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.

The obvious use for an herb grinder is to chop up herbs. For fresh herbs, you'll need to use the pulse mode so that you don't end up with a sticky paste. Dried herbs will become fine so that your cooking will be filled with flavor but without leafy green bits. Many people even use the appliance to chop up herbs for smoking, since a finer texture makes it easier to roll an herbal cigarette.

The ground spices you buy in the store can quickly go stale and lose their flavor. Whole spices keep their flavor for a longer time and with your little grinding machine, you can grind the small quantity that the recipe requires. It will take you a few seconds and you will never again have to struggle crushing those cloves, peppercorns or cardamom seeds with a mortar and pestle.

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.

You don't even have to use your grinder for food only. It can turn herbs or flowers with medicinal properties into a fine powder that you can add to homemade hygiene products such as deodorants or lip balms. For a natural and inexpensive tooth powder that will also give you fresh breath, grind some dried peppermint, cloves of anise together with baking soda.

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.