Cuisinart Grind & Brew vs Breville Grind Control, plus a Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup review
Updated by Isadora Venn. Links to Amazon earn us a commission (how that works).
These are the two grind-and-brew machines people search for most. This page compares the Cuisinart Grind & Brew vs Breville Grind Control, and doubles as our Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup review, based on the DGB-800 listing logged on Oct. 27, 2026.
Short answer
Cuisinart Grind & Brew or Breville Grind Control? The Breville gives you an adjustable grinder, 8 strength settings and a thermal carafe. The Cuisinart DGB-800 costs less and keeps things simple with a glass pot. Neither is SCA certified; the Café Specialty Grind and Brew is.
Side by side
| Spec | Cuisinart DGB-800 | Breville Grind Control |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Grind and brew Amazon listing | Grind and brew Amazon listing |
| Capacity | 12 cups Amazon listing | 12-cup thermal; 60 oz tank Amazon listing |
| SCA certified | Not on the list SCA certified list | Not on the list SCA certified list |
| Carafe | Glass Amazon listing | Dual-wall stainless thermal Amazon listing |
| Grinder | Burr, half-pound sealed hopper Amazon listing | Adjustable, half-pound hopper Amazon listing |
| Water path (maker) | Not listed Amazon listing | Not listed Amazon listing |
| Height | Not listed Amazon listing | Not listed Amazon listing |
| Warranty | 3 years Amazon listing | 1 year Amazon listing |
| Full pot time | Not listed Amazon listing | Not listed Amazon listing |
| Water temp | Not listed Amazon listing | Not listed Amazon listing |
| Single cup | No Amazon listing | Brews into a tall cup or travel mug Amazon listing |
| Buy | See Cuisinart DGB-800 on Amazon | See Breville Grind Control on Amazon |
Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup specs on the DGB-800 listing are thin: no height and no brewing temperature, and the Breville lists neither either. Warranty is the one clear difference. The Breville states 1 year; the Cuisinart's spec table, checked again on Oct. 28, shows a 3-year limited warranty.
Which one
Choose the Cuisinart DGB-800 if
- You want burr-ground coffee for less money.
- Your pot is gone within an hour.
- Three strength levels are plenty.
Choose the Breville Grind Control if
- You want to change grind size for each bean.
- Coffee sits after brewing, so thermal matters.
- You sometimes brew straight into a travel mug.
Among Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup alternatives, the one with certified brewing is the Café Specialty Grind and Brew, which the SCA lists with its grinder attached.
Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup review notes
The DGB-800 grinds whole beans with burrs and drops the grounds straight into the basket, so there's no separate chamber to empty. Its half-pound hopper has a sealed lid. You choose regular, bold or extra-bold strength and brew up to 12 cups into a glass carafe.
That's nearly all the listing says. It gives no brewing temperature and no height, and only four bullet points, one of which tells you to read the manual. The spec table does mention a 3-year limited warranty, which is longer than the Breville's.
Is it worth it? For someone who wants fresh-ground coffee from one appliance and drinks a full pot quickly, it's a reasonable buy. It isn't our grinder pick because a certified alternative exists in the next tier up and the Breville offers much more control. Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup price and deals vary a lot by seller. On Oct. 28 the only DGB-800 offer came from a liquidation seller at a figure well above where this model normally sits, so check who's selling before you pay.
Our original plan was the DGB-900BC, Cuisinart's thermal model. It wasn't in the listings on either day we searched. The closest thermal Cuisinart we found is the DGB-950BCC, a 10-cup machine, but the offer we logged was a 230 V unit from a third-party seller, so don't buy that one for a US kitchen.
Where they differ
Grinder. Breville calls its grinder integrated and adjustable for any bean. Cuisinart describes burr grinding and strength selection but not grind-size control.
Carafe. Breville includes a 12-cup dual-wall stainless thermal carafe. The DGB-800 has glass. If your coffee sits, that alone decides it, because freshly ground beans lose much of their advantage once the brewed coffee has spent an hour on a hot plate.
Flexibility. The Grind Control can brew into a tall cup or travel mug and has a pre-ground option. Its listing also includes a gold-tone filter and cleaning brush.
Warranty. Breville lists one year. That's short for its price tier, so register the machine and keep the receipt.
Care for both
Cleaning a Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup involves one chore plain brewers don't have. Once a week, brush out the grind chute and the area around the basket, and empty stale beans from the hopper now and then. The Breville needs the same attention, which is why a brush comes in its box.
As for how to descale the Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup, run the manual's clean cycle with a coffee maker descaler and follow it with two plain-water cycles. Keep liquid well away from the hopper while you do it.
Worries both answer
Is a built-in grinder worth it?
Both use burrs, which is the minimum for a grinder worth having. Neither has SCA certification for its brewing.
Cuisinart DGB-800: burr grinder, half-pound sealed hopper. Breville Grind Control: adjustable integrated grinder, 1-year warranty (Amazon listings).
Will a hot plate make it taste burnt?
The Breville's thermal carafe avoids it; the Cuisinart's glass pot doesn't.
Breville Grind Control: 12-cup dual-wall thermal carafe. Cuisinart DGB-800: 12-cup glass (Amazon listings).
FAQ
Is the Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew 12-Cup worth it?
It's a fair buy if you want fresh grounds from one machine and drink the pot quickly. For certified brewing, look at the Café Specialty Grind and Brew instead.
Cuisinart Grind & Brew vs Breville Grind Control: which has better coffee?
Neither is SCA certified or publishes a temperature. The Breville offers more grind and strength control, which helps you tune flavor.
Breville Grind Control vs Cuisinart Grind & Brew: which is easier to clean?
They're similar; both need weekly chute brushing. The Breville includes a cleaning brush.
Does the Cuisinart DGB-800 have a thermal carafe?
No, it uses glass. Cuisinart's DGB-950BCC is a thermal 10-cup model; make sure the listing says 120 V before you order one.
What are the best Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew alternatives?
The Breville Grind Control, the Café Specialty Grind and Brew, or a separate burr grinder paired with a certified brewer.