Fresh, naturally sweet rolled oats or stale, chemically-preserved flakes: Which sound better for your breakfast? If you like the fresh idea, KoMo's FlicFloc is right up your alley. Its hand operated design brings an entirely different engineering approach to grain flaking.

Rather than using traditional cylindrical rollers, The FlicFloc has exposed, stainless steel conical rollers that rotate on ball bearings in a case of laminated beechwood. The crank turns very easily and the mill makes a hearty flake from oat groats (oats with the hulls removed) that's thicker and chewier than store-bought flaked oats.

Oats are a naturally soft grain and more of our customers roll oats than any other grain in their FlicFloc flaker—but many other grains including wheat, rye, barley and millet can be flaked too, with a little preparation. These grains are normally dry and hard. To soften them, hold them under running water briefly in a strainer. Then spread the grains on a cloth or towel to let them dry over night or for at least 3-4 hours. This time will vary depending on the grain used, but a little experimentation will help optimize the process. The softened grain will flatten nicely into flakes, similar to commercially available rolled oats. At the same time this contact with water starts an enzymatic process which makes it easier for your metabolism to assimilate the minerals in the grain.