Cuisinart DBM-8 Review: Budget Grinder for Beginners

Do you want a quality grinder but can’t afford the high prices? The Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill made by Cuisinart is the answer to having an attractive coffee grinder on your countertop for the Holidays and all year long.

It was the first grinder for me and what sold me on getting it was reading that it may not have all the bells and whistles that more expensive ones have but you wouldn’t know by looking at it, which was exactly what I wanted at the time.

This Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill Review is for the model DBM-8 and is what coffee enthusiasts call an entry-level grinder aimed at the beginner but with great value and functionality without too many features to overwhelm you, which is probably why it is a very popular grinder.

Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

Why is it the best?

  • Easy to use with its straightforward design and uncomplicated functions
  • Excellent grinder for at home and especially for drip and French press coffee
  • It has a low cost of less than $50.00
  • For an entry-level grinder it has exceptionally better quality than a blade grinder
  • It is very childproof with its safety features

That is not to say that only beginners should buy this grinder. It is also popular because many people just do not want or need all those other features and are happy using this one for years.

For you beginners, here is a link to more detailed explanations of grinder types and parts on Youtube called How To Choose a Coffee Grinder for Beginners.

I found it very helpful when I was first starting to learn about grinders and how important they were to have if you wanted a fresh cup of coffee like your favorite coffee café.

Also, click here for an excellent video that explains the difference between the Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill grinder and a blade coffee grinder.

Besides being attractive with very few buttons, it has a small footprint on your countertop and should fit well in a corner while it displays a pretty all-plastic glossy fascia front panel.

The corkscrew design of the bean hopper makes it easy to remove and easy to clean.

This is a stepped adjustment grinder of the self holding type—as you turn the hopper or adjust knob you hear clicking as it locks the fineness level in place. This is good for a beginner as the clicking will be a guide for you.

The micro-grind adjustment rotating dial is right under the hopper with 18 settings so going from coarse to fine is a snap. In front of the dial is a sliding button to choose the number of cups of coffee you want from 4 to 18 cups. This certainly keeps you from needing to guess how many beans are needed—it makes it so easy!

Once you select the coarseness and the number of cups you want, all that you need to do is start grinding by hitting the start button right on top next to the cup selector. The grounds will go into a nice large ground container that will hold enough grounds for up to 32 cups of coffee.

The ground container as well as the bean hopper is easy to remove and cleaning can be done in the top rack of a dishwasher but I think it is done best by hand using a gentle soap, rinsing and drying thoroughly, especially when getting ready to add a different coffee bean. This is unless you want to blend different types or flavors of beans, which is something you will probably eventually do.

Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

The remainder of the grinder needs to be cleaned out ever week or more depending on its use. A cleaning brush comes with it to brush out the bottom burr area and the top burr can be reached by removing the hopper. Youtube has a video on cleaning this grinder that I recommend.

Features

Here are some of the excellent features of the Cuisinart’s Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill:

  • It has an 8-ounce bean hopper that is removable made of hard plastic
  • It has a large removable 32-cup grind chamber
  • It comes with a scoop and cleaning brush
  • It has a separate one-touch start bar
  • It has an automatic shut off timer for when the grind cycle is finished
  • It has 18 grind selections from extra-coarse to fine
  • It has a compact size measuring 6″ deep x 7.13″ wide x 10.75″ high
  • It has a cord 3 feet long and a cord keeper to hide part of cord
  • It is attractive looking on the countertop
  • It is affordable being about a quarter of what similar grinders cost
  • It is made of high-quality and durable stainless steel and plastic
  • It has a limited 18-month warranty

Advantages

  • Easy to use with its straightforward design and uncomplicated functions
  • Excellent grinder for at home and especially for drip and French press coffee
  • It has a low cost of less than $50.00
  • For an entry-level grinder it has exceptionally better quality than a blade grinder
  • It is very childproof with its safety features

Disadvantages

  • According to some customers, it will not grind fine enough for a high-end cup of espresso or pour-over
  • The bean hopper is not air tight so some aroma could escape if sitting for any length of time
  • Instruction booklet is very vague

Verdict

The Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill may not be your best choice in grinders if you make a lot of espresso or pour-over coffee that you are particular about.

It may not be the best choice for someone who is planning on becoming a big coffee enthusiast or opening a small coffee shop.

It is an excellent choice and does a great job for the beginner as it is definitely a step up from a blade grinder because in comparison to the uneven grinding of a blade grinder, this burr grinder will win without a doubt. And it is an excellent choice for those of you in between.

Having grandchildren around a lot, I really do like the childproof safety it has with how the motor will not run while plugged in unless the hopper and ground dispenser are in place.

However, my favorite wonderful thing about this grinder is the price. It is so low that I intend on buying several for gifts. May this Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill Review be helpful in your quest for grinding down your budget for that perfect cup of coffee at home.

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