Yes there is a difference.
I always compare and stick with the one i prefer.
But that doesn’t mean if i sell on the one i least prefer that im passing on sub standard equipment .
The point im making is how do you measure 4 x better for 4 x the price. You cannot quantify all of the aspects contributing to the price.
If you prefer it and realise some of the price is down to the build and quality of the parts used and the product itself then 4 x the price is ok!. it is good to stay.
There are bad grinders .
The bad grinders i have owned are sage smart grinder pro and df83 v2 but i have seen some people love them . Obviously i cant agree!! Inconsistent is the kindest observation.
In isolation all other grinders i have and have owned give me, in the cup, good coffee. When i compare i appreciate the subtle differences .
My craig lyn hg-1 prime probably gives the same coffee as the key with maybe less fines, which i prefer, but slso theres something pleasing about using it which makes it “different”
Im using the 200 and 197 burrs in the philos and now trying the SSP burrs i have on loan from @Raja123 .
The ssp certainly have more drag as i have had to adjust the damping ring 2 notched to stop it drifting coarser whilst grinding (stepless mode).
All 3 burrs give nice coffee but i think i am still preferring the 200. Again this does not make the ssp and 197 bad, and any in isolation are great. I just have a feeling towards preferring the 200’s.
Its more difficult to compare without 3 philos bodies.
Taste memory is very lossy and the brain easily confused decisions !
Hifi is much easier to justify price of some components. Are 4 × 5m £3k speaker cables worth more to wire my speakers than the £80 ones i currently have. 100 percent definitely not!