Skeppshult “SPICE” Cast Iron Grinder

The Skeppshult cast iron spice grinder is a serious bit of kit that can grind down peppercorns, hard spices such as cloves, or dried seeds such as cumin and coriander.

The grinder features two halves that sit comfortably in the hand, and have corresponding ‘teeth’. Simply tip in your spices, hold the two halves together and twist. Turn the grinder just a few times for a coarse grind, or keep twisting for a finer mill. You may need a bit of muscle power to make the most of this grinder!

Do not use water to wash the grinder, as this can cause rust. Instead, use a brush to clean out any dry residue.

Swedish company Skeppshult (pronounced hep-salt) has been making cast iron products by hand since 1906. The process starts with raw iron that is heated to a searing 1,500°C in the furnaces. The molten iron is then cast into special moulds, made from sand which can withstand the extreme temperatures.

Sand moulds can only be used once, and therefore each product is unique – no two items are exactly alike. Each sand mould is recycled and used for another product. Skeppshult seasons their cast iron with rapeseed oil (also called canola oil) from Osterlen to protect it from damage.

Read our guide to cleaning and seasoning cast iron here