Grain Grinders

[Stephanie]

Hi Everyone,

 

I've been trying to decide about my purchase of a grain grinder. I found this comparison chart and thought it might help someone else who is trying to figure it out.

 

http://kodiakhealth.com/catalog/default.php/cPath/25_36

[Homebody]

 

 

 

[Granny]

About your post on grain mills. As often the case, got distracted and chased a squirrel behind the barn. What I found though you will enjoy reading Stephanie!

 

http://doyle-scienceteach.blogspot.com/200...ding-grain.html

 

While on that blog… http://doyle-scienceteach.blogspot.com/200...from-chaff.html

 

 

 

 

 

[Crazy4Canning]

I did a similar comparison a few years ago. I ended up getting the grain attachment for my Kitchen Aid and can grind 12-14 C at a time and store it in Tupperware.

 

I was saving up money for the Diamont with Lehman's but then found an antique grain mill that also did the job just as well.

 

It looks just like this:

 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Home...rain-Mills.aspx

 

http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemType=P...amp;itemID=2476

 

So, I've got both. I like them both. I use them both.

 

We also have the tiny Back to Basics Grain Mill

 

https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emergenc...c_hand_mill.htm

 

I don't care for it because it doesn't have a large hopper, the burrs get stuck, and it takes more energy to grind than the larger mills do. It would be great for kids to do, though. BTW, we bought ours 2 years ago for $49. Now the price is around $70. YIKES!!!

[Homebody]

About your post on grain mills. As often the case, got distracted and chased a squirrel behind the barn. What I found though you will enjoy reading Stephanie!

 

http://doyle-scienceteach.blogspot.com/200...ding-grain.html

 

While on that blog… http://doyle-scienceteach.blogspot.com/200...from-chaff.html

 

 

what a wonderful site I especially enjoyed the lesson about seperating the chaff from the wheat. I actually "been through that lesson" several times and I know He is not finished with me yet. Bookmarked it to read more in future.

[Stephanie]

Granny those sites are great, we'll be studying them further.

 

 

I'm pretty sure that I'm going with the Wonder Junior

 

 

I'm just not ready to spend 400 on the Country Living

 

 

I'm hearing nothing but good reports and that saves some cash for other preps.

 

 

[Tracy R]

I bit the bullet and bought the Retsel MilRite with both the stone and steel burrs, and I couldn't be happier with it. It *IS* expensive, but it's a workhorse. I bake artisan breads for clients through the winter and for the farmer's market in summer, and this is one appliance that has NEVER let me down. It chugs along beautifully, and I wouldn't be without it.

[Darlene]

I bit the bullet and bought the Retsel MilRite with both the stone and steel burrs, and I couldn't be happier with it. It *IS* expensive, but it's a workhorse. I bake artisan breads for clients through the winter and for the farmer's market in summer, and this is one appliance that has NEVER let me down. It chugs along beautifully, and I wouldn't be without it.

 

Would you be willing to share any of your bread recipes? I grew up on the Artesian breads and can't find them up here in the mountains...lol

[Norai]

I bought a grain mill attachment for my champion juicer and love it so far. Little bit loud and sometimes I have to send the flour through twice to get it to the fineness that I want, but you can't beat $70.

[LaBellaVita]

Hi Steph, this is ON TIME info. I'll be ordering mine on Monday. Another site is www.pleasanthillgrain.com I think I've settled on the Family grain mill. I'm going to order the grain mill head and the hand crank assembly and the adapter for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. That way I'll be able to use it with or without electricity. I keep wondering if I am making the correct choice so I'll check out the site you mentioned!

 

I have the Family Grain Mill (bought it from PHG too!) and I really love it!

 

As soon as we get our tax return I'm going to purchase extra burrs and a few extra attachments. Might even get the motorized base, just for those days when I am doubling my bread recipe. I'm totally fine grinding wheat for a recipe of 2-3 loaves, but oh my, when I tried to double my recipe I was getting so over grinding.

 

OH, part of the reason I purchased a FGM was because of its ease of cranking, I heard some were soo hard to crank that people didn't want to use them and I wanted to avoid that. My kids help me grind (they are 8 and 6).

[FunkyPioneer]

I have an old 1970's mill that came in a kit and has stone grinders that I love. It also used to come with an attachement to convert it from electric to hand crank, but I got mine second hand and can't seem to find the part. My mom has a K-tec for like 20 years and loves it, it also grinds other grains and beans too which is a plus. I think its the one the LDS church reccomends too.

[Kevin B 123]

I have the “Back to basics”, it’s a bit hard to use, and nearly impossible for HARD grains, but I can use it without electric.

 

Where other hand cranked models are concerned, If I had the money for the “Country Living Mill”is the one I’d rather have gotten. at the time I purchased the other (B2B ). The Country Living Mill is more powerful, easer to crank, ( the large wheel is the secret). It can be motorized.

 

I have an attachment for my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, it does a good job, but the flours are somewhat course. The solution for this is to let the Grain mill & the first run flour cool down, and re-mill the flour a second time. This extra effort for me, is OK, as I live alone. This attachment has many coarseness settings! Although all produced flour(s) from the KA, are to course for me, ( so I do the 2nd pass- I keep longing for the K-tec, or the Wonder mill. )

 

One must consider what they will use the home ground flour for: cooking, baking, (both), gravies, coatings, etc. Each grade of course-ness has it’s uses and limitations. If saving some pennies is in your considerations for purchasing a grain mill, then you need to be able to control the coarseness setting. ( Believe me, trying to make gravies from a course flour is a major challenge, most don’t like a gritty gravy ! ) Like wise, trying to make corn bread with super fine flour produces a cake, and you loose the hardiness of good-ol-corn-bread. .

 

Time my be of essence to you, so a more powerful ( but louder) unit will be a better choice.

 

I hear a lot of good about the K tec, and the wondermill!

 

I hope this helps!

[Insurance]

I bit the bullet and bought the Retsel MilRite with both the stone and steel burrs, and I couldn't be happier with it. It *IS* expensive, but it's a workhorse. I bake artisan breads for clients through the winter and for the farmer's market in summer, and this is one appliance that has NEVER let me down. It chugs along beautifully, and I wouldn't be without it.

 

I am saving my money to buy this model too. I figured I would be saving myself money in the long run by purchasing the Retsel because you can switch from electric to non-electric with just this one machine ~ thus eliminating the need to purchase 2 seperate machines.

 

SlingMama uses the Retsel too, and it was her sales pitch that sold me! She had nothing but great things to say about it.

 

In the meantime, my sweet husband made this primitive grinder for me. I was afraid to be without a grinder if the-you-know-what were to hit the fan. I did not want to be without a way to grind my wheat. It cost about $30 to make and to me that was a cheap price to pay for a little peace of mind. http://www.drum-runners.com/Food%20-%20Imp...rain%20Mill.pdf

[Vlynn]

Are some grinders better than others as far as creating dust in the air?

[Mea]

Are some grinders better than others as far as creating dust in the air?

 

 

We bought the Nutrimill from Harvest Essentials. So far i have not had any dust ...(from the machine. that is...lol.) It hums along not any noisier than DH's shop vac.

 

 

A Question... i have not been able to find anything about Cleaning it. I know one does not put the actual grinding teeth part in water... but what about the other removable parts ?? Thank You !!!

 

Mea.

[Crazy4Canning]

I have the Kitchen Aid add-on as well as a couple of others.

 

No one advocates complete submersion of the mill into water. I use a stiff paint brush (food grade) to clean all the parts every time. It's amazing how tiny bits of grain get into crevices you didn't realize were there.

 

Remember that part of good grinding is preserving the oils from the grains in the food you eat. If you wash your mill, it will cause the teeth to not wear together properly and for those naturally lubricating oils to come off.

 

To clean my mills, I always 'sacrifice' a handful of grain at the beginning. This takes any dust or dirt out of the grinder with the crushed grain. Particularly with the big old fashioned manual one, there is no way to submerse it into water, nor would I want to. It's also very difficult to get apart. I just brush out what I can, send a handful of grain through to 'clean' the teeth and toss that aside (now it gets tossed to the chickens!)

 

Hope that helps.

[Mea]

Hope that helps.

 

 

Thank you. Mea

[Stephanie]

BUMP

[SusanH]

I have had the Nutrimill for about 4 years and really like it. Just purchased a Family Grain Mill with the hand crank base. Had I realized a need to have something that would work without electricity, I would have bought the FGM first with the Bosch motor and attachments I haven't used it yet, as I just got it 2 weeks ago, but I understand it's much easier to grind manually than some of the others.

 

Susan

[HSmom]

Here's another comparison website: http://waltonfeed.com/old/self/grind5.html

 

I bought the Country Living Grain Mill. I've used it several times now, and I have to say that I am impressed!

 

I have Hard White Wheat, which I use for yeast breads. This wheat does require more strength to turn the crank. I grind once, then sift. When sifting, I discard about half the bran flakes. I know that they are nutritious, but I gotta go easy on picky people's taste buds.

 

I also have Soft White Wheat, which is used for muffins, cookies, etc. This wheat is much easier to crank, so I turn the dial to a much finer grind. The wheel is still very easy to turn, but the flour - while finer - takes longer to come out. I sift this also, but the bran is so fine that I leave it all in.

 

Both produce a fine food. The breads and muffins made from my own ground wheat are indistinguishable from breads and muffins made from purchased whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour.

 

[Cricket]

HS Mom, you might try griding your hard wheat twice, with the settings adjusted for a finer grind the second time around. It should make it easier on your arm and allow you to use more of the good bran rather than tossing it.

[HSmom]

Is that okay to do? For some reason, I thought we weren't supposed to "double grind".

 

[Lele]

Found this today.

 

http://www.nutritionlifestyles.com/grainmillcomparison.htm

 

DD bought me the Golden grain grinder 4 years ago, I love it but DH hates it when we move and he has to move it.. LOL it is very heavy.

[The MacKinnon]

Ok, DH is beginning to come around (very reluctantly) to my getting a grain mill. However, he still refuses to consider spending the $200 for the Wonder Mill Jr (hand cranked) never mind the nearly $400 for the Country Living.

 

Today on Lew Rockwell, survival blogger MD Creekmore talks about survival stuff and mentions having lots of wheat (Darlene, he's right there with you as wheat being the cornerstone of your preps) and he swears by the Corona-Landers mill. So I looked it up, there's one on eBay and it's under $100 (till you add in shipping then it's a bit over). Creekmore says he grinds everything in it, from wheat to coffee beans.

 

I thought "Eureka!" then went on to find another review where the poster says the Corona is for corn, not wheat or other grains. Dang!

 

I didn't want to start another thread but does anyone have any experience with the Corona mill?

 

Thanks...

[CrabGrassAcres]

Ok, DH is beginning to come around (very reluctantly) to my getting a grain mill. However, he still refuses to consider spending the $200 for the Wonder Mill Jr (hand cranked) never mind the nearly $400 for the Country Living.

 

Today on Lew Rockwell, survival blogger MD Creekmore talks about survival stuff and mentions having lots of wheat (Darlene, he's right there with you as wheat being the cornerstone of your preps) and he swears by the Corona-Landers mill. So I looked it up, there's one on eBay and it's under $100 (till you add in shipping then it's a bit over). Creekmore says he grinds everything in it, from wheat to coffee beans.

 

I thought "Eureka!" then went on to find another review where the poster says the Corona is for corn, not wheat or other grains. Dang!

 

I didn't want to start another thread but does anyone have any experience with the Corona mill?

 

Thanks...

 

It will give a great work out for your arm, but won't grind very fine flour. The Wonder Jr is somewhat better, but it still gives a workout. It could be hooked up to an exercise bike or motorized, but that will void your warranty.

 

I found a Bell grinder for a friend for $65 (including shipping) on ebay that had a motor, but can be used to grind by hand. I see them occasionally so keep looking and you may find a used one in excellent condition.