2 things make this an outstanding mill 1) the motor is above the pepper bin. This way the dregs of the grind do not fall into the grind/motor. 2) the grind is perfect for pepper. All is ground down the right consistency. Other cheaper models leave large pieces get through. Yes this mill is expensive. But it works properly. Also, the mill comes with pepper in and it is quite tasty too . The photo in the online store shows it empty