Pepper Mill ImportsAtlas Salt Mill, Brass, 8"

I bought the matching salt and pepper mills also.The pepper mill is OK, though I'm not sure it's the same quality as one I gave as a gift a few years ago, it doesn't seem to fit quite as smoothly but claims it's still made in Greece.The salt mill was disappointing. On the box it says: "...we have fitted several mill designs with nylon sleeves. This makes them suitable to grind course (their spelling, not mine) sea salt into fine ground salt without the corrosion that results when salt comes in contact with metal."But inside the box is a paper insert for receiving optimum performance: "(1) Use only sun cured sea salt. Mined salt contains moisture which will cause a build up in the grinding mechanism. Pepper Mill Imports offers California Sea Salt under the Melina label..." among other warnings about overfilling, servicing the grinder, and keeping the surface clean to avoid corrosion.So...which is it? I can't use the coarse sea salt I already have?The grinding gears do seem to be nylon...they'll last awhile -- then what? I don't know if it has a liner inside, I'm not opening the sealed bag since it's not staying.I use very little salt and bought the companion mill more to make a set rather than need, and certainly don't want to buy special salt for it, so it's going back. Interestingly, it seems to have been returned before, someone has jotted some notes on the insert.FWIW: I was upset not to find handles until they were located INSIDE the grinder! Didn't expect that, didn't think there was room. Also the bottom of the pepper mill has a large screw which is probably the coarse/fine adjustment; there doesn't seem to be a comparable screw on the salt mill. I'd prefer a coarse/fine adjustment which is not in the path of the pepper output for sanitary reasons (my current mill has a screw at the top which can be tightened/loosened to move the shaft against the grinder keeping any contamination from fingers away from the food) but it's not an overwhelming consideration.UPDATE: I did keep these and have become an ENORMOUS fan of the pepper mill (never quite got into the habit of using the salt mill) -- this review deserves an update and adding some stars! The coarseness of the pepper is somewhat controlable by how much the knurled nut on the top is tightened, so if it's down pretty tight, the grind is very fine. I liked it so much I bought a set for my sister. She had a different, but interesting, problem: the pepper wouldn't grind. When I checked it out, the cause was peppercorns which were too large and wouldn't fall down into the grinding mechanism. I swapped out smaller peppercorns -- problem solved!You really appreciate the difference in peppercorns using the grinder -- try some of the 'gourmet' peppercorns which are multi-colored instead of generic black ones, there truly is a difference -- using different peppercorns just added subtle dimensions of flavor. The mill has held up very well and I expect it will continue to grind away for years to come. I would never, ever, go back to pre-ground pepper; who knew there was such a difference with fresh ground pepper?!I've been using a cheapo single-use salt mill (the ones with plastic innards which break about the time it runs out of salt)...however I do intend to start using the Atlas salt mill; it's also a more environmentally friendly option.Thanks to the vendor?/manufacturer? who responded to the 'special salt' issue. I suspect, if it's like the pepper, you might have to choose the right product or right size of coarse salt to use it successfully, and look forward to using it.

I bought two of these and they are very pretty in person. I haven’t used them yet so not sure of the functionality but they look very nice on the counter. I’ve seen the same mills on other home decor websites for a lot more money so I was pleased to purchase them for less. My only slight complaint is there was a space between the handle and the top cap exposing the inner bar. It didn’t look right but I put some scotch tape under the cap and it remedied the issue. Not ideal having to do that for the price but it’s not a big issue. Over all very pleased with the purchase.

I had been looking for a matched set of key style grinders for quite a while since they are so much easier to use as compared to the twist style of grinder. Most of the grinders out there are the twist style which take a long time to get sufficient quantity (especially when you are cooking) and they hurt your wrist after a while. Also it is hard to find a matched set and I really needed a salt grinder as well as a pepper grinder. I was delighted when I found these and even more delighted when I received them. They are beautiful and the most functional grinders I have ever used. I can produce a large amount of ground salt or pepper in very little time and with very little effort. They sit out on display all the time and we use them frequently. They are pretty enough to use on my formal dining table when we use the fine china. When a friend of mine came to visit she commented on them and thought they were antiques because of their beautiful old world styling. I could not be more pleased with them and would not consider using anything else. I highly recommend them.

I believe these are fakes.I bought an Atlas copper pepper mill from a restaurant. The quality was excellent so I thought I'd buy a brass salt mill (so it's easy to tell them apart). After only a few months, the base and top are corroded (I've only taken the top off twice to fill it so the damage is not caused by wear). It's obvious that these are not solid brass, but rather a very thin plating or maybe even paint.The underlying metal is non-ferrous, and while it's red, I'm not convinced it's even copper as either brass or copper corrosion is normally green. The grinding mechanism is plastic, but this makes sense in a salt mill.I've also attached a picture of the handles from my Atlas Pepper mill and whatever this one is. The Atlas is larger, and the nuts are slightly different sizes as well. My two mills are the same height, and I can't possibly imagine why a company would make two nearly identical pieces instead of simply using the same handle and nut on both mills.I'm now going to start the process to return this...

Incredible salt mill. Beautiful in the kitchen or at the table. A very nice weight in the hand - very well made. At first, I thought the little crank handle was missing, but no fear! It is inside the mill for shipping. It grinds so smoothly, but also produces a lot of fine salt with just one crank on the handle. I have brass faucets and knobs in my kitchen and I just love how this kind of adds another nice little shine of the brass on the counter. A truly beautiful piece that I will always love using, and well worth the cost.