Flower Mill · 1321 Venice
Aluminum or stainless steel is the question people ask. The real answer is about the plate.
The short answer. Both Flower Mills mill the same way, with the same patented rotor rolling flower across a screen instead of tearing it with teeth. The aluminum Next Gen Standard uses a fixed plate. The stainless steel Next Gen Premium takes swappable plates, so you can change how fine or coarse it mills.
If you grind one way every time, get the Standard. If you switch between a vape and a bowl, get the Premium Stainless.
What is actually different
People come in expecting the metal to be the whole story. It is the smaller part of it. The milling action is the same idea in both: a rotor with no teeth rolls flower across a milling screen, and it crumbles along the lines it would break on anyway. That is why a Flower Mill comes out fluffy and even instead of chopped into dust, and that part does not change between the two.
| Next Gen Standard | Next Gen Premium Stainless | |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Aircraft grade 6061 aluminum | Food safe stainless steel throughout |
| Mill plate | Fixed, cannot be swapped | Swappable, Medium plate in the box |
| Sizes | 2" (up to 1.5g) and 2.5" (up to 2.5g) | 2" and 2.5" |
| Colors | Black, Gray, Blue, Purple, Pink, Green | Stainless |
| Price at 1321 | $28 (2") · $38 (2.5") | $68 (2") · $89 (2.5") |
The plate is the real decision
A Flower Mill plate is what sets the consistency. On the Standard it is fixed, so you get one grind, and it is a good one. On the Premium you lift the plate out and drop a different one in, which lets the same mill run fine for a vaporizer and coarse for a bowl or a joint.
This is also where the most common mistake happens. Premium plates do not fit the Standard. Someone buys a Standard, then orders a set of Premium plates expecting them to drop in, and they will not. If you think you will ever want to change the grind, that is the whole reason to start on the Premium.
Aluminum vs stainless, the metal itself
The Standard is aircraft grade 6061 aluminum. It is light, it comes in six colors, and it strips all the way down for cleaning. It is the one that goes in a pocket without you noticing it.
The Premium is food safe stainless steel inside and out. It is heavier in the hand and has the finished, one material feel of the flagship. It also lists a removable pollen screen under the milling chamber and a quick release lower catch, so cleanup takes less time.
Neither metal changes the texture of what comes out. The rotor and the plate do that.
Which one to buy
- You grind the same way every time. Standard 2.5". Same milling, less than half the price.
- It lives in your pocket. Standard 2", up to 1.5g a pass.
- You run a vape and a bowl. Premium Stainless, then add plates as you need them.
- You want a color. Standard. The Premium only comes in stainless.
- You mill a lot at once. The 3.5" Pro Mill in the Premium line takes up to 7g a pass, and we wrote it up in the 3.5" Pro Mill is here.
Looking after either one
Both come fully apart. Brush out the screen and rotor, and a little Mill Wax after a clean keeps the turn smooth. A silicone grip makes either one easier on the hands. Still weighing a Flower Mill against a toothed grinder? Our Flower Mill vs Santa Cruz Shredder comparison and how to choose a grinder cover that side.
Questions people ask
Is the stainless Flower Mill better than the aluminum one?
It mills the same way. What the Premium Stainless adds is swappable plates, so you can change how fine or coarse it mills, plus a stainless build throughout. If you grind one way every time, the aluminum Standard does the same job for less.
Do Flower Mill Premium plates fit the Standard?
No. The Next Gen Standard uses a fixed plate and cannot take the interchangeable Premium plates. It is the most common mistake people make buying accessories for it.
What does the Flower Mill Standard cost compared to the Premium?
At 1321 the aluminum Standard is $28 in 2 inch and $38 in 2.5 inch. The Premium Stainless is $68 in 2 inch and $89 in 2.5 inch.
How much does a Flower Mill hold?
The 2 inch Standard holds up to 1.5g and the 2.5 inch Standard up to 2.5g. The 3.5 inch Pro Mill in the Premium line takes up to 7g a pass.
Can I see both in person in Los Angeles?
Yes. 1321 is at 1321 Venice Blvd in Venice, CA, open every day from 11AM to midnight, and is an authorized Flower Mill dealer. Free local pickup on anything ordered online.