1. Spend your money on a burr, not a motor.

A good grind is all about the burr. The bigger the burr set, the more consistent the grind. For example, the Baratza Virtuoso has a 40 mm burr set for $229 while the OE Lido 2 has a 48 mm burr for $175.00. Essentially, with a hand grinder you get more burr for less dough.

2. Hand grinders are great for traveling.

Take it from someone who has flown cross-country with a Mahlkönig K30 Twin as a carry-on- it’s not a lot of fun to travel with an electric grinder. Not only will an electric grinder take up most of your bag, but airport security will think it’s a bomb. Also, hand grinders work in any country without a power transformer. Save yourself a lot of trouble and just bring a hand grinder next time you travel.

3. A good hand grinder will last forever.

David Bazan once sang “fewer moving parts means fewer broken pieces.” He probably was thinking about coffee grinders. All burrs eventually need to be replaced, but with a hand grinder you don’t need to worry about a broken gear shaft or timer. In other words, you’ll spend more time drinking coffee and less time trying to fix your grinder.

4. Hand grinders don’t need electricity.

Whether you’re camping or have a power outage, at some point in your life you’re going to want a cup of coffee and not have access to electricity. Besides, we could all cut down on our carbon footprint.

5. Hand grinders are a lot of fun.

Science has shown that rituals aid in our culinary enjoyment. Every committed hand-grinder will agree that the process of grinding coffee by hand becomes an integral part of their morning routine. If making coffee is simply a means to an end for you, you might be best served sticking with a good electric grinder. But if you enjoy making coffee almost as much as drinking it, switch to a hand grinder and you’ll never go back.