When you store your spices whole and only grind them when needed, you ensure that their taste and aroma are retained for longer. The mill can be set to grind finely or coarsely and works on the same principle as a pestle pounding the taste out of the spices. The unique, ceramic grinder mechanism is from CrushGrind, which is known for its high quality and for the degree of grinding which can be easily adjusted, so you get the spices just the way you want them. There is a 25-year guarantee on the ceramic parts in the grinder.