How to Buy a Grain Mill

There are many benefits derived from grinding your own whole grains in a whole grain flour mill. The less processed a food is, the more nutrition you obtain from it. Grinding your own whole grains ensures the freshness and quality of home baked goods.

Instructions

1. Determine whether you want a manual or electric grain mill. The prices vary from the hand crank model that clamps to the table to the large electric model that grinds up to 20 cups of flour in 3 minutes. If you are going to grind a lot of grain, spend more for the larger machine. If you plan to only use it occasionally for small amounts of flour at a time, the small manual mill or the type that attaches to your mixer may be the best choice.

2. Choose the electric stone mill if you are looking for a heavy duty mill. The only problem is that the grain must be completely dry to prevent it from gumming up the stone, which would require cleaning before you could continue grinding. Many of the large electric models are noisy. If that is an issue for you, listen to the machine run before you buy it.

3. Look for a manually operated grain mill that's easy to turn and has adjustments for different degrees of coarseness. Also consider the models you can convert to electricity by attaching a motor to them.

4. Consider the warranty. Many of the more expensive models have a lifetime warranty, while others have a limited warranty. If your grain mill is going to get a lot of use, you may want to opt for the more expensive model with the full lifetime warranty.

5. Compare the versatility of the different whole grain flour mills. Some of them produce course flour, which requires sifting and regrinding before you get a fine texture. Others are adjustable and can produce fine flour, course meal or cracked grain.

Tips & Warnings

• Be cautious with some of the grain mills that discharge a fine dust of ground wheat into the air. When grinding without proper ventilation, this may cause a problem if you have allergies or asthma.