Choosing and using an electric or manual spice grinder: blade and burr grinders compared, how to get an even grind, cleaning away oils and smells, and which spices are hard on machines.
The short answer¶
For most home cooks the most useful spice grinder is a simple electric blade grinder — the same design as a basic coffee grinder — kept for spices only. It turns a tablespoon or two of toasted seeds into powder in seconds, handles hard spices such as cinnamon and cloves, and is easy to clean. Burr grinders give a more even, controllable grind and do not heat the spice as much, but many are designed for coffee beans and can be clogged by oily or fibrous spices. For pastes, a pestle and mortar is better than either; for nutmeg, a fine grater is better than any machine.
Blade grinders¶
A blade grinder has a small spinning blade, like a miniature propeller, at the bottom of a cup. It chops rather than grinds: the longer you run it, the finer the result.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Inexpensive and widely available | Uneven particle size |
| Handles hard spices, bark and dried chillies | Friction warms the spice if run for long |
| Quick and easy to clean if the bowl is removable | Grind size is hard to control precisely |
| Also grinds sugar, salt, nuts, dried herbs | Small capacity |
Getting an even grind: work in short pulses of a few seconds, shaking the grinder between pulses so that pieces fall back onto the blade. Stop and sieve if you need a truly fine powder, re-grinding the coarser pieces. Do not overfill — a third to a half full works best.
Removable bowls are a real advantage: the bowl can be washed, and spices can be tipped out cleanly. Fixed-bowl models must be wiped out.
Burr grinders¶
A burr grinder crushes food between two abrasive surfaces — either two flat discs or a cone inside a ring (conical burrs) — set at an adjustable distance. Everything that passes through is broken to roughly the same size.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Consistent, adjustable grind | More expensive |
| Less heat | Oily or sticky spices can clog the burrs |
| Good for pepper and dry, hard seeds | Hard or large pieces (cinnamon bark, whole nutmeg) may not fit or can damage burrs |
| Harder to clean between different spices |
Burr grinders shine for black pepper and other regular, dry spices. Many dedicated coffee burr grinders are not designed for spices, and manufacturers may advise against it; oily seeds such as fennel or nigella can leave a residue that is hard to shift. Check the manual before trying. Hand-cranked burr grinders designed for spices, and pepper mills (see pepper mills), work on the same principle.
Keep coffee and spices apart¶
Spice oils are persistent. A grinder used for cumin will flavour the next batch of coffee, and vice versa. If you grind both, buy two grinders and label them.
Manual alternatives¶
- Pestle and mortar: best for pastes, small quantities and crushing rather than powdering.
- Microplane-style rasp grater: the best tool for nutmeg, tonka bean, cinnamon sticks (for a dusting), ginger and fresh turmeric.
- Nutmeg grater: a small curved grater, often with a compartment for storing a nutmeg.
- Suribachi: the Japanese ridged mortar, excellent for sesame seeds.
- Rolling pin and bag: crude but effective for cracking coriander seeds or crushing chillies.
- Stone grinding slabs: the flat grinding stones of South Asia and elsewhere, still used in some households for fresh masala pastes.
What grinds easily and what does not¶
| Easy | Moderate | Difficult |
|---|---|---|
| cumin, coriander seed, fennel, mustard, black pepper, dried chillies (seeds out) | cloves, allspice, star anise, cardamom seeds, fenugreek | cinnamon and cassia bark (break up first), nutmeg, dried ginger and turmeric roots, galangal, dried limes |
Break bark into small pieces before grinding, and seed dried chillies unless you want the heat. Some spices, such as fenugreek, are very hard; toasting first makes them brittle. Very hard roots are usually better bought ready-ground.
💡 Toast, cool, then grind
Toasted whole spices grind more easily and taste deeper. But let them cool completely before grinding — warm spices can turn pasty and clog the grinder, and trap steam. See toasting spices.
Cleaning¶
- Unplug the grinder.
- Grind a tablespoon or two of dry raw rice, or a torn slice of stale bread, to powder. It scours the blade and absorbs oils.
- Tip out and brush the bowl and blade with a dry pastry brush.
- Wipe with a barely damp cloth, then dry thoroughly. Wash removable bowls according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Never immerse the motor base in water. For stubborn smells, repeat the rice treatment.
Safety¶
Take care with sharp blades when cleaning, and keep hands out of the bowl unless the grinder is unplugged. Ground chillies produce a fine, irritant dust: let it settle before opening the lid, and avoid leaning over the grinder. See handling chillies safely.
For grinding technique, particle size and toasting, see grinding spices.