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NOTE: This mill has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
Weight: 8 pounds
Height: 11 inches
Hopper capacity: 8 cups
Canister capacity: 12 cups
Manufacturer: Creative Technologies, L.L.C
The Whisper Mill is a home grain mill in the “impact” mill or micronizer category. It uses steel “teeth” or blades to mill grains or legumes into flour. Impact or micronizer mills can mill flour very fine to slightly coarse, but they do not grind or crack grains. The manufacturer’s term for the Whisper Mill’s steel milling heads and its technology is “Micro-burst®”.
When people ask my advice on selecting an electric grain mill in a moderate price range, I recommend the Whisper Mill. I have used the Whisper Mill in my home since it was first introduced. I even take it with me on vacation because it is so light and easy to transport and store. The manufacturer’s Lifetime Warranty makes the Whisper Mill a wise investment. I consider the Whisper Mill to be the best mill in its category.
Features:
- The Whisper Mill uses a 1 3/4 peak horsepower.
- A plus of the Whisper Mill is the fact it is lightweight (weighs about 8 pounds) and it has a small footprint. The Whisper Mill is easy to store because of its unique hourglass shape. The canister (where the grain is poured into) detaches from the mill and can go directly into the refrigerator (with flour). Additional canisters are available for purchase. I have more than one, so I can mill with one and store in the other.
- The Whisper Mill performed well in all my tests. It milled my dry grains and legumes quickly and produced fine flour perfect for all uses. I regularly use my Whisper Mill to mill soybeans into soy flour and popcorn into cornmeal.
- The Micro-burst® milling chamber is surgical quality stainless steel, self-cleaning, permanently lubricated and requires no maintenance.
- The Whisper Mill comes with a 12 cup plastic canister and two lids. One lid is for milling and includes the connecting tube, separator cup and foam filter. The additional lid is solid and turns the canister into a storage container.
- The Whisper Mill plastic separator cup and a foam filter are designed to trap the ultra-fine flour particles and keep them from being blown back into the air (and to protect the consumer from breathing them in).
- The Whisper Mill carries a manufacturer’s Lifetime Warranty.
The Whisper Mill performed as advertised, milling grains and legumes into flour, very fast and very fine.
Important notes:
- Impact mills are loud. The Whisper Mill is the quietest mill I have tested in the impact mill (micronizer) category, but it is still louder than other mills such as slow-speed stone mills. I do not wear earplugs while using the Whisper Mill, as I do with the K-Tec, but the noise level is comparable with a vacuum cleaner.
- There is usually flour residue on the milling lid and in the side of the mill where the canister tube connects. The lid, separator cup and foam filter should be wiped or washed after each milling. The mill should be brushed or tapped out after each use. These are not cumbersome chores, but it should be noted that they must be done after each time the mill is used. This is to ensure that the flour residue does not remain, becoming rancid and mixing with new flour that is milled during the next milling session.
- Impact mills cannot crack grains or produce very coarse flour. Even though some information suggests the flour coarseness can be greatly varied, in my tests, there was only a slight difference in the flour texture by adjusting the dial on the front of the mill.
- Impact mills cannot mill oily seeds or nuts. Only dry grains and legumes should be milled. If grain is moist, clogging of the mill can occur.
- When milling larger dried beans, it is important that the dial be adjusted to the wider settings.
Only cleaned grains and legumes should be milled in impact mills. If a stone or hard foreign object passes through, it can damage the “teeth”. I make sure there are no rocks or stones in my grain before milling in the Whisper Mill. - The Whisper Mill must be turned on and the canister connected before milling. Placing grain in the mill before turning it on can result in clogging.
- Do not turn the machine off during operation.
- Do not cover the hopper of the Whisper Mill while milling.
Overall I found the Whisper Mill to be a very sturdy and safe home grain mill which performed as advertised. I was very happy with the flour it produced and how quickly the Whisper Mill milled flour. In my opinion, the Whisper Mill is an excellent mill and the brand that I recommend over other mills in this category.
Warranty: Lifetime limited warranty. For details contact the manufacturer.
NOTE: This mill has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
© 2003-2008 Vickilynn Haycraft and Real Food Living. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this review may be copied, stored or transmitted in any medium, for any reason without prior written permission of the author.
About Vickilynn Parnes
