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Hi friend, I'm Lorina from Flourish Heritage, our family micro mill in Boise, Idaho.
"Which mill should I buy?" is the question I hear most. Here are the five mills I'd happily put on any counter, in order, and why.
My short answer is always the same: my favorite is the vintage Magic Mill.
What are the best home grain mills?
| # | Mill | Grinding stones | Power | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vintage Magic Mill | Stone | Electric motor (3/4 hp on the model described by one home-storage writer) | Secondhand only |
| 2 | KoMo Classic | Corundum-ceramic | 360 W electric | Pleasant Hill Grain |
| 3 | Mockmill 100 / 200 | Corundum-ceramic | 360 W / 600 W electric | Pleasant Hill Grain |
| 4 | Salzburg MT-12 / MT-18 | Natural granite | 550 W / 900 W electric | Their website |
| 5 | The Miller H15 | Natural granite | Hand-turned | The Miller |
1. Why is the vintage Magic Mill my favorite?
The vintage Magic Mill is where my milling journey started. It was the first mill I used in my business, I've owned three of them, and it's still the one I love most. It's a discontinued, older stone mill, so you'll find it secondhand, not in a store. We're hoping to bring these mills back so be sure to follow our instagram for updates.
The Magic Mill was first made in the 1960s in Filer, Idaho, and production moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, after the company was sold around 1976 (Food Storage Organizer). The wood model that writer describes has a 3/4 hp motor, a stainless steel flour bin, and stones you adjust with a loop-ended wire on the back, from cracked-wheat cereal to fine flour (same source).
What I love most:
- It's enclosed. Flour isn't drifting all over my kitchen.
- A stainless steel bin catches the flour.
- It's built to last. These mills were made to be handed down.
To be fair, some negatives of the Magic Mill is that it's heavy, loud and harder to reach the coarseness handle. I still think it is a far superior mill.
How to find one used: these are no longer made, but they still turn up on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. Ask the seller for a video of it milling grain.
2. Why is the KoMo my pick if you're buying new?
If you want a new mill, the KoMo is the one I point friends to first. KoMo mills are handmade in Austria with beautiful wood housings (Pleasant Hill Grain).
The KoMo Classic has a 360-watt motor, makes 8 to 9 ounces of bread-texture flour a minute with corundum-ceramic stones, holds 2 lb 1 oz of grain in its solid wood hopper, and carries a 12-year U.S. warranty. You change the grind by turning the hopper (Pleasant Hill Grain). Pleasant Hill Grain, which calls itself the exclusive U.S. importer of the KoMo line, says the Classic can run continuously, keeps flour from dusting your kitchen, and opens to the milling chamber in seconds with no tools (Pleasant Hill Grain).
Love a softer, rounder look? The KoMo Vienna Classic is another pretty option.
3. Is the Mockmill a good grain mill?
Yes. The Mockmill is a great choice, especially if you're watching your budget. Its designer, Wolfgang Mock, co-founded KoMo in 2002 and launched the Mockmill 100 and 200 in 2017 (Grainlovers), so the two brands share a lot of heart.
The Mockmill 100 has a 360-watt motor and corundum-ceramic stones, grinds about 100 grams of soft wheat a minute, and is made in Germany with a 6-year warranty for home use (Mockmill). For bigger families, the Mockmill 200 steps up to a 600-watt motor and about 200 grams a minute (Mockmill).
If you'd love wood on your counter, the Mockmill Lino 100 pairs the same motor with a wood housing and a 12-year warranty for private use (Mockmill).
4. Why do I recommend the Salzburg MT-12 and MT-18?
What I love most about the Salzburg mills is their natural granite stones. The Austrian maker, Salzburger Getreidemühlen, says it decided in 2016 to build its mills only with grinding stones made from naturally sourced granite (Salzburger Getreidemühlen). I used an MT-18 myself, and the craftsmanship is stunning.
- Salzburg MT-12: natural granite stones and a 550-watt industrial motor made for the maker in Italy. It grinds up to about 2,000 grams of flour at a time, then needs a break (Salzburg Grain Mills).
- Salzburg MT-18: made for larger families, with a 900-watt motor made in Germany, natural granite stones, a wooden grinding chamber and about 9.5 ounces of fine flour a minute (Salzburg Grain Mills).
For both, the maker promises to regrind the natural stones free of charge within 12 years if needed (same sources). If you want natural materials and a mill for decades, they're lovely.
5. What is The Miller H15 hand mill?
The Miller H15 is a hand-turned home mill, so it's the one on this list that needs no electricity. The Miller builds it with natural high-quartz stone millstones 150 mm (about 5.9 inches) across and an alder wood body. It grinds about 50 to 100 grams a minute from a 600-gram hopper and weighs 12 kg (The Miller).
The Miller says it suits wheat, rye, buckwheat, rice and other dry grains (same source). It's an order-in-advance mill, so plan ahead. I love it for a homestead, a cabin or a backup when the power goes out.
How do I choose the right home grain mill?
Here's what I tell my friends:
- Decide if you want granite or composite first. All five of these mills grind with stones but granite stones are harder to produce on such a small mill. The only ones that achieved that is The Miller (manual mill) or Salzburg's granite mills.
- Think about how much you bake. For a loaf or two a week, any of these works. For a big family, look at the Mockmill 200 or Salzburg MT-18.
- European or US Made. A vintage Magic Mill is made in America but it's hard to track down. The others are all imported in. If you order through Pleasant Hill Grain you don't have to figure out importing the mill on your own but for the Miller and Salzburg ones you do. It's not as hard as it may seem but it does come with additional fees.
- Look at the warranty. KoMo and the Mockmill Lino offer 12 years, and the Mockmill 100 and 200 offer 6 years for home use (sources above).
- Mind the dust. The UK's Health and Safety Executive lists flour dust as the second most common cause of occupational asthma (HSE). A home kitchen isn't a bakery, but an enclosed mill keeps things tidier.
- Want to stay unplugged? The Miller H15 is the hand-turned pick.
Here's what I do
- I turn the mill on before adding grain, then listen until the grain is completely through before turning it off.
- I weight and mill what I need for that day's baking.
- I brush, never wash, the stones, following my mill's manual. Stones should never get wet.
- I start with an easy grain like hard white wheat.
There's something sweet about hearing a mill hum in the morning and thanking God for our daily bread.
And a little family news: we're working on bringing back the vintage Magic Mill! We'll update it for our own heirloom design, and work with US manufacturers to have it made. If you'd like to follow along as we build it, join our waitlist below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best home grain mill?
My personal favorite is the vintage Magic Mill, which you'll find secondhand. If you're buying new, the KoMo mill is my top pick, with the Mockmill, the Salzburg MT-12 and MT-18, and The Miller H15 hand mill also on my list.
Is the Magic Mill still made?
No. The vintage Magic Mill is discontinued, so you'll need to look for a used one on sites like Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Flourish Heritage has no connection to the Magic Mill brand.
What is the difference between KoMo and Mockmill?
Both use corundum-ceramic stones and share roots: Mockmill's Wolfgang Mock co-founded KoMo in 2002. The KoMo Classic has a wood housing and a 12-year U.S. warranty, while the Mockmill 100 and 200 have a modern housing and a 6-year warranty for home use.
Do Salzburg grain mills have granite stones?
Yes. Salzburger Getreidemühlen says it has built its mills only with natural granite grinding stones since 2016, and it promises a free stone regrind within 12 years if needed.
Is there a good hand-crank grain mill?
The Miller H15 is a hand-turned home mill with natural high-quartz stone millstones. It grinds about 50 to 100 grams a minute and needs no electricity.
Start milling with confidence
Whichever mill you choose, my How to Mill at Home course walks you through setting it up, adjusting the grind and baking your first loaves. Not ready for a mill yet? Shop our freshly milled flours and taste the difference first.
Sources
- Food Storage Organizer, Wood Magic Mill with Stone Grinder (2009)
- Pleasant Hill Grain, KoMo Classic
- Pleasant Hill Grain, KoMo mills
- Grainlovers (Wolfgang Mock GmbH), Unsere Historie
- Mockmill, Mockmill 100 Stone Grain Mill
- Mockmill, Mockmill 200 Stone Grain Mill
- Mockmill, Mockmill Lino 100
- Salzburger Getreidemühlen, The granite millstone: the heart of our grain mills
- Salzburg Grain Mills, Salzburg MT-12
- Salzburg Grain Mills, Salzburg MT-18
- The Miller, Home hand-mill with stone millstones H15
- UK Health and Safety Executive, Baker: flour dust and occupational asthma
A quick note: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend mills I'd happily put on my own counter.
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