Get Back to the Grind: Wheat Grinders

One of the most important things you need to get in your journey to emergency preparedness is a wheat grinder. Wheat is an critical part of food storage. But it won't do you much good if you can't do anything with it! Sure, you can boil it, fry it and even bake it. But personally, I'd rather have some nice homemade wheat bread with butter and honey. If you would, too, then be sure to add a wheat grinder to your shopping list!

There are lots of different kinds of wheat grinders. Some are electric, which are awesome...if you have electricity! I have the kind that hooks up to my kitchen-aid mixer. It's great! But I also wanted something for situations when there was no power available. And I am NOT going to grind my wheat with rocks out in the backyard. So, this post will be about the kinds of grinders you would need if there were no electricity. I'll include links to several different ones in different price ranges. Hopefully you can find the one that fits your budget and your needs! We'll start from least expensive to most expensive. However, remember that you may get what you pay for. You want a good quality one, who knows how long you will need to use it. However, also remember that a less expensive one is better than nothing! And if you find one, shop around the internet. I tried to find the best deals on these as I could...but who knows, you may find it at a better price somewhere else.  Find the best sale so you can use that extra money saved for other emergency preparedness things! *wink wink*

 

The Kitchener Multigrain Mill 

 $40 from Northern Tools 

Specially designed for milling corn, grain, cereal, soybeans and nuts. Quick-grinding, hand crank mill features a clamp mount and rust-resistant, tin-plated cast-iron construction with a 5 1/2in. diameter aluminum hopper.

 Victorio Hand Grain Mill  

   $56.95 at BePrepared.com

Features:

• Grinds exceptionally fine.
• Cone-shaped grinding burrs are self aligning, made of cast stainless steel, and are precision machined to insure long life and smooth, even milling.
• Grinds wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, non-oily seeds, peppercorns, and other dry grains and spices.
• Adjustable for any desired texture from fine to coarse.
• Grinds about 1/2 cup of fine flour per minute or 1 cup of coarse flour per minute. You will be delighted with the results.
• Make your own delicious whole grain breads, cracked grain cereals, and other bakery items at a fraction of the cost of store-bought.
• Saves you money, while providing fresher, healthier foods.
• Stores easily in a drawer or cupboard and is always handy when you need it.
• Dimensions: 11 ½” x 5” x 2”

This is a really popular one. It's a solid little thing! (BTW, this is the one I chose for my family.)
 Wonder Mill Junior Hand  Grain and Flour Mill.

                         $219.95 at BePrepared.com

* One-piece construction means no worries about the hopper coming off during milling.

* Grinds fine flour or coarse cracked grains for cereals.

* Simply swap the stone heads for the stainless steel burr heads to make peanut butter, grind flax or any other oily or wet grains, and even grind herbs and spices, soy beans and legumes.

* Central support pillar is set back to make it easy to collect your hand-ground flour below

* Extra large lifetime lubricated bearings

 

I would now like to introduce you to the Jr. Mill's big brother.
The Country Living Grain Mill

$429.00 at Pleasant Hill Grain

• Premium Hand Grain Mill: The Country Living Grain Mill is a high capacity hand operated mill that can easily be adapted to powered operation because its design incorporates a handle-flywheel which doubles as a v-belt pulley. Construction of the Country Living Grain Mill is strong cast metal alloy with super tough powder coat finish that won't chip or peel from anything short of severe abuse. It's a very nice mill to use and a handsome piece of equipment with clean, functional lines and beautiful raised wheat heads on the side panels.
  
  
• Engineered for Quality Grinding: The grinding burrs for the Country Living Mill are precision-engineered, made of high carbon steel (not lower-grade iron) and are a massive 5" in diameter. Flour remains cool in the Country Living Mill, so nutrient quality is preserved. The precision fit of the burr faces also means turning effort is unusually easy for a hand operated mill, particularly with the optional handle-length extension. The Country Living Mill produces 1 cup of wheat flour in about 1-1/4 minutes (grinding rate is a little slower if you use the optional Power Bar handle extension.) The grind is infinitely adjustable, so you can crack grain at a loose setting or crank it down and get extremely fine whole grain flour in a single pass. The Country Living Grain Mill is excelled in its ability to combine moderate turning effort, yet produce very fine flour — or a coarser meal texture, depending on your needs.

• Motor Option: A motorizing kit is available below or you can construct a motor drive of your own design. Some owners have also adapted their Country Living Mills to drive off an exercise bike. The motorizing kit uses a commercial grade gearmotor, and this option can always be added to your mill later, if you choose.
  
• Built to last... and last: The Country Living Grain Mill represents the ultimate in strength and durability, and the fit and finish are outstanding. The handle is hardwood, 7" long, and shaped to fit the hand very comfortably. You'll need to fasten your Country Living Mill to a table or large board. You can bolt it down in a permanent location, or a great new Country Living Mill clamp option is now available below. The mill has double sealed industrial ball bearings that are widely spaced to prevent shaft runout and minimize wear. (You can see the shaft and bearing assembly below on this page.) Even with regular use, the Country Living Grain Mill will still be providing trouble-free service in your great-grandkids' day.
  
• Easy to Clean: No hand mill is easier to clean than the Country Living Mill. Just spin the large adjustment knob on the nose of the grinder off, and the outer grinding plate slides off for total access to the grinding area of the mill. You can brush the flour off the plates and have them reassembled again in one minute.
  
• Highly Versatile: The Country Living Grain Mill is, as its name implies, designed primarily for grains (and beans.) But many of our customers use their Country Living Mill to grind various other materials that are dry, flowable and not excessively oily. Even small amounts of dry herbs can be ground.
  
• Dimensions: The Country Living Grain Mill stands 13.5" tall and measures 12" wide & 10" deep, excluding handle. Weight 17.7 lbs. Flywheel diameter 12-1/4". Hopper capacity is 4.5 cups.
  
• Manufacturer's Lifetime Warranty in manual operation 

 

This one is from Williams Sonoma. 

$675

I love the red of this one....but didn't want to pay the extra $200 for it. Sigh. :)

Compared to commercially ground flours, freshly milled grains are richer in vitamins and far more flavorful. This sturdy mill makes it easy to grind your own grains—including wheat, oats and barley—as well as corn, legumes and nuts. Create flours for breads, cakes and other baked goods with rich grain flavor. You can also make your gluten-free baking mixes, fresh nut butters and granola. Use the optional clamp to attach the grain mill securely to your countertop surface for a complete workstation. Each mill and clamp is individually handcrafted in the USA to endure for generations.

• Preserves the natural nutrition of fresh whole grains and ensures your results are free of unwanted additives and preservatives.
• Handmade of steel with precisely machined burrs.
• Grind can be adjusted to the desired consistency, from coarse to ultrafine.
• Includes a large and small stainless steel auger to handle a variety of grains.
• 5" grinding burrs are machined from hardened alloy steel.
• Stainless-steel hopper guard.
• Can be cranked by hand or powered by an electric motor or even a bicycle.
• Ergonomically contoured crank handle is crafted of hickory wood.
• Secure to work surface by bolting through the predrilled holes or using the GrainMaker clamp (sold separately).
• The clamp’s two-point contact holds the mill securely in place even if you grind using electric power.
• Clamp is machined from solid aluminum stock and easily attaches to countertops up to 3" thick.
• The mill and clamp both have a durable baked-on red powder-coated finish.
• Mill: 10 1/8" x 13 3/4" high.
• Clamp: 3" x 5 1/2".
• Lifetime guarantee.
• Made in the USA.

There are lots of wheat grinder options out there, but these are the most popular ones I have found. Hopefully this helps you along your way to finding a wheat grinder for your family! If you have any questions, let me know! I am more than happy to help! 

And as always, thanks for stopping by!