By Audrey HayesUpdated November 2026
The mr coffee burr mill coffee grinder is a countertop, electric grinder built for home brewers who want a set-and-forget machine that handles several brewing methods without a lot of fuss. Its main appeal is volume and convenience: a 12-cup grind capacity, a dozen grind settings, and an automatic timer that lets you measure by cups rather than by guesswork. It suits drip coffee drinkers, households that brew a full pot most mornings, and people moving up from blade grinders who want more even particles. It is a poor match for espresso purists who need fine, repeatable adjustment, anyone who wants a compact grinder for a small kitchen, or buyers who prefer manual control over every gram. Read on for the specifications, the strengths and weaknesses owners commonly mention, and how it compares with two other Mr. Coffee and Cuisinart models.
Mr. Coffee Automatic 12 Cup Burr Mill Coffee Grinder with 12 Custom Grinders, Black / Stainless Trim
Product Overview
This model is listed as the Mr. Coffee Automatic 12 Cup Burr Mill Coffee Grinder with 12 Custom Grinders, offered in a black body with stainless steel trim. The name tells you the core design: a burr mill, which crushes beans between two abrasive surfaces rather than chopping them with spinning blades, and an automatic mode that stops grinding once the selected cup count has been reached. The “12 Custom Grinders” wording refers to the grind settings you can choose across the coarseness range, from coarse suited to French press to finer settings used for standard drip.
Mr. Coffee is a long-established American brand best known for drip coffee makers, and this grinder is positioned as a companion to that kind of everyday brewing. It is aimed at practicality. You fill a bean hopper, select a cup count, pick a grind setting, and press start. For people who brew the same way every morning, that simplicity matters more than having dozens of micro-adjustments.
The grinder is designed for whole beans only. Pre-ground coffee will not work in a burr mill, and you should expect the hopper to be the main point where beans are loaded and where you will spend most of your attention when refilling.
Key Features & Specifications
The table below lists only the characteristics that the product name states or that are generally associated with this model line. Where you need exact dimensions, wattage, or hopper volume, check the manufacturer’s listing before buying, since those figures can vary between revisions.
| Feature | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| Burr mill grinding mechanism | Crushes beans between burrs for more uniform particle size than blade chopping. |
| 12 cup capacity setting | Grinds a set amount for a full-size pot, reducing measuring errors. |
| 12 custom grind settings | Lets you move between coarse (French press), medium (drip) and finer options. |
| Automatic operation | Stops on its own once the chosen cup count is ground, so you can walk away. |
| Black body with stainless steel trim | Fits a standard kitchen counter and matches most small appliances. |
| Whole bean input | Use fresh whole beans for the best aroma; pre-ground coffee is not suitable. |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Burr grinding gives a more even particle size than typical blade grinders, which helps extraction consistency.
- The cup-based automatic timer removes most of the measuring guesswork for daily drip brewing.
- Twelve grind settings cover a useful range without overwhelming a casual user.
- Simple one-button operation makes it approachable for households with several users.
- The black and stainless look blends into typical kitchens better than many utilitarian grinders.
Cons
- Setting-based adjustment is coarser than the stepless or micro-stepped systems found on higher-end conical burr grinders.
- Owners who want to dial in espresso often find the finest settings do not give the precision they need.
- As with most automatic grinders, some retained grounds stay in the chute between brews, which can affect the first cup of a new batch.
- The footprint is substantial for a small counter or apartment kitchen.
- Cleaning the burrs and chute takes periodic effort, as with any burr grinder.
Performance Analysis
Performance for a grinder like this comes down to three things: consistency of particle size, repeatability of the dose, and how well the chosen setting matches your brew method. Based on the specifications and on patterns commonly reported by owners, the mr coffee burr mill coffee grinder does its best work with medium-coarse settings for drip. At those settings, the burr geometry produces a fairly uniform bed of grounds, which tends to give a cleaner, more balanced cup than a blade grinder fed the same beans.
Owners frequently mention that the cup-based timer is the feature they rely on most. Because the grinder runs for a set duration tied to the cup count, two mornings in a row produce similar doses, which simplifies the routine. That repeatability matters more than raw grind precision for most drip drinkers.
Where expectations need tempering is espresso and very fine grinding. A grinder with 12 preset settings is not designed to compete with a dedicated espresso grinder that offers fine, stepless adjustment. Some owners report that they can get workable shots with careful tuning, but they also describe needing to experiment. For French press, the coarse end of the range is typically well suited, and owners generally report good results there.
Retention, the amount of ground coffee left inside the grinder after a cycle, is the other factor to plan around. Retention tends to be a few grams in grinders of this type. If you brew one cup a day, that residue can build up slightly in staleness, so it is worth purging the chute with a small amount of beans or running a short cycle before a fresh batch. Consult the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions for the recommended routine.
Who Should Buy This Product?
This grinder makes the most sense for households that brew a full drip pot most days and want consistent results with minimal daily effort. It works well for shared kitchens where different people need to make coffee without learning a complicated machine. It is also a sensible upgrade for someone whose blade grinder produces too many fines and boulders, and who wants a noticeable jump in evenness without moving to a costly, highly adjustable model.
You should probably skip it if you are an espresso enthusiast who wants to tweak grind size by fractions of a micron, if you brew very small single cups and need a compact footprint, or if you prefer a manual grinder for the ritual and the control. In those cases, a dedicated conical burr grinder with fine stepped adjustment, or a manual unit, will serve you better.
Buying Guide
Before committing to any burr grinder, decide what you brew most. Drip, French press, pour-over and espresso each need a different grind range, and the more methods you use, the more adjustment range you need. A preset system like this one suits drip and immersion brewing well. For espresso, look for stepless or fine-stepped adjustment.
Next, consider capacity and footprint. A 12-cup automatic grinder is convenient for families but takes up counter space. Single-serve drinkers may find a smaller hopper and simpler controls more practical. Check the hopper size against how often you refill, since a larger bean hopper means fewer trips to the cupboard.
Finally, weigh burr type and maintenance. Flat burrs and conical burrs each produce different particle profiles, and both can be effective. What matters more is that the burrs are replaceable or easily cleaned, and that the grinder’s chute and collection area are accessible. Plan on periodic cleaning and eventual burr replacement; the guide on When to Replace Coffee Grinder Burrs covers the signs to watch for.
Here are two well-known alternatives worth comparing:
- Mr. Coffee Burr Grinder, Stainless Steel, 18-Cup Capacity: A larger-capacity sibling from the same brand, with 18 grind-size settings and a larger bean hopper, suited to households that brew even bigger batches.
- Cuisinart Supreme Grind Electric Burr Coffee Grinder, DBM-8P1: A burr grinder with 18 settings and a 4 to 18 cup selector, well suited to people who want wider adjustment for drip, espresso and French press in one machine.
Mr. Coffee Burr Grinder, Stainless Steel, 18-Cup Capacity | Burr Plates Yield Consistent Flavor, 18 Grind-Size Settings, Fully Automatic Hands-Free Grinding, Large Bean Hopper
Cuisinart Supreme Grind Electric Burr Coffee Grinder, 18 Settings, DBM-8P1 | Grind settings for drip, espresso and French press, 4–18-cup selector, 8 oz. bean hopper and automatic shutoff
For more context on choosing between grinder types, see Burr Grinder vs Blade Grinder Coffee (2026): Which Is Better for Home Brewing? and Burr Coffee Grinders: Flat vs Conical Burrs, Consistency and Retention.
FAQ
Can I use the mr coffee burr mill coffee grinder for espresso?
You can attempt it, but the preset settings are not designed for fine espresso grinding. Owners who try it generally find they need careful tuning and accept that results will vary. A dedicated espresso grinder with fine stepped adjustment is the better choice for that method.
Does it grind pre-ground coffee?
No. It is designed for whole beans. Pre-ground coffee will not feed properly and can clog the burr area.
How does the 12 cup setting work?
You select the number of cups you want, and the grinder runs for the duration associated with that quantity. This removes the need to weigh beans for each brew, though it does not replace weighing if you want precise ratios.
Is it difficult to clean?
It requires periodic cleaning of the burr area, chute and collection bin. Brush out grounds regularly and follow the manufacturer’s guidance for deeper cleaning. Regular cleaning keeps flavor clean and prevents old oils from building up.
How long does the grinder take to run a full batch?
Run time depends on the cup count and grind setting selected. Coarser settings and larger batches take longer. Check the manufacturer’s listing for typical run times.
Is it a good upgrade from a blade grinder?
For most drip drinkers, yes. Burr grinding produces more uniform particles, which typically yields a more balanced cup. The improvement is most noticeable when you compare against inconsistent blade grinding.
Will it fit under a typical kitchen cabinet?
Many countertop grinders of this size are too tall for under-cabinet placement. Measure your space, including the bean hopper, before purchasing.
Final Verdict
Is the mr coffee burr mill coffee grinder worth it?
For households brewing drip coffee most mornings, this grinder offers a practical blend of burr consistency and automated convenience. Its cup-based timer and simple controls make it easy to use every day, and the grind range covers the methods most home drinkers use. It is not the right tool for espresso perfectionists or for anyone who needs fine, stepless adjustment. If your priority is set-and-forget drip coffee, it earns a place on the counter. If you want fine control, look at the alternatives above first.
View on AmazonRelated reading
- Mr Coffee Automatic Burr Mill Grinder Review: Features and Performance
- Mr Coffee Burr Grinder: 5 Best Picks for Home Brewing (2026)
- Mr Coffee Automatic Burr Grinder Review: Features and Performance
About Audrey Hayes
Audrey Hayes is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our coffee gear & accessories guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.
