just before this one, i saw a 500$ hand grinder... people are going nuts with these prices o.O

Kind of mixed bag. Currencies being devalued so everything costing more. But then 5+ years ago people were modding Mazzers to single dose and where I heard in 2010 etc.. they were cheap suddenly prices went up by few hundred dollars for those because of new popularity. Then the whole single dose trend took off few years ago and it's pretty amazing selection from Baratza/Fellow/Varia type grinders for couple hundred to the DF series for $300-$800 to the Mazzer Philos and this in $1000 range and upward to the EG-1 for few grand but then it's how much difference in taste for a lot of these and the burrs.. but still it's pretty amazing all the choices avail.