Pepper grinders are used to get freshly ground pepper. Pepper is an ingredient which is added in the preparation of many dishes due to its preservative qualities and medicinal values. Freshly ground pepper is good for health and its tastier. All these things have made pepper a must-use ingredient and in turn the pepper grinder a must-have appliance.

Pepper grinders may be manually operated or battery operated. The manually operated grinders and battery operated grinders have similar set-ups. Pepper mills are used to convert the pepper corns into powder form. Pepper mills consist of two metal burrs or wheels which when twisted powder the pepper corns. The idea of a pepper grinder was gotten from coffee grinders. The size was reduced considerably in the case of pepper shakers, because they had to be placed on the table top. In the battery operated pepper mill the wheels are turned on with the push of a button. The fineness of the pepper may also be adjusted. The quality of the pepper got from peppercorns is consistent. Chefs prefer these pepper grinders for their regular use.

Pepper grinders may be divided into two units. The inner unit is comprised of the pepper mill and is made of strong materials that would withstand daily usage. The outer unit is the covering for the inner unit. These coverings may be made of wood, plastic, metal or glass. Hand made pepper grinders are also available in the market and they are made using ebony, teak wood, pink wood etc and hence are expensive. They are available almost everywhere in the market. They are available in various shapes and sizes. The cost of these grinders varies according to the material used for the outer covering. The price range varies from $5 to over $100. These pepper grinders are given as gifts also. Since pepper and salt go together they are available in matching sets also. Some grinders have salt shakers at the top. To sustain the competition some manufacturers offer lifetime guarantees on their products.