Hamilton Beach 80393: An Honest Look at This Budget Burr Grinder

The Hamilton Beach 80393 is a budget burr grinder that typically sells for $30 to $45, making it one of the cheapest true burr grinders on the market. If you're wondering whether it's worth buying, the honest answer is: it depends on what you expect. For basic drip coffee and French press, it gets the job done at a price that's hard to argue with. For anything requiring precision, like espresso or competition-level pour over, look elsewhere.

I picked up the 80393 a few years back as a spare grinder for my office. I'd been using a blade grinder at work and wanted something better without spending real money. The Hamilton Beach was the cheapest burr option I could find, so I figured it was worth a shot. Here's what I learned after six months of daily use.

Specs and What's in the Box

The Hamilton Beach 80393 is a conical burr grinder with 18 grind settings. It has a removable bean hopper that holds about 4.5 ounces of whole beans and a removable grounds container that holds enough for 12 cups. The motor is relatively quiet compared to other budget grinders, though "quiet" is a relative term when you're grinding coffee beans.

In the box you get:

  • The grinder unit
  • Bean hopper with lid
  • Grounds container
  • A small cleaning brush
  • An instruction manual

No scale, no dosing cup, no fancy accessories. It's bare bones, and at this price, that's expected.

Build Quality

The housing is plastic. The grounds container is plastic. The hopper is plastic. If you're used to the feel of a Baratza or a Fellow grinder, the 80393 feels like a toy in comparison. That said, the plastic is reasonably sturdy. Mine survived being knocked off a desk without cracking (though the hopper popped off and scattered beans everywhere).

The burrs themselves are stainless steel conical burrs, which is the one area Hamilton Beach didn't cut corners. Steel burrs are better than ceramic at this price point because they produce a more consistent grind and don't chip.

Grind Quality: The Good and the Bad

What It Does Well

At medium to coarse settings (roughly 10 to 18 on the dial), the 80393 produces a decent grind. For a standard drip coffee maker, the grounds are uniform enough that you get balanced extraction without obvious bitterness or sourness. I used it daily for auto-drip coffee at setting 12 and was consistently satisfied with the results.

For French press at setting 15 to 18, it also performs well. French press is forgiving of some variation in particle size, and the 80393's coarse grind is chunky and relatively even.

Where It Struggles

Fine settings are a problem. Settings 1 through 5 produce a mix of fine and medium particles that doesn't work well for espresso or moka pot brewing. The particle distribution is too wide, meaning you get a blend of powder and grit instead of a uniform fine grind. This leads to channeling in espresso and inconsistent extraction in a moka pot.

The other issue at fine settings is static. The grounds cling to the container walls, the chute, and sometimes puff out when you remove the container. A drop of water on the beans before grinding (the Ross Droplet Technique) helps, but doesn't eliminate the problem entirely.

Comparison to Other Budget Options

Against the Cuisinart DBM-8 (which sits in a similar price range), the 80393 is roughly comparable in grind quality. The DBM-8 has more settings (18 positions on some models), but the actual grind consistency between the two is neck and neck. The Hamilton Beach is slightly quieter, while the Cuisinart has a marginally more user-friendly design.

Against a $30 blade grinder, the 80393 is a clear upgrade. The difference in cup quality between a blade grinder and even a cheap burr grinder is significant, especially for drip and French press.

Setting It Up and Using It

Daily Operation

Using the 80393 is simple:

  1. Fill the hopper with beans (don't overfill past the max line)
  2. Set your grind size on the dial
  3. Select the number of cups (2 to 12) using the cups slider
  4. Press the on/off button
  5. Wait for it to finish, then remove the grounds container

The cup selector controls grind time, not grind size. It tells the grinder how long to run. If you find it's grinding too much or too little coffee, adjust the cup selector up or down.

Adjusting the Grind Size

Only change the grind setting while the grinder is running or with the hopper empty. Adjusting with beans sitting on the burrs can jam the mechanism. To go finer, turn the dial toward 1. To go coarser, turn toward 18. Simple as that.

I recommend starting at setting 12 for drip, 15 for French press, and 7 for pour over. Adjust by 1 to 2 positions based on taste.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Weekly

Remove the hopper and brush the burr area with the included brush. Shake out the grounds container and wipe the chute area with a dry cloth. This takes about 2 minutes and keeps the grinder performing well.

Monthly

Disassemble the upper burr (it lifts out after removing the hopper) and brush both burr surfaces. Wipe the grinding chamber with a dry paper towel. Coffee oils accumulate over time and turn rancid, so regular cleaning prevents your coffee from developing a stale, off flavor.

What to Avoid

Don't wash any part of the grinder internals with water. The steel burrs can corrode, and moisture in the grinding chamber causes grounds to clump and clog. The hopper and grounds container can be washed with soap and water, but dry them completely before reattaching.

Who Should Buy the Hamilton Beach 80393

This grinder makes sense for a specific type of buyer:

  • Budget-conscious drip coffee drinkers. If you use a standard coffee maker and want fresher, better-tasting coffee without spending much, the 80393 delivers.
  • French press brewers on a budget. The coarse grind settings are decent, and French press is forgiving enough that the grind inconsistencies don't matter much.
  • First-time grinder buyers. If you've never owned a burr grinder and want to find out what the fuss is about, spending $35 is a low-risk way to learn.
  • Office or secondary grinder. Perfect for a breakroom or a secondary location where you don't want to leave your good grinder.

Who Should Skip It

  • Espresso drinkers. The fine grind settings aren't consistent enough for espresso. Period.
  • Pour over perfectionists. If you obsess over extraction and can taste the difference between grind sizes, the 80393's particle distribution at medium settings will frustrate you.
  • Anyone planning to keep the same grinder for 5+ years. The 80393 is built to a price point. Expect 2 to 3 years of reliable use before the motor or burrs start declining.

For more options at different price points, our best coffee grinder guide covers everything from budget to premium. The top coffee grinder list is also worth browsing if you want to compare the 80393 against its direct competitors.

FAQ

Is the Hamilton Beach 80393 better than a blade grinder?

Yes, and the improvement is noticeable from the first cup. Burr grinders produce more uniform particles than blade grinders, which means better extraction and less bitterness. Even a budget burr grinder like the 80393 outperforms a blade grinder costing twice as much.

How loud is the Hamilton Beach 80393?

It's moderate. Quieter than the Cuisinart DBM-8 and most other budget burr grinders. You can hold a conversation in the same room while it's running, which isn't true of louder grinders. Expect about 65 to 70 decibels at arm's length.

Can I use the Hamilton Beach 80393 for espresso?

I wouldn't recommend it. The finest settings produce grounds that vary too much in particle size for proper espresso extraction. You'll get inconsistent shots with channeling and uneven flavor. For espresso, you need a grinder designed for that level of precision.

How long do the burrs last on the Hamilton Beach 80393?

With daily use (one to two batches per day), expect the burrs to maintain good performance for about 2 to 3 years. After that, you'll notice a gradual increase in fines and less consistency at medium settings. Hamilton Beach doesn't sell replacement burrs, so this is the effective lifespan of the grinder.

The Verdict

The Hamilton Beach 80393 is exactly what it looks like: a budget burr grinder that does basic tasks competently. It grinds coffee better than a blade grinder, it costs less than a nice dinner, and it'll serve you well for drip and French press. Don't expect miracles, don't try to make espresso with it, and you'll be happy with the purchase.