There’s a reason why the Cuisinart DBM-8 is one of the bestsellers on Amazon. In fact, you will find it on nearly every single top 10 coffee grinder’s lists online. This pocket-sized entry level unit offers tremendous value and covers all the aces that one looks for in a home coffee grinder. It is minimalist but does not compromise on functionality.
Without making it sound clichéd, it would be fair to say that Cuisinart has managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat here.
A Closer Look At The Cuisinart DBM-8
The Cuisinart DBM-8 has a very small footprint in a water-cooler inspired design that fits snugly in the corner of your countertop. It has a glossy all-plastic fascia panel with minimal buttons, which seems to be the prevailing trend with coffee grinders for the years to come. With fewer buttons, it’s easier to work with.
On the top, you have the clear 0.5 pound bean hopper that comes with a secure airtight lid. The hopper has a corkscrew like design which comes off easily when rotated (perfect for cleaning).
Under the hopper is the micro-grind adjustment rotating knob with 18 grind settings, which makes it extremely easy to set the right grind size for your espressos and other brewing methods. Going from semi-fine grind to coarse grind won’t be a problem – the ground coffee will come out great; whether it’s drip-coffee, or French press.
All these grind settings are clearly aimed at a beginner barista who would like to learn the ropes without being overwhelmed by too many features.
There is a sliding grind selector allows you to choose the dosing settings according to the number of cups. So, you can choose from 4 to 18 cups, and the grinder will only grind the amount of beans required. This takes the guesswork out of dosing and is a great feature for a beginner coffee grinder.
There is a large ground container under the control panel, which comes with a lid and can hold enough grounds for up to 32 cups of coffee. The ground container is very easy to clean and maintain, simply pull it out when the machine is not operating and that’s it.
Grinding With The Cuisinart Machine
The DBM-8 Supreme is a conical burr grinder that uses disk burrs and and not flat burrs, which improves the grind quality slightly and enhances the longevity of the machine. The grind quality is exceptional for an entry-level coffee grinder.
At the superfine grind size, the grind is really fine, and there is no visible inconsistency. If you’re looking to brew espresso based drinks or Turkish coffee, then this is the grinder for you.
The grinder produces consistent grind at the coarser grind range too, so it’ll work fine for French Press too. There aren’t any random uneven chunks of beans, which is a plus. All-in-all, it is a very impressive performance for a home coffee grinder.
One of the caveats that need to be mentioned is that if you are looking to change your coffee beans and take out the ‘removable hopper’ with a few coffee beans in it, they’ll fall out because there is no lock on the tube that connects the hopper to the grinder. So make sure that you are careful when you unscrew the hopper to change beans or remove them.
Is This Grinder Suitable For Me?
The Cuisinart DBM-8 Burr Mill is designed for casual coffee lovers who just want to get a taste of what home-brewing is like.
Video Review
Pros
- Stylish exterior and small footprint
- Large coffee bean container
- Removable bean hopper (max. 0.5lbs coffee ground)
- 18 adjustable grind settings
- Dishwasher friendly
- 18 Month Warranty
Cons:
- Inconsistent fine-grinds, it's similar levels to a blade grinder
- Relatively lower durability
- Lots of mess and static
Alternative & Similar Products
The Cuisinart Coffee Grinder is a burr mill grinder for beginners. The problem is the quality isn’t that good. If you’re looking for something better for around the same price point, then you should check out manual grinders such as Hario Skerton or the Hunt Brothers Coffee Grinder.
Alternatively, if you have a higher budget, you may want to consider an electric coffee grinder like the Capresso Infinity.
The Coffee Barrister's Verdict [CONCLUSION]
The Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill is a great entry-level machine. Even though it comes with some drawbacks, the performance and features outweigh it. It is compact, stylish, grinds exceptionally well and costs just under $50 – cannot ask for more really.
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