Zassenhaus are the grinders Ken David's calls "technically excellent" and are not to be confused with less functional, decorative box-type mills.

All of the box mills have nearly the same capacity and it takes between 1 and 2 minutes to grind enough coffee to make 6 cups of filter drip grind. Grinding finer takes longer - i.e. more revolutions of the crank. The grind is extremely even and adjustable, excellent for stovetop-type espresso, filter coffee, and French press coffee. If a manual grinder interests you, we are more than happy to answer any questions about the different models, and will offer straightforward advice on which ones we prefer! Zassenhaus grinders have a 10-year guarantee on the entire grinding mechanism, and feature conical burrs made from tool-grade hardened steel.

Here are our care and use instructions for the Zassenhaus

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• Beech Knee Mill, Model 156 BU
  $80.50 (+ 2.2 lbs shipping)

• Mahogany Knee Mill (gold hardware), Model 156 MA
  $80.50 (+ 2.2 lbs shipping)

The Model 169 DG Closed Hopper Walnut Zassenhaus mill is perhaps a deluxe version of the closed hopper mills. It features a cast iron top end that is very sturdy, on a walnut finish base. The burrs are the same as the other box mills but it has the same cast handle as the 154 MA, my favorite because it is more rigid. The narrow neck between the cast top and the bottom allows you to get a good grip on the mill with your one hand as you crank with the other. Both the bean hopper and the drawer are larger on this mill than the box mills - as the scale of the whole mill is a bit larger (dimensions are 9" h x 5.25 " w x 5.25" d). It costs a bit more than the other box mills, but in our opinion is well worth it! Here is a view of the cast metal top. Here is a view of the burrs.

Model 169 DG - $105.50 (+ 3.6 lbs shipping)

The Zassenhaus Turkish Mill is a recent discovery for me. I had heard that Zassenhaus used to make Turkish style mills 20 years ago, but had seen no recent examples. I desperately wanted to stock a Turkish mill, but the quality of 99% of the ones out is absolute crud. Then I found someone who was offering these coffee mills to topnotch restaurants and gourmets as "the ultimate pepper mill". It certainly is, because inside are chromed tool grade steel Zassenhaus burrs! This is the essential "mill for the road" in the original Nomadic spirit of Arabic coffee; roasted, ground and brewed in one sitting by merchants and traders. All coffee instruments were compact, folded into saddlebags, and were no less than sacred!

The handle and knob are solid cast brass. The side are solid brass with decorative traditional scroll designs. It holds enough coffee for a 4-6 cup brew. The grind is adjustable for anything for Filter Drip and finer. Not cheap but you will have it for a lifetime. Height without handle is 7 inches, diameter is 1.75 inches

$81.50 (+2 lbs. shipping)

		Below is an image of the 4 parts the Turkish Mill breaks down to: the Handle (which you remove to open the lid and pour beans into the upper hopper), the Lid, the Upper Hopper/ Main Body, and the Grind Hopper that catches the grinds.
Here is an image of the burr assembly in the Turkish mill, stripped of the brass casing. You can see the brass lid at the top of the image, and the adjustment screw in the foreground --which would be inside the lower grind hopper.	Here is a reverse image of the burr set so you can see the the auger end that drives the beans into the conical burr. The Turkish is a slightly smaller burr set that the other Zassenhaus mills.

Someone asked me once if Zassenhaus had a web site, which seems highly unlikely. Zassenhaus is an "old-world" company. Well, times have sure changed since we started this business: Zassenhaus can be found at www.zassenhaus.com! They produce hand-cranking pepper mills and coffee mills. They are not heavily "marketed," in fact I don't think the company has any official presence in the US, and they certainly don't package for this market: Zassenhaus mills come in plain brown boxes. This is common for European manufacturers although it might seem strange in the American market where the box is often prettier than what's inside. They come only with a German tag and a few words in English. We provide our own instructions on adjusting and care of the grinder.

I have noticed that on the www.zassenahus.com web site sells coffee mills that say "Espresso" on them. As far as I know these mills are identical on the inside - they are no different in terms of the burrs. But they are not sold in the US - at least our distributor is not able to get them.

Can it grind extremely fine and even for pump and piston espresso machines? Yes it can ...you must adjust the burrs tight so they rub a bit (they won't wear though --mine is 3 years and shows no significant wear). Grinding takes longer when it is finer too - so if you make more than a shot or two a day - you probably want an electric mill.

Using a Zassenhaus on a daily basis is not for everyone. In the age of convenience, grinding coffee by hand makes sense for some folks, and would be an annoyance to others. If you intend to give a Zassenhaus mill as a gift, please think about this because we do not offer satisfaction guarantees or refunds on items except in case of a defect.