Whenever there is a discussion about home coffee grinders, we cannot end our discussion without talking about the Cuisinart line of products – And this time, we are back with our Cuisinart DBM-8 review.
This burr mill grinder has had mixed reviews from its buyers. If you are a true coffee lover, you would probably want to grind your own coffee beans.
When you use freshly ground coffee, the effect that it has on the taste is remarkable and then you don’t want to go back to the packaged pre-ground coffee.
Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill Review
Now let’s have a detailed look at the features of the Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill. This will help you figure out whether this is the right choice for you or not.
Smart and Compact Design
Keeping into consideration the modern-day compact and minimal home and work kitchen interiors, nobody wants to buy a machine that won’t even look good on the countertop or table.
This grinder is smartly designed and does not require a lot of space. If space consumption is one of your major buying factors, this grinder should do the job for you.
Aesthetics of Cuisinart DBM-8
As far as the built quality of this coffee grinder is concerned, the finishing and detailing is up to par with the standards of all the premium products offered by Cuisinart.
The exterior has an aluminum finish along with black accents. This is bound to look good and go with the aesthetic of modern kitchen.
Safety Locks Machine Unless Hopper & Chamber in Place
The DBM-8 comes with a built-in safety feature. The machine won’t function unless the bean hopper and grounds bin are in place correctly. It helps in avoiding pieces from flying all over the place that can easily create a mess.
Hopper & Grounds Bin for Storing Coffee Grounds
The Cuisinart DBM-8 has a plastic bean hopper which is detachable. It has an 8-ounce capacity.
The plastic grounds bin has the capability of holding ground coffee up to 32 cups. But it must be airtight in order to store ground coffee, if it’s not, then storing coffee grounds is not recommended.
Lightweight and Portable
The measurements of this grinder are 6 x 7.13 x 10.75 inches and the weight is 4.7 lbs – making it a lightweight and compact machine. These days people don’t prefer kitchen appliances that take up huge space and are a difficult to move around.
Simple Cleaning Process
As is the case with most of the grinders, burr grinders need to be cleaned continually as this helps to keep the grinder in working order. The Cuisinart DBM-8 is relatively easier to clean as compared to other products within this price range and category.
You can clean the grinder by removing the hopper. The top burr is connected to hopper’s base and detaches with it. This enables you access to dust the coffee deposits off from the base burr.
You just need to be a little careful when you take the bin out because if its not done properly, the coffee dust might be all over you while cleaning. The dust tends to stick to the coffee dispensing chute and on top of grounds bin.
An Easy-to-Operate Coffee Grinder
The Cuisinart DBM-8 grinder is simple and easy to use as it is a basic grinder. You plug it in, then put the coffee beans in the hopper. When you load them, you need to be sure that the grounds bin is in the right position.
After this, all you need to do is select the setting of the grind by turning the hopper, selecting number of cups that you need to grind for (anywhere from 4 to 10) and then push the start button.
Cup-selector is a timed grinding button. Grinding will be done by the machine for a predetermined time. If you want the grinding to stop midway, then push cup-selector switch to OFF.
The Affordability Factor
We commend this compact and convenient machine with a price point just above the blade grinders and almost same as some hand grinders.
You just have to pay few dollars more than the cost of blade grinder, and you get a better cup of coffee from this machine. After grinding your coffee beans with this grinder, you probably might not look back at the blade grinder again.
It claims to produce 12 coffee cups in about 40 seconds. And 18 cups in 55 seconds. The time for grinding also depends on the kind of coffee you plan on making and the bean that you want to use.
The Downside of Cuisinart DBM-8 Grinder
Let us now have a look at some of the major negative elements of this coffee grinder.
Inconsistent Coffee Grind
One of the biggest concerns with this machine is that you have to grind different sizes of coffee based on how you brew it.
Although the grind settings of Cuisinart DBM-8 range from extra course to fine, giving you sufficient control over the quality of grind. Furthermore, you can even regulate the coarseness or fineness of grind as you want it to be – however, there is a problem here..
Espresso – DBM-8 claims to grind for espresso, but in reality, this is not the case. You can make espresso with the finest setting, but you have to use a pressurized portafilter for that matter. It still does not come close to the espresso you get at a local coffee shop.
French Press – If you want to grind for the French press, then you must select coarser settings. This machine is inconsistent with the grind and tends to produce a lot of fines. So, when you make French press coffee, chances are you might be left with a bit of “sludge”.
If you are looking for the perfect and sweet cup of coffee, then this should not be your first choice due to inconsistent grind.
Not a Durable Machine
This is one of the lowest priced burr grinders that you will find in the market. If you have expectations for it to last you a lot of years, then we have to say; it’s not realistic.
For this small price, though, we can say that the build quality is good enough. With a bit of periodic cleaning and maintenance, this grinder will last a while. However, it’s nothing close to the durability of some of the higher priced, top of the line burr grinders.
Also, there is an 18-month warranty offered by the manufacturer Cuisinart on this grinder.
Not Recommended for Barista-level Grinding
The Cuisinart DBM-8 does not give the precision that an experienced coffee enthusiast would want from their grinder. This is due to the substandard block burr set.
This grinder cannot really handle the customization of the coarseness of coffee grounds for various brewing methods. There is not much you can experiment with this grinder.
Makes a lot of Noise
This grinder is equipped with ceramic block burrs. A newbie might not be expecting it in a grinder. The size of burr or the power of motor is not specified by Cuisinart. But we can tell you this – it’s the loudest burr grinder that we have come across. Much like a jackhammer.
This can be really bothersome especially for brewing coffee in the mornings as it can wake the entire house up.
Inefficient Customer Service
There are issues with customer service for this grinder. As this grinder has low cost, the manufacturer is usually of the view that you will simply change the grinder instead of getting its parts replaced.
As mentioned above as well, this machine will last you for some time but don’t expect it to last for too long like you would for a top of the line model.
Quick Overview of Cuisinart DBM-8 Pros & Cons
Let us now briefly talk about the major positive and negative elements of this coffee grinder:
Pros
- Low price makes it affordable for all
- Compact design fits in tight kitchen spaces
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Inconsistent coffee grind
- Too noisy
- Does not give an espresso grind
Our Final Word on the Cuisinart DBM-8 Grinder
If you have reached this part in our Cuisinart DBM-8 review, then you probable have already figured out that this grinder won’t give you quality and a consistent coffee grind. This is an entry-level coffee grinder that comes at a low price.
However, if you are new to the world of coffee grinding, this machine is a good way to start. Due to it’s low cost factor, this can be your ‘starter’ grinder. Later on, you can always upgrade to something that is more consistent.
Also, this is a good choice if you are not concerned much about ideal brewing temperature, coffee to water ratio and the rate of extraction. It is much superior in quality to blade grinders.