Haven't been here for a while, but I'm back.
1) there are two ways to grind things like peppercorns and coffee:
a) crush them, either between textured metal plates--or grindstones (or sometimes nowadays, between hard plasitic plates in disposable, prefilled containers that also grind.
b) expose them to a rapidly whirling metal blade such similar to that found in a blender, which lis often found in the little, reasonably-priced electric coffee grinders.
2) if ground pepper is desired, as opposed to crushed (breaking the peppercorn into 3-5 pieces) then wood grinding/crushing surfaces won't last long.
3)the classic wooden grinders are a hollow wooden tube with a metal grinding mechanism on the bottom, the rest is for storage or looks. So excusing the disposables with plastic textured grinding surfaces, the issue between wood, metal or plastic cylinder is one of storage of undground peppercorns. For maximum longevity, the grinder does not provide an ideal storage site anyway. Plastic or soft metal grinding surfaces will abrade, and contamiminate the ground product. Unless you run a large restuarant, you probablay don't want to store all your pepper in a giant mill of any kind.
4) Expensive mills provide either/and precise control of particle size and distribution, impressive looks. With the spinning blade grinders, some large bits always seem to remain, but the rest of us can always sieve out big chunks with a cheap tea-strainer from the Dollar Store if desired.
5) Whole items always store longer, especially when kept in containers like small canning jars.
I have found that a wooden-cased grinder that I bought for maybe $30 bucks along with a matching salt shaker works fine for me. (I looks like the set that my parents have had for 40 years) There is a threaded knob on the top that adjusts the fineness of the grind. It sets the upper size of the particles produced, but lots of finer ones come out too. I don't see this a big problem for most uses.
I grind coffee and less used spices in the little electric coffee grinders with the rotary blades. I have set aside an old one for spices, and use a newer one for coffee. It is possible to clean the spice one easily by grinding a bit of rice or small dry lentils between different spices. Some spices (especially coriander seed) don't get friable enough for grinding unless gently toasted on a dry skillet--which intensifies flavor anyway. I use enough pepper that I bought the hand mill for it.
There are many methods of preparing coffee, and the particle size distrubution can be quite important for some. Those who spend lots of money on expresso makers often seem to find it neccesary to spend a lot on a grinder that allows great control of particle size and distribution. They look down upon the spinning blade devices because of the non-ulniformity of particle size.
But one usually isn/t trying to perform a controlled liquid extraction of pepper corns.
I myself can't justify that expense for grinding coffee beans, let alone pepper.
The frugal gourmet dude used a Middle Eastern coffee grinder, which is actually a traditional coffee grinder intended to produce a quite fine powder suitable for the traditional Middle Eastern method of brewing coffee.
If you just want some ground pepper, look for a grinder with sturdy reasonably-machined metal mechanical parts. I would avoid brass grinding surfaces. Don't keep it filled to the top with peppercorns since there are better storage options. If it has a plastic container that doesn't smell like plastic, it is probably OK, how long it will last, keep aligned, or look nice may be an issue though. There is plastic, and there is plastic. Remeber that the cylintrical shell usually is part of the plate spacing system.
Black pepper is a small berry with a thin dried fruit surrounding a large hard seed. White pepper is the seed dried after removal of the fruit. White pepper's taste is less complex, but preferred for some applications, especially those where the dark color of black pepper is considered detrimental to appearance, like white sauces.
Save the big bucks for guns and khuks, unless you are extremely concerned about uniform particle size distribution or a saucier in a froo-froo chef's kitchen.
My two cents and worth what you've paid.
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