Great little dry grinder for small quantities of spices, seeds, grains, and legumes.
I ordered this mill to grind golden flax seed. Ground flax was discontinued at the store where I used to purchase it, and alternate sources were very expensive. I found a bulk source for organic whole flax seed priced at exactly half of what I was paying for the ground version, but I needed a grinder. I was also interested in grinding spices.The following has been my experience so far with the grinder:FLAX SEEDS: The grinder performed perfectly. I had ground flax in about 20 seconds.CORIANDER: Grinding took a little longer than I expected, and I couldn’t match the fine grind of some purchased ground coriander, but the grind was still acceptable.QUINOA: The grinder milled nice, fine flour in about 40 seconds.HARD RED WHEAT: This took some time, about three 30-second intervals to grind 1/2 cup of wheat into 3/4 c. flour, and the flour was still a little coarse. Another 30 seconds might have been better, but I didn’t continue because the mill began to get warm, and I didn’t want to risk overheating it.DRIED GARBANZO BEANS: It was startlingly loud at the very first, but then it quickly produced a nice, fine flour in just two 30-second intervals. I’m sure that if it did this well with chickpeas, it could easily handle other smaller, softer legumes.From what I have seen so far, I think that this little mill is great for grinding small amounts of seeds, spices, grains, and legumes. It can handle some things that a grain mill can’t, like seeds. However, it might not be practical for recipes requiring large amounts of whole grain flour.There are a few downsides:• There is a little confusion about the actual power level of the machine. On the box it states 500W. In the online description and stamped on the bottom of the machine, it says 800W. In the Minhuida store, it is listed as 800W. If asked, Rufus (AI) gets very confused, apologizes, and eventually states 500W. Given its efficiency, I think that it is probably 800W.• The machine is not easy to clean thoroughly. The grinding cup does not detach as claimed; it is firmly attached with no release mechanism. With some foods, trying to brush all the residue out from under the blades with the tiny “specialized cleaning brush” is time-consuming. A dry or “slightly damp” cloth, as suggested, would be even less effective and dangerous for hands. I used a clean basting brush, which worked well; however, given the washing and rinsing prohibitions, cross contamination is almost a given.• The mill is designed to grind small batches, and it grinds most things well; however, it would be time-consuming and laborious to grind enough flour for some recipes. For example, it takes approximately 3-1/2 cups of flour to make just one loaf of whole wheat yeast bread. Given the small quantities that can be ground at one time, the mill is probably not a good option for grinding bread flour, especially for multiple loaves.• The machine itself seems sturdy and well built, but the lid feels like thin, cheap plastic. If it were to chip or break, the machine would be useless. It does have a 2-year warranty, dependent on the buyer’s ability to contact the company. Hopefully, it won’t be needed!All in all, I would recommend this little mill. The price is reasonable, and so far, it has performed well for me. Hopefully, it will hold up over time. If it doesn’t, I will update my recommendation.