Lakeland two-jar grind and chop review

How easy is the Lakeland two-jar grind and chop to use?

Assembling this spice grinder is pretty self-explanatory but, usefully, Lakeland has provided embossed guides on the side of the grinder.

We were initially confused by how this model actually works but it’s well explained in the manual and we soon got it running. The little notches that the plastic lid pushes down on are very sensitive, so just a light touch is all that’s needed to start the grinder going.

Minimum and maximum markings are printed on the inside of each bowl. The max quantity is 10 cups, which equates to about 150g. The minimum quantity is four cups or 60g. For occasional spice grinding, this is still a large amount of spices needed just to meet the minimum requirements, as a perk of grinding your own spices is being able to keep them fresh and not store large amounts that go stale. So this model is better suited to those looking to create spice blends, rather than grinding one spice at a time.

The cord storage is pretty nifty on this model. The flex is a metre long but it can be pushed into the base of the grinder to shorten it.

Clean up is simple. While none of the parts are dishwasher-safe, the bowls, lid and plastic cover are easily hand-washed. There was no residual smell inside the bowls after washing and drying either – a big plus.

Results

We ground 60g each of broken up cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and cardamom pods. Both cinnamon and the cardamom pods were finely milled and smooth in just 20 seconds. Nutmeg was also relatively fine, though we did spot a couple of chunks in the mix.

When it comes to grinding small spices, you might be surprised by what 60g of peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds actually looks like. But, for all spices, they were fine and sandy after grinding, with just a couple of woody pieces running through the milled coriander seed.

Coffee was equally well ground – it was a little coarser than on other models tested, but not so coarse as to affect the quality of the coffee. You’ll need to be making drinks for at least two people if you choose to use this model to grind coffee as 60g is enough for four single shots or two doubles.

This model excelled when making a curry paste. We whipped up Tom Kerridge’s madras curry paste in a matter of seconds. The base spice blend was easily ground. We had to add the peppers and coriander in gradual batches and blend, as we didn’t want to overfill the bowl. But the chopper blade made light work of the coarse coriander stalks and produced a smooth paste overall.

Conclusion

For large spice blends or making curry pastes this Lakeland two-jar grind and chop is a brilliant option. The operative word here is large, as even the minimum capacity of this model is big. But if you’re creating a blend for your next BBQ or even making batches of freezer-friendly curry pastes, this model is second to none. Clean up is a doddle too, everything can be hand-washed, and no residual smells remain. It’s not the cheapest model on the market but if you often cook with large quantities of spices, it shouldn’t be overlooked.

Specifications

Wattage: 200
What can it grind? Dry spices, nuts, seeds, coffee, pastes, onions, garlic, ginger
Accessories: Two bowls, lid
Dimensions (cm): H: 20.5 x W: 13 x D: 13
Capacity: min. 60g max. 150g

Recipes with spices

Green curry paste
Basa Gede (Balinese spice paste)
Lamb vindaloo
Tom Kerridge's madras curry paste
Jerk spice mix
Ras el hanout spice mix
Five-spice mix
Garam masala spice mix

This review was last updated in May 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk