Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I use this as a spice grinder and it does a very good job. I've only tried it with a few different whole spices but it was able to turn them into a fine powder in not much time, although I did have to take the lid off and stir the powder and regrind it to get the consistency, well, consistent. The unit I had prior to this was the Krups which seems to be so popular, and which I hated. It did a decent job grinding but there was no way to thoroughly clean it since the bowl was not removable (stupid design!). With the Kitchenaid, however, you can remove the bowl and wash it to get it 100% clean with no left-over taste/smell AND it grinds a little better than the Krups did. Overall the Kitchenaid looks nice, feels solid, grinds well and I expect it to last a long time. It doesn't get 5 stars, however, for a few small reasons. One, the powder does not stay 100% contained and so a little gets into the base which isn't super easy to clean because of the plastic "plates" that are in there. Not a big deal, but still the powder should stay in the cup or that area should be easier to clean. Also, there should be some sort of rubber feet to keep this thing from wanting to slide around. Lastly it would be nice if the model was available SPECIFICALLY for grinding spice...I feel like I paid $50 for a $40 grinder because I don't care about the coffee grinding cup. Overall it seems there is no "perfect" grinder. The Krups is cheap and grinds well but you can't clean it with soap and water and it has a low capacity. The Cuisinart grinds really well and you can fully clean it, but the motor burns out frequently for no apparent reason (and it's ugly). The Kitchenaid is cleanable and grinds well, but you may have to manually move the powder around to get the consistency you want, and you'll have to clean the base after each use. Overall, of the grinders under $50, I think this Kitchenaid is the best unit and overall I am happy with the purchase.