Blade grinders are at the cheaper end of the coffee grinder spectrum. Most often they are steel but occasionally they are made from ceramic. Blade grinders have a few drawbacks, the first being that they produce inconsistencies in the coarseness of the ground beans. Another problem is that they can burn the coffee at high speeds and thus spoil its flavor and taste. They have great advantages in their long service life, easy maintenance and more versatile use. Ceramic knives are a better choice because they do not overheat and the risk of burning coffee is not so high.