Cuisinart Coffee Grinder Review

The Cuisinart CBM-18 is a great appliance. It's easy to use, well designed, solidly built, and looks great in the kitchen. It's everything you could ask for in a coffee grinder. I came across a variety of prices for this coffee grinder when I was looking for the best deals. Some sites had it for as much as $99.95, and in fact this was the price most often quoted. However Amazon regularly sells the Cuisinart CBM-18 Programmable Conical Burr Mill for less, plus they provide free shipping on this product, unlike some other stores.

A conical grinder with great value is the best way to describe this appliance. It may not have the same high-end appeal as the CBM-18, but the Cuisinart DBM-8 the best way to get a conical burr grinder for those on a budget. Excellent for the price and good value, are common themes I came across when reading the numerous comments by owners of this machine. As one owner aptly stated, "I don't believe there is a better one in this price range".

The black and silver are a great match for stainless steel appliances that are commonly found in modern kitchens. The Cuisinart DBM-8 is lightweight and can store easily on a pantry shelf. Measuring 6.75 x 9.75 x 5 inches, it's compact enough to fit on your kitchen counter. Plus, it looks good enough to leave next to your coffee maker.

This conical grinder features both adjustable settings for grind levels and quantity. So you'll get the right amount of beans ground to the right size for your coffee machine. The burr grinding mechanism provides for uniform grounds and optimum flavor, exactly what you want from your coffee grinder. I like the fact that the 18 position grind selector covers the entire range, from ultra-fine to coarse.

Another thing I like about this machine is that you don't have to figure how much coffee to grind. Fill the hopper with beans, set the selector for the number of cups you want, and it will grind the right amount every time. The large hopper means you can just load up enough beans once a week, making it that much more convenient. This conical grinder also shuts off automatically when it's finished grinding, just one more thing that you don't have to worry about.

During my research I also came across some complaints that I would like to share with you. One complaint was that this coffee grinder is not the easiest thing to keep clean. This may or may not be a big deal, depending on how clean you like to keep your appliances. Another issue often raised concerned the noise level. Now, this is somewhat subjective and all coffee grinders are by nature noisy, so it's hard to judge the seriousness of this complaint. One owner did mention that you do need to be careful when removing the lid from the canister as some coffee sticks to it, and could spill if you're not careful.

At half the price of a CBM-18, the Cuisinart DBM-8 is an economical choice for those on a budget who want a conical grinder. It is a great deal for the price and you will be hard pressed to find anything better in this price range. Just remember that you get what you pay for, so don't expect the quality of a $500 coffee grinder when you're paying less than $50.

Cuisinart offers two blade coffee grinder choices for those on a limited budget. We will look at the better of the two first; the Cuisinart DCG-20N. This is a wonderful appliance for anyone who needs a compact and space-saving coffee grinder. It is relatively sturdy, simple to use and attractive; it comes in either black or white. It is also the least expensive of all Cuisinart models; perfect as a back-up grinder or for use at the cottage. It will grind coffee as good as any blade grinder.

Because it's designed to be compact, the Cuisinart DCG-20N only has a 2.5 ounce capacity. Realize that this won't be enough for a 12 cup pot of coffee, as some customers have complained. If you regularly brew large pots of coffee, then this probably isn't the grinder for you.

Another common complaint concerns the quality of the grinding. All blade grinders, by their very nature, have difficulty grinding coffee beans to a uniform size. So this will always be a challenge. Another point one owner raised is that the Cuisinart DCG-20N grinds so quickly that it's easy to over-grind your beans. It's hard to judge the consistency of your grind accurately; you have to open up the unit and take a quick look. It can be a little messy when taking the lid off for a peek or transferring the ground coffee, so you will have to be careful.

Overall, this is a nice coffee grinder for the price. It's the best blade coffee grinder that Cuisinart offers.

I've kept my review of the Cuisinart DCG-12BC for last and I'm including it only in the interest of completeness. Granted, virtually all owners of this appliance find that the brushed aluminum exterior looks very nice. Many of the same people find it to be a simple and effective design that's easy to use and clean. I do appreciate that the bean cup is removable and washable, making it much easier to keep clean. It's also nice that there are markings showing the quantity of beans to add for the amount of coffee you want to make.

However, I have some concerns regarding this product. In my research I did come across the typical complaint you find about blade grinders; namely the inability to grind beans uniformly and consistently. That is to be expected, since this is a blade grinder and not a burr coffee grinder.

What really concerns me is that a number of owners report that the motor burns out prematurely. As one owner put it, "the grinder cup is pretty small, and if you overfill it beyond an extremely poorly marked line - even just a tiny bit - the motor will fail". If you need to grind a lot of beans, then this may not be the right coffee grinder for you. A better choice perhaps is the DCG-20N. It may not look as nice but chances are that it will last longer.

If you're in a hurry and just want to know which is best, here it is. The CBM-18 is the best this company has to offer and well worth the investment. An alternative for those on a limited budget is the more economical DBM-8. It's a decent entry-level conical burr grinder. If money is really tight, then go for the DCG-20N blade grinder. It works better and is less expensive than the DCG-12BC.

I am careful when I shop online for anything, so I always make my purchases from well-known companies. That's why I shop at Amazon. They also have low prices on coffee grinders and many are eligible for free shipping.