Cole & Mason Stadhampton chilli & spice mill
5.0
We tested the Cole & Mason Stadhampton chilli & spice mill using a variety of small, large, hard and softer spices.
Pros
- Small and well-built, easy to see the contents, impressive stainless-steel, does not finger mark, easy to adjust
Cons
- A little hard to grind some spices
Cole & Mason Stadhampton chilli & spice mill summary
Available from Harts of Stur (£24), Dunelm (£28), John Lewis and Partners (£29), Amazon (£29.99)
Using this mill is astonishingly easy, straight from the box. Though you could use this as a peppermill, the Stadhampton is designed to cope with most spices, including cinnamon sticks.
- Read our full list of the best spice grinders
How easy is the Cole & Mason Stadhampton chilli & spice mill to use?
The top flips off easily, revealing a wide mouth, making loading spices of all shapes and sizes easy. The base holds the adjustment screw to change the grind size, which is accessible thanks to the wide base of the mill, and there is a discernible click at each turn. Once the spices are in, there are sharp blades to break the spices down, then send them through the grinder. All we had to do, though, was to keep turning the top. The harder spices like cardamom were unsurprisingly more challenging to grind, but as they broke down, turning did become more manageable.
Results
We saw good results across the whole test. The cardamom was difficult to grind, but the results were some powder and great texture; the peppercorn was excellent, from fine (powder) to a tasty, chunky, coarse texture. The cumin, when on fine, some half seeds still got through, so the results were a little patchy, though the coarse grind made an excellent texture for a spice mix. We especially liked the results with the cinnamon stick; it took a bit of turning of the grinder, but what came out was lovely soft, powdery spice.
Conclusion
The Cole & Mason Stadhampton chilli & spice mill is an impressive spice mill working well across most spices. Some may take some effort, but the results are worth it. This is a lovely-looking, versatile mill at an astonishing price for the quality. Plus, the mechanism has a lifetime guarantee.
Key specifications
Wattage: n/a
What can it grind? Most spices except nutmeg
Accessories: none
Dimensions: 16.5 x 6.6 x 6.6cm
Capacity: 100ml
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
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
Get ahead for Christmas
Save over 50% when you subscribe to our magazine with our festive offer