We initially thought the highest capacity mills would be more desirable (more pepper, less refilling). Instead, we found we cared more about grip, ease of use, and clear grind size markings. While the OXO Good Grips Contoured Mess-Free Pepper Grinder held a whopping 66 grams of peppercorns, it performed poorly, grinding them too coarsely even on its finest setting. On the other hand, even though the Cole & Mason Hampstead Electric Pepper Grinder only held 22 grams of peppercorns, the machine had other capabilities we admired enough to make it worth the smaller capacity. Overall, our favorite mills ranged from 22 to 55 grams.

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Our testing lineup represented three types of pepper mills: fill and twists, hand cranks, and electric. Fill and twist mills required two hands, one to keep the top steady and one to twist the body of the mill. The majority of the pepper mills we tested were this style, including some of our favorites: the Cole & Mason Derwent Pepper Grinder and Peugeot 23485 Paris u'Select 9-Inch Pepper Mill. We tested a singular hand crank mill—the PepperMate Traditional Pepper Mill—but were not impressed with the uncomfortable grip required. We also evaluated four electric mills, each with a single button to turn on the grinder. These often required batteries or came with a charging station.

What we liked: This mill was fairly fast when it came to grinding. But our favorite aspect was its simple, clear size settings: Just line up the white notch on the base of the mill to one of the six different markers and get cracking. It was also comfortable to hold, thanks to the round wooden top and longer length.

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A pepper mill that quickly and efficiently grinds pepper into consistent particles is a beautiful thing to behold. During our speed test, the Männkitchen blew other pepper mills out of the water: at medium coarseness, it ground 2.3 grams of pepper in a mere 18 seconds. For comparison, our favorite pepper mill from Peugeot took nearly double that time, with an average of 32 seconds. Our previous pick, the Fletchers Mill Federal Pepper Mill trailed at an average of 38 seconds.

This pepper mill was easy to operate and was one of the more efficient electric options. The light that went on during grinding was a nice perk.

So, as avid cooks, we decided to review pepper mills again (we first did so in 2017, so it was time for a refresher) to determine the best ones for achieving a fine sprinkle and chunky grind alike. To do so, we tested 32 mills in a variety of styles, including fill-and-twist, hand crank, and electronic, using them to grind gram after gram of pepper over multiple days (we'll be finding stray peppercorns in our shoes and on the floor for months to come). Read on to find out which pepper mills ground the others into dust (harsh, but true).

What we didn’t like: We had to grip it tightly while grinding since the stainless steel could be a bit slippery. As with most pepper mills, the mouth of the mill was rather narrow so loading peppercorns was a messy endeavor. This one was also on the pricey side.

What we didn’t like: The capacity was a mere 22 grams. While it was easy to operate, we had to press the button down rather firmly to get it to start, which proved uncomfortable after a while. It’s also the priciest of our winners.

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This pepper mill quickly climbed to the top of our rankings due to its speed, simple preset grind settings, and comfortable grip. It didn’t hurt that it was a looker, too.

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It depends on how much pepper you need—if, for some ungodly reason, you need 1/2 cup of crushed black pepper, a spice grinder might be a better choice. But for a sprinkle here and there, a mill does a fine job (plus, you won't be left with a surplus of ground pepper that'll go stale over time).

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All that said, while it's nice to grind pepper and quickly be done with it, the truth is, not many people (unless they really, really enjoy manually grinding pepper) are using their mills to manually grind whole teaspoons of the spice (a spice grinder is better suited to high volumes of grinding).

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What we liked: With most pepper mills, the plastic spindles within the narrow mouth of the vessel made refilling messy—peppercorns bounced everywhere. However, the Kuhn Rikon Vase Grinder didn't have a spindle and was easier to fill because of it. It also held a standard 53 grams of peppercorns, and we were able to swiftly grind up a teaspoon of pepper. The Kuhn Rikon was also easy to hold on to thanks to its flared base.

What we liked: This efficient mill was the third fastest, grinding a teaspoon of pepper on its finest setting in 45 seconds (and in only 36 rotations). It held an impressive 53 grams of peppercorns, too, meaning fewer refills were required (and part of the mill was see-through, making it easy to know when it was low). The Derwent also had six, easily-changed preset settings.

We liked impressed mills that were easy to load, with wider openings and fewer impediments. For example, filling the Mannkitchen was easy, since it only had one crossbeam in the opening; most of the other mills we tested had around three to four beams, making it difficult to smoothly pour peppercorns inside without making a mess.

After spending countless hours grinding pepper, we liked mills that weren’t, well, a grind to use! How a mill feels in the hand as you're cranking away is important. Uncomfortable mills strained our wrists and hurt our palms. In general, we liked longer mills with round orbs on the top, like on the Peugeuot, because there was more surface area and our hands didn't feel cramped. Our previous winner from Fletcher sported a flattened orb at the top and a short body, which bunched up our fingers and was difficult to grip. While the Männkitchen was compact and sported a matte finish that was pleasant to hold, we weren't huge fans of the indents in the top twisting part, which dug into our palms.

Black pepper is a pungent little berry from the Piper nigrum plant that has been used to flavor dishes since ancient times. It has transcended food fads and trends to remain one of the most ubiquitous spices in our pantry, adding pep (heh!) to a humble plate of scrambled eggs or a hunk of dry-aged steak. And the best way to serve and use black pepper is to grind it fresh; take a sniff of pre-ground peppercorn versus freshly cracked stuff and you'll know why.

The first word that came to mind for the Cole & Mason Derwent Pepper Grinder was efficiency. It cranked out a teaspoon of pepper quickly. We also liked the preset grind settings and the generous 53-gram capacity.

We’ll be the first to admit we were surprised that the electric pepper mills were not necessarily quicker nor more comfortable to use than the manual options. Even the fastest electric mill fromZwilling was still far behind our manual picks. The Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Mill dragged out grinding pepper for an aching one minute and 37 seconds.

What we didn’t like: It was in the middle of the pack capacity-wise, at 35 grams, which was small. After being filled, it took a while for the peppercorns to reach the grinding mechanism. This resulted in "grinding" air until the peppercorns finally hit the bottom. While we loved that there were preset options for grind size, we wished there was an option even coarser than the sixth setting; on the largest setting, the ground peppercorns were spliced to approximately an eighth of the original size. It could have been a bit speedier, too.

A cheap option does not have to mean a bad option! The Kuhn Rikon Vase Grinder was easy to fill, pleasant to grip, and quick to grind peppercorns. It also comes in a few colors.

What we liked: It was super easy to operate this pepper mill. Simply adjust it to the desired grind size and press the button on the top. This was the second-fastest electric mill we tested. We also liked that it only required one hand to operate and that it was quiet.

Most pepper mills will not require any deep cleaning, especially if peppercorns are the only spice being used in them. The pepper mills we tested are not dishwasher-safe, and submersion is not recommended. Instead, spot-cleaning the exterior with a damp, wet cloth does job.

Overall, we were impressed with the Peugeot 23485 Paris u’Select 9-Inch Pepper Mill; it ground fairly fast, was easy to use, and looked nice to boot.

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Once pepper is freshly ground, the clock starts ticking. After approximately four months, freshly ground pepper usually begins to lose its flavor. Make sure to add the pepper to something tasty before then!

Instead of playing a guessing game, we liked mills with preset grind sizes that were clearly marked. The Peugeot stood out in this respect, with dashes ranging from I (finest) to IIIIII (coarsest), so we could easily adjust it.

Sometimes you just want a dash of fine pepper. Other times, big chunks of cracked peppercorns are a thing to behold (a la steak au poivre). In either case, it’s helpful to have a pepper mill that offers a variety of grind settings. Some of the mills required us to manually adjust the grind size—usually by twisting a small knob at the top or a metal bar at the base of the mill—between coarse and fine. In the case of our favorite budget mill, the Kuhn Rikon Vase Grinder, this was easy. But when it came to using the very expensive Männkitchen Pepper Cannon (which sports 75 grind sizes) we felt a bit overwhelmed; there were no clear markers for grind size other than closely examining the space between the burrs at the bottom of the mill.

Look for pepper mills that grind peppercorns quickly, are easy to grip, have clear, easy-to-adjust settings, and grind peppercorns consistently. It’s a bonus if the mills have preset settings, hold an impressive amount of peppercorns, and are attractive (we love a little countertop eye candy!).

Pepper mills and pepper grinders are just two different ways to describe the same thing. (We prefer the term “pepper mill” for its elegance.)

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What we didn’t like: If you’re looking for a classic-looking pepper mill, the Kuhn Rikon Vase Grinder isn't it. While the wide, flared, grooved base helped grip during grinding, it was rather bottom-heavy and inelegant.