[sidibe]

Reddit is a great place to get recommended the most expensive stuff. 99% of the time the best sellers on Amazon work great for me, but if I look at Reddit they insist only a couple very expensive brands are worth owning in any category of item. It's crazy and sometimes I even fall for it. Can't tell if it's marketing or if people very into their hobbies become obsessed with tiny differences.

[rowanajmarshall]

I find that's true in specialised subs, but not wider ones. Like, if you're looking for a good coffee grinder, r/coffee will only recommend the top-end stuff, but if you search in something r/AskReddit you get more 'approachable' results.

[kristofferR]

They are correct for coffee grinders though, it's almost pointless to cheap out of them, you negate all the benefits of grinding it yourself when you buy a subpar non-burr grinder that doesn't produce a consistent grain size.

Buying a blade grinder is like buying a hammer with a spongy face.

[plorkyeran]

Buying a blade grinder is a waste of money, but burr grinders range from $50 to $500 and while there is a significant quality difference, it can be reasonable to buy one at the cheaper end.

[raegis]

You can do OK with a blade grinder. I used to have one from Target, and I would grind in two or three stages, stirring the grounds with my finger (!) in between to get more consistent grinds.

[plorkyeran]

A blade grinder is fundamentally incapable of producing remotely uniform particle sizes unless you're willing to sift the result and discard a substantial portion of the coffee. Stale pre-ground coffee will usually give better results and is typically the same price as beans.

[datavirtue]

Getting a bur grinder now

[raegis]

I disagree. The most common recommendation is the $150 Baratza Encore, which is about correct for price/performance on the low end. The manufacturer sells cheap replacement parts for it, which is a massive convenience. They also sell cheaper refurbished grinders occasionally. I've had mine for 5-6 years and expect it to last much longer. Better electric grinders start at hundreds of dollars more (in the U.S. market).

[hattmall]

This just means your "one of them" I've used a $30 delonghi for 10+ years. Its fine, people consistently complement the coffee, only someone in the <1% of coffee drinkers needs a $150 grinder. Like most people are ok with brown water from a Keurig. Someone who wants a beginner recommendation absolutely doesn't need something that's $150.

[neuronic]

Reddit is full of subversive marketing. The real communities discussing their passions are absolutely exploited by "undercover" PR agencies.