Cuisinart Coffee Center Grind & Brew Plus

I bought the Cuisinart Coffee Center Grind & Brew Plus after my old drip machine died and my standalone grinder started acting up on the same week. Two birds, one stone, I figured. After six months of daily use, I have a pretty clear picture of what this machine does well and where it falls short.

The Grind & Brew Plus (model SS-GB1) combines a 12-cup drip coffee maker with a built-in burr grinder and a single-serve side that accepts K-Cup pods. It's Cuisinart's answer to the cluttered countertop problem, and for the most part, it delivers. Here's everything you need to know before deciding if it's right for your kitchen.

Design and Build Quality

The machine is big. There's no getting around that. At roughly 14 inches wide, 10 inches deep, and 16 inches tall, it takes up serious counter real estate. But consider that it's replacing up to three separate appliances (grinder, drip machine, and K-Cup brewer), and the footprint starts to make more sense.

The body is brushed stainless steel with black plastic accents. It looks sharp and feels solid. The buttons are responsive, and the LCD display is easy to read even at a glance. Cuisinart used a thermal carafe rather than a hot plate, which I prefer. Hot plates cook the coffee and make it bitter within 30 minutes. The thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for about 2 hours without degrading the flavor.

The Bean Hopper

The hopper sits on top of the carafe side and holds about 8 ounces of whole beans. It has a sealed lid that does a decent job keeping beans fresh for 3 to 4 days. I still wouldn't fill the hopper completely unless I know I'll use those beans within a few days. Coffee goes stale fast once exposed to air, even in a sealed hopper.

The Built-In Burr Grinder

This is the feature that sets the Grind & Brew Plus apart from basic combo machines. Cuisinart uses a flat burr grinder with 5 grind settings, from fine to coarse. For drip coffee, I keep it on the medium setting (number 3), and it produces a consistent grind that extracts evenly.

The grinder also has an "amount" dial that lets you select how many cups worth of beans to grind, from 2 to 12. This is a nice touch. If I only want 4 cups, I don't have to grind enough for a full pot and waste beans.

Grind Quality Compared to Standalone Grinders

Let me be honest. The 5-setting burr grinder is not going to match a Baratza Encore or a Fellow Ode. Those dedicated grinders have 40+ settings and produce more uniform particles. But the Cuisinart grinder is a clear step above any blade grinder, and for standard drip coffee, the difference between 5 settings and 40 settings is minimal. You'd need a trained palate and a controlled tasting to notice.

Where the limitation shows up is if you try to use the grinder for pour-over methods that need a very specific grind size. The jumps between settings are too large for fine-tuning. Stick to drip and you'll be happy.

For a wider view of what's available, our guide to the best coffee grinders covers standalone options alongside combo machines.

Single-Serve K-Cup Side

The right side of the machine accepts standard K-Cup pods and offers three brew sizes: 6, 8, and 10 ounces. It's compatible with all standard K-Cup pods including reusable mesh ones. I use a reusable pod filled with the same beans from the hopper. This way I get fresh-ground single cups without wasting a plastic pod.

Brew time for a single cup is about 60 to 90 seconds, which is on par with a standalone Keurig. Water temperature seems consistent at around 195 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. I measured this with a kitchen thermometer, and it's right in the ideal range for coffee extraction.

Can You Use Both Sides at Once?

No. The carafe side and the K-Cup side share a single water pump and heating element. You have to wait for one side to finish before starting the other. In practice, this has only mattered to me once, when my wife wanted a K-Cup while I had a full carafe brewing. She waited about 4 minutes. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing.

Daily Use and Maintenance

My morning routine with this machine takes about 2 minutes of active time. I fill the water reservoir (it's removable, which is great), press the "Grind & Brew" button, and walk away. The grinder runs for about 15 seconds, and the full carafe brews in 8 to 10 minutes. By the time I've finished getting ready, coffee is done.

Cleaning

The grind chamber requires a brush cleaning every week or so. Coffee oils build up on the burrs and inside the chute, and stale oils make everything taste slightly rancid. I use the included cleaning brush and it takes about 2 minutes. The carafe goes in the dishwasher. The drip tray pulls out for easy cleaning.

Descaling should happen every 1 to 2 months depending on your water hardness. Cuisinart's descaling light turns on when it detects buildup, which is a helpful reminder. I use a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water, run a full cycle, and then run two clean water cycles to flush the vinegar.

Common Complaints and My Experience

"The grinder is loud"

Yes, it is. About 75 decibels for 15 seconds. If early-morning noise bothers your household, you can use the "Grind Off" feature to grind beans the night before. The grounds sit in the filter basket, and the machine just brews in the morning. You lose some freshness, but it's quieter.

"The carafe drips when pouring"

I've experienced this too. The thermal carafe pours cleanly when full but tends to dribble at the spout when it's less than half full. A quick pour works better than a slow pour. It's annoying but not a reason to return the machine.

"It stopped grinding after six months"

I've seen this complaint online. A common cause is coffee oil buildup clogging the burrs. Regular cleaning prevents this. If the grinder does stop, Cuisinart's warranty covers it for 3 years, and their customer service has been responsive when I've called about other products.

For more combo machine options, our top coffee grinder guide has additional recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Cuisinart Grind & Brew Plus worth the price?

At around $200 to $230, it's a solid value for what you get. A comparable standalone burr grinder runs $100 to $150, a decent drip machine is $50 to $80, and a basic K-Cup brewer is $60 to $80. Combined, that's $210 to $310 for three separate machines. The Cuisinart gives you all three in one unit at a competitive price.

Can I use pre-ground coffee instead of beans?

Yes. There's a "pre-ground" option that bypasses the grinder entirely. You just put ground coffee directly into the filter basket and select your cup count. This is useful if someone gives you a bag of pre-ground coffee or if the grinder is being cleaned.

What type of filter does it use?

The Grind & Brew Plus uses a standard #4 cone paper filter or the included gold-tone permanent filter. I prefer the permanent filter because it lets more oils through, which gives the coffee a richer body. Paper filters produce a cleaner, lighter cup.

How long does the thermal carafe keep coffee hot?

About 2 hours at a drinkable temperature, and up to 4 hours at a warm-but-not-hot temperature. If you want coffee that stays hot all morning, pour it into a good insulated mug after brewing.

My Verdict

The Cuisinart Coffee Center Grind & Brew Plus is a well-designed combo machine that handles daily drip coffee and single-serve brewing competently. The burr grinder is a genuine upgrade over blade grinder combos, the thermal carafe is better than a hot plate, and the K-Cup side works exactly as expected. If you want one machine that does it all and you're primarily a drip coffee drinker, it's hard to beat this one for the price.