Cuisinart Touchscreen Burr Grinder: A Hands-On Look at This Mid-Range Pick

The Cuisinart Touchscreen Burr Grinder (CBM-20) caught my attention because it's one of the few grinders under $100 that uses a burr mechanism and has a digital interface. Most grinders at this price point give you a dial and a button. Cuisinart went a different direction with a full touchscreen panel, and I had to find out if it was more than a gimmick.

Here's the short answer: it's a decent grinder for drip coffee and French press, and the touchscreen works better than I expected. But there are some real limitations you should understand before buying, especially if you're thinking about espresso. Let me break it all down.

The Touchscreen Interface

The standout feature of this grinder is the touchscreen panel on the front. You get a bright display that lets you select the grind size (18 settings), the number of cups (1 to 14), and whether you want a strong or regular dose.

Using the screen feels responsive. There's minimal lag when you tap the buttons, and the display is bright enough to read in a well-lit kitchen. It's a step above the click dials you find on most sub-$100 grinders.

That said, the touchscreen is more of a nice-to-have than a must-have. The 18 grind settings are still just 18 grind settings, whether you select them on a screen or a dial. The real question is what those settings produce in the cup.

Programming Cups

One feature I actually use is the cup memory. You can program the grinder to dispense a specific amount for each grind setting. Once you dial in 3 cups of medium grind for your morning drip, you hit the button and walk away. It remembers your preference until you change it.

For anyone making the same coffee every morning, this saves a small but real amount of time.

Grind Quality and Consistency

The CBM-20 uses 18-position flat steel burrs. At medium grind settings (around 10 to 14 on the dial), the particles come out fairly uniform. I was getting consistent extraction times on my drip machine, and the coffee tasted clean without too much bitterness or sourness.

French press grinds were acceptable too, though I noticed a few more fines than I'd like. Those fines end up as sediment in your cup. If you're used to a clean French press brew, you might find a thin layer of silt at the bottom.

Fine Grinds and Espresso

I'll be blunt here: this grinder is not built for espresso. The finest settings produce something closer to a Moka pot grind than true espresso fineness. Even at setting 1, the grounds were too coarse for my espresso machine, and the shot ran through in about 15 seconds (you want 25 to 30).

If you're shopping for a burr grinder specifically for espresso, look elsewhere. The Cuisinart Touchscreen is a drip and French press grinder with a few extra settings on the fine end.

Build Quality and Hopper

The body is mostly plastic, which is expected at this price. It feels sturdy enough on the counter and weighs about 7 pounds. The bean hopper holds 8 ounces of whole beans, which is enough for about 8 cups of coffee.

The hopper has a simple snap-on lid without any real seal, so beans exposed to air will go stale faster than in sealed hoppers. I'd suggest only filling it with what you'll use in a day or two.

The grounds chamber is a sealed container that sits below the burrs. It holds up to 16 cups of ground coffee, though I never let it accumulate that much. Ground coffee starts losing flavor within minutes of grinding, so grinding a week's worth at once defeats the purpose of owning a burr grinder.

Static Issues

This is a common complaint with the CBM-20, and it's real. The plastic grounds chamber creates static that makes the ground coffee cling to the sides and lid. When you pull the chamber out, expect some mess.

A simple fix: put a drop of water on a spoon, stir it into the beans before grinding. This technique (called the Ross Droplet Technique) cuts static dramatically. It sounds weird, but it works.

Noise Level and Speed

The Cuisinart Touchscreen is louder than I anticipated. It runs at roughly the same volume as a blade grinder, which is surprising for a burr model. A full 4-cup grind takes about 30 seconds, and it's noticeable throughout the kitchen.

Speed-wise, it grinds reasonably fast. The flat burrs move at a decent RPM, which means your beans get through quickly but the burrs do generate some heat. For a morning cup of coffee, this heat generation is negligible. You'd only notice a flavor impact if you were grinding a huge batch.

How It Compares to Other Budget Burr Grinders

At the $70 to $90 price point, the Cuisinart Touchscreen competes mainly with the Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder and the Mr. Coffee Burr Grinder.

Against the Oxo, the Cuisinart has the nicer interface but the Oxo produces a more consistent grind, especially at coarser settings. The Oxo also uses conical burrs instead of flat, which tend to produce less heat and static.

The Mr. Coffee is cheaper but the grind consistency drops off noticeably. If you're deciding between the Cuisinart and Mr. Coffee, the Cuisinart is worth the extra $20 to $30.

For a full comparison of grinders across all price points, our best burr grinder roundup covers everything from budget picks to premium models.

Maintenance Tips

Cleaning the CBM-20 is straightforward but you do need to stay on top of it. Coffee oils build up on the burrs and inside the chute, and after a few weeks without cleaning, you'll start tasting a rancid, stale flavor in your coffee.

Here's my cleaning routine:

Weekly: Remove the hopper and upper burr. Brush out all retained grounds with a stiff brush. Wipe the grounds chamber with a dry cloth.
Monthly: Run a small batch of Grindz or rice through the grinder to absorb oils. Discard the ground material.
Every 3 months: Disassemble the burr set completely and wash with warm soapy water. Dry thoroughly before reassembling.

The upper burr removes fairly easily by twisting it counterclockwise. Cuisinart includes a cleaning brush in the box, which is a nice touch that most competitors skip.

FAQ

Is the Cuisinart Touchscreen Burr Grinder good for pour-over?

It works for pour-over at medium settings, but the grind isn't quite as uniform as what you'd get from a Baratza Encore or Oxo Brew. You'll get a decent cup, but experienced pour-over brewers will notice some inconsistency in extraction.

How many grind settings does the Cuisinart CBM-20 have?

There are 18 grind positions, ranging from fine (setting 1) to coarse (setting 18). For drip coffee, settings 10 to 14 work best. For French press, try 15 to 18.

Can I grind directly into a portafilter?

No. The CBM-20 only grinds into its included grounds container. There's no portafilter holder or direct-to-portafilter option, which is another reason it's not a good espresso grinder.

How long does the Cuisinart Touchscreen Burr Grinder last?

With regular cleaning and moderate daily use, expect 3 to 5 years from this grinder. The burrs will dull over time, and Cuisinart doesn't sell replacement burr sets, so when the burrs wear out, you're buying a new grinder.

My Final Take

The Cuisinart Touchscreen Burr Grinder is a solid entry-level option if you make drip coffee or French press and want something a step above a blade grinder. The touchscreen is more than a gimmick, the programmable cup memory is genuinely useful, and the price is right. Just skip it if espresso is in your plans, and be ready to deal with some static when you pull out the grounds chamber. For the money, it does exactly what a $80 burr grinder should do.