Wet Grinders are an indispensable part of south Indian kitchens. To make delicious “dosas”, or steaming hot “idlies”, the primary requirement is the batter. Wet Grinders are labelled so as they grind water, dal and rice and produce the batter used for preparing south Indian delicacies.

Few decades ago, electric grinders were still unheard of. People used stone grinders where manual work was involved to prepare the batter. A sample pic is shown below. Click on the image to enlarge.

Image Courtesy: songbirdgardens.co.nz

But times have now changed. People realized that simple mixer grinders were not powerful enough to handle rice, dal combination. Companies saw an opportunity here and the modern wet grinder was born. Every year new innovations and patents are happening in this field. The product that is being reviewed here is “Ultra Grinder” from ELGI industries. The picture is shown below. Please click on it to enlarge.

Image Courtesy: elgiultra.com

Features

• 2 litre model available in 220V and 110V
• Sturdy and durable motor from General Electric
• Designed for efficiency and exemplary performance
• Patented Conical grinding stones - which results in better batter and less wear and tear of the stone
• Table top convenience
• Made of food grade plastic, SS304 stainless steel drum and rust proof materials
• Noiseless and vibration free operation
• Optional attachments - Atta Kneader & Coconut Scraper
• New unique Easy-Cleaner for easy removal of batter
• Service at your doorstep in India
• Only Grinder with 5 year warranty in India

For more information please visit : http://www.elgiultra.com/homeapp/modelgrind.htm

Review

Reviewed by Ms. Prabha from Chennai.

I purchased this grinder in 2007 from S.S. Annamalai stores in Thiruvanmiyur Chennai. At the time of purchase I think we paid around 6900 rupees for this model. Today it may be cheaper than that amount.

Along with the grinder we also purchased a stand for the unit which cost us an additional 1500 550 rupees. The stand ensured that we do not have to place the grinder in difficult to reach places. The bonus of the stand was that it had wheels and makes it easy to push around the grinder.

The stand also gives a good grip to the grinder even while in operation. The unit’s grinding capabilities are good. Cleaning the grinder after usage is fairly easy. The plastics on the unit could have a better quality and finish to it.

One disadvantage that I notice while using the Grinder is that at the time of opening the lid, the purple plastic part falls off. The manufacturers could have implemented a mechanism to hold it in place.

The motor in the unit is silent and smooth in operation. It handles the load well without getting stuck like conventional wet/tilting grinders. The unit heats up a bit but then again this is common in many grinders.

We did not purchase any accessories like Atta dough maker or coconut scrapper simply because it wasn’t available at the time of purchase.

Overall maintenance is easy and the grinding stones can be removed for cleaning. The container where the dough/batter is ground also serves as the storage unit. After the grinding job is completed, the entire container can be kept in the refrigerator for storage.

Update : The stand is NOT manufactured by ELGI.

Price of a 2 litre model as on 20 Feb 2008 from SS Annamalai is rupees 5700 after discount.