When you buy a small kitchen appliance you’re typically purchasing one of three things; an electric motor, a resister, or a combination of both. Resisters are electrical components that can generate heat. Most people are familiar with the traditional light bulb., which is basically a resister that generates light and heat. The main difference between most small appliances is the amount of power, or wattage, the machine produces. More wattage means more power which usually means sturdier materials to handle all that power. This blog is about an electric motor appliance, the coffee grinder that I use to make my True Cinnamon Sticks into a fine power for my seasoning.

I built two electric motors using wooden dowels and copper wire for science fairs back in high school. I’ve always been fascinated by them and can’t wait to someday own an all electric vehicle. You’d be surprised as to how many electric motors are in the average home. Fans, refrigerators, electric drills, power windows, record players; basically anything that moves that is electric is an electric motor. I would even try to buy hobby motors from Radio Shack to make my toys faster when I was a kid. I ended up just breaking my toys. Fast forward to today and when looking for a coffee grinder I always compare different models based on the watts. As I explained above, my thinking is the greater the watts, the more powerful the motor and the more durable the product.

So when the blade on my Coffee Grinder broke I thought all I’d have to do was replace the cup the blade sits in. The good news is when I called the manufacturer they had the part and could have it shipped in a week. Unfortunately, the cost of the cup was more than buying the same grinder brand new. In the end, I couldn’t justify paying more for a cup than an electric motor.

How many other people would make the same decision. In the past year I’ve repaired my TV, dishwasher and replaced a laptop screen. I though I’d at lest be able to replace the cup for half the price.

I’m not sure who to blame. Is it supply chain issues because of Covid? Is it the war? Or would these problems still exist in light of both. I now have two grinders, one with a busted cup. That’s another issue. The old cup won’t fit in the new model. At first glance they look the same, but the old cup won’t fit. I’m going to keep the old grinder motor and hope I can make some use out of it or give it so some kid for a science project.

I use a Cuisinart Coffee Grinder.

For more information on E-Waste, check out this NPR article.