Mr. Coffee Blender: Can You Really Grind Coffee in a Blender?

I get this question a lot: "Can I just use my Mr. Coffee blender to grind coffee beans?" The short answer is yes, technically you can. The longer answer involves some trade-offs in taste, consistency, and potentially your blender's lifespan. And since Mr. Coffee makes both blenders and dedicated coffee grinders, there's a conversation worth having about when each one makes sense.

Let me walk you through what happens when you grind beans in a blender, how to do it properly if that's your only option, and at what point it makes sense to grab a dedicated grinder instead.

Mr. Coffee Blenders: What You're Working With

Mr. Coffee sells several blender models, from basic single-serve personal blenders around $20 to full-size countertop units at $40-$60. The most popular ones include the Easy Blend series and the FreshFusion personal blenders.

These are standard kitchen blenders with stainless steel blades spinning at high RPM. They're designed for smoothies, soups, and frozen drinks. The blade geometry is meant to create a vortex that pulls food downward and chops it, not to produce uniform particle sizes like a coffee grinder would.

The motor wattage ranges from about 300 watts on the personal blenders to 700+ watts on the full-size models. For coffee grinding, the full-size models work better because the larger jar gives beans more room to circulate. A personal blender's narrow cup packs beans too tightly around the blades, leading to some beans getting pulverized while others barely get touched.

How to Grind Coffee Beans in a Mr. Coffee Blender

If you're in a pinch and a blender is all you have, here's how to get the best results.

Step-by-Step Method

1. Add no more than 1/2 cup of beans at a time. Overfilling gives worse results.
2. Pulse in 2-3 second bursts. Do NOT hold the blend button down.
3. After every 3-4 pulses, stop and shake the blender jar. This moves unground beans from the top down to the blades.
4. Check the consistency after about 15-20 seconds of total pulse time. For drip coffee, you want grounds roughly the size of coarse sand.
5. Once you see the right size, stop immediately. Every extra second produces more fine dust.

The key is pulsing and shaking. Continuous blending creates heat from friction and grinds the bottom beans to powder while leaving the top beans in large chunks. Pulsing keeps things moving and gives you a more even (though still imperfect) result.

What Grind Size Can You Achieve?

With the pulse method, you can reliably get a coarse to medium grind suitable for drip coffee and cold brew. French press works if you sift out the finest particles with a mesh strainer. Pour over is hit or miss because the inconsistency in particle size leads to uneven extraction.

Don't attempt espresso grind in a blender. The blades can't produce the fine, uniform particles that espresso requires. You'll end up with dust and chunks, neither of which will give you a decent shot.

Why a Dedicated Grinder Beats a Blender Every Time

The difference between blending coffee and grinding coffee comes down to how the beans are broken apart.

Blender blades chop and smash at high speed. The cutting action is random. Some particles get hit multiple times and turn to dust. Others get pushed to the edges and stay chunky. The result is a wide distribution of particle sizes in every batch.

A burr grinder crushes beans between two textured surfaces set at a precise distance. Every bean gets processed in the same way, producing particles that are roughly the same size. This uniformity is what makes good coffee. Equal-sized particles extract at the same rate, giving you a balanced, clean cup.

Even a cheap $20 blade grinder designed for coffee will outperform a blender because the blade geometry and chamber shape are optimized for coffee beans. The difference in your cup will be obvious from the first morning.

If you're ready to move from blender-grinding to proper grinding, our best coffee grinder roundup covers options at every budget, starting under $25.

Mr. Coffee's Actual Coffee Grinders

Here's something worth knowing: Mr. Coffee makes several dedicated coffee grinders that cost $15-$30. If you already trust the brand, their grinders are a logical next step.

Mr. Coffee Blade Grinder (IDS77)

The most popular model. It's a simple blade grinder with a 4-ounce chamber and push-button activation. At $15-$20, it's the cheapest dedicated coffee grinding option from any reputable brand. It produces much better results than a blender because the chamber is sized for beans and the blade sits at the right height.

Mr. Coffee Burr Grinder (BVMC-BMH23)

A step up at $30-$40. This uses burrs instead of blades and offers 18 grind settings. The grind consistency is significantly better than any blade grinder, and you can dial in specific settings for different brew methods. For the price, it's a solid entry-level burr grinder.

Mr. Coffee Automatic Grind and Brew

Several Mr. Coffee machines combine a built-in grinder with a drip brewer. The grinding mechanism is basic, but the convenience of a single machine that grinds and brews is appealing if counter space is limited. The grinder in these combo units won't match a standalone burr grinder, but it's far better than pre-ground or blender-ground coffee.

For a wider selection beyond Mr. Coffee, see our best coffee blender and best coffee grinder roundups.

Will Grinding Coffee Damage Your Blender?

This is a legitimate concern. Coffee beans are hard, and grinding them in a blender designed for softer foods puts extra stress on the blades and motor.

Short answer: occasional use won't kill your blender. Regular use might.

The blades on most Mr. Coffee blenders are made for ice and frozen fruit, which are hard but also contain moisture that helps the blending process. Dry coffee beans create more friction and can dull the blades faster. The motor also works harder against dry, hard material.

If you grind coffee in your blender more than once or twice a week, you'll likely notice the blades getting duller over a few months. This affects smoothie performance too, not just coffee. Replacing blender blades is possible on some models but not all.

My advice: if you're grinding coffee regularly, spend the $15-$20 on a dedicated blade grinder and save your blender for what it's designed to do.

When Blender Grinding Actually Makes Sense

There are a few specific situations where grabbing the blender is the right move.

You bought whole beans by accident and don't own a grinder. You need coffee now, not after a trip to the store. Pulse those beans and make your cup.

You're at a vacation rental with a blender but no grinder. This was me on a trip last year. The blender in the Airbnb got the job done for a week of morning coffee.

You're testing whether fresh-ground coffee is worth it before investing in a grinder. Blender-ground coffee is still noticeably better than month-old pre-ground. If even blender coffee tastes better to you, imagine what a proper grinder will do.

You're making cold brew. Cold brew is very forgiving of inconsistent grind sizes because the long steep time (12-24 hours) extracts flavor evenly regardless. A coarse blender grind works fine for cold brew.

FAQ

Can I grind coffee in a Mr. Coffee personal blender?

You can, but results are worse than a full-size blender. The narrow cup doesn't give beans enough room to circulate, so you'll get very uneven particle sizes. If it's all you have, use very small batches (2-3 tablespoons) and pulse aggressively with lots of shaking.

How long should I blend coffee beans?

No more than 20-30 seconds total, using 2-3 second pulses with shaking between each pulse. Longer blending creates heat and dust without making the grind more uniform. Check after every few pulses and stop as soon as the majority of particles look the right size.

Does blending coffee beans affect the taste?

Yes. The heat generated by blender blades can slightly alter the flavor of the beans, giving a more bitter or flat taste compared to burr-ground coffee. The inconsistent particle size also causes uneven extraction, meaning some grounds over-extract (bitter) while others under-extract (sour). The result is a muddier, less defined cup.

What's the cheapest way to properly grind coffee?

A manual hand grinder starts at around $15-$20 and uses burrs for consistent grinding. The JavaPresse and Hario Slim are both under $30 and grind far better than any blender. Even a $15 Mr. Coffee blade grinder is a significant step up from using a blender.

The Takeaway

Using a Mr. Coffee blender to grind coffee is a short-term solution, not a long-term strategy. It works in emergencies and for cold brew, but a $15-$20 dedicated grinder will produce better coffee every single morning. If you already own a Mr. Coffee blender and you're curious about fresh grinding, try the pulse method once. When you taste the difference between fresh-ground and pre-ground coffee, you'll want a proper grinder within the week.