Vic Firth Gourmet Pump and Grind Mills

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Ok boys and girls, Saturday is typically a slow news day in the tech world. Not so at your friendly neighborhood Gadgeteer! It’s early and no one else is stirring, so I thought I’d share one of my favorite gadgets with you. Aside from my gaming, mobile, and music interests, I also love to cook. For my birthday, my wife treated me to a culinary vacation in Asheville, NC with Chef John Smith. I noticed Chef John was using some really interesting salt and pepper mills. When I inquired about them, he informed me they were made by Vic Firth.  Who’s Vic Firth? A blurb from his website:

 

“For a half-century, Vic Firth personified precision and professionalism as the timpanist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It was his drive for perfection that lead him to begin manufacturing his own drumsticks 40 years ago—and today, Vic Firth drumsticks are widely recognized as the best drumsticks in the world.”

The look, functionality, and  associated name made it necessary for an immediate acquisition, and man do I love these things! You operate them by pushing down the plunger located on the top with your thumb. They work perfectly in the kitchen as a precise shot of salt or pepper when you need it. I’ve found the dose with each plunge to be quite consistent, and nothing I’ve found works better for a one-handed quick grab when you need it. They’re extremely convenient, very unique, well made, look very gadgety, and are always a conversation piece when friends drop by. Therefore, they meet most all requirements for gadget goodness. The set will cost you $39.90 sans shipping, but they’re well worth it. You can find them here.

    

6 thoughts on “Vic Firth Gourmet Pump and Grind Mills”




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  2. @David These look really cool. How large are they? The protective sleeve shown in the picture makes them appear to be travel sized.

  3. Ok, nevermind. I went to the website and can see how large they are. He’s got some other really interesting cooking products for sale too. 🙂

  4. @ Julie, They’re about 5 3/8″ tall by 1 1/8″ in diameter and heavy duty. You don’t want to use them for heavy jobs, but perfect for that quick shot.

  5. I bought a nearly identical set at Blokker three years ago for about a quart of the price these are listed (10 euros for two). From your description, the only difference I can see is that mine don’t have a fancy name attached to them, so no: they’re definitely not worth it…

  6. “Vic’s Sticks”. As a drummer/percussionist for over 30 years, I’ve always had a pair of Vic Firth drumsticks in my stick bag. The percussionist community has always known his (drum) products to be first rate. Until your post, I had no idea he had ‘diversified’ his product to include a culinary line. A sign of the times perhaps. I can’t vouch for the salt and pepper grinders, but I can vouch for his drum products. It would make more sense to me if they had been shaped like mini bongos or something.

  7. @Geakz, I liked the mills before I handled them and realized they were a Vic Firth product. I did a bit of a double take msyelf, but that just makes them a little extra cool. And he does have some very nice turned wood mills on his site as well. Thanks for the comment!

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