A SERIOUS coffee mill for SERIOUS coffee drinkers.

As the title states, this is a serious coffee mill, and not for someone who is in a hurry or lacks patience when it comes to making a good pot of coffee.

Unlike all other grinders I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot of grinders of all sizes, shapes and prices!) this KitchenAid mill is enormous, taking up as much counter space as my coffee maker alone does. Aside from being so big, it's also very heavy, made as it is from die-cast metal, and not plastic. The hopper for placing beans to be ground, as well as the receptacle for receiving the ground coffee are each glass, and not plastic, adding somewhat to the weight as well.

That being said, this grinder is also fairly expensive - usually $199.95 at numerous retailers, but I was fortunate to find mine for $179.95 - still a considerably higher price than I've ever paid for a coffee grinder. While the quality of construction appears first rate, it's too early to say whether this unit will last that much longer than others I've owned, but it seems a good likelihood it will.

Sooo, is it worth the extra money (and counterspace)? In a word, yes, and a very enthusiastic "yes" at that. Other coffee mills are available for a good deal less money, but have a common annoyance: static generated by the grinding of the burrs, which causes ground coffee to stick to the plastic receptacle, parts of the mill itself, and just about anything else the receptacle comes in contact with, including the operator's fingers and hands. In short, the static electricity makes a mess each and every time these mills are used that's a genuine annoyance to have to deal with, and why I stopped using several models.

Mills grind coffee more consistently than the "chopper," or "blade" type grinders, and that's certainly true of this KitchenAid unit. It's biggest difference is that, while some static is generated, which results in a slight spill of ground coffee onto the bottom of the unit when the glass receptacle is removed, that which has to be cleaned up is a far cry from the mess less costly mills with plastic components create. The glass receptacle of this KitchenAid unit has a much wider opening which allows for far easier removal of the ground coffee than the narrower openings of less costly grinders. It has no separate top to be removed, and so that's another piece not to have to bother with cleaning up.

Griding is easy: place the desired amount of beans into the glass hoppper, put the glass bottom receptacle in place, adjust the grind setting on the front of the unit to that desired, and then flip the toggle switch "On." There's no timer, so one must leave the unit "on" until the griding's finished. Once finished, remove the bottom receptacle (thank goodness, without the annoying spray of ground coffee other mills generate) and deposit that into your coffee maker. Some ground coffee does stick to the glass, but not enough to be concerned about, and a quick rinse is all it takes to clean it off. As the receptacle's opening is wide, cleaning is very easy.

There are 15 grind settings from "coarse" for French-press coffee makers, to "fine" for espresso. I've found the settings adequate for my uses (drip coffee, and espresso too), but if the settings aren't adequate (not fine, or coarse enough) there are instructions as to how to adjust the burrs to one's personal preferences.

The owner's manual offers a good deal of advice as to the various settings for making coffee, particularly using a grind that's either too coarse or too fine for the type of coffee being brewed. Most users should find this information useful. I've always believed that the type of grind, and the manner in which it's generated, affect the taste of coffee. Judging by the wonderful flavor of coffee I've brewed now, using beans ground in this KitchenAid mill, I'd have to say that such a belief has a good deal of validity: the coffee is strong, but not bitter, and very flavorful.

So far I haven't experienced the difficulties others here on epinions have, and if I do, I'll update this review and downrate the unit if necessary. Until then, this is far and away the best coffee grinder I've ever owned, and one I highly recommend to all those seeking a truly delicious pot of coffee. Just make sure you've got enough counter space for it first!