The 5 Best Budget Coffee Grinders – DrinkStack

A coffee grinder is one of the simplest ways to improve your coffee experience. These simple machines allow you to grind whole beans just before brewing your coffee. This one simple step can give you a whole new coffee experience even if you’re enjoying the same type of coffee you’ve always used.

Coffee grinders come in two different types, but the price for these basic kitchen appliances runs the gamut from inexpensive to many hundreds of dollars. Not all of us have hundreds of dollars to spend on a coffee grinder, so, we offer you some of the best budget coffee grinder options.

In this article, we’ll give you helpful information on how to shop for a coffee grinder and give you some of our picks for the best budget coffee grinders on the market.

How to Choose a Budget Coffee Grinder

We’ve already mentioned this, but a coffee grinder is really one of the key ways to get a great cup of coffee. You don’t need to invest in an expensive coffee grinder, or one with a bunch of features, just to get the benefit of grinding your own beans.

In the buying guide below, we offer some product features that you should look for when shopping for a good-quality budget coffee grinder.

Blade vs. Burr

There are two basic types of coffee grinders out there. The blade grinder and the burr grinder. These two types of grinders work differently and produce different results because of how they operate. Burr grinders use metal plates with teeth (burrs) to crush your beans.

This coarse way of breaking the bean apart gives more surface area to the grind which allows more flavor to be extracted from the bean. Burr grinders are the preference of most experienced coffee lovers and professional baristas. They also tend to be a bit more expensive.

Blade grinders on the other hand use a sharpened, spinning, blade to chop your coffee beans. Blade grinders are a great option if you need something affordable and easy to use and maintain.

However, they are not as good at providing a consistently sized grind. Many people like blade grinders for making fine grinds for espresso. Blade grinders are great options if you are on a budget.

Capacity

When you are thinking about capacity, you’ll want to consider two things. First, you’ll want to think about how much unground coffee beans your grinder will hold. Then you’ll need to think about how much ground coffee your grinder holds.

If you’re only making a couple of cups of coffee at a time or you only need to grind enough coffee for brewing a single shot of espresso, a small-capacity grinder will work. However, if you entertain or drink multiple cups of drip coffee every day, you will want to find a grinder that can hold plenty of beans and grinds.

Grind Sizes

You’ll need to know what kind of coffee brewing style you enjoy the most when you consider the grind size of a coffee grinder.

If you regularly partake in a variety of coffee styles ranging from pour-over to espresso, you’ll want to invest in a coffee grinder that can make fine to very coarse grinds for each of the different types of coffee you enjoy.

If, however, you only make one type of coffee, you’ll want to look for a grinder that does the best at grinding that particular size of grinds. This may be a fine espresso grind or a coarse grind for drip coffee.

Price

Price is likely the most important factor if you are shopping for a budget coffee grinder. You will be surprised to find a wide variety of grinders, with a range of options for a fairly reasonable price. Many people on a budget think that they can only afford a small blade grinder.

However, as you do your research you’ll quickly find that there are some really great burr grinders with all the options for less than $50.

If you know your budget and stick with it you’ll be more satisfied with a budget grinder.

Portability

Portability may not be a huge consideration if you are going to be grinding coffee only at home. However, if you are planning on using this coffee grinder for traveling, you will want to look for a coffee grinder that is easily portable.

When we think about portability we think of the size and the means of operation. Most portable coffee grinders are small-sized. The most portable coffee grinders can fit easily into your suitcase or fit easily into the small spaces in your camping gear or RV cabinets.

You should also know where you are going with your coffee grinder and if you will have access to electricity. If you are using your coffee grinder in places where you will always have access to electricity, your options are a bit broader.

However, if you are thinking about portability because you are taking your coffee grinder camping, you should be aware that you’re likely going to be buying a small, manual grinder that doesn’t require electricity.

Ease of Cleaning

You aren’t going to know about this until you buy a coffee grinder, but how easy it is to clean is important. We would recommend that you consider products that have removable parts that make it easy to clean even inside the grinder.

You will also want to look for products that make these removable parts dishwashers safe. The ease of cleaning is also improved if your coffee grinder is easy to assemble and disassemble.

If you need a rocket engineer to help you clean your coffee grinder, you picked the wrong option.

Our Top 5 Best Budget Coffee Grinders

Now that you have our list of features that we use to select the best budget coffee grinders, it’s time for us to give you our list of favorites. This list has a variety of grinders that are perfect for a range of coffee-making needs.

This list is not fully inclusive of the variety of affordable coffee grinders, but it will get you started on researching the best coffee grinder for your budget and needs.

1. Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind

Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

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The Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind is likely the most popular coffee grinder on the market. This is a reliable, easy to use burr grinder that coffee lovers rave about. Our favorite part of the DBM-8 is that it is so affordable given the quality and function of the grinder.

The Supreme Grind is a fairly compact countertop coffee grinder. It uses ceramic block burrs to grind your coffee. This type of burr isn’t as good as stainless steel flat or conical burrs, but for the money, you’ll be impressed with the wide range of grind sizes that you can get from the Cuisinart.

The variability of this grinder makes it a standout budget option. The grind selector allows you to easily adjust the space between the burrs for fine to very coarse grind sizes. This is a great feature if you like enjoying different coffee styles or if you need to switch up your brewing routine for entertaining or visitors.

The other great feature of this grinder that makes it so versatile is the cup selector. This handy feature allows you to set the number of cups of coffee you’ll be brewing, and the grinder makes the perfect amount of grounds. This is achieved by a simple timer that is calibrated to grind for a particular amount of time, which is relative to the amount of grounds necessary.

The Cuisinart DBM-8 has a good-sized bean hopper. This allows you to hold enough beans for at least a couple of days’ worth of coffee. If you don’t make coffee daily, the capacity isn’t so great that your beans dry out before you can use them.

When it comes time to clean the Cuisinart DBM-8 you’ll be pleased with how easy this grinder is to disassemble.

The top burrs easily screw out of the machine so you can clean both sets. The hopper removes easily as well, and the grinds bin is fully removable as well. The hopper and the grinds bin are both top rack dishwasher safe, which is a great time saver.

Pros

• 18 different grind sizes from extra fine to extra coarse
• Compact and attractive countertop design
• Easy push-button operation
• Commercial grade motor in a home coffee grinder
• Affordable price and great value

Cons

• Plastic grinds bin gets staticy and grinds stick to the surface
• Grind consistency is hit or miss, especially if the grinder is dirty
• One of the noisiest grinders we tried

2. OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

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The OXO Brew conical burr coffee grinder is another popular burr grinder for coffee lovers that are on a budget. Coming in at less than $100 this grinder is a perfect combination of affordability and performance.

The OXO Brew uses a 40mm stainless-steel conical burr set. The burrs are well made and fit together nicely for a good variety of grind sizes. The motor behind the burrs is a slightly less powerful motor than you’ll find in some other burr grinder options. However, this smaller motor size makes this a much quieter grinder. It also means a more consistent grind than you’ll get with high-power motors.

The OXO comes with 15 marked grind sizes with intermediate steps between each noted size. In total, this grinder gives you 38 specific grind sizes to choose from. This is a bit excessive, but it does allow you to find the perfect grind size for brewing your preferred coffee style.

It is worth noting that we did not like this grinder as much for making ultra-fine grounds for our espresso machine.

The bean hopper holds almost a pound of coffee and has a tight sealing lid so you don’t have to worry about your beans drying out. The grinds bin is a nice size and the maximum grind time gives you enough coffee grounds for a 12-cup drip machine.

Pros

• Easy-to-adjust grind timer gives you enough grounds for 12 cups of coffee
• Easy to disassemble for cleaning and maintenance
• Dial adjustment for grind size is easy to read and adjust.
• Small footprint so it doesn’t take up a ton of counter space
• Affordable option at less than $100

Cons

• If not maintained consistently this grinder clogs easily
• The finest grind setting is not good enough for many espresso machines
• Plastic lid of the grind bin gets staticy

3. Mr. Coffee Burr Coffee Grinder

Mr. Coffee Burr Coffee Grinder | Stainless Steel

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We do like the Mr. Coffee line of coffee-making products. This brand has always been a reliable option for affordable, but good-quality coffee-making appliances. The Mr. Coffee burr grinder holds to this tradition. This burr grinder is versatile, easy to use, and just as easy to clean and maintain.

One thing that stands out to us with this coffee grinder is the size of the grind bin. This coffee grinder has the ability to hold enough ground coffee to make 18 cups of coffee. This is great if you want to grind enough coffee for your whole week on a Sunday evening. The bin seals well, so you don’t have to worry about the grinds drying out.

Mr. Coffee is easy to adjust to the perfect grind size. Grind size ranges from ultra-fine for espresso to coarse for drip or pour-over. Adjusting the size is done with just a turn of the dial on the hopper base. Setting the amount of grounds is just as easy. Set the dial to the amount you need and push the button.

The bean hopper on this coffee grinder is easy to remove, and unlike some other grinders allows you to remove the hopper without spilling beans everywhere. This is a great feature if you like to switch between different types of beans.

One thing we find confusing about this coffee grinder is that the bean hopper is smaller than we would expect, considering the capacity of the grinds bin.

Pros

• Handy cord storage system
• Less than $50
• Auto-off feature allows you to grind the perfect amount of beans
• Easy to adjust grind size
• Features stainless steel conical burrs

Cons

• The plastic construction seems to make a lot of static, which can get messy
• Seems to need cleaning more often than some other grinders
• This grinder is pretty loud

4. KRUPS Precision Burr Coffee Grinder

KRUPS Precision Grinder Flat Burr Coffee | Black

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Krups is another of the well-known names in coffee brewing. The Krups precision burr coffee grinder is a good mid-priced coffee grinder. Coming in at less than $60 this grinder gives you a consistent grind from an easy-to-use appliance.

This grinder has a good-sized bean hopper that holds enough beans for at least a couple of days of coffee. The stainless steel flat burrs sit between the bean hopper and the grind bin. The bin holds 7 ounces of grinds and is treated with a special coating that keeps static from building up in the bin.

The Krups has nine different grind size options ranging from extra-fine to coarse. The fine grind is a bit larger than on other products, so you may find that it doesn’t do as well for some espresso machines.

While we do like this product, it is notable that the Krups Precision burr grinder is not a great product for the really committed coffee enthusiast.

If you’re really committed to coffee perfection, this machine won’t get you there. But, if you just want a better cup of coffee, enjoy your morning coffee, and don’t want to spend a ton on a grinder, the Krups is a great pick.

Pros

• Great quality stainless steel burrs
• Makes enough grinds for 12 cups of coffee
• Sleek and compact design
• Easy operation, cleaning, and maintenance

Cons

• Overheating seems to be a problem with this grinder
• Chute to the grind bin gets clogged easily
• Fine grind isn’t fine enough for espresso machines

5. Chefman Coffee Grinder Electric Burr Mill

Chefman Coffee Grinder Electric Burr Mill

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If you are one of those coffee lovers that is dedicated to perfecting your coffee experience, but your budget limits the equipment you can buy, then the Chefman burr coffee grinder may be ideal for you.

This grinder is one of the most versatile when it comes to grind size, making it perfect for espresso, French press, pour-over, and drip brewing.

This grinder has one of the largest bean hoppers you’ll find. It holds a full 8 ounces of beans, which is large enough for a small bag of coffee. The dial adjustments for grind size and grind quantity are easy to use, and the grinder operates with just a push of a button.

When it comes to convenience, the Chefman is probably one of the easiest to clean. Both burr plates are removable so you can easily maintain them using a gentle brush and a bit of warm water. The hopper and grind bin are both top rack dishwasher safe for quick and easy maintenance.

The best thing about the Chefman is the price. This great grinder comes in under $50 so it’s easy for any coffee lover to add this grinder to their coffee-making routine.

Pros

• This is one of the quietest grinders out there
• Has a really consistent grind
• Both burr plates are easy to remove
• Dishwasher-safe bean hopper and grind bin
• Compact size

Cons

• Fewer grind size options
• The coarse grind option wasn’t consistent
• Plastic grind bin builds up a lot of static which is very messy.

Best Budget Coffee Grinders – Final Thoughts

Adding a coffee grinder to your daily routine doesn’t have to break the bank. Many people think that to get a good coffee grinder they have to spend a bunch of money. However, we have given you some great home coffee grinders that are less than $100 and are great performing products.

Our favorite, the Cuisinart DBM-8 is quite popular with coffee lovers. This great machine is everything you should look for in a good quality but affordable coffee grinder. It provides a consistent product, it’s easy to clean and maintain, and it has a reasonable price.

While it may be our favorite, you may prefer something else. So we hope that our product choices and buying guide lead you to the best budget coffee grinder for your kitchen.