Cuisinart Supreme Grind Review

There's not any one thing that sets this burr grinder apart from its peers. That is, of course, except for being significantly less expensive than the competition. The Supreme Grind is an average-performing machine that will leave enough extra money in your purse to buy several pounds of really nice craft coffee beans. It does well grinding for French presses and pour-overs alike. However, this is not the right tool for the job if you are an espresso enthusiast.

Performance Comparison

Grind Consistency

This metric is the most important aspect of our coffee grinder evaluation. It is comprised of several tests, including a shaker, pour-over, range, and dosing tests. The object here is to look at the consistency of the grounds produced across a range of coffee-making methods — French press grounds are larger, while pour-over grounds are in the middle. Overall, the Supreme Grind performed decently in this metric, though there's room for improvement.

The main object of grind consistency is to assess the grinder's ability to churn out grounds of a given size repeatedly. To assess this, we use a shaker with progressively finer screens that sift the grounds into specific size groupings. A good grinder will have a significant portion of the grounds in the range desired, with progressively less at the far ends of the spectrum. We do this test for both pour-over and French press ground sizes. The Supreme Grind only landed about 60% of the desired size range (24-39 OPN) in the pour-over shaker test. However, the unit rendered more accurate results in the French press grind size. Less than 5% of the grounds fell below 30 OPN, the size cut-off that leads to over-extraction-related astringency with the French press brewing method.

We also tested the extraction time for three cups of coffee made with the pour-over method. This test provides a practical evaluation of the consistency of the grounds from one grind to the next. There was approximately a 25-second variation in our extraction times. We partially attribute this variation to the static that builds up in the grinder bin and causes the grounds to clump. After we accounted for this bug, the extraction times tightened up some. Still, the results for the Supreme Grind were about average for the class.

We also looked at the coffee grinders grinding range and the dosing consistency. Espresso calls for a very fine grind, while cold brew calls for the most coarse. Dosing is the grinder's ability to kick out a consistent amount of grounds (by weight) for a given setting and grind time, allowing greater extraction consistency. The Supreme Grind favors grinding on the coarser end of the spectrum — taste tests supported this assessment. However, it struggled mightily with producing espresso grinds, and as a result, we struggled to find a setting that rendered high-quality shots. Additionally, the Supreme Grind has difficulty producing a consistent amount of grounds. In our three-round timed grind test, the Supreme Grind displayed a range of 9.58 to 11.89 grams, a little better than average for the class.

Cleanliness

This metric assesses the difficulty of cleaning up after using each grinder, which contributes quite a bit to user satisfaction. The main issue with grinders is that they create a lot of static, and this causes coffee grounds to stick to surfaces in and around the machine. Additionally, these machines can spit grounds outside the catchment bin, increasing the mess on the countertop and kitchen floor. Unfortunately, the Supreme Grind is one of the messiest machines in the class.

The Supreme Grind produces quite a bit of static. For example, when the machine is in use, the bin's walls immediately become covered in ground fines, obscuring the view into the container. Moreover, a good deal remained when the grounds were poured from the bin, requiring them to be knocked out. That said, if the bin is fit to the machine correctly, there is little opportunity for the grounds to get thrown out. However, it is easy to miss fit the bin, and when this happens, the grounds can fly free from the machine, producing one heck of a mess. With this machine, it pays to fit everything properly and to keep the cleaning brush handy to remove the lingering grounds.

Ease of Use

The ease of use metric focuses on the user's experience when interacting with the device's interface as well as the programmability and maintenance of the machine. This metric was a real bright spot for the Supreme Grind as it was one of the easier models to use. The simplicity of this machine's design goes a long way to ease the daily grind.

From the programming to the interface to the maintenance requirements, the Supreme Grind is a breeze to use. Specifically, the dial below the bean shoot has dots of increasing size that correlate with grinding coarseness — the range is labeled fine, medium, and coarse, with 18 grind options in the spectrum. Cleaning the machine is also quite easy. Simply take the unit apart, wipe down non-water-safe parts with a cloth and place all the other parts in the dishwasher. Finally, no programming is required; just plug it in, set the grind size, and turn it on. That's it.

Noise

This metric is a simple, objective test of the decibels of sound produced by each grinder when 24 inches away. Also, we include a more subjective analysis that assesses the machine's pitch. Or, more accurately, how annoying we find the noise. The Supreme Grind gave a middling performance in this assessment.

This grinder kicks out 78 decibels when actively grinding. It is slightly high-pitched and moderately annoying such that you wouldn't want to run it for long when everyone in the house is asleep. All told, the unit isn't inordinately loud or obnoxious, and it's about what you would expect from a flat burr grinder.

Should You Buy the Cuisinart Supreme Grind?

This is a good option if you want to get a burr grinder but don't want to break the bank. However, if you are an experienced craft coffeemaker looking to replace or upgrade a burr grinder, this device may leave you dissatisfied as it struggles with consistent dosing and grinding.

What Other Coffee Grinders Should You Consider?

If you want the best grind consistency, there is no doubt where to look. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro and the Baratza Virtuoso+ top the charts in the grinding department. However, the more affordable Bodum Bistro isn't far behind these machines, though it is incredibly loud and not the easiest to clean.

Other Versions