How to Clean a Cuisinart Burr Coffee Grinder?

Cuisinart coffee grinders are one of the best in the market. A Cuisinart coffee grinder usually lasts 5-10 years, provided you clean it periodically. This guide explains how to clean a Cuisinart burr coffee grinder.

Process of Cleaning Cuisinart Burr Coffee Grinder

A bur coffee grinder may be trickier to clean than a blade coffee grinder. However, the instructions given below make the process easy.

• Disassemble the grinder first; follow user manual to do it correctly.
• Remove the hopper. (Hopper is to keep coffee beans)
• Wash the hopper and its lid by hand. 
• Without attaching the hopper, run the grinder for at least 5 seconds to remove remaining coffee. 
• Unplug your Cuisinart coffee grinder. 
• Remove all rubber and plastic parts from your grinder. 
• Hand wash every part. Please do not use the dishwasher to wash them. Every piece that is in contact with the coffee beans must be removed and cleaned. 
• Wash the grinder bin that catches the coffee grinds. 
• Remove the inner burr of your grinder. Take help from the manual to remove it.
• To remove coffee grounds from the burr hose, use a stiff brush. Knock all the stuck particles of coffee grounds with the help of a brush. 
• Wipe the inner and outer burr of the grinder with a dry towel or a cloth. 
• Reassemble the entire grinder once all the parts are clean and dry.  

Note: Never use water to clean the burr of your burr coffee grinder. You can clean it with the help of a dry cloth or a soft brush. 

Clean Burr Coffee Grinder without Dissembling it

You can also use commercial cleaning tablets to clean Cuisinart burr coffee grinder without disassembling it. Here’s how you can do it.

• Place the cleaning tablets in the hopper and turn on the grinder. 
• Until the tablets run to the machines entirely, you have to pulse the grinder. 
• Now add one oz. of coffee beans to the grinder. Run the grinder with these coffee beans. Now, discard the tablet residues and coffee ground from the bin. 
• Rinse the coffee grind bin thoroughly and dry it properly before attaching it to the grinder. 

The tablet cleaning method for the coffee burr grinder is the quickest but is not as thorough as the handwashing method. 

Things to Consider While Cleaning Cuisinart Burr Coffee Grinder

To clean your coffee burr grinder, you have to be careful to avoid any damage. Besides of methods mentioned above, you can also perform some tricks to clean your grinder efficiently. Grinding rice before the regular cleaning session of your grinder will help to absorb coffee oils and foul odors. It is not a replacement for the cleaning process; instead, it can enhance the cleaning results. 

Be very gentle while dissembling your coffee grinder. Clean dust and coffee grind from your grinder’s mechanical parts and threads. If you don’t clean these parts properly, your grinder may get damaged over time. 

Moreover, you must avoid using a fragrance-free and dye-free detergent. It reduces the risk of having a soap smell or flavor in your coffee. Cuisinart suggests washing the hopper and grinder changer on a dishwasher’s top rack. However, we don’t recommend it as hand washing is gentle and ensures the safety of these parts.

Difference between Cuisinart Burr Coffee Grinder and Blade Grinder

Cuisinart burr coffee grinders have two abrasive surfaces to help grind coffee. These grinders offer 18 levels to grind coffee beans ranging from extra course to ultra-fine grind. With automatic settings, you can get your coffee ground size as per your requisites in these grinders. A burr grinder can be conical or flat. 

On the other hand, a Cuisinart blade grinder has propeller-like blades just like a blender. These blades rotate and grind coffee beans in your desired sizes. 

Why Cleaning Your Cuisinart Burr Coffee Grinder is Necessary?

A coffee grinder is extensively used to grind coffee beans. Continuous use of a grinder makes it dirty, and it can cause severe health problems also. Your coffee taste can also alter if your grinder is not washed correctly. Besides this, if you do not regularly clean your Cuisinart coffee grinder, its shelf life can be decreased. The cleaning frequency depends on how often you use your coffee grinder. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How often do you need to clean your Cuisinart burr coffee grinder?

You should clean it when you notice a heavy build-up inside your coffee grinder. After every few months, when your grinder begins to smell, it indicates that it’s time for a cleanup. 

2. Do you need to clean your coffee grinder after every use?

It isn’t necessary to clean your coffee grinder after every use. If you use your grinder for commercial purposes, then cleaning it once a week would be enough. If you use a coffee grinder at home, cleaning it once a month is recommended. But it all depends on how frequently you use your coffee grinder. 

3. Which water is best for cleaning the Cuisinart burr coffee grinder?

Warm soapy water is best as it loosens the stuck coffee grounds in the grinder. It’s also effective against germ killing.