Antique Coffee Mills for Contemporary Coffee?

For the true coffee aficionado, an antique grinder is a marvelous tool. The majority of antique coffee mills are similar to contemporary hand grinders—most are burr grinders turned by a hand crank, and usually made with a combination of wood, steel, and/or cast iron.

Nearly all modern hand grinders, however, are designed for personal use. They normally don't hold more than six cups worth of grounds. If you desire the low-heat, consistent grind of a manual burr grinder on a larger scale, a well-restored and maintained antique grinder may be your best bet.

If you plan to use your antique coffee mill on a daily basis, you might prefer one with a cast iron body over than a wooden grinder. While age has virtually no negative effect on cast iron coffee mills, the joints and nails in a wooden mill tend to lose strength over time.

Using an antique grinder is about more than getting the job done. A fine cup of coffee is an experience from start to finish. Using an antique mill is similar to kneading your own bread. You will taste (or at least imagine you taste!) the sweetness of your work in the final product. The quiet, consistent grinding sound of the manual grinder is pleasant on the ear, for those who dislike the loud whirring of an electric machine.

If you have a small space to work in - or simply don't wish your kitchen to be dominated by espresso equipment - antique grinders come with a special advantage. Unlike all modern grinders, many antique coffee mills were designed to be mounted on the wall. Aside from space issues, the decorative effect of a mounted grinder is striking on both wall and counter mounted antiques. Of course, many models simply sit on a counter top just as contemporary grinders do.

From the traditional Parker Nation coffee mill with a bronze finish, to the European grinder with a landscape painted on the porcelain face, there is a wide variety of styles and decor available in ready-to-use antique grinders on the market. Common antique grinders on the North American market include Arcade, Enterprise, Parker, Steinfeld, and Frary & Clark.

Antique coffee mills are available through eBay and an assortment of individual dealers and auction houses. When buying an antique coffee grinder, look for an experienced seller who does his or her own restoration and cleaning. From sleek and simple to intricately decorated, Victorian to Art Deco, small to large, the selection is wide and inviting.