Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

Good buy for the Price
Don't believe that ANY grinder in this price range will be the ultimate grinder for all your grinding needs. I read with amusement as some reviewers slammed this grinder for not grinding well enough to use with their espresso machines. I own this machine for use with my drip coffee maker only. I own a $500+ Mazzer Grinder for my espresso machine. The point being, that for the absolute consistent grind needed for use with espresso, you better be willing to step up significantly in price. That said, on to this grinder review.

Considering there are no decent blade grinders on the market - including those in the $25 price range, the best grinder to have is a burr grinder. Burr grinders do not create the heat that destroys the flavor of your beans and creates a more uniformed grind. Burr grinders do not produce the large "chunks" of beans in varying size that a blade grinder does. I have yet to see any missed "untouched" beans find their way past the burrs (as one reviewer...

Initial Reactions
First, after checking the Amazon listings, I noticed a similar model (Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill). I'm not sure if this model is a newer version of that one--because they look awfully similar--but I did notice that some of the reactions to that other model are fitting for this one.

After my initial use, the first thing I noticed was that the grind (I used the lowest "coarse" setting) didn't seem as consistent as I thought it would be, considering the point of using a burr grinder is to get a consistent grind. There was a fair amount of dust that came through, in other words.

For the price, I can't say I expected it to be perfect, and honestly, this bit of coffee dust (maybe half a teaspoon)doesn't much bother me. A common complaint for the other model is that the plastic hoppers attract the coffee dust due to static cling. This is also true here, but for me, not a problem.

Overall, I like the way this grinder works. Just...

Almost as good as I expected
First off, the grind you get from a burr grinder is superior to a blade, hands down. This grinder makes a superbly uniform grind, and the fineness/coarseness is easily adjustable. For the price, this is an excellent burr grinder. Highly recommend it for your average coffee drinker. If you are grinding things finely, grinding spices or flavored coffees, or grinding lots of coffee, read on for important details.

I was a little disappointed with the plastic grind hopper. Burr grinders I have used in the past were glass, and while I didn't think plastic would be a big deal, extremely fine grinds tend to 'stick' due to static electricity.

When doing longer grinds (for larger pots of coffee, etc) the motor really starts to sound strained. I'm worried that with heavy use over a few months I might have issues with it. If I do, I'll update this review.

*most* of the grinder is very easy to clean... however, inside the base there are a couple of pieces out...

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