The answer to the question "Do You Need A Conical Burr Coffee Grinder?" is a very easy one to answer. It all depends on whether you make coffee in anything besides a regular drip style coffee maker. If you use an espresso machine, a french press or a percolator, then the answer is a resounding YES.
Regular blade style coffee grinders work great for a drip coffee maker. But, when it comes to espresso or Turkish coffee, they have many strikes against them. That's where the conical burr coffee grinder steps up to the plate. Instead of a metal blade, the conical burr grinder uses two metal discs, one is stationary and the other one rotates. The beans are passed through the discs one time only, greatly reducing the heat build up of the regular blade grinder. The conical burr grinder can also grind the coffee bean much finer than a blade grinder, and that is crucial for an espresso machine, since the coffee grounds are only exposed to the water for a few seconds. Finely ground coffee is the only way to get a good shot of espresso and a blade grinder simply cannot achieve that. As an added plus, conical burr coffee grinders are a lot quieter than blade grinders.
Most conical burr coffee grinders have a minimum of 16 different settings and produce 5 ounces of grounds. That is usually enough for just about any household. However, the higher end units can have as many as 40 settings! As with any other appliance, the more "bells and whistles", the higher the price tag.
There are many great manufacturers to choose from. Some of the best are Gaggia, Jura Capresso, KitchenAid, Pasquini, Baratea, Cuisinart, Breville and Krups.
Have fun exploring the world of conical burr coffee grinders.