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D. Steinmetz
November 05, 2016
Looks good, works good, should last with proper care.
Update: May 2017. See the comment posted below. I was unaware that the mills would disassemble from the base. If I had known this, I would have gladly given the product 5 stars, so I've changed the rating. I've left the original review below because I do believe, given enough time and use, the mills would need to be taken apart to be cleaned. Use care with the threaded view windows. Other than that, these are good, solid grinder mills. I've been using mine for more than half a year now with no issues. Highly recommended! And a special thanks to the company for posting their comments.A handsome and impressive pair. The stainless steel finish looks good and is easy to clean. With grinders this small, there are always sacrifices. For starters, they're not adjustable, but what comes out is neither too coarse or too fine. And the salt mill seems to drop a little more than the pepper mill. My biggest concern is longevity. The way to refill these is to unscrew the bottom half from the clear acrylic center. Not a problem in or of itself, but if the threads on the acrylic part ever get 'boogered up' or stripped, these mills will be useless. I would advise anyone who has these to exercise EXTREME care when refilling and re-attaching the base.To me, this is a set to put aside for special occasions...those intimate dinners for two, to 'wow' your friends or guests, or to keep on the bar for making those spicy Bloody Mary drinks. But for everyday use? No, I'll still fall back on traditional shakers. That's not to say I believe these mills are fragile, but I don't see them practical for everyday use or for cooks who depend on precise measurements.
✔ Verified Purchase
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Silanageige
June 17, 2014
Stylish, fun and useful
I saw these at my sister-in-law's house and fell in love with them so I had to get my own. They are sleek, solidly made and easy to use. It does take significant effort to depress the plunger with really coarse salt, but I honestly don't use salt very often so that's not a problem for me. It would probably be difficult for someone with arthritis or, I don't know, Brittle Thumb Syndrome.The one-handed operation is very handy for small amounts when cooking. I still use the full-sized pepper mill for larger amounts, but these are my go-to mills. Some reviewers feel the size is too small, but I think if they were much larger the angle of the thumb would make them hard to operate. As is they feel comfortable in my hand. Refilling is easy and the convenient, simple stand keeps them upright and looking good. The packaging is attractive and high quality, which would make them a good gift. Or, just keep them for yourself.
✔ Verified Purchase
I love that they are small and sleek
After using a similar pair of these in a restaurant, I knew I had to have a pair for my own house. These are really neat salt and pepper grinders! I love that they are small and sleek. They put out the exact right amount of salt/pepper when you use them. It is perfect for adding a pinch of salt or pepper while you are cooking or while you are eating. The clear base is a nice addition, it keeps them looking nice and "clean" even when they are sitting out. I will say that it is somewhat difficult to push one of mine. I am not sure if it is the salt that is in it, or if it is a flaw in the product. I was thinking that with use it may get a little easier to push, but I haven't really seen that yet. Also, it's not too bad, there is a scratch or a water mark or something that goes around about half way up the bottom metal section. Like something messed it up in production. Despite these things, I still think they are very cool, fun, and make a great one handed grinder. Also, I have gotten lots of compliments on them from guests!
✔ Verified Purchase
Striking design, one handed operation Salt & Pepper grinders.
We first saw these grinders in the restaurant of the Stage 12 Hotel in Innsbruck, Austria last fall. We were struck by the design and one-handed operation. We were guests of the Hotel at the time, and tried to buy a set from them. We were told that the grinders were "special made" for them, and they had only enough for their requirements. We looked in all the shops during the rest of our trip through Europe for something similar - to no avail.Imagine my surprise when I ran across these (months later) on the internet -- made by a company in Vail, Colorado, and apparently copied by some others...… But these are the solid stainless steel ones like we had seen, and match the picture that I had taken of the original ones exactly. Totally happy to have found them here in the US!My ONLY concern with them is that they can be a bit hard to push. If you don't have good thumb strength, you may have difficulty using them one-handed -- but you can always revert to using both hands!
✔ Verified Purchase
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Peter A. Johnson
December 25, 2012
QC a bit off, but I was able to fix them...
This is a very nice design, but the quality control is poor. One of the grinders I bought is actually crooked where the acrylic and stainless steel mate. It looked like the acrylic was threaded crooked. (Of course, this product is absolutely made in China, home of garbage of all sorts. So... not a big surprise, but certainly a disappointment.)In the end, I was able to unscrew the acrylic from the stainless steel, and it proved that the problem was incorrect assembly. The threads were straight and I was able to re-assemble the unit correctly.Now - I can say that these are okay. I give the product itself (design, useability, material quality) a 5 star rating. I give the quality control a -1 stars, F-, crap.This is what happens in a throw away society like ours. Everything must be made as cheaply as possible, even thought these are not cheap to buy! (Should be about $6.00 when made in China) How is it that a company like WMF can make / assemble their products in Germany, and they cost fractionally more than the Chinese stuff?Enough of my tirade, sorry.The bottom line - A quality set of grinders that you may need to fix. But, they are okay as grinders and can be recommended.
✔ Verified Purchase
