Black & Decker CBM7B SmartGrind Deluxe Coffee Bean Burr Mill - Black

The most annoying aspect I found was the static electricity buildup problem with its accompanying particle scattering. That can be conquered by rubbing down the outside surfaces of all containers and the grinder base with a fabric softener pad for use in clothes dryers. I'd guess that doing this every month or two should suffice. I also think that even a spent pad would do the job.

After the above treatment, tapping the exterior of the receiver container gently with a knife handle will settle most of the grounds to the bottom. To clear the output chute of the grinder, I smack the lid of the feed container hard enough to use the resulting pressure burst to blow out the loose grounds into the receiver. I find that some grounds don't make it into the receiver and fall alongside it by the output chute. More thorough cleaning begs the use of a brush and/or a damp paper towel.

The unit is comparitively messy, noisy, bulky, and smells odd while operating. I like the timer feature because, unlike the rotary mills, I can let the machine do its own thing without having to hold it the whole 30 seconds while it grinds.

I use the fine setting exclusively. It seems no finer than what my rotary mill did. But, I've been able to decrease the amount of grounds for a pot of coffee to my taste from 45 gm to 35 gm. Go figure! The fine grounds also suited me for Cappucino the way I make it.

Overall, the grinder does what it should. In retrospect, I'd like a design that would be more compact for storage and easier to clean thoroughly.


Motor burned out in three days   December 29, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I purchased this product on the strength of the Black & Decker name, and for the three days it worked, I must say that the coffee was delicious - a burr grinder really does make a noticeable difference in smoothness. But at day three the unit began to smell of melting plastic, vibrate, and not produce ground beans. Patting, cleaning, etc. could not rescue the motor, which seems not to be powerful enough for the task. I returned it to Sears and got a refund. Learn from my sad story!


CBM7B Coffee Mill   December 28, 2003
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I recently purchased the B&D SmartGrind Deluxe. I replaced my Krups grinder. I needed something that would provide a more consistant grind for the new coffee maker (which we discovered requires a finer and more consistant grind, consistant being the key word). I have had no problems with this grinder. No static cling, no "supermess", just consistant ground coffee. I set the grind halfway between fine and medium and the timer to 25 seconds for the amount of coffee that we use. So far I have found this to be an excellent product. It is exactly what I was searching for.


This Thing Sucks!   November 25, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This is the worst grinder. It clogs every single day -- and I'm not grinding espresso, I'm grinding drip. Trying to unclog the chute results in coffe grounds all over the kitchen. The plastic pieces disintigrated, and the whole thing is just a loss. I'll never buy another Black & Decker appliance as long as I live.