This week, Value for Moneycompares five varieties of peppermills

***** Excellent

**** Great

*** Fine

** Below Par

*Awful

Cole Mason’s Buzz Max, €49.80

Highs:This electric mill, which buzzes gently as it dispenses, is a fine option for people with limited wrist mobility or those engaged in single-handed cooking. With its brushed chrome finish and slightly triangular shape, it looks funky and feels solid and is nicely ergonomic. It is suitable for both salt and pepper and can be adjusted to deliver very fine and very coarse grounds.

Lows:Despite all the plusses, we remain unconvinced by electrical pepper mills. There are more parts to break and, apart from the initial price, there is the ongoing cost of batteries; when you consider this uses six AAA batteries, that might be substantial. Irritatingly, Cole Mason don't bother to include batteries or pepper with this product.

Verdict:Unnecessary

Star rating: **

Peugeot Paris Pepper Mill, €49

Highs:If the Buzz Max is ultra modern, this is old-school and would fit comfortably into the most chic of Parisian bistros. Made by Peugeot, this might be considered the Rolls Royce of pepper mills. It has a timelessness that is appealing but it works very efficiently, with the grinding mechanism being particularly smooth. While Peugeot make a range of sizes, we judged this one to be perfect – it is comparatively compact but retains a nice heft.

Lows:It might be too expensive for many budgets in these difficult times and, while some people might like the adjustable grinding mechanism, we found it a little fiddly and just a bit too easy to switch from coarse to fine.

Verdict:Excellent

Star rating: *****

Jamie Oliver Cracking Black Peppercorns Grinder, €2.95

Highs:This is the cheapest mill by a long margin and while it is probably not going to last a lifetime, it is refillable, so it should live long after the first batch of peppercorns has been milled. The grinding mechanism is rough and delivers a substantial amount of very coarsely ground pepper in half a twist. The lid cap allows you to gather a lot of ground pepper, although that may be of limited value.

Lows:It is cheap as long as it is re-used. If, on the other hand, it is bought as a disposable item, then it will cost more in the long term, not to mention the carbon footprint. While it is perfectly fine for the chef, it might look a little out of place on the table of a well-to-do dinner party.

Verdict:Great value

Star rating: ****

Chef’n Grabbit, €24.80

Highs:This is the most ridiculous of the options we tried, although the Pantone mill runs it close. It is also quite brilliant – you simply squeeze the rabbits ears and a mountain of pepper comes out. It comes filled with fresh peppercorns, and is lightweight and surprisingly sturdy. The rubberised finish makes it easy to grip and it is easy to refill – you simply pull off its tail and away you go. With a look reminiscent of a playboy bunny, it will work well in a bachelor pad, although a young child might get a kick out of it too. It was also comparitively cheap.

Lows:While it is easy to refill, we would be slightly concerned that we'd end up losing the tail plug, which would render this almost entirely useless.

Verdict:Funky and functional

Star rating: ***

Pantone by Typhoon, €29.50

Highs:This looks cheap and flimsy, which may be why we were so impressed when we first started using it – it is very solid and the ceramic grinding mechanism comes with a 25-year guarantee. There is no visible metal, so it won't rust if you leave it outside after being forced to abandon your barbecue by the driving rain that makes our summers so pleasant. It comes in a range of colours – we bought the comparatively sober lollipop, which we were told is perceptive, exciting and stirring – a bit like Pricewatch. The outer shell is made from corn starch and is biodegradable, making it perhaps the most eco-friendly. It also grinds salt and spices and was the only one to offer advice on cleaning the grinder; you use sea salt, apparently.

Lows:It is hard to escape the fact that it looks a bit on the naff side.

Verdict: Ugly but cool

Star rating: ****