Everyone who has studied coffee grinders knows that burr coffee grinders yield better ground beans. That being said blade grinders can be a good low cost alternative for someone just looking to get into grinding their own coffee. Fresh ground coffee is always preferable to pre-ground coffee. Coffee quickly loses some of its flavor after it is ground. This is because of the oxidation that occurs after grinding. If you’re looking for a low cost coffee grinder with a small footprint the Hamilton Beach Custom Grind is a good choice. It has plenty of different settings and is simple to operate. It is an automatic blade grinder so you just chose the setting and push the button. The grinder shuts off automatically when the grind is complete. As far as coffee grinders go it is relatively quite so you will not wake up everyone in the house making your morning cup. For a full review see my blog at www.gourmetcoffeespot.blogspot.com. You can find the Custom Grinder at many stores including Walmart or on my website www.gourmetcoffeespot.com