No coffee lover can resist the aroma of freshly ground beans. One deep breath and you're craving a cup of java. Pre-packaged, pre-ground beans don't seem to be able to contain the same magical appeal, and if you're an early riser, electric grinders require understanding neighbours. Breakfast can sound like someone has taken a pneumatic drill to your kitchen floor. Drinking too much coffee can jangle your nerves, but you don't want to be chewing the carpet before you've managed to taste the first drop. Electric grinders tend to heat the coffee beans. Although this releases that irrestible aroma, it also releases a lot of the flavour. Enter grandma's antique coffee grinder.

That Special Something

What's so special about an antique coffee grinder? Well, for starters, you won't have to wear ear plugs while using one, and it won't heat your beans up before you get chance to pour boiling water over them. However, the best thing is the physical proximity you get to the beans. You get total control of the exact courseness of grain which you can tailor to get the best results from yourcoffee machine.

Show Stoppers

Some of these old mills are real beauties. They can steal the show from even the most elegant of kitchens. They are just as comfortable blending in with a well-used kitchen as they are providing your stark modern counter with a striking centrepoint.

Coffee in the Jazz Age.

Perhaps the most sought-after antique coffee grinder was designed in the 1920s. Art Deco in inspiration, many coffee grinders from this era exhibit a sleek casing and clean lines. This was also the era when coffee-making became an art form to be practised and admired, and the tools for the job reflect this. Thousands of art deco mills were produced to meet the demand of an affluent, coffee-consuming society, so antique coffee grinders from the '20s models are not so hard to come by as you might think.

Coffee and Little House on the Prairie.

There are those who will always prefer their hardware to look 'traditional'. A traditional antique coffee grinder would not look out of place on the set of 'Little House on the Prairie.' There are a two basic design solution to choose from: those intended to sit on your countertop versus the wall-mounted models. Design of this era was utilitarian, so you'll be adding something eminently practical as well as charming to your kitchen workspace.

The Classic Grinder.

The antique coffee grinders that seem to break the most hearts are those that sit coyly on the countertop. Often unostentacious in design, they boast a handle on top for grinding the beans and a small drawer for collecting the coffee grains. Because of the restraint of the craftsmanship and the simple design, these grinders are very robust.

Hey, Good Looking

The body of such coffee mills is usually made of a warm, unpainted wood. The grinding handle, on the other hand, will often be ornate and full of surprising details. And if you have any cast iron pots and pans in your kitchen, you'll know what an attractive material it is to live with - pleasingly cool and heavy to the touch with a low-key lustre that is the perfect counterpoint to a grainy wood.

Connecticut Yankee Holds Court

The traditional design is epitomized by the Parker Nation coffee mill. Many of these were produced in Connecticut at the turn of the 20th century. They were made of quality materials including a characteristic bronze finish to the top, so they are often in excellent condition even some 100 years on.

The Mysterious Face

As much as I love that model, I'm currently salivating over a mysterious grinder I've found that may be German or French. It's wall-mounted, and boasts a porcelain face which frames a scene of a man and a woman praying in a field. This is a rare find that I'm still trying to find out more about.

No matter what design attracts you; consider an antique coffee grinder for your kitchen. Even if you never use the device you will still have a magnificent conversation piece for your mantelpiece.