Grounds for Success: Exploring the Best Coffee Grinder Under $50

When I bought my espresso machine a few years ago I decided that I needed a grinder to go with it. Afterall, grinding your own beans will give you a fresher and better tasting coffee.

But I also didn’t want to spend a lot of money on my grinder at the time. So I began to wonder what the best coffee grinders under $50 were. I did all the research and compiled this list of the best burr grinders under $50 that would be worth every cent. Since burr grinders are miles above blade grinders in quality I consider these the best of the best.

Top Picks If You’re In A Hurry…

We’re buying more whole bean coffee now so we need the best way to grind our beans and make our coffee spectacular. There’s a couple of options. One of the top ways is to buy a coffee maker with a grinder already part of the machine. You can even do this with a single serve coffee maker. Or if we already have a coffee maker a stand alone grinder can be purchased.

You’ll notice two things about our list compared to others. All grinders are electric and not manual for grinding beans. All of the grinders are burr grinders which grind far better than blade grinders.

These grinders are loaded with a ton of grind settings So we’re going to look at all the coffee grinders plus their reviews, and narrow them down to the best coffee grinder under $50 you can buy.

Best Coffee Grinder Under $50

1. Capresso 591.05 Coffee Bean 16 Setting Burr Grinder

The Pros

We list the Capresso 591.05 burr coffee grinder as the best coffee grinder under $50. With 16 settings, the Capresso also has a large capacity bean container that holds up to 8-oz of whole beans. Meanwhile, the ground coffee container holds 4-oz of ground coffee. The cup Selector will automatically grid the correct amount of Coffee for anywhere from 2 to 12 cups of brewed Coffee.

Some consider Capresso kind of like the gold standard for coffee machines and equipment. When it comes to brands in the coffee genre Capresso is among the best. You’ll find that this machine produces a consistent grind in your coffee beans. In fact, the top consistent complement that the Capresso 591.05 receives is the consistency in the grinds.

Speaking of the coffee grinds, a top feature this machine has is a dual safety system that shuts off the grinder if the coffee bean container lid or ground coffee container isn’t engaged. Another thing that this improvement helps with is the fine coffee dust that gets all over the place due to static electricity. The Capresso 591.05 is an easy to use, and easy to clean coffee grinder which will produce some wonderful coffee!

The Cons

There are some complaints about the grind for this machine. A complaint is that the fine grind is not really fine enough for espresso. There is just not enough variation between the fine grind and the course grind. Also, the grind settings may not be accurate. The coarse setting can put out half coarse and half dust at times. It always grinds on the finer side. This may be of note when you first purchase the machine and learn your own optimal setting.

Lastly, pay attention to your timer and how much coffee is being put out. The portion control is not always accurate on this model.

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2. Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

The Pros

The Cuisinart DBM-8 gets our vote as the second best coffee grinder under $50. There’s an 18 position grind selector with a 4 to 18 cup slide dial for you to hone in on the perfect amount of ground beans for your brew. The capacity of coffee this burr grinder can hold it is quite large. The removable grind chamber holds enough ground coffee for 32 cups. The bean hopper holds 8 ounces off coffee.  It stores a few days worth of coffee if you make one pot a day.

The DBM-8 is equipped with a heavy duty motor to grind for efficiency. On occasion some larger grinds will get through the burrs, but you’ll find that this burr grinder does a really good job with it’s grind consistency. It has so many different grinds from Espresso to course, and controls the grind better than other models in the market. When it comes time to clean the grinder a cleaning brush is also included.

One of the best compliments you’ll find when it comes to this burr grinder is that there are a lot of repeat purchases from customers. There are even instances where customers buy a new Cuisinart machine every year or two years depending on usage. Others have said that their Cuisinart DBM-8 coffee grinder lasted 8-10 years.  You will find a lot of reviews say that the machine burned out very quickly, but you’ll also see tons of reviews where this model has lasted them a decade. No matter the life expectancy it does a great job for a coffee grinder under $50. Cuisinart is also one of the best brands in coffee appliances and known for high quality machines.

The Cons

There have been some negatives and some complaints about the Cuisinart DBM-8 burr grinder. Some have noticed that as the beans are being ground up, a fine mist of coffee grounds sprays out of from between the grinder and the plastic receptacle. Static cling with the grinds can also tend to stick to the receptacle.

Another complaint is with the timer on this grinder will deteriorate over time. This means that the amount of ground beans the grinder will make over time will vary, and the same setting used may not produce the correct amount of grounds for your coffee.

This Cuisinart grinder has a variable life expectancy. Some have had their grinders last a few months to a couple of years. But like we mentioned earlier there are still many people who’ve had their grinder last 8-10 years or even more. It’s only fair that we list this point as a positive and a negative.

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3. KRUPS GX550850 Professional Electric Burr Coffee Grinder

The Pros

The KRUPS GX550850 has 12 grind levels from fine (espresso) to coarse (french press) to perfectly grind every type of coffee. Actually, this little guy from KRUPS might exceed your expectations with what it can do between a consistent grind and it’s relatively low maintenance. It’s known to be among the easier coffee grinders to clean and easy to use.

Simplicity is key for this coffee grinder. Load up your coffee beans, set a grind setting, and hit the button to get started. The dial, although not as visible as other grinders, will tell you which way to slide the knob for a more coarse or fine grind.

The quality might surprise some as it doesn’t just look like a cheap piece of plastic sitting on your counter. It grinds fast and isn’t loud at all compared to other grinders. This KRUPS grinder does one thing and it does it really well and should surely last you a long time.

The Cons

The directions state that the unit should be unplugged, for safety, each time you want to load or unload or in any way use the unit. So, in order to merely grind two batches of beans in a row, you need to unplug the unit. This is kind of silly. This is one of the top issues that KRUPS should definitely improve upon.

This is a smaller unit that will fit well on your counter, and because of the smaller size the capacity is also smaller. This grinder also doesn’t provide preset grinding levels- you have to determine the grind yourself and stop it when you think it’s done. Like other grinders there is a complaint about the mess the grinds make due to static electricity.

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4. Chefman Coffee Grinder Electric Burr Coffee Grinder

The Pros

The Chefman Coffee Grinder has 17 settings from extremely fine to coarse. With this many grinding options it’ll give you a great cup of coffee no matter what grind you choose. The large hopper holds up to 8 ounces of coffee beans to make anywhere from 2 to 12 cups at a time so you can make freshly brewed coffee for yourself or the whole family.

This grinder is designed with an easy, one touch operation to make the grinding process quick and easy. You also may find this coffee grinder to be quieter than other burr grinders that are in the market. The burr and the container are also easy to remove and dishwasher safe.

Although this pro is not product related we must list the companies customer service as a positive. If there is a problem with your coffee grinder the Chefman customer service staff will do what they can to make sure you are a satisfied customer. There are countless reviews where if you have a bad encounter with the machine that they will reach out and make it right.

Between customer service and the grinder just doing what it’s supposed to is more than enough to keep it on our best coffee grinder under $50 list.

The Cons

If you make cold drip during the summer or a really coarse setting you may find that this machine might not be as adequate as others for that purpose. The coarse setting could probably stand to be a little more coarse, and that is the biggest complaint against this coffee grinder.

The disc grinder is messy and involves a clean-up after each use. Like other burr grinders the static electricity that’s created during the grinding can create a little bit of a mess on the machine or counter.

The hopper is also small if you’re making a 12 cup pot of coffee. The coffee beans will be filled to the brim which could make for a mess if you’re not careful.

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5. Secura Electric Burr Coffee Grinder

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Types Of Grinders For Coffee

Blade Grinders

A blade grinder is among the top grinders for grinding coffee beans, and they all work following the same construction. Take a specially designed blade and put it at the bottom of a container, hit a button, and let the coffee grinder go to work. If you have a food processor at home the concept is relatively similar. However, don’t try to use your food processor to grind coffee. They’re not built to do that and the configuration of the blades is different.

Blade grinders have some advantages and disadvantages over burr grinders. But as we move through those pros and cons we think you’ll see that the blade grinder is not the better grinder to purchase if you think long term. So first, let’s look at some of the pros.

Pros

The main positive putting a blade grinder as the best type of grinder for coffee is the cost. You can purchase a blade grinder for less than $20. At this price, grinding whole bean coffee at home is now possible for almost everyone. Blade grinders are also pretty easy to use. On most models you just need to hit a button for a few seconds and then you’re done. Lastly, you can easily find a blade grinder for purchase. Most grocery stores will sell a blade coffee grinder along with any big box store. So if you’re out shopping and you think of it you can likely grab one off the shelf.

Cons

Now we get to the cons of a blade coffee grinder. You probably couldn’t hear me, but I just let out a big sigh. There are definitely cons when you look at a blade grinder. Since we mentioned the cost first under the pros we’ll mention the con about the cost first. Since the cost is so inexpensive blade coffee grinders aren’t built to last. You do one of two things. The first is to repurchase more blade grinders which will add up in cost over time. Or you’ll get so frustrated with the grind that you’ll upgrade to a burr coffee grinder. So in the long run you likely wouldn’t save any money. They’re built to sell and not to last.

That brings us to the quality of the grind. The grind is very inconsistent. Some beans will be ground to a coarse grain, but other beans may have half a bean ground.  Some have recommended that a way to help solve the problem of grind size is to shake the blade grinder up and down (as if it were a cocktail shaker) while it’s grinding. But an inconsistent grind will definitely impact the taste of your coffee. We’d also like to reiterate here that there is also no way to control the grind size on the machine which is a feature on many burr grinders. Lastly, the blade grinder also produces heat which will also effect the flavor of your coffee.

Burr Grinders

Burr grinders are the other (and the best) types of grinders for coffee, and they work a lot different than a blade grinder. A burr grinder funnels whole beans through a chamber where a uniform grind is produced a few beans at a time. Burr grinders are a little more complicated than a blade grinder, but they’re still very easy to use. So let’s look at the pros and cons of a burr coffee grinder.

Pros

The first positive for a burr grinder has been eluded to earlier. This grinder produces a uniform grind which will extract flavors at the same rate to give you the best flavor for your coffee. The grind size can be controlled on most models which gives the option to create a number of different brews. Grinds can be coarse grounds for an auto drip coffee maker all the way to a fine grind for a French press.

Most burrs are made from either ceramic or stainless steel. Using these materials means that these machines are built to last! You’ll pay a little more for a burr grinder but it’s an investment over time.

Cons

To be honest, there aren’t many cons of a burr grinder compared to the other grinders out there. But we’ll try. Burr coffee grinders are a little pricier. But you can always buy a manual burr coffee grinder which will run you around $20. But if you want to go electric you could find that your electric bill goes up by a few cents. They do use a little more energy than a blade grinder. But don’t worry, the increase in your electric bill shouldn’t break the bank.

A burr grinder also isn’t as common in the retail market because the cost is higher. You probably couldn’t walk into a grocery store and pick it up and bring it home. You’d likely have to make your way to a specialty store with kitchen items or order the grinder online.

Burr Vs Blade Grinder

So between the two types of grinders for coffee which is best? Well, when it comes to a burr vs blade grinder we think that grinding with a burr grinder comes out on top and wins by a knockout. The main reason the burr grinder comes out on top is because with the consistency and variability in grind size you will undoubtedly have the best flavored coffee. The quality is also better for a burr grinder which means that the machine will last longer.

With so many settings for grinding your coffee you’ll be able to grind beans for any type of coffee that you desire.

As you review our list of the best coffee grinder under $50 below you may notice that there aren’t any blade grinders on the list. Every grinder is a burr grinder because we feel that these grinders are so far above what a blade grinder could achieve.

TIP: You’ll notice that a lot of grinders listed below can create a bit of a mess because of static electricity. Wait a few minutes to remove the container to let the static electricity dissipate on its own. If you don’t want to wait there are also some other tips and tricks you could try.

Final Thoughts

As you begin to grind coffee from whole beans you should find a noticeable improvement in the flavor of your coffee. There are many options out there for good coffee grinders, especially, for coffee grinders at an affordable price. That’s the case whether you decide to use a manual or electric grinder.

But coffee grinders are an appliance where you may not just want to purchase the cheapest one you could find. Think of purchasing a car where an entry level car will get you from point A to point B, but over time you may pay more for gas and maintenance to where you should have spent a little more at the beginning.

We made it pretty clear that a burr grinder is the best coffee grinder under $50. They’re still affordable, and the quality and consistency in grind you will get out of this appliance will far exceed what you could get by spending less on a blade grinder. The grinders we mentioned have a lot of grind settings to get you the perfect cup of Joe. We hope this guide helped you in making a purchase and that you’re now on your way to a great cup of coffee!