Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (DBM-8) vs Porlex Tall II
Two answers to the same question — the split below is the whole argument.
Cuisinart
CA$65–100 · US$50–70
This is a step-up-from-blade-grinder appliance, not a coffee tool for anyone chasing espresso or filter precision. Buy it if you want consistent-enough grounds for drip, pour-over, or French…
Full record & live prices →
Porlex
CA$71–99 · US$65–80
This is the travel grinder people actually keep for a decade: stainless everything, ceramic burrs that will not rust, and it slides inside an Aeropress. Accept that it is a filter-first grin…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (DBM-8)
Tall II
Reliability record
Tall II leads, decisively
Built to last
Tall II leads, decisively
Value per dollar
Tall II leads, decisively
Quiet operation
Tall II leads, decisively
Brew range
Tall II leads, clearly
Espresso duty
Tall II leads — neither is built for this
weakerstronger
The Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (DBM-8) leans syrup and body; the Tall II leans syrup and body. Pick the cup, not the machine.
The counter’s vote
Looks barely figure in either machine’s record — the counter can sit this one out.
Tall II: Minimalist industrial look with modest positive regard in unboxing discussion; not a kitchen statement piece, but compact form cited as a portable plus.
Only the Tall II: a single-dose workflow.
Only the Tall II: hand-cranked silence.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (DBM-8) if —
Hard case to make: the Tall II leads everywhere the data separates them. This one is a deal-day purchase, not a first choice.
Take the Tall II if —
- It has to just work, every day
- You are buying once
- Every dollar has to earn its place
- There are sleepers to protect
The Tall II leads everywhere the data separates them, at the same money — the Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (DBM-8)'s case is taste, looks, or a deal you couldn't refuse.
Known weak points
Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (DBM-8)
gear train failures year 1-2, switch failures, conical burr inconsistency at coarse settings forcing users toward pressurized baskets (learning crutch), sealed gearbox prevents repair or part replacement
Tall II
No documented mechanical failures; primary complaint is grind consistency at espresso fineness and manual labour intensity at scale.
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill (DBM-8)
Tall II
Class
Entry espresso-capable
Hand grinder
Burrs
38mm conical
38mm conical
Drive
Electric
Hand-cranked
Adjustment
Stepped (coarse)
Stepped (micro)
Clarity lean
Syrup & body
Syrup & body
Espresso suitability
1/5
2/5
Brew versatility
2.5/5
3.5/5
Single dosing
No
Yes
Hopper
227 g
44 g
Maintenance
2.5/5
1/5
Noise
4/5
0.5/5
Build longevity
2/5
4.5/5
Dimensions
18.1 × 15.2 × 27.3 cm
4.7 × 4.7 × 18 cm
Workflow demand
—
4/5
One owner each
“Have been using it since arrival every day without issue.”
Wrong match-up? Change one side → — any two on file compare.
Still torn?
This page weighs them against each other. The finder weighs them against your mornings.
Two minutes of questions — milk, noise, budget, space — scored across everything on file. It’s honest when the answer is neither of these.
Take the two-minute finder →