These days you can find a kitchen appliance for almost anything. With so much choice, the challenge is not to spend your money on ones you will use only a few times before you let them gather dust on the shelf. One gadget that is a really good investment and that will pay for itself over and over again, however, is an electric herb grinder.

With fast-spinning blades not unlike those you find in a blender, an electric grinder can chop up almost anything. It's a breeze to clean after use too, because you just need to take a paper towel or a cloth and wipe the inside. Another advantage is that it saves you time because grinding something takes only a few seconds. If that still isn't enough to convince you, think about the incredible versatility of this little gadget.

As its name suggests, an herb grinder's primary use is chopping herbs into smaller pieces. It works best with dried herbs, which you can then use to add flavor to food or to add to tea or other drinks. If you want to give up tobacco and smoke herbal cigarettes instead, you'll find that it's much easier to roll your own if the herbs are finely chopped.

Spices lose their flavor over time when they are in powdered form. Serious cooks know that freshly ground spices are a much better option for aromatic meals. An electric grinder makes it a breeze to grind just enough for your needs and you can even turn hard-to-crush spices like cloves into powder.

The trusty little machine is useful for more than just herbs or spices. Incorporate healthy whole grains, legumes and nuts into your diet in ingenious ways by grinding them into flour. Flax seeds become easier to digest when they're crushed and can release their nutrients into your body. Even stale bread, cornflakes or cookies get a second life when you turn them into crumbs for making coatings or pie crusts.

A vastly superior cup of coffee is one made with freshly ground beans and your trusty grinder will help you with this. Use it also to turn ordinary sugar into powdered sugar so that you'll have the perfect confectionery to accompany your coffee. Furthermore, if you can only find a coarse version of your favorite salt, you can grind it at home until you get the texture you want.

A good electric grinder is an essential tool if you'd like to try your hand at making homemade, natural hygiene and beauty products. Add some cloves or dried mint to baking soda and grind it into a fine, tasty tooth powder that will keep your breath fresh and your teeth in good condition. Coffee grounds are great for gently exfoliating dry skin and powdered medicinal herbs such as calendula or lavender flowers are excellent in face masks, ointments or deodorants.

The dried petals of flowers like roses will get a finer, less uneven texture if you take a few seconds to grind them a little. Even bits of paper in different colors can become a festive confetti. Add a sprinkling of potpourri or confetti to a gift bag for a creative, thoughtful touch.