out of a shoot and lands in a bowl. The Kitchen Mill Electric Grain Mill system is such that it is completely enclosed so all the flour lands in a self-contained plastic container.
The hopper on this model holds 3 cups of grain and the large plastic receptacle at the bottom holds 24 cups of flour.
Check it out here: Kitchen Mill Electric Grain Mill
8. NutriMill Harvest
- 450 Watt heavy duty motor
- Auto-shutoff thermal protection
- Near diamond hard Corundum Grainmaster milling stones
- Quality made, in Germany, to mill even the hardest of grains
- Quickly mill all non-oily grains and legumes
The NutriMill Harvest is an electric grain mill with bamboo housing. The motor is 450 watts and comes with an auto-shutoff mode to protect the motor from overheating.
- Power Source: Electric
- Burr or Impact Mill: Corundum burr
- Wet or Dry Grains: Dry
- Features: Auto-shutoff motor, sleek design, full range of grain textures
The NutriMill Harvest uses corundum burrs and has multiple settings to achieve different textures of grain. You can get everything from cracked grains to pastry flour with this model, and the adjustment knob on the top is easy to use.
The hopper has a 3.5 cup capacity and the product has a limited 5-year warranty.
Check it out here: NutriMill Harvest
9. KoMo Flocino Flaker
- Beechwood construction
- Makes hearty rolled oat flakes
- Stainless steel conical rollers
- Cleanup is quick and easy
- Made in Austria
The KoMo Flocino is a smaller hand-crank version of the bigger KoMo models and its main goal is mainly for flaking oats into oatmeal.
- Power Source: Manual
- Burr or Impact Mill: Burr
- Wet or Dry Grains: Dry
- Features: Beechwood construction, affordable price
This is not a grain mill capable of grinding whole grains into flour, but I put it on here for folks who are looking for something simpler and less expensive and are just interested in oatmeal.
Like most hand-crank flour mills, this one needs to be clamped to the counter.
Check it out here: KoMo Flocino
10. Victoria Manual High Hopper Grain Grinder
- Spacious hopper and double-tin plating
- Durable cast iron hand crank with a wooden handle
- Change the coarseness and fineness of your milling materials
- Nut grinder, dried-corn grinder, seed grinder, coffee grinder, or flour grinder
- Will not grind whole wheat into a fine powder
The Victoria Manual High Hopper Grain Grinder is a manual grain grinder suitable for both wet and dry grains. The grinding burrs are made of white iron, which is iron coated in thin sheets of tin. The benefit of white iron is that it is very abrasion resistant and due to its non-porous nature, won’t glaze over and get caked in oil if you want to grind nuts.
- Power Source: Manual
- Burr or Impact Mill: White iron burrs
- Wet or Dry Grains: Both
- Features: Large batch processing, durable cast iron construction, non-slip rubber on clamps
This grain mill is the cheapest on my list and while some people loved it, enough people had complaints about the ability to mount it to their counter or, more alarming, that metal shavings came off in their food, that you should probably beware.
I’ve seen this grain mill listed in other “top ten grain mill posts,” and frankly, I don’t agree. I put it on the list so you can benefit from my research. It may be best to spend more money on a higher quality item.
In this article we are going to take you through each possible feature so that you can decide which grinder fits your needs best. We have selected what we believe are the top 10 in the industry. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly which grain mill is right for you!
Check it out here: Victoria Manual High Hopper Grain Grinder
How To Choose a Grain Mill
To understand how to choose a grain mill first you need to understand the mechanics of a mill.
How Does a Grain Mill Work?
Grinding grain is an ancient process that, despite the advent of electricity, remains largely unchanged. Grains are ground between two hard surfaces. In the old days, grains were exclusively ground by using two stones, which was effective but would inevitably leave bits of stone grit in the flour.
Most grain mills today work the same way. One stationary stone or steel plate, called the bed stone, is held in place while the grinding stone turns over it. Today’s stone grain mills use corundum, which is a very durable stone with little chance of getting grit into the flour.
The grinding surfaces are called burrs in this model of grain mill.
In addition to grinding burrs, there are also impact mills, also known as micronizers, which use concentric rings of teeth to grind and shred grains apart.
Burr Mills
Burr mills are the most common model of grain mill. They rely on two grinding plates (burrs) which are made of either metal or stone.
Stone
Some people consider stone burrs to be superior to metal burrs in terms of the texture of grain they can produce. Stone burrs are made of either corundum (an extremely hard stone) or a synthetic composite of stone.
Since stone is naturally a little porous, you can’t use these burrs on high-moisture, high-oil foods like nuts. Doing so will cause the stone to “glaze over” and become too slick.
Metal
Metal burrs are often made from cast steel and won’t get a glaze on them from oily items like nuts. They also won’t chip, make consistently grit-free flour, and are often quieter than stone burrs.
Impact Mills (Micronizer)
Impact mills are high-speed grinders that produce fine flours used for cakes, pastries, and bread.
Due to the high speed of impact mills, you’ll only find electric versions. Rather than two grinding plates grains are ground down by two steel plates that have rings of teeth on them. The plates spin at incredibly fast speeds and burst the grains as they make impact with the teeth
Impact mills are amazing at making very fine flours and bread flour but they can’t make cracked grains, which are the coarsest type of grain option. They also can’t be used on oily items as they will gum up the works.
One of the plusses of impact mills is that there’s very little friction created in the grinding process. This keeps the grain temperature low, which as you’ll see below, may not be that much of a plus.
Impact mills tend to be noisier than burr mills.
Answer These Questions Before You Buy a Grain Mill
- How do I want to power the mill?
- What type of burr?
- What do I want to grind?
- How much use will it get?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you narrow down your grain mill search. Below I’ll get into each of these questions in depth.
Manual, Electric, and Convertible Models of Grain Mill
Manual Models
Manual models of grain mill are cranked by hand to produce the grain. Some of the better manual models have ergonomically designed handlebars, large-diameter burrs (which require fewer rotations to grind the grain), or power bar adjusters to make the turning more efficient.
Manual models of grain mill are sometimes less expensive than electric models. Most manual models will say that they can make a full range of grain textures, but you will still probably get finer control on the texture with an electric model.
That said, manual models are a much better option if the power goes out and if you have kids, could be a fun way to torture them/tire them out.
Manual models also don’t run the risk of burning out a motor due to overuse but they usually need to be bolted or clamped to a tabletop in order to stay stable while grinding.
Look for models with non-slip silicone or pads on the clamps so you don’t damage your table.
Electric Models
Electric models of grain mill are fast and efficient with an excellent ability to control the texture of the flour. Very fine flours (for pastries) are easier to achieve with electric models.
Electric models also don’t need to be clamped to the tabletop, and can just sit on the counter.
They do have downsides though. Electric models can be loud, they tend to be more expensive than hand-crank models, and they may create fine flour dust everywhere.
Many models of electric grain mill have self-contained flour catchments, but many popular models do not (although they claim they are low-dust).
Convertible Models
You can get the best of both worlds with a convertible model! Some manual grain mills have attachments to motorize them. These sometimes work by using a power drill to power them, and some have attachments to hook a stationary bike up to the mill (although who still has a stationary bike??)
Temperature Fluctuation
It’s important to address heat build-up in the milling process. By the nature of the friction created in all mills, there is a small amount of heat that is created. A common folk “fact” is that the increased temperature of milling destroys the nutrients in the grain.
There is no scientific evidence to back this claim up and what’s more, the temperature of baking with grain certainly exceeds any temperature build-up from milling, and most folks aren’t too concerned about losing nutrients in the oven.
Nonetheless, you’ll see grain mill makers boasting about the “coolness” of the grind, or saying that manual mills are better than electric because they don’t create as much heat.
Conclusion
In conclusion, an at-home grain mill can be an amazing addition to your home if you want to have a guaranteed source of flour during an emergency, if you want to benefit from more nutritious flour, or want to make allergy-friendly non-wheat flour.
With so many innovations in grain milling technology, there is certainly a mill that suits your needs.
