Braxton TaylorI’m going to give you a recommendation for the best manual hand-grain mill. I’ll provide three recommendations, each in different price ranges.
Mrs. J and I began milling wheat into flour a long time ago. Since we’re also into prepping and preparedness and wanted a grain mill with ultimate reliability, we purchased what we believe to be one of the best hand grain mills (in addition to our electric one, referenced below).
There is quite a range of prices for various hand grain mills. The question is, what’s the right one for you?
Given my research, I have three recommendations. The first is very expensive (for good reasons). The next is excellent value versus quality. The third recommendation is much more affordable but not designed for everyday use (but still a good choice for emergency/preparedness milling on a tight budget!).
Jump down the page to:
Country Living Grain Mill
Wondermill Junior Deluxe
Deluxe Hand Crank Mill
Hard White Wheat Berries: Bulk
Most people use a grain mill to grind grain (wheat berries) into flour. That’s what we do. Wheat berries store well for a very long time. And that, coupled with a grain mill, goes ‘hand in hand’ with a bit of self-reliance and preparedness.
Here’s a handful of wheat berries ready for the grain mill…
“Why would I want to do all that work by hand with a manual grain mill if I could use an electric mill instead?”
Answer: For preparedness’s sake! No electricity? No problem!
Learning to use a hand grain mill to grind wheat berries into flour is rewarding. It’s for the preparedness-minded or anyone interested in making healthy bread from scratch!
Hand Crank Grain Mill — Best Choices
If you will be using a grain mill frequently, it will be especially important to choose quality construction that will withstand usage and time.
Many ‘cheap’ hand grain mills have reviews that indicate problems after a relatively short period. Depending on your intended usage, this may or may not be an issue.
The phrase, “You get what you pay for, ” is often true! Unfortunately, it means paying a higher price for an excellent product and even more money for a “product considered “great!”
If you are milling wheat (wheat berries) to make flour for bread, you will want to be sure that the grain mill will grind the wheat berries into fine flour.
Fine flour depends on the grain mill and the grinder setting. You can also grind it over again until you get the flour as fine as you wish. On each pass, tighten the grind adjustment – to a level where you can still turn the wheel comfortably.
Grinding/milling your flour is ‘work’ (your hand and arm cranking round and round). It does take a little while to process wheat berries into flour. Some mills are better at it than others. However, the results will be unbelievably delicious and healthy!
Many cheaper hand flour mills are inadequate for grinding to a fine consistency, although many claim they do. The product reviews usually reveal the ‘real world’ experiences and results from people who have used them.
Country Living Hand Grain Flour Mill
I will start with what many consider the best manual hand grain mill, the Country Living Hand Grain Mill. This versatile mill can handle various grains, including wheat, corn, beans, etc.
It sure is popular—and it sure is expensive! I purchased this one many years ago. It will most certainly outlive me. Knowing it’s a rugged kitchen tool/appliance that won’t break provides peace of mind, especially when it comes to prepping and preparedness.
If purchasing through my links, I may earn commission (no extra cost).
Affiliate Disclosure
Among the top-of-the-line hand grain mills on the market is the Country Living Hand Grain Flour Mill. From a reputable dealer:
Are you looking for more than a typical emergency mill, one suitable for long-term use? This one will last generations. It is built heavy-duty with the highest quality and made entirely in the USA.
You get what you pay for. It is very pricey, but it’s one of the best hand-grain mills out there, in my opinion. I can personally attest to its quality of materials and durability. It’s an heirloom-quality appliance that may be passed down for generations.
- Made of solid, cast aircraft aluminum
- Made entirely in the USA
- FDA Approved Food Grade Powder Coating
- Double Sealed Industrial Grade Ball Bearings
- Cast Iron V-Groove Flywheel
- High-carbon steel Grinding Plates
- Adjustable – From Cracked Grain to Cake Flour
- LIFETIME WARRANTY
Regarding the Country Living hand grain mill, one reviewer said, “After 7 years, this mill still works perfectly. While very pricey, this is built like a tank and performs perfectly. This will be the last grinder you will ever need.” They’re right about that…
My preference is to bolt it directly to a dedicated table. However, a table clamp for the Country Living hand grain mill works, too.
You may also be interested in the power bar extension handle accessory. I don’t have one, but logic dictates that it will enable more efficient use of your hand crank energy, or ‘elbow grease,’ delivered to the mill. The turning radius will be slightly greater.
Wondermill Junior Deluxe Hand Grain Mill
This manual hand grain mill is a quality choice and is very popular.
It may be the best mix of value for quality and price. This hand mill comes with stone heads and stainless steel burr heads to accommodate different conditions. And it will grind fine flour (and everything else) without issue.
It is heavy-duty and will grind almost all grains, seeds, beans, and nuts. It comes with both the Standard Auger and a Masa/Nut Butter Auger (can you say “homemade peanut butter”?!).
A locking adjustment knob lets you set ultra-fine flour to a super coarse cracked grain setting.
It is pricey, but it will undoubtedly withstand more heavy use. Fortunately, it does have a limited lifetime warranty should anything go wrong (peace of mind).
I don’t have this one (I have the Country Living model shown above). However, given one’s budget, I would not hesitate to purchase this model hand grain mill. Here’s what one reviewer said…
- Nicely built one-piece feed funnel. No cracks between sheet metal parts where grain can stick.
- Very secure clamp for bolting to the table. Option to bolt directly to table without clamp.
- Good quality flour from stone burrs, two passes.
- The crank turns smoothly and feels as if it will last.
- Burr plates clean easily with a toothbrush.
If you’re wondering where the Wondermill Junior Deluxe is made, it’s in India.
Deluxe Hand Crank Grain Mill
Nearly every manual hand grain mill priced around $50 has generally poor reviews. I wouldn’t bother with any of them. However, spending just a bit more (~ closer to $100) as of this writing will get you a much better budget grain mill, like the one shown above.
If my budget were a hundred bucks, I would get this one. However, this is not designed for heavy-duty work, so manage your expectations.
The “Deluxe Hand Grain Mill” (VKP1024) has a decent size hopper, an adjustable knob for coarse-to-fine grind, a replaceable milling cone, and a table clamp.
This one is a step above being “entry-level.” Although I don’t own this model, people seem to like it. It’s probably just fine for occasional use.
Checking some reviews, a few read as follows…
- I only use this product to grind my wheat berries. It does a beautiful job, and I use it every week.
- We use it to grind hard red spring wheat to make cracked wheat porridge and small amounts of stone ground flour. It’s small but works well for our purposes.
- This mill works perfectly. It is straightforward, relatively easy to crank, small, and sturdy.
FYI, the product is made in Taiwan.
For those interested in an electric grain mill, Mrs. J and I have been using one for years and have been very happy with it. This is the current most popular electric grain mill by Wondermill:
Hard White Wheat Berries: Wheatland™ : 25 lb Bulk
[ Read: How Many Pounds of Flour or Wheat to Make Loaves of Bread ]
[ Read: Wheat Berries | Varieties: Hard, Red, White, Soft ]
Read the full article here