Cuisinart · Conical burrEspresso & Coffee Conical Burr Grinder (CBM-22)
An entry-level conical burr grinder with 35 stepped settings, portafilter compatibility, and anti-static technology — a capable all-rounder for casual home use that hits its ceiling quickly when pushed toward true espresso fineness.
The short version
The CBM-22 covers coarse filter through moka-pot territory reliably and asks very little of the user; where it falls short is the fine end, where grind consistency at genuine espresso fineness leaves serious espresso work wanting.
Buy it for the convenience tier, not the craft tier.
Why people buy it
- 35 stepped settings span French press through near-espresso with minimal fuss
- Anti-static feature genuinely reduces mess compared to entry competitors without the feature
Why they don’t
- Grind consistency at the finest settings falls short for dialed-in espresso — confirmed by user reports of particle size no better than older flat-burr Cuisinart models
The full tally
- 35 stepped settings span French press through near-espresso with minimal fuss
- Anti-static feature genuinely reduces mess compared to entry competitors without the feature
- Portafilter-compatible dosing with single/double espresso and 1–14 cup presets covers most household scenarios
- Compact plastic-and-stainless build and integrated cord storage suit smaller kitchens
- Grind consistency at the finest settings falls short for dialed-in espresso — confirmed by user reports of particle size no better than older flat-burr Cuisinart models
- Plastic body and appliance-grade burrs limit longevity and repairability
- 8-oz hopper is small for households grinding for multiple people or larger batches
What the community knows
Years of owner threads, distilled — the community advises against it.
Community warns away from espresso use due to inadequate fineness adjustment, chronic jamming, and documented rapid failure; marketed as espresso-capable but delivers coffee-only performance at best — a dead-end purchase that teaches bad habits and leaves no upgrade path.
Design pull
Beginner fit
kind to first-timers
Convenience
speed and simplicity, day to day
All 9 community measures
price-to-performance the community respects
shows up every morning, year after year
parts and repairs — you are never stranded
mods, guides, and community know-how around it
kind to first-timers
years before you outgrow or replace it
how far the cup can go, per dollar
speed and simplicity, day to day
Worth knowing before you buy — Most owners who tried espresso report they would have bought a different grinder first — the espresso-capable claim is misleading marketing.
Known weak points — Chronic jamming with espresso-fine grinds; rapid burr wear and failure documented; inadequate fineness range for espresso.
The measurements
Scored 0–5 on the same rubric as everything on file — the words matter more than the numbers.
The measurements
0–5, one rubric- Espresso
- brew-only2
- Versatility
- narrow3
- Built to last
- light-duty2
Position in the market
Every dot is a rival, measured the same way. The gold one is this.
- Lower half for espresso suitability
- a higher ceiling than 18 of the 154 grinders we’ve measured
- A value pick at this level
- 94% of grinders this capable cost more
- Lower half for build
- sturdier than 0% of the field, by the community’s own record
Every dot is a grinder measured on the same rubric. See the whole market
Living with it
The part spec sheets skip: counter space, upkeep, and what owners learn later.
The honest note — Users who begin dialing in espresso seriously will outgrow the CBM-22's fine-grind consistency quickly. The natural next step is the Baratza Encore ESP or a similarly priced dedicated espresso grinder (e.g. DF54, Timemore Sculptor 064S) that offers tighter particle distribution at fine settings.
The full spec sheet
- Class
- Entry espresso-capable
- Burrs
- conical
- Drive
- Electric
- Clarity lean
- Syrup & body
- Espresso suitability
- 2/5
- Brew versatility
- 3/5
- Retention
- ~1.5 g
- Single dosing
- No
- Hopper
- 227 g
- Workflow demand
- 1/5
- Maintenance
- 2/5
- Noise
- 2/5
- Build longevity
- 2/5
- Dimensions
- 16.4 × 28.4 × 31.8 cm
Before it arrives
What completes this grinder — the faded pieces can wait.
Hover any piece for its why.
- Grinder cleaning kit — Brushes and grinder tablets keep retention and stale grounds in check.
Feed it right
Week one is dial-in — and stale beans will lose it.
Coffee more than a few weeks past roast won’t extract predictably, and a new grinder gets blamed for it. These burrs pull syrup — naturals and classic medium roasts play straight into their character.
Pick your coffee — any of these dials in beautifully here:
Highland Elixir - Papua New Guinean Sigri PlantationSCA 86Medium-dark · Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands · WashedBright Citrus · Caramel SweetnessSyrup and body, matched to these burrs.CA$22.43 · roasted to order
Lavabloom - Indonesian Sumatra MandhelingMedium-dark · Mount Leuser, Sumatra · Wet Hulled (Giling Basah)Dark Earth · Bittersweet ChocolateSyrup and body, matched to these burrs.CA$19.02 · roasted to order
Wild Ember - Ethiopian Buno Dambi UddoSCA 92Medium roast · Odo Shakiso, Guji Zone, Oromia · NaturalBlueberry · MarmaladeSyrup and body, matched to these burrs.CA$26.83 · roasted to orderWhole bean, dated, ready for your burrs the week it lands.
Roasted to order, daily, in Ajax, Ontario · ships Canada-wide. We’re the roastery behind this database — measuring the machines is how we make sure the coffee gets a fair shot.
On film
How it runs on camera, from around the community.
Common questions
Is the CBM-22 good enough for espresso?
It reaches espresso-range settings and is portafilter-compatible, but user reports indicate grind consistency at the finest levels is comparable to older entry Cuisinart flat-burr models. For casual home espresso it is acceptable; for dialed-in shots on a quality machine, the grind quality will be the limiting factor.
How many beans does the hopper hold?
The removable hopper holds 8 oz (approximately 227 g) of whole beans and has a silicone-sealed lid for freshness.
Does the grinder work with portafilters?
Yes — the grind chamber is designed to be portafilter-compatible for direct dosing, reducing mess versus grinding into a separate container and transferring.
What is the warranty?
Cuisinart backs the CBM-22 with a 3-year limited warranty.
Worth comparing
Baratza
Encore
The Encore is the archetypal entry-level burr grinder — cheap, repairable, and genuinely wide-ranging for filter brewing. Espresso dialing is its known soft spot; the stepped adjustment gives 90-micron jumps at fine settings, which is more guesswork than craft.
US$119–175 · CA$195–200
Baratza
Encore ESP
The Encore ESP is Baratza's espresso-oriented reimagining of their classic Encore, fitting 40mm M2 conical burrs and a dual-resolution stepped collar into a sub-$200 package that handles both espresso and filter from one grinder.
US$199–200 · CA$275–280
1Zpresso
Q Air
1Zpresso's cheapest hand grinder, built around the same internals as the metal Q2 but wrapped in a plastic shell to shave weight and cost. It is a pour-over and AeroPress travel grinder first, not an espresso tool.
CA$90–100 · US$60–75
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