Jillian CowanHandheld Spice Grinder
Unaffiliated brand study — concept project, not a Smeg product.
Grind. Dispense. Done.
Designed to grind and dispense in one tool, the Handheld Spice Grinder replaces many traditional tools and appliances, giving users precise control over grain size and amount dispensed.
Purpose
Powertool Studio
Timeline
Spring 2026
Tools
Fusion 360, Keyshot, Adobe Suite, Procreate
Colorways
Four colorways, from soft pastels to classic neutrals.
Twist base
Three grind settings — fine, regular, and coarse — without switching tools.
Haptic button
One press dispenses the preset amount; holding it overrides for continuous flow.
Product breakdown
Internals designed and rendered in CAD, shell printed and finished
Digital touchscreen display
The top-mounted touchscreen allows selection of a precise dispensing amount, while the selected grain size is conveniently displayed below.
Interactive — try the ± buttons, unit toggle, grind readout, and press-and-hold dispense
The task:
Design a handheld electric (battery or electrically powered) device, with a focus on simplicity.
Research
Created a storyboard to find the pain points before starting sketching.
Sketches
Exploratory sketches focused on shape and grip, playing with different button options.
CAD + foam test
Created initial foam models to test different grips, then moved on to creating the best ones in CAD to test further.
Print & final adjustments
Printed the best CAD models before choosing my final design.
The final product
- A final 3D-printed model, sanded and primed for a smoother surface
- A plain render of the finished design
