Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Review: Worlds Better Than a Pod Machine!

There are so many single serve coffee brewers on the market these days, it’s hard to know which ones are worth your hard-earned cash. So, I’ve decided to put a spotlight on a budget-friendly model with this initial Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review.

As a bonus, this model has a built-in coffee grinder. In other words, you don’t need to choose quality over convenience; you can have both in one cup!

So, without further ado let’s take a closer look at this cool little single serve machine.

Overview: Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Review

Unless you’ve never stepped foot in a kitchen, I’m betting the Cuisinart name is pretty familiar to you. After all, Cuisinart has its hands in almost every corner of the home appliance and kitchen market. Mixing bowls, food processors, panini presses, drip coffee makers, you name it – Cuisinart makes it.

Even better, their products tend to be well-built but affordable, filling an important niche in the market. Consequently, I’m embarking on this Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review with high hopes. Cuisinart isn’t necessarily a coffee company but they do have a good track record of producing reliable kitchen staples, which is good enough for me.

And from this initial look, it seems as if Cuisinart has done it again. The Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Coffee Maker is an affordable and lightweight single serve coffee maker with a built-in grinder.

Admittedly, the $113.78 price tag may seem high for a budget coffee maker. That said, let’s not forget that you’re getting a 2-in-1 machine here.

I mean, pretty much all you need to know about this machine is in the name. It’s got a built-in conical burr grinder and a brew unit with a capacity of up to 12 ounces (355 milliliters). 

What’s more, it comes with a reusable filter cup, so you can grind directly into the cup for quick and convenient single-cup brews. Even better, a large water reservoir means you can brew back-to-back cups without having to refill the tank.

Beyond functionality, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew has a neutral and compact design that will easily fit the aesthetic of most kitchens. Oh, and it’s super easy to use – even at 5 a.m. with the lights off!

Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Features

If you’re not too picky when it comes to home coffee makers, the overview of my Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review may have been enough for you to whip out your wallet and hit the Buy Now button. But for the more detail-oriented, read along – I’ve got a bit more to say about this single serve coffee maker.

Size and Design

It’s no secret that most coffee drinkers want their coffee maker to brew good coffee and look good while it does so. I mean, other than your phone it’s often the first machine you look at every morning. Plus, anything that’s going to be a mainstay on your kitchen counter has to earn the honor.

Fortunately, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve fits the bill. Sure, it’s not as elegant or stylish as some SCA-certified drip coffee makers, but it’s also far less expensive. And it’s far from an eyesore.

Overall, like many Cuisinart products, the Grind and Brew is just a sleek and nice-looking home kitchen appliance. It’s compact, lightweight, easy on the eyes and easy to use. What more could you want?

Well, I would’ve appreciated less plastic and a bit more metal in the design. But I’m not complaining too much. After all, a more durable build would drive the price up and make this coffee maker less appealing to many buyers.

Anyway, the design of this thing is pretty simple. It’s got a bean hopper, grinder and brew unit on the front, a control panel on the top and a removable water reservoir in the back. What’s more, all of these features are fairly easy to access, even if you have overhanging cabinets.

Colors

The Cuisinart Grind and Brew is available in three colors: Black, Stainless Steel and White. That said, the stainless steel version isn’t quite as sleek and shiny as you might expect. In fact, I’d say it’s still mostly black, just with some stainless steel accents.

On the other hand, the white model is almost blindingly white. It also costs a bit more than the other two options, so I wouldn’t recommend buying it unless you’re going for a super clean kitchen aesthetic.

User Interface

This wouldn’t be a single serve brewer without an intuitive user interface, now would it? After all, coffee makers like the Cuisinart Grind and Brew are designed with convenience as the top priority. So, it almost goes without saying that this brewer is super easy to use.

As it happens, the user interface comprises five buttons: Power, Grind and three different options for cup sizes. I’ll talk about the custom serving sizes a bit later in this Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review.

Unsurprisingly, pressing the Grind button initiates the automatic grinder. The grinder stops on its own when the reusable filter cup is full. That said, I suspect that the grinding time is based on an automated timer, and not a built-in sensor that can tell when the cup is full.

Anyway, once you’ve ground your coffee all you need to do is place the reusable filter cup into the brew unit, close the lid and then press your desired serving size. Couldn’t be simpler, right?

Oh, and these buttons all have indicator lights that light up when they’re activated. Plus, the control panel also has an Add Water sensor with a red indicator light, so you always know when you’re running low.

Conical Burr Grinder

The conical burr grinder is the star of this Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review. I mean, the built-in grinder is the only reason I’d consider this single serve brewer to be worth the cash. Besides, built-in grinders are still pretty novel when it comes to drip machines, though they are a given in super automatic espresso machines.

Still, I don’t have much else to say about the grinder in this initial review. Since this is a no-frills brewer, the manufacturer doesn’t make any mention on the product page of the burr size or build; most potential buyers aren’t interested in that kind of information. Besides me, of course.

So, all I can say for now is that the grinder seems to work as intended. Plus, there’s a cradle for the reusable single serve filter, so you can grind directly into the filter.

However, even from this first look I can tell that there seems to be a clear flaw in the grinder design. Incidentally, many buyers report that the grinder is quite messy, resulting in coffee grounds spilling on the drip tray and counter.

Bean Hopper

Unlike many single serve coffee machines, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve features a 100-gram bean hopper. Obviously this is because of the built-in grinder component, but it’s still unique!

Even better, the hopper is easy to remove, which helps to streamline the cleaning process. I’ll talk more about how to clean the grinder towards the end of this Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review.

Water Reservoir

Despite being a single serve coffee maker, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew has a generous 48-ounce (1.4-liter) removable water reservoir. In other words, you can brew up to six small cups back-to-back on this machine, making this brewer the perfect size for a brunch party or a single overzealous coffee drinker.

Plus, there’s an indicator light that alerts you when the reservoir needs a top-off. In the meantime, you can clearly see the water level through the reservoir’s viewing window. 

As a bonus, the Grind and Brew even comes with a charcoal water filter. Then, after a couple months of use you can easily reorder more filters on Amazon or Cuisinart’s website.

Custom Serving Sizes

Since this is a single serve machine, you can’t expect a whole lot of brew size customization. That said, you do have a few options:

Again, this is only enough to brew one cup at a time. If you’re looking for a more versatile brewer than can also brew a whole carafe, you could check out the Breville Grind Control or the DeLonghi TrueBrew with the carafe. Of course, you’ll have to pay more for such versatility.

If you’d like to stick with the Cuisinart brand, there’s also the Cuisinart Coffee Center brewer to consider, though you’d have to buy a separate burr grinder for that one.

Okay, back to this Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review. Interestingly, the built-in grinder doses the same amount of grounds every time, no matter your intended serving size. Consequently, the largest brew isn’t necessarily stronger or more caffeinated than the smallest brew – it’s just more watered down.

On that note, some buyers have reported that the Cuisinart has poor cup quality, leading to watery brews with fine coffee sludge at the bottom of each cup. Since this is only my initial review, I’ll have to test this out for myself once I get my hands on the machine.

HomeBarista Reusable Filter Cup

Probably one of the coolest things about the Cuisinart Grind and Brew is the included reusable filter cup.

Admittedly, the HomeBarista reusable filter cup has already made an appearance in a few Cuisinart models. That said, I still appreciate the thing as a way to avoid the dangers and dooms of single use coffee pods.

Think I’m being dramatic? Trust me, coffee and climate change is serious business. Consequently, we would do well to consider the ecological impacts of our daily coffee habits.

Still, if you’re married to the convenience of K-cups and other pods, you can use them in the Cuisinart Grind and Brew coffee maker. However, keep in mind that it’s almost just as easy to use the HomeBarista reusable filter cup instead. What’s more, grinding your coffee beans fresh is a cheaper, tastier and more eco-friendly way to enjoy your morning cuppa.

Before I move on to the next section of my Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review, I should mention that the HomeBarista cup has its own personal storage compartment located on the side of the machine. Incidentally, this is a convenient spot to store the filter cup in between uses, though I’d recommend that you rinse and dry it before putting it away.

Removable Drip Tray

A removable drip tray may seem like a small touch, but it’s super convenient when you’re rushing out the door and need to quickly brew your coffee into a tall travel mug. In those moments, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew is there for you; simply pull out the drip tray to increase your cup clearance.

Naturally, a removable drip tray is also useful for emptying out coffee spills. Oh, and be aware that you may have a bit of a mess if you brew into a short mug like a cappuccino cup, since the coffee spout tends to splatter.

How to Use the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve

It should be obvious by now that the Cuisinart Grind and Brew is a breeze to use. Still, I’ll take you through a quick demo.

As always, wash and thoroughly dry all removable parts before your first use. This includes the bean hopper and the reusable filter cup. Next, install the charcoal water filter into the reservoir according to the user manual. Once these steps are done, you’re ready to start brewing!

Fill the tank with water and dump some high quality coffee beans into the hopper. For the record, I always recommend buying coffee from local roasters for your daily caffeine fix. That said, there are some good coffee beans on Amazon if you’d prefer to go that route.

To start your brew, open the lid on the reusable filter basket and place the basket into its cradle beneath the grinder. Press the Grind button and wait a few seconds while your coffee beans grind. Don’t forget to take a sniff to appreciate the fragrance of freshly ground coffee!

When the machine is done grinding, close the lid on the reusable filter basket, then place it into the brew unit. Finally, orient your favorite coffee mug under the coffee spout, then press your preferred brew size. Order up!

Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Cleaning

Cleaning and descaling coffee makers is super easy, even if you’re particularly nit-picky about it. However, coffee makers with built-in burr grinders do require an extra cleaning step. 

Then again, Cuisinart makes this additional step a breeze. Simply empty the hopper and rotate it anti-clockwise. Removing the hopper allows you to access the burrs and loosen up any coffee grounds with a cleaning brush.

Alternatively, if you prefer to drink oily dark roasts you could grind cleaning tablets like Urnex Grindz to clear out any stubborn residue.

Be sure to check out the user manual for more cleaning guidelines that are specific to the Grind and Brew Coffee Maker, including how to clean the brew puncture needles.

Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Technical Specifications

Verdict: Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Review

Overall, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve coffee maker seems like a pretty solid brewer. It’s affordable, compact and easy to use. Plus, the built-in grinder and reusable filter cup offer a convenient pathway to saying goodbye to single-use pods forever. That’s a huge win in my book!

I’ll make sure to update this initial review once I’ve spent time testing the Grind and Brew, so keep checking back in if you’re interested.