Black & Decker CBM210 Stainless Steel Burr Coffee Mill/Grinder
From Black & Decker
Dial adjusts so you can set the texture exactly how you want – from very fine Turkish blend to coarse percolator grind. Dual safety mechanism ensures that unit will not operate unless top cover is closed and ground coffee receptacle is in place.
- Amazon Sales Rank: #41468 in Kitchen & Housewares
- Color: Stainless Steel
- Brand: Black & Decker
- Model: CBM210
- Dimensions: 10.00" h x 6.00" w x 8.00" l, 1.98 pounds
Sub-standard Burr Grinder
I should have known better than to pay less than $50 for a burr grinder.
This machine, though compact and aesthetically pleasing, lacks the ability to produce uniform grinds which, really, is the only reason to buy a burr grinder. The first time I dumped beans into the hopper and held down the power button, I was dismayed at the resultant coarse-looking grinds. I thought I'd made a mistake and set the grinder wrong, but I wasn't.
Moreover, when I closely inspected the grinds container, I found grinds ranging from Turkish coffee-fine grinds to percolator-coarse grinds. Unacceptable.
If you're looking for a quality grinder (and you probably are if you've graduated from blade to burr), then don't look to spend less than $50.
Don't buy this grinder if you like your coffee ground fine
Sorry to say this, but the American manufacturers still don't get how to make quality coffee products for a reasonable price.
This is a burr grinder, but you won't get a fine enough grind for espresso or even permanent filter drip coffeemakers.
I returned mine to the store.
I am now looking at a Krups- twice as expensive, but from experience, they know what it takes to make good coffee.
Rather disappointing to say the least....
Shankar.
Looks Great! Grinds Terribly!
A coffee aficionado friend who roasts his own coffee once told me that for uniformity of ground size, mill grinders generally were considered best, followed by burr grinders, then blade ones. Not wanting to spend over $100 for a mill, when I saw this Black & Decker burr-mill grinder at a reasonable price, I figured, "Why not?" My current blade grinder was old; was it time to upgrade to a better grinder? This does look a lot better on a countertop than the round conventional blade grinders. The answer, I discovered, in summary, is "No," because THIS IS A DISASTER MASKING AS A COFFEE GRINDER.
I've learned that with my blade grinder I get the most uniform grounds, as fine as I want, by holding and shaking it while grinding, counting to a given number, depending on the amount of coffee. Usually about 20 seconds is sufficient. Leaving it on the counter sans shaking still gives decent grind uniformity, but I am a perfectionist where possible, so I suspend and shake while grinding. With this burr grinder, it takes 30 seconds to grind 4 rounded tablespoons of beans, about 60 seconds plus for making enough for a pot of coffee. As with all home grinders you have to hold the switch on. Say a prayer while waiting for this to finish grinding.
With the Black and Decker Burr Mill Coffee Bean Grinder, I ran several test grindings, with the adjustable grind control on various settings. I learned quickly that the only usable setting is on the "finest" grind, because the other settings made a grind so coarse as to be unsatisfactory even in percolator coffee makers. The knob and adjustment no doubt was put there to improve marketability of the product.
READ THIS: with the B&D burr mill grinder a UNIFORM grind is impossible, regardless of fineness. A FINE grind is impossible; a MEDIUM GRIND without uniformity requires a second pass of the first grinding. It does, however, do a great job of making a non-uniform medium-coarse grind. Thus, the grounds will work OK in a percolator coffee maker, which uses a coarser grind. Do you use a drip coffee maker? Forget it.
What's more? Convenience and cleanliness. Never thought these would be issues with a simple machine? They are. The grinder comes with a brush, NEEDED to clean the spout and the dust particles that stick to the insides of the deep receptacle for the grounds. If you don't use it, the spout will ultimately clog with old grounds, and, even if it doesn't clog initially, per the instructions the oils in the residual grounds around the spout can become rancid. Moral? Cleaning is necessary. Further, the grounds receptacle is in two parts. Thus, to use the grounds you have to take the cover off and not misplace it. When you do, often a few grounds find their way to the countertop. Ergo, cleanup. Remember that you have to keep track of the brush and store it, also. More? Yep. The manual says the receptacle for grounds must be hand-washed; it's apparently not top-dishwasher safe.
I'm returning mine, mainly because the manufacturer needs to get a message that whoever approved this for making and marketing should have tested it first. Maybe he or she should be fired.
