Why anyone would spend a few hundred on pepper mills is really beyond me.

That being said, there are some actual grinding mechanisms HAVE changed over recen years. In particular, you can now get mills that have a ceramic element which crushes (rather than grinds) your salt/pepper/herbs/spices. These ceramic elements can have a number of advantages, including that they don't corrode & are less likely to jam or take on the flavor of whatever you last crushed.

(They also have disadvantages, such as the fact that they are brittle, so may not survive you throwing them around & the increased difficulty of making such a mechanism that has the same variability in how fine/coarse you can grind something--this increases the cost of the mills. But if you're throwing around $200 for an electric grinder, you probably won't mind dropping less than a quarter of that for a quality ceramic-based grinder.)

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I think it takes more than some shiny chrome and plastic to make a "Rolls-Royce" product, and the last thing I want is another appliance in the house that will not work without batteries. I also object to the fact that the otherwise excellent Peugeot mechanism will not provide a truly coarse grind. This is not surprising given that most Europeans prefer fine to medium grind white pepper while most Americans prefer medium to coarse (or cracked) black pepper.

When paying $200+ for Salt & Pepper mill set I expect something that is not ugly. If you are willing to pay $200 + for a set you can obtain handcrafted products from myself or other artisans offering truly unique and functional art. Make a visit to www.pepper-passion.com and them decide if these chrome and plastic pieces deserve the Rolls-Royce appellation.

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While I agree that $200 is a lot of money for a salt and pepper mill set, and I wouldn't buy a battery operated mill (it's really not THAT difficult to turn the grinder, is it?), the Peugeot mechanism warrants the accolades it receives. Of all the grinders I've owned, and I've owned many, the Peugeot that I use in the kitchen, the one that gets the most frequent and demanding use, is the ONLY one that still works after many years of service. I'm currently shopping for salt and pepper mills for the table, and will quite likely spend the money on Peugeot again (though, not battery operated!), knowing they will still function gracefully long after I cease to do so...

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