Reviews You Can Rely On

Cuisinart Supreme Grind Review

An affordable burr grinder that delivered an average performance in all but our cleanliness metric
gearlab tested logo
Cuisinart Supreme Grind Review (The Supreme Grind is a descent all-around burr grinder at a very competitive price. However, the machine struggles at...)
The Supreme Grind is a descent all-around burr grinder at a very competitive price. However, the machine struggles at the fine end of the grind spectrum and this could be a deal breaker for those looking to pull high-quality espresso shots.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $60 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Cuisinart
By Genaveve Bradshaw and Nick Miley  ⋅  Dec 21, 2022
55
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#11 of 16
  • Grind Consistency - 35% 5.9
  • Cleanliness - 25% 4.0
  • Ease of Use - 25% 6.7
  • Noise - 15% 5.0

Our Verdict

The Cuisinart Supreme Grind is a decent burr grinder best suited to people just entering the craft coffee-making world and looking to save money. This device earned average scores in all but the cleanliness evaluation as it tends to build up static and hold onto grounds, and, if the bin is placed incorrectly, it will throw grounds all over the place. Additionally, the flat burrs struggle with fine grinds. Despite these limitations, the Supreme Grind is an exceptionally good deal considering that it offers users a significantly more refined grind than a blade grinder can provide. Check out how it compares to the competition in our article on the best coffee grinders.
REASONS TO BUY
Consistent coarse grinding
Easy to use
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Some clean-up issues
Inconsistent dosing
Struggles with fine grinding
Editor's Note: This review was updated on December 21, 2022, to include new data after retesting this grinder.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Best Buy Award
The Economy Burr Grinder
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
   
Price $60 List
$59.95 at Amazon
$100 List
$104.27 at Amazon
$20.00 List
$18.99 at Amazon
$40 List
$29.98 at Amazon
$30 List
$19.80 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
55
61
53
49
43
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Bottom Line An economy burr grinder that earned average scores across all metrics save cleanlinessImpressive performance at a reasonably low priceThis small, simple, and inexpensive blade grinder gets the job done for most styles of coffee, excelling in the pour over grind rangeA standard blade model that may be a bit more expensive than many are hopingThis grinder has all the disadvantages of a blade model without many redeeming qualities
Rating Categories Cuisinart Supreme G... Bodum Bistro Hamilton Beach Fres... KitchenAid Blade Mueller HyperGrind...
Grind Consistency (35%)
5.9
6.9
6.3
3.2
3.6
Cleanliness (25%)
4.0
5.8
4.1
6.2
4.1
Ease of Use (25%)
6.7
7.0
5.9
6.1
4.7
Noise (15%)
5.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.5
Specs Cuisinart Supreme G... Bodum Bistro Hamilton Beach Fres... KitchenAid Blade Mueller HyperGrind...
Grinding Mechanism Flat burr Conical burr Blade Blade Blade
Burr/Blade Material Stainless steel Stainless steel Stainless steel Stainless steel Stainless steel
Dosing Mechanism Timer Timer Manual Manual Manual
Best Brew Application Pour over, espresso Pour over, espresso Pour over Pour over, espresso Pour over, espresso
Dimensions 7" x 6" x 10.75" 7.6" x 7.1" x 12.5" 3.7" x 3.5" x 7" 7.1" x 4.1" x 3.7" 7.8" x 4.5" x 4.3"
Weight 3.6 Ibs 3.2 lbs 1.3 Ibs 2.6 lbs 1.45 lbs
Cup Material Plastic Glass Plastic Metal Plastic
Warranty 18 month limited Two year limited One year limited One year full Two year limited

Our Analysis and Test Results

There's not any one thing that sets this burr grinder apart from its peers. That is, of course, except for being significantly less expensive than the competition. The Supreme Grind is an average-performing machine that will leave enough extra money in your purse to buy several pounds of really nice craft coffee beans. It does well grinding for French presses and pour-overs alike. However, this is not the right tool for the job if you are an espresso enthusiast.

Performance Comparison


cuisinart supreme grind - the supreme grind is a sold value for craft coffee makers focused on...
The Supreme Grind is a sold value for craft coffee makers focused on pour-over and French press extraction.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Grind Consistency


This metric is the most important aspect of our coffee grinder evaluation. It is comprised of several tests, including a shaker, pour-over, range, and dosing tests. The object here is to look at the consistency of the grounds produced across a range of coffee-making methods — French press grounds are larger, while pour-over grounds are in the middle. Overall, the Supreme Grind performed decently in this metric, though there's room for improvement.


The main object of grind consistency is to assess the grinder's ability to churn out grounds of a given size repeatedly. To assess this, we use a shaker with progressively finer screens that sift the grounds into specific size groupings. A good grinder will have a significant portion of the grounds in the range desired, with progressively less at the far ends of the spectrum. We do this test for both pour-over and French press ground sizes. The Supreme Grind only landed about 60% of the desired size range (24-39 OPN) in the pour-over shaker test. However, the unit rendered more accurate results in the French press grind size. Less than 5% of the grounds fell below 30 OPN, the size cut-off that leads to over-extraction-related astringency with the French press brewing method.

cuisinart supreme grind - the supreme grind does well with coarse grinds as required for...
The Supreme Grind does well with coarse grinds as required for French presses and pour overs. However, the same can not be said as the dial is turned it the finer end.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

We also tested the extraction time for three cups of coffee made with the pour-over method. This test provides a practical evaluation of the consistency of the grounds from one grind to the next. There was approximately a 25-second variation in our extraction times. We partially attribute this variation to the static that builds up in the grinder bin and causes the grounds to clump. After we accounted for this bug, the extraction times tightened up some. Still, the results for the Supreme Grind were about average for the class.

cuisinart supreme grind - the static build-up resulted in clumping of the grounds and...
The static build-up resulted in clumping of the grounds and irregular pour over extraction times.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

We also looked at the coffee grinders grinding range and the dosing consistency. Espresso calls for a very fine grind, while cold brew calls for the most coarse. Dosing is the grinder's ability to kick out a consistent amount of grounds (by weight) for a given setting and grind time, allowing greater extraction consistency. The Supreme Grind favors grinding on the coarser end of the spectrum — taste tests supported this assessment. However, it struggled mightily with producing espresso grinds, and as a result, we struggled to find a setting that rendered high-quality shots. Additionally, the Supreme Grind has difficulty producing a consistent amount of grounds. In our three-round timed grind test, the Supreme Grind displayed a range of 9.58 to 11.89 grams, a little better than average for the class.

cuisinart supreme grind - the grind supreme struggled with grinds finer than medium. however...
The Grind Supreme struggled with grinds finer than medium. However, it did well from medium to coarse.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Cleanliness


This metric assesses the difficulty of cleaning up after using each grinder, which contributes quite a bit to user satisfaction. The main issue with grinders is that they create a lot of static, and this causes coffee grounds to stick to surfaces in and around the machine. Additionally, these machines can spit grounds outside the catchment bin, increasing the mess on the countertop and kitchen floor. Unfortunately, the Supreme Grind is one of the messiest machines in the class.


The Supreme Grind produces quite a bit of static. For example, when the machine is in use, the bin's walls immediately become covered in ground fines, obscuring the view into the container. Moreover, a good deal remained when the grounds were poured from the bin, requiring them to be knocked out. That said, if the bin is fit to the machine correctly, there is little opportunity for the grounds to get thrown out. However, it is easy to miss fit the bin, and when this happens, the grounds can fly free from the machine, producing one heck of a mess. With this machine, it pays to fit everything properly and to keep the cleaning brush handy to remove the lingering grounds.

cuisinart supreme grind - cleaning is a bit of an issue with this machine. however, keeping...
Cleaning is a bit of an issue with this machine. However, keeping the included brush handy and making sure the bin is properly seated will help reduce this burden.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


The ease of use metric focuses on the user's experience when interacting with the device's interface as well as the programmability and maintenance of the machine. This metric was a real bright spot for the Supreme Grind as it was one of the easier models to use. The simplicity of this machine's design goes a long way to ease the daily grind.


From the programming to the interface to the maintenance requirements, the Supreme Grind is a breeze to use. Specifically, the dial below the bean shoot has dots of increasing size that correlate with grinding coarseness — the range is labeled fine, medium, and coarse, with 18 grind options in the spectrum. Cleaning the machine is also quite easy. Simply take the unit apart, wipe down non-water-safe parts with a cloth and place all the other parts in the dishwasher. Finally, no programming is required; just plug it in, set the grind size, and turn it on. That's it.

cuisinart supreme grind - all of the removable parts on the supreme grind are dish-washer safe...
All of the removable parts on the Supreme Grind are dish-washer safe making clean-up that much easier.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Noise


This metric is a simple, objective test of the decibels of sound produced by each grinder when 24 inches away. Also, we include a more subjective analysis that assesses the machine's pitch. Or, more accurately, how annoying we find the noise. The Supreme Grind gave a middling performance in this assessment.


This grinder kicks out 78 decibels when actively grinding. It is slightly high-pitched and moderately annoying such that you wouldn't want to run it for long when everyone in the house is asleep. All told, the unit isn't inordinately loud or obnoxious, and it's about what you would expect from a flat burr grinder.

cuisinart supreme grind - this isn't the loudest of the grinders we have tested but, at 78...
This isn't the loudest of the grinders we have tested but, at 78 dBa, it isn't the quietest either.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Should You Buy the Cuisinart Supreme Grind?


This is a good option if you want to get a burr grinder but don't want to break the bank. However, if you are an experienced craft coffeemaker looking to replace or upgrade a burr grinder, this device may leave you dissatisfied as it struggles with consistent dosing and grinding.

What Other Coffee Grinders Should You Consider?


If you want the best grind consistency, there is no doubt where to look. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro and the Baratza Virtuoso+ top the charts in the grinding department. However, the more affordable Bodum Bistro isn't far behind these machines, though it is incredibly loud and not the easiest to clean.

Other Versions


cuisinart supreme grind
Credit: Cuisinart
The Cuisinart Programmable Conical Burr Mill can automatically grind the right amount of beans for as little as one cup and adds a digital display to the feature set.

Genaveve Bradshaw and Nick Miley