This slightly larger salt mill means that you do not have to refill it as often. The ceramic mill is placed on top to avoid salt spilling onto the tablecloth. The mill can be set to grind finely or coarsely. The unique, ceramic grinder mechanism is from CrushGrind, which is known for its high quality and for the degree of grinding which can be easily adjusted, so you get the spices just the way you want them. There is a 25-year guarantee on the ceramic parts in the grinder.