FAQ

No. Home milling may seem to be quite expensive at first and rather for those “who can afford it”. But contrary to short term thinking, home milling will save money on the long run. An electric grain mill will typically have made up for its purchase costs after 2-3 years, saving you money throughout the years it will do its job thereafter.

Additionally, from a more “(w)holistic” perspective, you are likely to feel better and healthier, are less likely to become ill when consuming freshly prepared wholesome organic grains, and your food will taste better while you are enjoying it more. At the same time you are lessening the impact industrial food production and transport has on our planet and environment. These are good reasons that cannot be simply measured in money. We believe there simply is no good reason not to become a home miller – we have been doing it for more than 15 years – easily!

All our mills, and the flakers, are extremely easy to operate. Simply turn on the (electric) mill, adjust how fine you wish the flour to be milled, and insert the grains into the hopper. To mill enough flour for one 1kg loaf of bread takes roughly 10 minutes or less, depending on the mill. The mill does the job – you can do other things in between. Milling by hand takes longer, about 10-25 minutes, depending on the mill.

The grains need to be relatively dry. The milling of grain requires grain moisture of 14% or less (except some WIDU mills that can handle damp grains). Test if the grains “crack” if you press them hard. If they rather squash then they are too soft. Grains that are bought in stores are usually fine.

The mills do not require particular maintenance or cleaning. Wipe them with a dry or damp cloth occasionally and once every few years treat the housing with a bit of linseed or similar oil or wax.

Our mills and flakers should last many years – if not decades – if treated properly and with care. It is recommended to always turn on the mill before inserting grains into the hopper and mill all the grains in one go (except for the WIDU mills). This practice is easier on the motor.

Generally the mills can handle all grains that are dry (under 15% water content) and relatively low in oil content as well as many beans, pulses and (non-oily) seeds.

Grains that can be milled include: Wheat, Rye, Spelt, Kamut, Barley, Oats (only on a coarse setting), Millet, Durum Wheat, Amaranth, (non-oily) Rice, Buckwheat, Linseed, Dried Peas, Quinoa, Sorghum, etc.

The 360w and 600w mills can generally also handle corn (not popcorn) and chickpeas – the 250w models can generally too, but corn and chickpeas should be first milled coarsely and then again on a fine setting.

The KoMo mills have a changeable mill chamber and milling stones, allowing grinding coffee, spices and gluten free grains separately but with one mill.

Spices that can be ground include: Caraway, Cloves, Coriander, Fennel, Fenugreek, , Jamaican Pepper, Pepper Corn, Mustard Seed, Dill, Cumin, the seeds of Cardamom. Blend oily spices like chillies or cloves with less oily ones when milling. Use only dry spices.

WIDU mills are exceptional as they can, depending on the model, also handle sprouted damp grains, oilseeds and even nuts (making a nut butter).

The flakers can handle most grains. Oats and oilseeds (such as flax or sesame) can be flaked immediately. Other cereals such as wheat, barley, spelt, millet etc. can be prepared before rolling to avoid the shattering of the grains into small pieces instead of rolling into flakes. Place the grains in a strainer and hold it briefly under water. Then spread the grains on a cloth or towel and let dry for approx. 3-8 hours, depending on the grain. This process also enables a benefitial enzymatic process which makes the minerals and nutrients in the grain more readily available for metabolism in the body.

Most stone mills cannot handle oily seeds, grains or beans well (e.g. flax, sesame seeds, linseed, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, soy or popcorn) as they clog the milling stones. Do not grind nuts or grains and seeds high in oil content – unless you are using a WIDU mill. Small quantities of oilseeds can be ground mixing 1:1 with a dry grain like wheat or spelt when milling. Should the stones ever become clogged you can simply clean them by milling some dry rice grains. Milling oilseeds with KoMo mills may void the manufacturer warranty.

Freshly milled flour, groats or flakes can be stored for up to 6 weeks and should be kept in a dark, dry and cool place away from sunlight.

However, ideally grains should be consumed as freshly prepared as possible.

The germs of whole grains are rich in oils and these are prone to oxidation which turns the grains, once milled or flaked, much more quickly rancid and decreases the nutritional value of the grains. See our “Why whole grains?” article.

The shelf life of grains depends on many variables, including the grain type, temperature, light, humidity level, and potential infestations. Generally, grains should be stored in a cool, dry and dark location in a well-sealed container. Granaries are another great option, particularly for those who use grains frequently and like to store larger amounts. The grains are frequently moved – which helps avoid infestations and mould. During hot days grains can be stored in a container in the refrigerator or the freezer.

The shelf life of grains typically varies from several months to several years. A good overview about how to store different types of grain and their typical shelf life is provided here.

Salzburger Mills are one of very few manufacturers that offer mills with natural granite stones and are unique in having 35 years of experience in their manufacture. There are hundreds of different kinds of granite, but only a few of them have proven suitable for use as mill stones. The naturally formed granite is carefully selected and is a completely natural product as found in nature. Until today no forms of allergic reactions to granite mill stones have been reported.

Pair by pair the granite stones are individually and carefully worked by hand and adjusted to each other, which is very time consuming. Each pair of stones is unique and they have proven to have a very long service life. A characteristic of granite is its high resistance to abrasion; it is harder than many types of steel. Granite is strong and durable, however, depending on use, the stones need to be resharpened approx. every 15-30 years. Within the warranty period Salzburger Mills provide this service for free.

It is said by many that granite stones produce the fluffiest and finest flour with the best baking characteristics.

While granite stones are the most natural milling stones available and have been used for hundreds of years, today corundum/ceramic stones are commonly used by grain mill manufacturers. Their advantage is their low cost compared to natural granite stones. Additionally, they are harder than granite, self-sharpening and last approx. 15-20 years, depending on use. Corundum is the second hardest naturally occurring mineral after diamonds. Both corundum and ceramic are natural materials that are also referred to as clay or alumina (dioxide) and are made without artificial additives. The milling stones are created under high pressure when the corundum and ceramic mass is pressed into a casting mould and subsequently burned in a furnace at a very high temperature of around 1300 degrees.

These are, like corundum/ceramic stones, “man-made” milling stones that are moulded out of naturally occurring materials, naxos-basalt and magnesite. These are softer than corundum/ceramic and most granite stones and today are mostly used in manual mills that have comparably small milling capacities. Like corundum/ceramic they are self-sharpening and usually also last for a long time (10+ years).

There is no simple answer to the question which stones are best; it depends on your preferences, budget and intended use. Corundum/ceramic and naxos/basalt milling stones can generally better handle damper grains than granite.They are “man made” stones that are very durable, but some prefer the purely natural granite stones and claim that granite ground flour not only has the best baking characteristics but is also better on an energetic level. Whichever stone is chosen, under normal use they will last you a many years – if not decades – and can simply be reworked or replaced.

We provide replacement stones for all mills sold through us. To get your granite stones sharpened the entire mill needs to be sent to Austria as this is a complicated process.

Mills that use a steel burr have the advantage that they can crush almost all grains, including those with a high oil content. However, they relatively easily become blunt and rather “cut” than “mill” grains, often resulting in coarser flour that has inferior baking characteristics compared to stone mills. Conventional mass-produced flour is almost always crushed by steel burr mills and there is a reason why flour manufacturers always state on their packaging if a flour is stone ground. Stone mills simply create superior results and usually also finer flour from most grains such as wheat, spelt, rye, barley, rice, corn etc.

This rarely happens. However, should you encounter any faults or problems, please simply contact us via email or phone and let us know about your problem. If we cannot sort it via email or phone, send your mill or flaker back to us and we will assess the problem and get it fixed as soon as possible. All the mills and flakers are serviced by us in NZ – so they do not need to be shipped to Europe in order to get serviced or repaired, saving you expensive postage. An exception is the sharpening of granite stones. For this process the mill needs to be sent to Salzburger Mills as this requires special equipment and knowledge. We have access to all necessary spare parts and can also provide you with new milling stones – should that ever become necessary.

We at Flour / Power / Mills would like to support non-profit organisations and collectives that care about the environment, the future, others and our health.

Therefore, we offer a special discount on all mills and flakers for qualifying not-for-profit organisations.

If you would like to receive this 5% discount, please place your order via email or phone and let us know a little about what you do.

Here you find a list of NZ providers of whole organic grain.

This list is incomplete and there are many stores, supermarkets and online shops selling grain, non-organic as well as organic. Below we have listed some online and local shops to get you started.

Generally, it is easiest and cheapest to simply buy grain in bulk quantities of 5 to 25kg and store them at home – where they can be kept for months.

Biograins NZ: www.biograins.co.nz/

Biograins are one of NZ’s largest producers and traders of organic grains some of which they also sell online.

Milmore Downs: www.milmoredowns.co.nz

Milmore Downs produce a range of biodynamically grown organic grains which they also sell online.

Scotsburn Farm: www.scotsburnfarm.com

Terrace Farms Organic Grains: terracefarmorganic@gmail.com

Wholegrain Organics: www.wholegrainorganics.co.nz

We do not want you to have to keep our products in case you realise after delivery that they do not work for you – for whatever reason.
Therefore, items that are ordered in our online shop can be returned to us within 7 days after delivery, provided that:

1. 1. The item is in NEW order, without signs of usage, and the item and packaging are complete and undamaged.
   2. You pay for the courier costs to post the item securely back to us.
   3. In cases where the item shows signs of usage or has suffered any damage, we accept returns only on our discretion. Please contact us first to discuss your options.
   4. We will refund you the outstanding balance – minus our initial courier costs to send the item to you, and the credit card / PayPal payment fees of 3% (if applicable). Additionally, we need to charge a 7.5% handling, checking, cleaning and restocking fee on your returned item.
   5. This return offer excludes commercially used mills and flakers as well as items imported from Europe on customer order (items not currently held in stock and with a delivery time of 3-5 weeks or longer and those delivered via direct delivery service outside of New Zealand).

In order to be able to keep prices low, we generally need to follow this policy. However, we are always open to discuss your particular circumstances and wishes should the need arise.

All our electric mills come with a 8-12 year manufacturer’s warranty. This warranty covers only private, domestic household use. For manual mills and flakers the warranty period is 3 years, and for commercially used mills and flakers 2 years.

Please find the applicable warranty periods for specific items on our product pages.

The manufacturer’s warranty covers faults in workmanship and function that are due to manufacture. The warranty does not cover claims for consequential damages, loss, natural wear and tear or damages due to incorrect use or inappropriate or incorrect maintenance.

The mills and flakers are serviced by us in NZ – not in Europe. In case of a problem, fault, or failure with you mill or flaker, please contact us first via phone or email before sending the item back to us. We will then assess your situation and make sure that your mill or flaker gets back to work as quickly as possible.

You need to keep your proof of purchase in order to be able make claims under the manufacturer’s warranty.

However, the mills and flakers we sell hardly have any problems or defects, even after years of use. They are built to last, against the “grain” of time.

Once your order is placed and your money cleared we endeavour to post your items within one day. The usual delivery time is 1-2 days within NZ after your order has been shipped. For deliveries to Australia allow up to 6 days extra.

We send our parcels via Courier that requires a signature upon delivery. Therefore we cannot deliver to PO Boxes – please provide a physical street address. The parcels are insured against transport damage. On delivery, please check your parcel and items for possible transport damage immediately, and in case you find any damage, do not sign for delivery and inform us. We’ll sort it out…

Items that are held by our suppliers in Germany and Austria usually need about 3-5 weeks until they are delivered to you. Most commercial mills need 6-8 weeks. Targeted delivery times are indicated below each item. Items with a delivery time of 2-5 days are currently held in stock by us.

Due to unforeseeable circumstances, however, delivery times cannot be guaranteed. If you urgently need an item, or require it by a certain date, please contact us before you place an order and we will try to find the best solution for you.

Please enquire for deliveries above 20/25kg.

For deliveries to Australia please enquire via email!

Generally, no customs fees or GST need to be paid when importing goods to Australia with a value of up to AU$1000 incl. delivery charges (approx. NZ$1250) .

We also deliver to any other country in the South Pacific Region. Please enquire first, and we will find the cheapest rates for you. We only charge for the additional cost of postage – independent of where you live.

Payment can be made in advance via bank transfer into our bank account or via Credit Card. The payment option via Credit Card attracts a surcharge of 3% in order for us to partially offset the fees charged by Stripe. This allows us to keep prices low.

Alternatively, you can pay in cash in case you choose to pick up. Pick up is only possible after prior arrangement.