Peugeot P35402 Bali FONTE Pepper Mill, cast Iron, Black, 8 cm

Product Information

Peugeot is a French brand that originated in 1810 as a manufacturer of coffee mills and bicycles. Over the years, the company has diversified its portfolio and ventured into various sectors, including automotive, industrial, and household production. Today, Peugeot is widely recognized as a symbol of elegance, precision, and reliability. For example, the bonus of having a pepper grinder with some form of transparent element means you can see when you are starting to run out. But if these are left in well-lit spots, the sun can begin to affect the flavour.

The Palace mills feature a beechwood wooden body with an antique finish and hallmarked silver-plated metal. While the Paris grinder is a product we’d describe as a design classic, this Scandi number by Swedish iron foundry Skeppshult is something a little different. This ultra-sturdy, minimalistic design features a magnetised walnut wood lid and coated cast iron body. With a 1kg heft, it makes a strikingly solid product to handle. The Bali Fonte carries a lifetime guarantee on the grinding mechanism, and although it’s a bit pricier than the Paris, its sturdy build does inspire confidence in its durability. If you were to use this grinder five times a week for 20 years, its would cost 1.05p per use - somewhere in between the Paris and the disposable grinder. If you expect to be adjusting the coarseness of your pepper mill’s grind pretty often, I’d suggest either of the Peugeot options. The Skeppshult beech grinder is highly adjustable too, but the dial is a little harder to use. If you’re struggling to decide on a lifetime pepper mill companion, I think most cooks would be happy with any of the four I’ve just compared. All these pepper grinders look great, offer excellent functionality, and are designed to last many years of everyday use. They’re a world away from the disposable plastic grinder, and testing these products made me realise just how pointless it is to put up with the throwaway version.The expert functionality, ergonomics and technical prowess of each salt mill will easily stand the heat in any kitchen, making it the perfect companion for hearty homecooked food as well as sophisticated fine dining, cosy homes or Michelin-starred restaurants. At the table, the Peugeot salt mill stands proud, willing everyone gathered around to experience their own enjoyment of seasoning food to personal taste. A style icon and a symbol of renewed ingenuity, the Peugeot pepper mill expresses an exceptional know-how and contemporary design that is admired by food enthusiasts, epicureans and the most revered chefs worldwide.

I’ve bought a fair few of these grinders in my life (or ones like them). These particular ones have a top that can’t unscrew, so once the pepper is used up, in the bin it goes. They’re not even recyclable due to the mixed materials. I’ve also had similar ones where the top can come off, but that often happens mid-grind, causing all the peppercorns to flood out onto your food. Soup ruined. Ease of Use and Maintenance: Peugeot pepper mills are designed to be user-friendly and hassle-free. Their intuitive grinding mechanism ensures effortless operation, while their easy-to-maintain construction guarantees long-lasting performance. The first Buy Me Once pepper grinder I’m demonstrating is this beechwood number by Peugeot. That’s Peugeot as in the car manufacturer - did you know the lion in their logo originally symbolised the crushing jaws of their grinding mechanisms? Peugeot have actually been manufacturing pepper mills in France since 1874, long before they made their first car.

The best pepper mills you can buy in 2023

Depending on your needs or preferences, you might want to manually adjust the grind of your pepper. Typically you’ll need a coarser grind for something like steak, while a finer grind allows for a more even distribution for salads or soups. You can buy mills with just one setting, but a pepper mill with adjustable grind settings offers more flexibility. The history of the pepper mill began in 1874 at the Peugeot family steel factory in Doubs, France, with the creation of the first table pepper mill, the Z model. It is still setting the standard today for its ease of use and expression of flavours and is now available in numerous exclusive collections. Whether you choose the Paris line, which has reinvented the art of grinding, or the Bistro model, a symbol of the French joie de vivre, the Madras mill with its skillfully refined lines, or the acutely modern, translucent Daman, each mill promises to stimulate all the senses through a combination of unique materials, sensual lines, galvanizing sounds, satisfying aromas and sublime flavours. The Bali Fonte grinder uses the same mechanism as the Paris, and it also has the knob on top to adjust the coarseness of your grinding. So it’s not surprising that both Peugeot grinders were very efficient at creating evenly-ground pepper. Like the Paris, the Bali Fonte was slightly more difficult to twist on the coarse setting, but I liked that the bumpy surface provided a bit of grip.