9-in. Unicorn Magnum Plus Pepper Mill, Black.
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Our Price: $45.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of 9-in. Unicorn Magnum Plus Pepper Mill, Black.
Customer Review: What a fantastic pepper mill!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Unicorn Magnum Plus is a fantastic pepper mill! Some key features include:
* Grind Quality
It's very easy to set your grind at the base, and it maintains your preferred grind consistently, use-after-use.
* Huge Output
You get a LOT of pepper per grind!
* Huge Storage Area
This pepper mill has one of the largest storage areas for pepper that I've seen. It takes a very long time to go through this much pepper!
* Easy to Fill
On the off-chance that you might need to refill your pepper grinder one day, it is very simple to do so. No screws or parts to remove... simply twist a covering located near the top of the pepper mill and refill. It may be good to note, however, that as easy as it is to refill, it is just as easy to UNfill... I accidently emptied peppercorns all over my kitchen floor one day when I inadvertently twisted the cover.
* Comfortable to Use
This pepper mill, above all, is comfortable to use. Whether you want a little pepper or a lot, this pepper mill will not cramp your hand or cause you any pain. This is a big plus when you are trying to add a lot of pepper to a steak or a soup.
The only real downside of this pepper mill is its looks. It's large, black, and made of plastic -- not the most attractive item on the kitchen counter. If it were stainless steel, or in some other way had a neat modern look, it would be absolutely perfect.
Although I think it is certainly worth it, the price is a little steep. If you are looking for something a bit cheaper, I read that Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen also recommends the "Oxo Grind It" and the "Zyliss Large Pepper Mill" as good buys.
Customer Review: STUPID design flaw and grind adjustment fails after 5 years
Summary: 3 Stars
This would be the best pepper mill ever except for two big problems and I speak as someone who has been using this mill daily for at least 5 or 6 years. First problem is a really stupid design flaw where you fill the mill with pepper. There is a ring you have to turn at the neck just below the grind head which you turn to expose a hole to put the pepper in. Problem is, it opens by turning the neck clockwise, the same direction you turn the top to grind pepper which opens the hole up while you have it tipped to grind pepper and dumps pepper corns all over the place while you are using it! Very frustrating but I got use to it even though it still happens after so many years of trying not to touch the fill ring. This could have been so easily avoided by making the fill ring open by turning the opposite direction or a simple plug to cover the hole rather then the turning neck. Just plain stupid!
The second issue is the bottom screw which adjusts the grind from coarse to very fine. It worked fine for a few years but now it instantly reverts back to course after just one grind of the mill even if you tighten the screw all the way down for fine grind it still goes right back to very coarse which makes it completely useless for my cooking needs.
As for the grind adjustment failing, I doubt any other brand would last any longer then 5 years and this mill did work really great when it was working and it does get used daily. The design flaw is really annoying though so take that into consideration when choosing this mill. Not sure what brand I will buy this time but I do need to replace my Unicorn.
Customer Review: After owning this mill for 8 years...
Summary: 5 Stars
....I can tell you it is the best ever. Works as explained in other reviews, puts out as much ground pepper as you could possibly want; puts other mills to shame. But after several years of use it started to have a problem with the adjustment for coarseness of grind. Even when tightened all the way down to "fine" grind, after one or two grinds it instantly loosened to the most coarse setting, emitting barely broken up chunks of pepper.
So I called the Tom David customer service number. We are on the west coast, so they were closed for the day. I left a message, thinking I would probably never hear back. But the next day, I got a return call. When I explained my problem, I was told that the bottom plate/grind adjuster unit had been improved since we bought our mill about 8 years ago, and that they would happily send me the updated part at no charge. A few days later it arrived. I easily installed the new bottom plate in about a minute (couple of small Phillips screws) and was back in business. The mill works as good as new!
The quality of this product, and customer service from the manufacturer/distributor, is unfortunately a rare thing these days. Buy this product with the confidence that is the best you can get, and that it is backed up by the manufacturer, even after many years. (Current units have the improved bottom plate/grind adjuster, which appears to have a small tensioning spring that my original unit did not have.)
Customer Review: How are these people using this?!?
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll admit, I got this mill based on recommendations from ATK and Alton Brown. When I got the darn thing, I was amazed at how easy it was to use and how much you get (15 to 20 half-turns nets about a teaspoon) per crank. You may find it a little easier to fill with a measuring cup with a pointed spout, but the fact that you don't have to adjust the grind mechanism to add more peppercorns is a big plus. Particularly if you've found your favorite consistency. And it's lasted much longer than others I've had with ceramic or metal grind mechanisms which have either broken or become clogged repeatedly and spin without generating anything.
That being said, I can't imagine what people are doing to get a rain of peppercorns. OK, I CAN imagine, but really, it's easy to overcome. Instead of putting your whole hand on top like you're trying to win who's up at bat first, put your hand on the top in the same way you're holding the body. I've got pretty large hands myself and this has never failed me.
Still concerned about inadvertently opening the fill ring? Grasp it with the hand holding the body. With it secured that way, you can't open it and if you do, your hand is covering the hole.
STILL find yourself somehow opening the thing up? What the heck are you doing orienting it any way other than vertical after you're done using it? It doesn't go into a drawer, for crying out loud! Stand the darn thing up!!
Customer Review: Perfect in almost every way......
Summary: 5 Stars
I LOVE LOVE LOVE pepper and put it on pretty much everything I eat. Did I mention I really like pepper? OK, for the review of the product. I purchased this based on the reviews I read online and was not disappointed. The only thing that is a downfall is the locking mechanism for the filler is a twist and unfortunately to unlock it, it is the same way to grind. Since these two are next to each other you CAN accidentally twist open the filler locking mechanism. In my opinion, this is SO MINOR that I could care less, if you are someone who is concerned then don't fill the mill to the point where the peppercorns are level or above the filler hole PROBLEM SOLVED. Now for the good things. This thing puts out so much pepper per turn it is insane, absolutely love it. Turning my old mill I would sometimes do it at an angle, I carried this habit with me when turning the magnum and when I tipped it straight up I noticed a whole pile of pepper slid down the inside, that's how much this thing puts out, you have to make sure you mill close to straight up. The filler hole is EASY to fill, unlike some of the other reviews you may read, took no more than a few minutes. As someone else pointed out in a review, the actual mill is made in Italy, says right on it, they obviously know what they are doing. If you haven't decided to purchase this already then just take my word for it, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!