Choosing a Hand Grain Mill (Flour Mill)

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https://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/choosing-a-hand-grain-mill/

Choosing a Hand Grain Mill (Flour Mill) That’s Best For You
by Ken Jorgustin | Updated Dec 9, 2019 | SURVIVAL KITCHEN |


(UPDATED)

Hand Flour Mill | Best Hand Grain Mill?
I will recommend three hand flour mill’s. One is primarily for low use. The other two are for moderate to heavy use. And yes, those two cost more. Especially the last one (though it will probably outlive you

Acquiring (and learning to use) a hand grain (flour) mill is a rewarding process. It’s for the preparedness-minded person, someone who may be into self-reliance, or anyone who’s interested in making their own healthy bread from scratch!

There’s quite a range of prices for various hand grain mills (flour mills) and it may seem challenging to choose one that’s right for you.

Grind To A Fine Flour
If you will be milling wheat (wheat berries) to make flour for bread, you will want to be sure that the grain mill (flour mill) will grind the wheat berries into fine flour.

Grinding / milling your own flour is ‘work’ and it takes awhile to process the wheat berries into flour. Some are better at it than others. However the results will be unbelievably delicious and healthy.

Many cheaper hand flour mills are inadequate when it comes to grinding to a fine consistency, although many claim that they do. Read the product reviews and they will usually reveal the “real world” experiences and results.

Quality Materials
If you will be using the mill frequently, then it will be important to choose quality construction that will hold up to the test of usage and time. Many of the cheaper hand grain mills have reviews that indicate problems of one variety or another after a relatively short time.

The phrase, “you get what you pay for”, is often true! Unfortunately it means paying a higher price to get a product that’s “good”, and even more money for a product considered to be “excellent”.

Best Lower Cost Hand Flour Mill?

Deluxe Hand Crank Grain Mill

Deluxe Hand Crank Grain Mill

(view on amzn)

It seems that nearly every hand grain mill priced around $50 has generally poor reviews. Personally, I wouldn’t bother with any of them. However spending just a little bit more (~ closer to$100), as of this writing, will get you a much better product.

The “Deluxe Hand Grain Mill” (VKP1024) has a decent size hopper, an adjustable knob for coarse-to-fine grind, replaceable milling cone, table clamp, and optional electric motor add-on.

This one is a step above being “entry level”. Although I don’t own this model, people seem to like it. Probably just fine for occasional use.

Most Popular Heavy Duty Hand Flour Mill

Wonder Junior Deluxe by Wondermill Hand Grain Mill

Wonder Junior Deluxe by Wondermill

(view on amzn)

This 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 flour 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. It will grind “almost all grains, seeds, beans, and nuts”. 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 all the way to a super coarse cracked grain setting.

It’s pricey though (~ $250), as of this writing. But will no doubt hold up to more heavy use. Fortunately it does have a limited lifetime warranty, should anything go wrong (peace of mind).

One Of The Best Hand Flour Mills

Country Living Hand Grain Flour Mill

Country Living Hand Grain Flour Mill

(view on amzn)

Among the top-of-the-line hand grain mills on the market is this one, the Country Living Hand Grain Flour Mill.

It will literally last generations and is built with the highest quality. It is very pricey (~ $450), as of this writing. But it’s one of the best hand grain mills out there in my opinion… I can personally attest to its durability.

– 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

This is mine. I bought it years ago. Love it:

country-living-hand-grain-mill.jpg

For those who are also interested in an electric grain mill, we have been using this one for years and have been very happy with it:

NutriMill High Speed Grain Mill
 
I think having a flour mill of any sort is better than none, but I am sure there are some that are superior to others. Sign up to be notified of any listings that come up on Craigslist and you will come across some sooner or later. Like everything, when you have a goal of acquiring certain things, you will come across some sooner or later. I saw that the Denver Art Museum had a collection of Native American artifacts, they had donated to a local teacher's used store, and I got two stones, used for the purpose. Better than nothing, but lots of work. Hand grinders are better, but still work. Electrical are the easiest, but in a grid down situation, better to have a manual option.
 
I don't have a flour mill and I don't really eat flour. I found and posted this article because it still might be worth having one in the preps at my BOL.
 
I don't have a flour mill and I don't really eat flour. I found and posted this article because it still might be worth having one in the preps at my BOL.
I have an electric, four different hand mills, and the stones. I rarely eat or cook with flour, but since I have a bunch of wheat, which I think is a good thing to store for long term, I like having the mills. I used to eat more things made from flour and I used to bake more.

In a SHTF situation, having the ability to grind wheat into flour is something I want to be able to do. Decades ago I lived in a house where we purchased wheat in 50# bags and took turns making bread. Several of our neighbors did the same thing and one family had an electric mill that we all used. When it was your turn to make bread, you made several loaves, enough to last for a week. I enjoyed the process and the idea of going from grain to bread. My grandparents had a grainery, one section for wheat, other sections for milo and cane, the grain from sorghum. I never once saw the wheat used to make flour then bread or other baked goods. I believe the grain was used to feed farm animals.
 
I have the Country Living mill and a few hundred pounds of wheat berries. The mill is still in the box and the wheat is stored in a cool dry place and should outlast me. I don't eat much wheat anymore but If I'm hungry I'll do it. The same with my rice stores. If push comes to shove I'll trade for game meat.

P.S. I have the stones and such to grind beans or corn also. This is one of the few of my preps that is strictly for long term. Some people have #10 cans of prepared meals, I went another way.
 
I bought the Family Grain Mill years ago, hand-crank version. Funny, I just found it 2 weeks ago along with a box of ceramic crucibles for melting fine metals. I had forgotten I had a mill or the crucibles.

I got the mill from these folks, they still sell it. https://pleasanthillgrain.com/family-grain-mill-flour-grinder-wheat-grinder-combos

I've actually bought several things from Pleasant Hill Grain. I'm happy with their customer service and the products I've purchased.
 
I've got my mamaw's that looks like that one. But it's for grinding meat.
Yes, my grandfather was a butcher in his younger days. It is his grinder like that, that I have. We did grind other things like horseradish with it. I keep seeing that these will also grind wheat, with the right grinding plate in it. It would make sense to me that at one time, many families had one of these with a few different inserts, including one for wheat. I am not saying that I know that for a fact, but keep seeing these on ebay, and a few say for grains.

Anyone else willing to give it a try to see if you can grind wheat with it? When I get back home, I will.
 
I wonder if anyone here ever used one of these to grind grain? I keep seeing them and some of them say you can grind grain with them. I have my grandfathers. I should give it a try and see how well it works.

View attachment 31030
Also, @Bacpacker that's what mine looks like also. We also have a big electric meat grinder. I would have to look at the "blades" on a grain mill to see if they are different. If you try it Weedy, please let us know - would be interested.
 
Yes, my grandfather was a butcher in his younger days. It is his grinder like that, that I have. We did grind other things like horseradish with it. I keep seeing that these will also grind wheat, with the right grinding plate in it. It would make sense to me that at one time, many families had one of these with a few different inserts, including one for wheat. I am not saying that I know that for a fact, but keep seeing these on ebay, and a few say for grains.

Anyone else willing to give it a try to see if you can grind wheat with it? When I get back home, I will.
I'm sure you could grind wheat in them but it would certainly be a course grind.
I have these two that I have used. The one with the large flat plates is for grain. Yes I have cleaned them up and now both look very good and work good. I bought both used for cheap. I think I have 10 or 12 dollars total invested in them.

5-31 002.JPG
 
I'm sure you could grind wheat in them but it would certainly be a course grind.
I have these two that I have used. The one with the large flat plates is for grain. Yes I have cleaned them up and now both look very good and work good. I bought both used for cheap. I think I have 10 or 12 dollars total invested in them.

View attachment 31048
Thank you for this! I can well imagine that the flour would be course. I wonder if grinding it more than once would help? The grain mill doesn't seem to be made by Universal, but I cannot read the name of the maker. Landers? I see one like this for sale on my local Craigslist for $8, but it is a bit of a drive to go get it. In a SHTF situation, this is better than nothing! Got some active children? Let them grind some wheat!
 
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I have the Victorio deluxe grain mill and the Country Living mill. I have the motors for both.
Have you ever used either of them? A colleague of mine borrowed my hew hand grinder, still in the box to do an economic geography project, from seed to food. I don't think I have ever used it. I have a nice electric one, a name I can never remember and I am not home to look. I have used that, but it has been a few years.

Edit: It is a Retsel.
 
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Have you ever used either of them? A colleague of mine borrowed my hew hand grinder, still in the box to do an economic geography project, from seed to food. I don't think I have ever used it. I have a nice electric one, a name I can never remember and I am not home to look. I have used that, but it has been a few years.

I've used both. We've been using the Victorio up at the mountain place and the Country Living down at the desert place. I have the motors for both cause I'm to lazy to crank them. They will both produce a nice fine flour but not the real powdery stuff like at the store. I run it through the Victorio twice though to get it to that finer flour.
 
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I have both the meat grinder and the grain grinder as shown above but that grain grinder is a last resort.
I use a mill attachment for the Kitchen-Aid mixer that is great for the small jobs but for grinding wheat for flour storage (daily use type storage) I prefer the Country Living mill. With the large pulley that the handle is attached to you can run it with 3/4 horsepower motor or build a set of pedals with a small pulley to run the belt. I can grind a few pounds of flour without wearing myself out in less time than the Kitchen-Aid takes to grind one pound and with a lot less noise. In a power down situation you will be a lot happier with a set of pedals than cranking that handle by hand.
 
In a power down situation you will be a lot happier with a set of pedals than cranking that handle by hand.

The exercise bike was much easier than the hand crank. It also leaves your hands free for other things, like typing:D or flipping through cook books.
 
I have an old fashioned stone grinding mill powered with an old 1 horse motor. It was broken into pieces when I got it but I was able to drill the body of it and tap the holes and screw angle iron to it go put it back together and hold everything in place. It was also missing a stone so I took one of my old cutoff wheels and glued it to a piece of thin ply wood and installed that for the back grinding stone.

I could make it without a way of grinding flour, but I wouldn't want to. The difference in the flour that I grind compared to that of store bought is huge. The funny thing is I just junk grain meant for cattle feed from the local grain silo, but it still makes vastly better flour than what the store has.

I also like to mix my grains, for my pancake flour I use about 70% wheat, 15% barley, 10 oats and the remaining 5% is generally corn or millet. Man that makes a great a flour for pancakes mixes. My kids will sit and just eat handfuls of flour with that mix.

As for the comments about mills not getting a fine enough grind, that is common with all mills really. Most milling processes use sifting screens to separate the fine from the course. I use old window screens to do my screening. I either return the coarser material back to run through the grinder again or I use it for chick feed. I find it fastest and easiest to simply make a quick run through and a single screening just using the coarser for chick feed. Doing it that way I can process 100 pounds of grain an hour pretty easily by myself.

I have never used a hand grinder, but after grinding with a 1 horse motor I don't think I would ever want to try and use a grinding system powered by "me", it takes a fair bit of power to effectively grind grain.
 
I have never used a hand grinder, but after grinding with a 1 horse motor I don't think I would ever want to try and use a grinding system powered by "me", it takes a fair bit of power to effectively grind grain.
When someone comes to our place looking for a safe haven but have no supplies, I will tell them their job is grinding grain. lightbulb
 
I have my Father-in-Law's Conrona, I thought it was a meat grinder.
 
I have my Father-in-Law's Conrona, I thought it was a meat grinder.
I bought a Corona at a yard sale after Y2K. I paid $5 for it. It is considered a corn grinder, but I wonder if it could be used for all grains? I wonder which ones are hardest?

When someone comes to our place looking for a safe haven but have no supplies, I will tell them their job is grinding grain. lightbulb
That and chopping and stacking firewood, weeding the garden, shoveling snow, mending the fences, general clean up tasks.
 

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