Bought a $40 grain mill for bookbinding glue and thought it was overpriced nonsense

Last month I saw folks online talking about using a grain mill to cook wheat paste for bookbinding. I figured it was just another fancy tool people waste cash on. But after ruining 3 batches of paste on my stove, I grabbed one from a kitchen supply shop in Denver for 40 bucks. The temperature control is way more steady and my paste comes out smooth every single time now. No more lumps or burning on the bottom of the pot. I'm still not sure it's worth it for small batches though. Has anyone else tried this or found a better way to get even heat?.

3 comments

3 Comments

tyler8221mo ago

Started out thinking the same way honestly... figured it was just another hype tool people buy for show. Watched my buddy burn batch after batch on the stove and finally gave in. The difference is night and day even for small batches, that even heat spread is just something you can't get on a stovetop. My paste comes out like butter now and cleanup is way easier since nothing sticks and burns. Still feels weird having a grain mill just for glue but it's paid for itself in saved materials already.

dylan1241mo ago

Ended up snagging a secondhand one off marketplace after a few months of hemming and hawing. Surprisingly consistent results even with the cheap rice flour I grab from the Asian market. Can't see going back now even if the stovetop method does save counter space.

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wendy_clark1d ago

Honestly my buddy went through the exact same cycle. He was dead set against buying one, swore by his stovetop method for like two years. Then he tried making mochi for a party and ended up with a scorched mess that tasted like burnt regret. Picked up a secondhand one from some lady who was moving and now he's that guy who brings his mill to potlucks to show it off. He says it's ridiculous but he can't argue with the fact that his paste is way smoother and he hasn't ruined a single batch since.