Black and Decker Mill and Brew: The Grind-and-Brew Machine That Tries to Do It All

The Black and Decker Mill and Brew (model CM5000B) is a 12-cup coffee maker with a built-in blade grinder on top. You load whole beans into the grinder chamber, set your brew strength, and the machine grinds the beans and brews the coffee in one automated sequence. It retails for around $50 to $70 and promises the convenience of fresh-ground coffee without needing a separate grinder.

I bought one out of curiosity about three years ago, used it as my primary coffee maker for about six months, and then moved on. During those six months, I developed strong opinions about what it does well, what it does poorly, and who it's actually designed for. If you're considering one, this is what you need to know.

How the Mill and Brew Works

The machine has three main sections stacked vertically. The grinder chamber sits on top with a clear lid. The filter basket and water reservoir occupy the middle. The carafe sits on a warming plate at the bottom.

The brewing sequence goes like this:

1. Load whole beans into the top chamber (up to about 1/3 cup for a full pot)
2. Add water to the reservoir
3. Put a paper filter in the basket
4. Set the grind amount (small, medium, or large batch)
5. Press the start button

The machine grinds the beans first. It's loud. Very loud, since it's a blade grinder running at full speed. The grinding takes about 15 to 30 seconds depending on the batch size. Then the ground coffee drops into the filter basket through a chute, and the brewing cycle starts automatically. Total time from pressing the button to a full pot is about 10 to 12 minutes.

The Programmable Timer

One feature I actually liked was the 24-hour programmable timer. You load beans and water the night before, set the timer for 6:00 AM, and wake up to freshly ground and brewed coffee. The aroma of grinding beans at 6 AM is a genuinely pleasant way to start the day, even if the sound might wake light sleepers in nearby rooms.

Grind Quality: The Weak Link

Here's where I need to be blunt. The built-in grinder is a basic blade grinder with no size control. You can't adjust the grind fineness. The machine grinds for a fixed amount of time based on the batch size you select, and whatever particle distribution results from that is what goes into the filter.

The grind is inconsistent. A mix of fine powder and larger chunks, which is typical of blade grinders. For an automatic drip coffee maker, this is tolerable. The paper filter catches the fines, the brewing process is forgiving, and the coffee that comes out tastes decent. Not great, but meaningfully better than pre-ground coffee from a canister.

Where the grind quality becomes a real issue is with the chute that transfers grounds to the filter basket. On my machine, not all the grounds made it through. I'd find about 10% to 15% of the ground coffee stuck in the chute and around the edges of the grinder chamber. This means your coffee-to-water ratio is off every time, leading to slightly weaker coffee than intended.

Coffee Quality: Honest Assessment

I tested the Mill and Brew against three other methods over several weeks:

• Pre-ground Folgers in a standard drip machine
• Freshly ground (blade grinder, then transferred to drip machine)
• Freshly ground (burr grinder, then transferred to drip machine)

The Mill and Brew tasted noticeably better than the pre-ground Folgers. Fresh grinding makes a difference even with an imperfect blade mechanism. It was roughly equivalent to grinding with a separate blade grinder, which makes sense since the mechanism is similar.

It did not compete with the burr grinder setup. The cup from the burr grinder was cleaner, more flavorful, and more consistent from batch to batch. But comparing a $50 all-in-one to a $150 burr grinder plus a $40 drip machine isn't really fair.

For the target audience (someone who currently buys pre-ground coffee and wants a simple upgrade), the Mill and Brew delivers a noticeable improvement.

Build Quality and Durability

The Mill and Brew is built to a budget price point, and it shows. The plastic housing feels lightweight. The carafe is functional but nothing special. The buttons work but lack the satisfying tactile feedback of higher-end appliances.

During my six months of daily use, I encountered two issues:

The grinder chute clogged once. Oily dark roast beans left residue that built up in the chute until grounds couldn't pass through properly. I had to disassemble the chute (not designed for easy disassembly) and clean it with a brush and warm water. This was annoying.

The warming plate got too hot. Coffee left on the warming plate for more than 30 minutes developed a burnt, bitter taste. This is common with warming plate coffee makers, not specific to Black and Decker. I started pouring coffee into an insulated carafe immediately after brewing to avoid this.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The grinder chamber needs cleaning after every few uses. Coffee oils build up on the blade and the chamber walls, going rancid if ignored. I wiped it out with a damp cloth every 3 to 4 uses and ran a tablespoon of dry rice through the grinder once a week.

The filter basket and carafe are standard maintenance. Rinse after each use, deep clean with vinegar solution monthly.

The internal brewing system should be descaled every 2 to 3 months, depending on your water hardness. Black and Decker includes instructions for running a vinegar cycle. This is the same as any drip coffee maker.

The one maintenance task specific to the Mill and Brew is keeping the grinder-to-filter chute clear. Check it weekly and brush out any stuck grounds. Prevention is easier than dealing with a full clog.

Who Should Buy the Mill and Brew

The Mill and Brew makes sense if:

• You currently use pre-ground coffee and want to try whole beans without buying two separate appliances
• Counter space is limited and you can't fit a grinder AND a coffee maker
• You value the convenience of a programmable timer with fresh grinding
• Your budget is under $70 for everything

The Mill and Brew does NOT make sense if:

• You already own a decent burr grinder (the built-in blade grinder is a downgrade)
• You drink pour-over, French press, or espresso (the grinder doesn't produce appropriate grinds for these methods)
• You're particular about coffee strength and consistency (the chute retention issue makes every pot slightly different)

If you're ready to invest a bit more in coffee quality, a separate grinder gives you much better results. Check out our best coffee grinder roundup for options at every budget. Our top coffee grinder list covers the current standout models.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If the all-in-one concept appeals to you but you want better grind quality, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew (DGB-900BC) uses a burr grinder instead of a blade. It costs about $100 to $120 more but produces significantly more consistent grinds.

If you're willing to use two appliances, a $30 blade grinder plus a $40 drip machine gives you the same freshness benefit as the Mill and Brew with the advantage of being able to upgrade each component independently.

And if you want the absolute best drip coffee for under $100 total, a $60 to $80 burr grinder paired with a basic $20 to $30 drip machine will outperform any all-in-one at the same total price.

FAQ

Can I use pre-ground coffee in the Black and Decker Mill and Brew?

Yes. The machine has a bypass option that lets you skip the grinding cycle and brew directly with pre-ground coffee placed in the filter basket. This is useful if you run out of whole beans or want to use a specific pre-ground blend.

How loud is the grinding cycle?

Loud. I measured it at roughly the same volume as a standard blender on high speed. If you use the programmable timer to start at 6 AM, the grinding will wake anyone in the same room or adjacent rooms. My bedroom was two rooms away and I could still hear a faint whir.

How long does the Black and Decker Mill and Brew last?

Based on Amazon reviews and my own experience, expect 1.5 to 3 years of regular daily use. The grinder blade motor is the most common failure point. At $50 to $70, the cost per year is reasonable, but don't expect the longevity of a $200 coffee maker. Replacement parts aren't widely available, so when something breaks, you're usually buying a new unit.

Can I adjust the grind size on the Mill and Brew?

No. The grinder runs for a preset duration based on the batch size you select (small, medium, or large). There's no way to make the grind finer or coarser. The machine produces a single grind size that's optimized for standard drip brewing.

My Final Take

The Black and Decker Mill and Brew is an honest budget appliance that delivers on its basic promise: freshly ground coffee with minimal effort. It won't impress coffee enthusiasts, but it will make noticeably better coffee than a bag of pre-ground sitting in your pantry. If that's all you need and you like the idea of waking up to fresh-ground coffee on a timer, the Mill and Brew gets the job done for under $70.