The Spice Girls should advertise this product - and they should call it Lazy Spice. The electric pepper grinder, complete with salt shaker, takes all the slog out of the exhaustive task of twisting a manual grinder. By simply pressing the button at the top of the power mill you can grind your peppercorns either finely or coarsely, according to the setting you select. This can be adjusted by tightening or loosening a nut on the bottom of the grinder.

The device also doubles up as a salt container, although you have to go to the trouble of manually tilting it to apply the salt to your dish.

However, it's in the context of the candlelit dinner that the grinder really comes into its own. A small light which flicks on as the peppercorns are scattered illuminates your plate and ensures that you hit the target every time - even in the dimmest of light.

Six AA batteries power the unit and these are placed in a small power unit.

As befits such a luxury item, gourmet peppercorns are recommended by the Chinesebased manufacturers, but if you're out to impress your guests then the grinder should do the trick.

(Price: £26. Available at Minima, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 and Presents of Mind, Hibernian Way, Dawson St, Dublin 2.)