What’s the best grain mill for the price?

[Dgallo]

Looking for a little help and was hoping to get some suggestions from people of the best grain mill to buy for the price. Hoping not to spend more than $150-$180 on it, the less expensive the better. If you do have a suggestion, I wouldn’t mind hearing why you would choose one mill over another. Thanks in advance.

 

[tegman]

I went with the Cereal Killer because it had good reviews and a great price. I've used it for 30+ BIAB brews with no issues. I check the gap before each brew and it rarely needs any adjustment. Very satisfied with my purchase.

 

[jjw5015]

I've used the cereal killer for about 4 years now. No complaints, but I don't have anything else to compare it to. Think it was $99

 

[kh54s10]

You will get lots of opinions. There is a lot of personal preference and budgets in the answer.
For 8 years I used a corona style mill that cost about $25. I paid $0 it was a Christmas present. It worked fine.
I wanted to make a change, it was a little temperamental in starting to spin.
I went with the Cereal Killer also based on reviews and price.
It has so far made no difference in the beer.
It is a little easier to use.

 

[firerat]

You will get lots of opinions. There is a lot of personal preference and budgets in the answer.
For 8 years I used a corona style mill that cost about $25. I paid $0 it was a Christmas present. It worked fine.
I wanted to make a change, it was a little temperamental in starting to spin.
I went with the Cereal Killer also based on reviews and price.
It has so far made no difference in the beer.
It is a little easier to use.

Aside from me actually buying my corona myself, this was my experience.

I'm happy with the cereal killer. Couldn't be much easier to use and the price was right.

 

[OnePlate]

I've been researching this myself the last few days. The Cereal Killer has a pretty universal thumbs up from everyone on HBT. If you're thinking you want to be a little more fancy the KegCo KM11GM-3R 3-roller mill is unbeatable for the price. That's the one I'm trying to convince the wife I need as an early X-mas present.

 

[ZmannR2]

Cereal killer here too for a few years now....but a few times lately it'll just spin and do nothing.....think my gap is too small....I set it to a credit card width

 

[firerat]

Cereal killer here too for a few years now....but a few times lately it'll just spin and do nothing.....think my gap is too small....I set it to a credit card width

Make sure your drill is spinning the right way....

Ask me how I know.....

 

[homebrewfinds]

Not too long ago I would have said the Cereal Killer. However, AIH has released the Crop Duster. With their current brew more save more sale it's just $69.99. Have not tried it, but it looks like a great mill for the price.... https://www.homebrewfinds.com/2019/08/the-crop-duster-grain-mill-69-99-w-stacking-deals.html

 

[nick sekerak]

i use a barley crusher just cause i got it used for $75. When i was looking at the cereal killer it looked like the exact same thing at the barley crusher. THe only diff was that the barley crusher could do a smaller gap.

 

[RCope]

I, too use a Barley Crusher from Northern Brewer. 30 batches, adjusts easy, and does a fine job...159.99 but with 20 or 25% off it's reasonable.

 

[day_trippr]

I pushed my Barley Crusher well past the average lifespan and replaced it with a $99 Cereal Killer mill last winter. Have been quite pleased with its build quality (far superior to the BC) and performance. Two thumbs up for sure...

Cheers!

 

[augiedoggy]

Not too long ago I would have said the Cereal Killer. However, AIH has released the Crop Duster. With their current brew more save more sale it's just $69.99. Have not tried it, but it looks like a great mill for the price.... https://www.homebrewfinds.com/2019/08/the-crop-duster-grain-mill-69-99-w-stacking-deals.html

this mill has much softer stainless rollers though which means it will likely suffer the same fate as the barley crushers do. all you have to do is google "problems with grain mill" or "grain mill rollers stuck or sticking" to see pages of complains about the barley crusher due to the soft metal used for the rollers and the knurling wearing down.

 

[augiedoggy]

i use a barley crusher just cause i got it used for $75. When i was looking at the cereal killer it looked like the exact same thing at the barley crusher. THe only diff was that the barley crusher could do a smaller gap.

Sorry to sound like a broken record but actually there are a few BIG differences between these two mills that should be covered..

The barely crusher costs more$$ and even though it does, it uses cheaper bronze bushings instead of the real sealed ball bearings found on the cereal killer.
The barely crusher uses soft metal rollers that some members here had to send the mill back multiple times to have replaced before giving up and replacing the mill. the cereal killer uses hardened cold roller steel. Dont take my word for it. Do a search here.

Did You get that mill used because the owner was done with the hobby of brewing or because he replaced it with a better mill?

 

[augiedoggy]

Cereal killer here too for a few years now....but a few times lately it'll just spin and do nothing.....think my gap is too small....I set it to a credit card width

My CKs been set with a credit card for 6 years now without issues so that shouldnt be the issue really. Ive put many sacks of grain through it.

 

[augiedoggy]

Looking for a little help and was hoping to get some suggestions from people of the best grain mill to buy for the price. Hoping not to spend more than $150-$180 on it, the less expensive the better. If you do have a suggestion, I wouldn’t mind hearing why you would choose one mill over another. Thanks in advance.

my vote is for the cereal killer or this mill below which seems to have gone up in price over $30 in the last 2 days for some reason.
https://www.beveragefactory.com/homebrew/pre-fermentation-equipment/kegco-km11gm-3r-grain-mill.html

I have both of these mills. I ues the cereal killer at home motorized and the kegco gets used at my brewpub every week and has had literally thousands of pounds of grain through it at this point with zero problems.

what ever you buy look for features like hardened rollers and ball bearings.

 

[kh54s10]

i use a barley crusher just cause i got it used for $75. When i was looking at the cereal killer it looked like the exact same thing at the barley crusher. TH.e only diff was that the barley crusher could do a smaller gap.

The Barley Crusher and Cereal Killer are NOT the same. I did my research before I bought the Cereal Killer and all the problems that people posted about the Barley Crusher and getting it serviced convinced me not to buy a Barley Crusher. The rollers wear out way too soon, the bushings also are inferior to the Cereal Killer's sealed bearings.

Not sure about the gap either. When I was setting the gap on my Cereal Killer I think that at one point I had the 2 rollers touching. Not positive about that.

 

[Sbe2]

I have a Kegco 2 Roller(KM7GM-2R) that I bought for right handy to $100. It has lasted for several years and several hundred pounds of grain.

 

[kh54s10]

For what it's worth, my $25 Corona style mill that cost me nothing, other than mounting it, because it was a Christmas gift worked just fine for 8 years and 105 batches, mostly 5 gallon. It was a bit difficult get to spin then run at an even speed with my drill motor. I replaced it with the Cereal Killer. If the rollers on the CK were to wear down or something else were to break I would have no qualms about returning to the Corona.

 

[Dgallo]

Thanks to everyone on the advice. I was looking into the CK so I’m glad to see so many having a positive experience

 

[tegman]

Cereal killer here too for a few years now....but a few times lately it'll just spin and do nothing.....think my gap is too small....I set it to a credit card width

Are you running your flaked adjuncts through the mill? I used to run everything through the mill and found it would just spin if too much flaked oats hit the mill at the same time. Since they don't need to be milled I no longer do that and my spinning issue went away.

 

[sicktght311]

Another vote for the Cereal Killer. I've had it over a year now for 20+ brews and it hasnt failed me once

 

[augiedoggy]

I have a Kegco 2 Roller(KM7GM-2R) that I bought for right handy to $100. It has lasted for several years and several hundred pounds of grain.

This This mill is actually the same exact mill as the cerial killer just rebranded

 

[mongoose33]

I've had a barley crusher--don't go there!--and currently have a Monster Mill III that's motorized (outside your budget parameters).

If I were to get a mill in or around your price range, the Cereal Killer would be my choice. At $99, you even have some room to look at motorizing it, which is actually very cool. You can get a drill from Harbor Freight or something similar, but there are other motor options as well.

And at that price point, with a drill to motorize it, there's enough money left to build a rolling cabinet or other piece of "furniture" that fits your space. One of the coolest things about my MM3 is that it sits there, ready to go, all I need to do is put a bucket under it, turn on the switch, and in goes the grain. No setup, no taking off a shelf, setting up a drill, or any of that stuff.

So if it were me--and all this depends on what's most important to you--I'd be all over a cereal killer, some way to motorize it, and use the balance to build something to permanently mount both.

*************

If you want an easy way to make a rolling cabinet, start with a furniture dolly which you can get at any home story. Hard to even buy the casters for what those things cost.

 

[Blazinlow86]

I'd say cereal killer on a budget. Monster mill if your not. Do not buy a barley crusher or equivalent. They don't last long. Cheers

 

[9Kegs]

My first mill was a Barley Crusher and the rollers stopped grabbing grain after 3 months. I then purchased a Cereal Killer and what an improvement in quality.

 

[MaxStout]

There's a lengthy thread around here that goes into painful detail about all the problems people have had with Barley Crusher's customer service (or lack, thereof). Run like hell from that one.

I have a 2-roller Monster Mill, but am not impressed with its use of bronze sleeve bearings. It works OK, but if I were to do it again, I would opt for the Cereal Killer, which uses better bearings and is cheaper than even the lowest-cost MM. Only the top-end Monster Mills use ball bearings, and those models run well into the hundreds.

 

[Blazinlow86]

There's a lengthy thread around here that goes into painful detail about all the problems people have had with Barley Crusher's customer service (or lack, thereof). Run like hell from that one.

I have a 2-roller Monster Mill, but am not impressed with its use of bronze sleeve bearings. It works OK, but if I were to do it again, I would opt for the Cereal Killer, which uses better bearings and is cheaper than even the lowest-cost MM. Only the top-end Monster Mills use ball bearings, and those models run well into the hundreds.

Anyone have any links or know anyone in person who's actually had a problem will the monster mills bushings though? The same few people bring it up everytime monster mills are mentioned as being a huge flaw but ive never read/heard anyone actually having a problem. If anything it's exactly the opposite. Only time will tell but I'd bet the terrible bushings on my monster mill last longer than the rollers did on my buddies cereal killer with the superior chinese roller bearings did. Cheers

 

[augiedoggy]

Anyone have any links or know anyone in person who's actually had a problem will the monster mills bushings though? The same few people bring it up everytime monster mills are mentioned as being a huge flaw but ive never read/heard anyone actually having a problem. If anything it's exactly the opposite. Only time will tell but I'd bet the terrible bushings on my monster mill last longer than the rollers did on my buddies cereal killer with the superior chinese roller bearings did. Cheers

How long do you think before time will tell? Because I've got 6 years use on my motorized belt driven cereal killer and I've put literally just under 5000lbs through the 3 roll version of the cereal killer with the same rollers and bearings at the brewpub.. it still looks and functions like new as well as the CK I have at home regardless of what country it was made in or how much it cost...

The barley crusher was advertised as made in the USA.. and it also uses the bronze bushings. I do know of one report where an owner had to replace worn bushings on that mill. You have a valid point that no one has reported issues with the Monster mill. It doesnt change the fact that sacrificial bronze bushing are the cheap inferior option and to get real bearings like the CK uses from monster mill you literally have to pay hundreds more.
And We do have a MM3 at the brewpub on a shelf as backup.. my brewing partner bought it to replace his failed barley crusher..

Edit you got me curious so I did a search and found there really isn't any threads with complaints in the mm mills but there are a few threads about the rollers stopping and Fred giving instructions that the rollers need to be removed and the bushing shafts need to be cleaned and the dust can bind it up and cause it the stick. Doing so seems to resolve the issue and it doesnt return a short time later like it often would on the Barley crusher.

 

[Blazinlow86]

How long do you think before time will tell? Because I've got 6 years use on my motorized belt driven cereal killer and I've put literally just under 5000lbs through the 3 roll version of the cereal killer with the same rollers and bearings at the brewpub.. it still looks and functions like new as well as the CK I have at home regardless of what country it was made in or how much it cost...

The barley crusher was advertised as made in the USA.. and it also uses the bronze bushings. I do know of one report where an owner had to replace worn bushings on that mill. You have a valid point that no one has reported issues with the Monster mill. It doesnt change the fact that sacrificial bronze bushing are the cheap inferior option and to get real bearings like the CK uses from monster mill you literally have to pay hundreds more.
And We do have a MM3 at the brewpub on a shelf as backup.. my brewing partner bought it to replace his failed barley crusher..

Edit you got me curious so I did a search and found there really isn't any threads with complaints in the mm mills but there are a few threads about the rollers stopping and Fred giving instructions that the rollers need to be removed and the bushing shafts need to be cleaned and the dust can bind it up and cause it the stick. Doing so seems to resolve the issue and it doesnt return a short time later like it often would on the Barley crusher.

How long do you think before time will tell? Because I've got 6 years use on mine and I've put literally just inder 5000lbs through the 3 roll version of the cereal killer with the same rollers and bearings at the brewpub.. it still looks and functions like new as well as the CK I have at home regardless of what country it was made in or how much it cost...

The barley crusher was advertised as made in the USA.. and it also uses the bronze bushings. I do know of one report where an owner had to replace worn bushings on that mill. You have a valid point that no one has reported issues with the Monster mill. It doesnt change the fact that sacrificial bronze bushing are the cheap inferior option and to get real bearings like the CK uses from monster mill you literally have to pay hundreds more.

Believe it or not Augie some of your comments are actually how I ended up with a monster mill. We've always had different opinion on crush/flow rate with out recirculating setups. I found I got better results milling looser around .040 and flowing faster for heating performance. You've found it better to mill tighter and flow slower. I was curious try milling tighter and see if it raised my efficiency. When I attempted to mill at .035 on my barleys crusher it wouldn't grip anymore. My buddie offered to loan me his cereal killer as he was a rdwhahb kinda brewer who never took it serious and therefore always ended up with mediocre beer and gave up the hobby as do alot. His mill did the exact same thing. Anything tighter than about .040 the grain would not feed and just slipped. To clarify the rollers all turn fine on both mills the knurling just wouldn't grip. Now admittedly his was purchase about 3 years ago and the more I think about it may have been the kegco version so it's possible they were better made when you purchased yours 6 years ago or if his was actually a kegco it's not actually the exact same. If you search around you will see others have had the same issue with the cereal killer ( I think someone mentioned it a few posts ago in this thread actually) so I don't think it's a isolated thing. im not doubting you have had great luck with yours just like you have better luck milling tight but as all things homebrew everyone has different outcomes and i havent had any luck with chinese mills or milling tighter. My thought was I can gamble to save a few dollars and possibly have the exact same outcome I already did twice or just pony up ( not to be a ass but money's not tight ) and get the monster mill. I may be the unlucky first to post I had to replace the inferior 5 usd bushings but it's a small price to pay to not have to buy new rollers for the chinese mills if thats even a possibility. To summarize I feel the rollers are more important than the bushings and therefore money aside the monster mill will always be a better choice and if your on a budget as the majority are the cereal killer is a great choice. Cheers

P.S in my mind at least i feel that if the bushing were so inferior that they would not have used them in the first place just to save 1-2 dollars a unit when everything else is of arguably the highest quality. its not a value type product. they could have just sold the mill for 2 dollars more to cover the cost. i was just looking on the website and unless im missing a professional page or something it appears they dont even offer bearings anymore. cheers

 

[MaxStout]

Anyone have any links or know anyone in person who's actually had a problem will the monster mills bushings though? The same few people bring it up everytime monster mills are mentioned as being a huge flaw but ive never read/heard anyone actually having a problem. If anything it's exactly the opposite. Only time will tell but I'd bet the terrible bushings on my monster mill last longer than the rollers did on my buddies cereal killer with the superior chinese roller bearings did. Cheers

Anecdotal data is anecdotal. Your mill vs your buddy's mill.

Meh.

Show us empirical evidence that bronze sleeve bearings are superior to ball bearings. Especially in a mill application where side-loading (e.g., pulleys) is a factor.

I'll wait.

 

[Blazinlow86]

Anecdotal data is anecdotal. Your mill vs your buddy's mill.

Meh.

Show us empirical evidence that bronze sleeve bearings are superior to ball bearings. Especially in a mill application where side-loading (e.g., pulleys) is a factor.

I'll wait.

Meh. Show us empirical evidence that the Chinese made mills with bearings actually makes a longer lasting mill all around.

Again if the bushings wear out I can replace them for 5 dollars. How much do new rollers cost for the superior chinese bearing mills and can you link were I can buy them?

I'll also wait. Cheers

 

[day_trippr]

Why would one need to replace a roller for a failed bearing? Replacement should be no different than replacing bushings.

My BC was bushed but to my knowledge that was never an issue - I use a direct gear-drive setup so the side loading is from the gap/crush pressure alone. And I'm still using that mill, btw - in reverse - set up for hard wheat when that's on the menu. Run backwards I'm using the knurling that's still viable. Saves changing my CK gap for the smaller berries.

I've only run about 300 pounds of barley malt through the CK and have been sticking with a vacuum cleanup vs a compressor blow-out based on conjecture on HBT. We'll see how long that works...

Cheers!

 

[Blazinlow86]

Why would one need to replace a roller for a failed bearing? Replacement should be no different than replacing bushings.

My BC was bushed but to my knowledge that was never an issue - I use a direct gear-drive setup so the side loading is from the gap/crush pressure alone. And I'm still using that mill, btw - in reverse - set up for hard wheat when that's on the menu. Run backwards I'm using the knurling that's still viable. Saves changing my CK gap for the smaller berries.

I've only run about 300 pounds of barley malt through the CK and have been sticking with a vacuum cleanup vs a compressor blow-out based on conjecture on HBT. We'll see how long that works...

Cheers!

Did you read what I posted? My opinion is the bearings or bushings means nothing. Both the Chinese mills I've used had the rollers wear out not the bearings. If you try googling it you will also see that it's a pretty common occurrence with Chinese mills. I can't find anything about rollers wearing out causing slipping on a monster mill however. So again to summarize I feel that cost aside the monster mills are superior to the Chinese mills regardless what bearings are used.To my knowledge you can't replace the part the rollers in the Chinese mills but you can easily change the bushings on a monster mill. Your free to disagree but I doubt many will agree with you if they actually have the monster mill. Cheers

 

[day_trippr]

What you posted:

[...]Again if the bushings wear out I can replace them for 5 dollars. How much do new rollers cost for the superior chinese bearing mills and can you link were I can buy them?[...]

I don't know what you meant to say.

I have read of at least one instance of a bearing being replaced, same process as replacing a bushing. No need to replace a roller.

And as to replacing mill rollers, try replacing worn out BC rollers...

Cheers!

 

[Blazinlow86]

What you posted:



I don't know what you meant to say.

I have read of at least one instance of a bearing being replaced, same process as replacing a bushing. No need to replace a roller...

Cheers!

Your missing my point. The bearings or bushings did not fail in either of the chinese mills. The rollers did and they aren't replaceable. If I had to choose between a mill that's rollers commonly were out and cannot be easily purchased or one thats 5 dollar replaceable bushings *could* but don't typically wear out it's a no brainer. Buy once cry once. Who cares how long the bearings last if the rollers wear out before that. Cheers

 

[augiedoggy]

Your missing my point. The bearings or bushings did not fail in either of the chinese mills. The rollers did and they aren't replaceable. If I had to choose between a mill that's rollers commonly were out and cannot be easily purchased or one thats 5 dollar replaceable bushings *could* but don't typically wear out it's a no brainer. Buy once cry once. Who cares how long the bearings last if the rollers wear out before that. Cheers

I think your missing the point... your assuming the rollers are worn out on two mills that you dont own. I own both and am using one in a commercial application with ridiculous amount of use and the knurling still appears new

On the mill (s?) you stated you have seen the roller wear out on, one you state yourself belonged to a buddy who wasnt really much of a brewer.. So how did this wear occur? Over and over the remarks and way you refer to them as inferior chinese mills, are indicating bias which does nothing but misrepresent the fact here.. You state the mill wont "grab grain" below 1.040 but we dont even know how it was adjusted if adjusted evenly or correctly,Hell we dont even know if your buddy who by your own words implied does things half assed, put the mill together correctly. We also dont know your process? do you have the mill running when you pour the grain in or are you filling the hopper and then trying to run it?

I did find threads started with complaints of the MM not working and the rollers not turning but when I read the threads it was obvious why in each thread. some had things adjusted wrong and were binding one of the rollers (which is a very common mistake with any of these mills) some had to take the mill apart and clean the ends and bushings... something Ive never had to do with either on my mills, EVER.. because they have bearings. I am also able to drive my home mill with pulleys and a belt.. something you cant do with a bushing mill.

P.S in my mind at least i feel that if the bushing were so inferior that they would not have used them in the first place just to save 1-2 dollars a unit when everything else is of arguably the highest quality. its not a value type product. they could have just sold the mill for 2 dollars more to cover the cost. i was just looking on the website and unless im missing a professional page or something it appears they dont even offer bearings anymore. cheers

Did you read the part where I mentioned Monster mill does in fact sell ball bearings as an upgrade? They have changed thier options and prices recently (lowering them likely due to competition) but Here is is for one hundred dollars more on thier pro series PD (pulley drive) mills? they do in fact see them as an upgrade. one they want you to spend upwards of $369 for just the base without the hopper..
https://www.monsterbrewinghardware.com/store/pc/MM-2Pro-PD-3p147.htm

This is one of those horses that get beat over and over because instead of directly comparing the design and engineering in 2 comparable products people have to bring in personal bias topics such as the country of origin and the whole "you get what you pay for belief" (Nevermind that likely 90% of the rest of their brewing equipment is likely from china) When the fact of the matter is its just not always relevant... if you bought the MM-3 2 years or so ago you likely paid over a hundred dollars more for it... What advantage did you get vs now?
Why was the mm3 with hopper and handle over $300 when it contained cheaper bushing and everything else is equal to the mill that was $149 shipped at the time. and why is that same mill cheaper now? Because of competition and that competition putting out a solid product for much less. without that competition its a sellers market where they can make whatever profit they want off the product.

 

[MaxStout]

Meh. Show us empirical evidence that the Chinese made mills with bearings actually makes a longer lasting mill all around.

Again if the bushings wear out I can replace them for 5 dollars. How much do new rollers cost for the superior chinese bearing mills and can you link were I can buy them?

I'll also wait. Cheers

Nice.

I ask for evidence to back up your assertions and all I get is your strawman argument about Chinese mills.

I didn't expect a reasoned argument from you, and I knew you wouldn't be able to offer up a sustantive reply. But I had to try, right?

But since you live in a world of anecdotal data, I will offer mine vis-a-vis MM, since you believe no one has had trouble with them. Someone has to be the first to point it out, and it might as well be me. The apertures of the sintered bronze sleeve bearings in my MM-2 have become out of round, due to the radial loading of my pulley system over time. There is a small amount of radial movement of the shaft now that wasn't present when the mill was new. It's not at a critical stage yet, and the play is perhaps a few thousandths of an inch. But it has manifested itself and I have now added a coupled driveshaft held in place by two roller bearing pillow blocks to limit the radial loading on the mill bearings and prolong its lifespan.

A few salient points on bearings and manufacturing:

Your "Chinese-made" argument is too vague and over-broad to have merit. Manufacturing quality varies greatly across different manufacturers in any country--including the U.S. Country of origin, in and of itself, is not an accurate predictor of quality. Again, you need some statistical evidence to make a judgment call.

A $1-$2 savings on a component used in a $200 consumer device in not trivial. If you think that MM would overlook a cost savings like that, you fail to have a good grasp of manufacturing economics. It's all about maximizing margins, and every dollar saved on materials is a dollar profit.

The mere fact that MM installs steel roller bearings in some of their top-line mills tells me that they are acutely aware of the superiority of those bearings, and are willing to pass along the added price to buyers of premium mills.

So where are we on the sleeve vs ball dichotomy? Let's check with an industrial source for their thoughts on the basic principles of the two bearing types:
*Both sleeve and ball bearings work well in applications involving thrust loads only.
*Sleeve bearings are generally quieter than ball bearings, but that is a non-issue, as the sounds from milling will mask that.
*Sleeve bearings are best applied in vertical orientations, while ball bearings work well both vertically and horizontally.
*Ball bearings are superior in cases of radial-loading, which would be the case of belt-and-pulley systems. Direct-drive and gearbox systems would limit this radial-loading, but horizontal shaft positioning may still be an issue.
*Ball bearings with sealed enclosures can be selected, and such bearings generally have better lifespans, due to better lubrication. Sleeve bearings can and do leach out lubricant over time.
*Both bearing types can be press-fitted onto a shaft and easily removed if needed, so the argument re replacement difficulty of ball bearings is moot.

 

[applescrap]

From the outside looking in, someone who has no pony in the race, it seems a no brainer. The cereal killer. Motorized and on a cart would be a plus.

 

[Blazinlow86]

After using a barley crusher , cereal killer and monster mill I much prefer the monster mill and believe it will last longer than the barley crusher and cereal killer did regardless of the bushings. The end