Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus: Is It Worth the Counter Space?
The promise of waking up to freshly ground, freshly brewed coffee without touching a grinder is what sells the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus. I spent three months using one as my daily driver, and I have mixed but mostly positive feelings about it. The coffee is genuinely better than anything made with pre-ground beans, but the machine has quirks you should know about before committing.
The Grind and Brew Plus is Cuisinart's upgraded all-in-one coffee maker that grinds whole beans and brews them in a single automated process. It sits in the $100-150 range, which undercuts most "buy a grinder plus a brewer" setups. I'll cover how the grinder performs, how the coffee tastes, what breaks, and who this machine actually makes sense for.
How the Built-In Grinder Works
The Grind and Brew Plus uses a conical burr grinder built into the top of the machine, right above the brew basket. You load whole beans into the hopper, select your grind amount (measured in cups, from 2 to 12), choose your grind fineness, and hit brew. The machine grinds the beans directly into the filter, then starts the brew cycle automatically.
The grind fineness control offers a range from fine to coarse using a dial on the front of the unit. In practice, I found about 5-6 distinguishable settings even though the dial appears to be stepless. The difference between the finest and coarsest settings is noticeable, but don't expect the micro-adjustability of a standalone burr grinder.
Grind Quality
The burr grinder produces reasonably consistent particles at medium settings. I scooped some grounds out before brewing and compared them side by side with my Baratza Encore output. The Cuisinart produced slightly more fines (small powder particles) and a slightly wider distribution overall, but the difference was less dramatic than I expected.
At the finest setting, consistency drops noticeably. You get a mix of fine and medium particles that would cause uneven extraction in a pour-over setup. Fortunately, this machine brews drip coffee, and the flat-bottom filter basket is forgiving of moderate grind inconsistency.
At the coarsest setting, the grinder leaves some beans only partially ground. I found the sweet spot to be slightly finer than the middle setting for a balanced 10-cup pot.
Coffee Quality: The Taste Test
Here's the question that matters: does the coffee taste good?
Yes, with a caveat. Coffee from the Grind and Brew Plus tastes noticeably better than the same beans pre-ground from a bag. Freshly ground beans release more aromatic compounds and produce a brighter, more flavorful cup. That advantage is real and consistent.
The caveat is that the brew temperature runs slightly low compared to the Specialty Coffee Association's recommended range of 195-205°F. I measured the brew water at about 190-195°F, which means extraction falls on the milder side. The coffee isn't sour or weak, but it doesn't have the full-bodied punch you'd get from a brewer that hits 200°F+ consistently.
For most people drinking medium-roast coffee with cream and sugar, this won't matter at all. If you're the type who notices extraction differences between 195°F and 202°F water, you'll probably want a separate grinder paired with a higher-performing brewer.
Compared to Grinding and Brewing Separately
I ran a direct comparison: same beans, same dose, same morning. One pot from the Grind and Brew Plus, one pot using my Baratza Encore feeding grounds into a Technivorm Moccamaster.
The Moccamaster pot was noticeably better. Brighter acidity, more sweetness, cleaner finish. But the Moccamaster setup also costs 3-4 times more than the Cuisinart and takes up twice as much counter space.
The more fair comparison is against pre-ground coffee in a standard drip machine, and there the Cuisinart wins easily. Freshly ground beans make a significant difference that anyone can taste.
Programmability and Features
The Grind and Brew Plus includes a 24-hour programmable timer, which is the real selling point for most buyers. You load beans and water the night before, set the timer, and wake up to freshly ground, freshly brewed coffee. I used this feature almost every day during my testing period.
A few things to know about the timer:
- The grinder kicks on at the programmed time, so it's loud. If the machine is near a bedroom, the grinding noise will wake people up before the coffee is ready.
- The total cycle from grind start to brew complete takes about 12-15 minutes for a full 12-cup pot.
- The carafe hot plate keeps coffee warm for 2 hours before automatically shutting off, which is a nice safety feature.
Grind-Off Feature
One feature I appreciate is the "grind off" button that lets you bypass the grinder entirely and brew with pre-ground coffee placed directly in the filter basket. This is useful when you want to brew decaf, when the hopper is empty, or when someone gifts you a bag of pre-ground beans you don't want to waste.
Strength Control
The strength selector offers regular and strong options. The "strong" setting slows the brew cycle to increase contact time between water and grounds, which does produce a slightly bolder cup. I used the strong setting exclusively and found it closer to what I consider standard coffee strength.
Common Problems and How to Handle Them
After three months of daily use and reading through hundreds of user reviews, here are the most common issues.
Grinding noise at 5 AM: This is the number one complaint, and it's unavoidable. The burr grinder is loud. If the timer feature was your main reason for buying this machine, consider where you place it relative to bedrooms.
Ground coffee overflow: If you set the grind amount higher than the actual number of cups you're brewing, excess grounds can overflow the filter basket and end up in your carafe. Always match the grind cups setting to the water amount.
Hopper lid issues: The bean hopper lid on some units doesn't seal tightly, which lets beans go stale faster. I started storing beans in a separate airtight container and loading the hopper fresh each time, which solved the staleness issue.
Filter basket dripping: Some units drip from the filter basket area during or after brewing. A correctly seated paper filter prevents most of this. Make sure the filter is pressed flat against the basket sides before adding grounds.
Cleaning the grinder: Coffee oils build up in the burr chamber over time and can make your coffee taste rancid. Cuisinart recommends running grinder cleaning tablets through the burr set monthly. I did this every 2-3 weeks and never had off-taste issues.
How It Compares to Other Grind and Brew Machines
The Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus competes with a handful of similar all-in-one machines.
Vs. Cuisinart DGB-900BC (the previous model): The Plus is an incremental upgrade with a slightly improved burr mechanism and a stronger brewing element. If you find the older model on sale, the differences are minor.
Vs. Breville Grind Control ($250-300): The Breville is better in almost every measurable way. Better grind consistency, better brew temperature, more grind settings, steel construction. It also costs twice as much. If you can stretch the budget, the Breville is worth considering.
Vs. Black and Decker Mill and Brew ($60-80): The Black and Decker uses a blade grinder instead of a burr grinder, which produces significantly less consistent grinds. The Cuisinart is worth the price premium for the burr mechanism alone.
For more options in this category, see our roundup of the best grind and brew coffee makers and picks for the best grind and brew single cup coffee maker.
Who Should Buy the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus?
This machine is ideal for the person who wants better coffee with minimal effort. If you currently buy pre-ground coffee and brew it in a drip machine, the Grind and Brew Plus gives you a noticeable upgrade without adding any steps to your morning routine. In fact, it simplifies things by combining two appliances into one.
It also works well for offices and shared kitchens where nobody wants to fuss with a separate grinder and brewer.
I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who already owns a quality burr grinder and a good drip brewer. The Cuisinart's grinder and brewer are each "good enough" but not best-in-class at either function. If you've already invested in dedicated equipment, this would be a step backward.
FAQ
How long does the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus last?
Most users report 2-4 years of daily use before encountering issues, typically with the grinder mechanism or carafe hot plate. Cuisinart offers a 3-year limited warranty, which covers manufacturing defects. Regular cleaning extends the lifespan significantly.
Can you use the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus with a thermal carafe?
The standard model comes with a glass carafe and hot plate. Cuisinart makes a separate thermal carafe version (the DGB-850 series), which keeps coffee hot without a hot plate. If you don't drink the whole pot within an hour, the thermal version prevents that burnt taste from the hot plate.
How often should you clean the grinder burrs?
Run grinder cleaning tablets through the burrs every 2-4 weeks depending on usage. Oily dark roast beans leave more residue and require more frequent cleaning. You can also use the grind cycle with a tablespoon of dry rice to scrub the burrs between deep cleans.
Does the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus make strong coffee?
The "strong" setting produces a bolder cup than the regular setting, but even on strong, the brew temperature is slightly below the range where maximum extraction happens. For stronger coffee, use a slightly finer grind setting and the strong brew option together. You can also use a higher ratio of beans to water by setting the grind cups one or two higher than the water level.
My Take
The Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus is a smart appliance for people who want freshly ground coffee without a separate grinder cluttering the counter. It won't impress coffee purists, but it makes genuinely better coffee than any pre-ground setup, and the programmable timer means you can enjoy that upgrade without waking up any earlier. Clean the burrs regularly, match your grind and water settings carefully, and it'll serve you well for years.