Lee Household Flour Mill - my Review / Evaluation
LEE HOUSEHOLD FLOUR MILL
I'm in love with Lee...
The Lee Household Flour Mill is an electric grain mill manufactured by EM Lee Engineering. Purchased new, models start at $556. However, used mills are available at times on eBay at significantly reduced prices. I purchased a model S-600 on eBay several months ago and have been exploring the mill's capabilities since then.
Choice of Four Models
MODEL | MOTOR SIZE | OUTPUT PER HOUR | Operating Voltage
| |
FINE FLOUR | COARSE MEAL | |||
500 | 1/6 H.P. | 3 to 5 LBS. | Not Adjustable | |
600 | 1/6 H.P. | 3 to 5 LBS. | 20 to 25 LBS. | |
S-500 | 1/4 H.P. | 6 to 10 LBS. | Not Adjustable | |
S-600 | 1/4 H.P. | 6 to 10 LBS. | 40 to 45 LBS. |
The S-600 model I purchased is this company's top of the line flour mill. It is a one-pass variable grind electric mill that uses a unique design for milling grain. It is adjustable from a coarse mill to a very fine flour. To-date, I have used it primarily to mill fine flour from hard spring wheat for bread and soft wheat flour for pasta and cookies. I have also milled a very coarse corn grits (from popcorn).
I have been extremely impressed with the fine flour this mill can produce. The flour I mill from hard spring wheat (red or white) is virtually indistinguishable in feel from a standard, commercial bread or all-purpose flour yet it is entirely 100% whole wheat. I also own a Nutrimill (micronizer) grain mill and I feel that the Lee Household Flour Mill produces a better fine flour.
This mill does have limitations. Like a micronizer mill, it is not capable of remilling flour. It cannot mill bean flour or small size grain such as millet or amarinth. It is difficult to clean. The units that become available on eBay may be missing some parts (most usually the flour receptacle bag and the lid for the grain hopper).
On eBay, I paid $125 (plus $15 shipping) for a working stone-based mill that can mill fine to coarse flour for most of the grains that home-millers use (wheat, rye, spelt, corn). Given the price, I'm willing to live with this mill's limitations, though I would be the first to admit that this mill is definitely not for everyone.
If anyone wants additional information on this mill, please post back to this thread or PM me (I have done extensive searches and have collected most of the information available on the 'net relating to this mill). I would be delighted to exchange information with you on this mill.
===== Selected Internet Resources about the Lee Household Flour Mill ==========
freerangegourmet.com/Docs/LeeFlourMill [1] - the primary source for documents (user manual and other documents) on the Lee Household Flour Mill. All documents are in Adobe Acrobat's pdf format and can be downloaded to your computer.
www.eminstrumentswi.com/lee.html [2] - information on models from the original manufacturing company, Lee Engineering.