KoMo - Mio Eco Plus Grain Mill

Product Notes:

For those who prefer a more contemporary look over KoMo's traditional all-beechwood machines, the KoMoMio models all feature a dash of colour (albeit white, in this case) in their spout and trim, using a new kind of bioplastic material made from renewable resources. These new ECO versions take that a step further by using 100% cork for the hopper on top (which the grain gets poured into) and its matching lid, which is more sustainable.

Evolution of the Model

Built with the same top quality standards as its other units, KoMo launched a new line of Mio electric grain mills several years ago featuring a different, more affordable exterior. Rather than using solid beechwood in both their cases and hoppers, the main faces are made from plywood with a beechwood veneer, and the edges and grain spout are made from a proprietary bioplastic called ARBOBLEND® that's strong, food compatible, flame-retardant, heat and scratch resistant, and ultimately biodegradable.

But because it's become increasingly difficult for them to procure their signature beechwood from sustainable sources, in 2023, they introduced a new variation on them: the ECO models, which use cork rather than beechwood for the hopper and lid.

Benefits of Natural Cork Material

Cork has several advantages for this type of application in addition to its cost savings. It's more sustainable, since it's extracted from the bark of living Quercus suber evergreen trees that can continue to grow and absorb CO2 and produce oxygen, rather than being cut down for the purpose. It also has antibacterial properties and resists mildew, and has natural cushioning ability, which can reduce the vibrations and noise while milling the grain.

Uses

This electric grinder can be used to grind most types of dry grains, including not only wheat, of course (both hard and soft types), plus barley, oats, quinoa, amaranth, kamut, spelt, or rice, as well as legumes such as beans, chickpeas, or lentils. It can also grind many types of spices, as long as they're dry and non-oily.

Caution: some types of seeds, grains, or spices should NOT be ground in these units if they are either too oily or too hard (which might gum up or otherwise damage the corundum grinding stones). The unsuitable products include: oily seeds, such as poppy or sesame seeds; herbs (such as peppermint or spearmint leaves); and popcorn.

Specifications

The KoMoMio Plus's maintenance-free, extremely powerful 360 watt motor (which operates on standard 110V, 60Hz AC Voltage for the North American models) enables you to grind 100 grams of fine flour per minute – or much more than that, if you set it to a coarser setting (which can be done with just a twist of the wrist). It even comes with a 12 year warranty.

These units are 14 inches high, x 7.2" wide, and 7.5" deep, and weigh 15 pounds. Their hoppers can hold 850 grams of wheat grains at a time,  which get ground by ceramic-corundum millstones with a 3.35" diameter, which make 70 dB of noise when grinding spelt. 

Finally, if someone in your household is gluten-sensitive and you would like to grind some foods for them and minimize the chance of cross-contamination, it may interest you to know that KoMo produces an optional gluten-free grinding liner that would fit all three Mio types (original, Eco, and Eco Plus).