How to refill cole and mason pepper grinder

Is my mill covered by a guarantee?

Yes. All our salt and pepper mills are covered with a lifetime mechanism guarantee & manufacturers guarantee.

How long is the manufacturers guarantee?

For mills, our manufacturer guarantee covers any other parts outside of the lifetime mechanism guarantee for 2 years from the date of purchase. On non-mill items, the manufacturers guarantee is 2 years on all parts.

Are the electrical parts of my electronic mill covered by any guarantee?

Yes. The battery cell unit (where the batteries are put) is covered for 2 years from the date of purchase.

What does the Cole & Mason Lifetime guarantee cover?

It covers the mechanism itself (which grinds the salt or pepper), the mill stem (that runs throughout the centre of the mill from top to bottom) and the guide bar (that holds the stem in place). Please refer to our Guarantee page for more details.

How do I make a guarantee claim under the Cole & Mason Lifetime guarantee/manufacturer guarantee?

Please get in touch via our contact us page to start a guarantee claim.

Where are Cole & Mason products made?

All of our product design & development is based here in the UK. Our products are physically produced in China and we only work with very reputable manufacturing partners, who adhere to our very high quality standards.

Web Order Questions

How can I place an order with Cole & Mason?

Orders can only be placed online via our website. We do not have the ability to take orders by phone, email or mail order.

How long will it take me to get my order?

We aim to ship orders from our warehouse within 2 business days after you have completed your order. Most UK delivery addresses can expect a next day delivery once we have shipped, however, some addresses not within mainland UK or in remote areas may take longer. Overall, please allow 3-5 days to receive your order from the date of your order confirmation.

Do you deliver internationally?

We only deliver to addresses with a valid UK postcode, with exception of BFPO addresses. We do not ship to ROI, EU or Internationally. Please get in touch with one of our International Brand Representatives via our Distributor information page.

Product Questions

How do I change the grind setting of my mill?

If your mill has a knob, turn this anti-clockwise for a coarser setting or clockwise for a finer setting. The knob will either be located on the top of the mill, or on the base depending on which mill you have. To watch a video on how to change the grind setting of our mills, head to our YouTube channel here.

Can the mechanism on my mill be replaced?

Potentially. We advise getting in touch with our customer services team before trying to remove the mechanism in your mill as some older mills can be taken apart whilst our newer mills can not. Our team will be able to help you fix the problem yourself or check if it falls under our lifetime guarantee.

Can I put salt in my pepper mill and vice versa?

This depends entirely on the mechanism. Salt can only be used in a mill that has a nylon or ceramic mechanism. Salt cannot be used in a carbon steel mechanism. Pepper can only be used in a mill that has a ceramic or carbon steel mechanism. Pepper cannot be used in a nylon mechanism. The only mills where salt and pepper can both be used are if they have a ceramic mechanism. To learn more about our mechanisms click here.

Can I put my mill in dishwasher?

No, Cole & Mason mills cannot be put in dishwashers.

What is the best way to clean my mills?

The best way to clean a mill is to use a damp (not wet), colourless cloth. After cleaning, dry the mill straight away - do not leave wet. The mechanisms should not be rinsed, submerged in water, placed on a wet surface or get wet in any way. Please do not use cleaning products on the mills, for example, anti-bacterial or kitchen spray.

Why has my mill gone rusty/mouldy?

The primary reason why your mill would have rusted/produced mould, is water exposure. This includes putting the mill in the dishwasher, washing it in a sink, wiping with a damp cloth and not drying after. Incorrect storage, like leaving the mill in a damp place or leaving it outdoors could also cause rust or mould.

Why has the salt in my mill become discoloured and is it harmful?

Your salt mill could have got discoloured due to water exposure, food residue stuck at the base, storing in a damp place or leaving of an unclean surface.
We would advise that you do not eat the salt and dispose of any that may have come into contact with the discolouration. If the mechanism has discoloured it cannot be washed and should not be used.

Where are Cole & Mason salt and peppercorns sourced from?

Our salt is currently sourced from Belgium and peppercorns are sourced from Vietnam.

How can I change the light in my mill?

It is not possible to replace the light in any electronic mills. All lightbulbs in mills are LED and have a long-life expectancy.

What types of salt can be used in Cole & Mason salt mills?

You can use sea salt, rock salt and Pink Himalayan rock salt in mills with a nylon mechanism however we would recommend using a mill with a ceramic mechanism for prolonged use. Rock salt is harder than sea salt and will wear down the mechanism quicker over time however this is less likely to happen with a ceramic mechanism.

What are the best before dates of the spices included in racks?

Herb and spice sell by dates are displayed on the bottom of the box, if you no longer have this we recommend a best before date of two years from the date of purchase.

Is it safe to use a brush or scouring pad on the Pestle & Mortar?

Yes, it is safe to use both items to clean our pestle & mortars.

Are the granite pestle & mortars dishwasher safe?

No, our granite pestle & mortars are not dishwasher safe. The best way to clean is under running water with a brush or sponge.

Why does my pestle & mortar produce dust?

When the pestle and mortar meet without any ingredients, natural dust from the granite is produced. Wash thoroughly with water and your pestle & mortar will be safe to use. We also advise cleaning your new pestle & mortar before its first use.

My oil & vinegar mister wont spray, why?

Please check the black collar is fastened correctly creating a tight seal. Ensure the filter end is not blocked by ingredients. The mister needs to be pumped a recommended 5-7 times to ensure good spray output.

Is the salad dressing shaker dishwasher proof?

Yes, the salad dressing shaker is dishwasher proof.

For anything else, please contact

Activate and hold the button to confirm that you’re human. Thank You!

Try a different method

OK, I'll admit I'm a sucker for America's Test Kitchen, and watch their product reviews as well as their cooking segments. They seem to do the hard work of reviewing cooking products so I don't have to, and I've purchased many of the items they recommend, and never been disappointed. That being said, I have probably a half-dozen pepper mills in my kitchen right now, in addition to 3-4 pepper shakers that you simply fill with that hideous, underflavored and ridiculously expensive ground pepper, because one of us here loves coarsely-ground pepper and one of us only eats finely-ground pepper. Well, the review of this pepper mill made it sound like the perfect solution to our Jack Spratt situation here! Ordered it, came quickly and pre-filled with a delicious peppercorn, and the mill does indeed switch from finely-ground (comparable with the crap in the can) to very coarse chunks. My only negative comment is that switching the settings between the different grinds (so far) is kind of difficult and not particularly smooth. Now I will hope that perhaps the switching will become easier and smoother with a bit of use, so I'm reserving final judgement; if I am correct, I'll come back and update this review. But aside from that one little issue, I love the mill...though it is quite costly, it's clearly beautifully made, nicely-sized, and does what it's supposed to do.

Update: One month later: I still love this pepper mill, but there are two provisos...1) as noted in my original review, the effort required to switch between the different grinds is quite substantial; and 2) the effort to actually grind the pepper is also quite substantial. You have to hold the glass portion and turn the top portion (if you hold the bottom portion, you will accidentally change the grind coarseness setting). I'm a pretty strong guy with strong hands, and it's tough for me to grind; if I had bad arthritis or less hand strength, not sure I could deal with these problems. As it is, I love the product enough to overlook these, but I do wish the company could make it easier to use.