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Until about five years ago, I drank coffee<\/a> solely for the caffeine \u2014 to put it more bluntly (and accurately), I drank bad coffee. Whether it was the mud I scooped out of a red plastic tub that lived in my pantry since before the Bush administration or the jar of instant coffee I found under the sink at a WeWork since I was too embarrassed to ask how the fancy espresso machine worked, the coffee I was drinking was bitter, thin, and burnt. And, while I still enjoy guzzling a medium hot coffee at Dunkin\u2019 from time to time, I\u2019m happy to report that my palate is a little<\/em> more discerning these days. That\u2019s due, in no small part, to the care that goes into my at-home setup, from the range of old-<\/a> and new-school<\/a> coffee machines I use to what might be the most important<\/em> part of brewing better coffee<\/a>: grinding your own beans.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Now, if you\u2019ve been using the pre-ground stuff and you like it just fine, that\u2019s great! I\u2019m not bashing how anyone likes to drink their morning joe, but if you\u2019re interested in really getting the most out of your java, then grinding your own coffee beans fresh is the easiest way to elevate your experience. To do that, you\u2019ll need a coffee grinder (duh) \u2014 but more specifically, a burr<\/em> coffee grinder. That\u2019s different from your run-of-the-mill spice grinder, and while those work in a pinch, they don\u2019t produce a uniform grind size, since the blades randomly whack the beans at different intervals. Burr grinders force the beans through a set of (you guessed it) burrs, ensuring each bean is crushed to the same size, which is key for ensuring correct extraction and a steady flow of liquid. For your first burr grinder, especially if you\u2019re not looking to blow a paycheck on a super expensive model, you can\u2019t go wrong with the SHARDOR Electric Burr Coffee Grinder 2.0<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Besides its professional look and low profile \u2014\u00a0it barely takes up any room on my countertop \u2014 the SHARDOR<\/a> features metallic flat burrs with 16 grinding settings (fine to coarse) as well as 14 quantity settings, so you can grind the exact amount of beans you need for a single cup or a large drip maker with the press of a button. It also has a large hopper on top for storing your beans, which means you don\u2019t have to mess around with unsealing and resealing your bag in the morning. Plus, almost all of the pieces are removable, which makes them a breeze to clean, especially with the included two-in-one brush\/spoon combo.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n For me, the best part about this grinder is that it\u2019s so easy to use in the morning when I\u2019m dead tired and stumbling around in the dark. Even before I put my contacts in, I can just blindly whack the \u201con\u201d button and squint at the freshly ground java that\u2019s instantly dispensed into the SHARDOR\u2019s chamber. It also feels like a bonafide professional operation, since it\u2019s a one-touch process and the coffee that comes out of the grinder is both uniform and delicious. Whether you\u2019re a pour over fiend, an espresso fanatic, or a drip diehard, the SHARDOR Electric Burr Coffee Grinder 2.0<\/a> is an affordable, must-have addition to your at-home barista tool belt.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n