When you think of grinding fresh coffee beans, do you have in mind a modern day electric coffee grinder noisily smashing the beans or one of the many beautiful antique coffee grinders of decades past?
There are many designs and changes throughout the years, but effectively, they all do the same job.
The Earliest Coffee Grinder… a Mortar and Pestle
From the time of the ancient Egyptians people have been grinding coffee beans into powder to enjoy the delicious drink they could make from the powder. For many years a stone, wooden or iron mortar and pestle were used to grind the beans.
From the fifteenth century invention of the first spice grinder, also used for grinding coffee, to the addition of the ground coffee receiving draw in the eighteenth century, coffee grinders underwent many changes and improvements
Manufacturers produced coffee mills of several types that included:
- Canister
- Box or lap
- Upright
- Wall post or side mounted
- Double wheel
Collecting Antique Coffee Grinders
Although these types of antique coffee mills are not for the average collector, there are numerous antique and vintage coffee grinders that are available at auctions and antique shops both on and off line. However, before purchasing an antique coffee mill always make sure that the item is advertised correctly and that it is not a marriage, which is a combination of pieces from different models.
Generally most collectors look for coffee mills of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Coffee mills from European manufacturers include:
- Armin Trosser – German
- DeVe – Holland
- Elma – Spain
- Kenrick – England
- PeDe (Peter Dienes) – German company as coffee is spelled kaffee
- PeDe (Peter Dienes – Holland company as coffee is spelled koffie
- Patentado – Basque area of Spain by the M.S.F. Company
- Spong – England
I’ve sold and still have a few for sale, and a few waiting for a clean and restoration.
Some of my favourites are below.
Peugeot Coffee Grinders
Yes they make cars as well. Peugeot have been making grinders for a long while, and still produce them now. I love the old metal and wood ones, and always found them to work really well.
Mefa Coffee Grinder
Made in between 1955 and 1960 in the GDR, there is not much information on this company, but it is most probably part of the state owned VEB company. This one is made in polished cherry wood and after a good clean, is now in really nice condition.
You don’t see many of these come up for sale, so drop on over to the Shop page and take a look.
Spong Coffee Grinder
Spong have been making coffee grinders in the UK for a long while. I was lucky enough to pick up this lovely 70’s cast iron one late last year. Designed specially by Robert Welch, this is a special creation and, again not many of them around.
This one has been neglected a bit over the years, but because of it’s all metal construction, it only needs a dismantle and cleanup before bringing to the shop.
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