The Verdict
The Breville Grind Control is a robust coffee maker with grinder functionality designed to deliver specialty coffee by processing beans immediately before brewing. With its flexible capacity and adjustable strength settings, it offers a high degree of control for those who prioritize fresh, flavorful results in every cup.
Why We Love It (Key Features)
- Integrated Adjustable Grinder: By grinding beans just before the brew process begins, this machine captures the essential oils and freshness that pre-ground coffee often loses, allowing you to customize your grind size for a perfect extraction.
- Steep and Release Technology: This mechanism ensures a balanced flavor profile whether you are brewing a full carafe for guests or a single travel mug for your commute.
- Customizable Strength Settings: You can dial in your exact preference with eight different strength options, or opt for the pre-ground setting if you have a specific bag of coffee on hand that is already ground.
- Versatile Brewing Options: With a 60 oz water tank and the ability to brew directly into the included dual-wall stainless steel thermal carafe or directly into a tall cup or travel mug, it adapts to your daily routine.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fresh grinding process enhances flavor quality.
- Includes a 12-cup stainless steel thermal carafe and gold-tone filter.
- Flexible brewing options for carafes or travel mugs.
- Eight adjustable strength settings for a personalized brew.
Cons
- The 1/2lb bean hopper and 60 oz tank require a dedicated footprint on your kitchen counter.
- Limited to a 1-year warranty.
Who Should Buy This?
This machine is an excellent choice for the home barista who values the convenience of an all-in-one system but refuses to compromise on the freshness of their morning brew. It is particularly well-suited for households that switch between brewing full carafes for family gatherings and quick single cups for busy mornings, as it handles both scenarios with ease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this coffee maker with grinder support pre-ground coffee?
Yes, the unit includes a dedicated setting for pre-ground coffee, allowing you to use your favorite store-bought grounds if you aren't using whole beans.
What is the capacity of the water tank?
The water tank has a capacity of 60 ounces, which is equivalent to 12 cups.
Does the machine come with accessories?
Yes, it includes a gold-tone filter, a 12-cup dual-wall stainless steel thermal carafe, and a cleaning brush to keep the system in good condition.
5.0 out of 5 stars So, yeah, I, talk to my coffee brewer... UPDATE: Year 8… RIP to my Breville Grind Control Coffee Brewer which lasted 7 years, 10 months. Honestly I’d have been happy had it lasted 2 years when I first bought it considering I was going through 3-4 brewers per year for a few years prior to buying the Grind Control. The machine technically still worked when I retired it due to a tank leakage I’d neglected to acknowledge that led to a rust build-up on the bottom of the unit. More rust than I wanted to deal with removing. Also, it was looking rather worn after producing so many cups of coffee over so many years. In the nearly 8 years of using the Grind Control I also started drinking and making different coffee brew methods such as French Press, Moka, Pour Over and Espresso. With all those options I afforded myself the time to research and read reviews on other automatic coffee brewers before buying another machine. Nothing seemed to compare to the Grind Control features wise though. So I read the reviews here as well. Not sure where all the hate directed towards this machine comes from. So. Some people overstate how difficult the cleanup is. Cleaning the Grind Control is similar to cleaning an espresso machine. If you want good coffee but feel like maintaining a machine is to complicated, it’s probably best to buy your coffee somewhere. You can start cleaning the Grind Control as soon as the grinder stops moving – just unlock it, remove the hopper and as many beans as needed to be able to remove the grinder, remove the rest ov the beans and clean this area with a brush during the brewing cycle. Use a pipe cleaner to clear the 3 holes in both the top and bottom grinder sections. Once your coffee is ready, take a sip or two then put it on a warming plate while you take a few minutes to brush the grinding chute clean and wipe the entire machine clean with a damp microfiber cloth and wash the filter basket and all removable parts. Pat dry the spout where the water flows into the basket, just above the grinding chute as well since this area can acquire a mineral build-up that can affect the taste of your brew. After a few months of research and having no coffee from a drip machine, I bought my second Breville Grind Control 8 years and 2 months after the first. I’ve been using it for a month now and I’ve certainly missed this coffee. I’m maintaining the new machine better after each use than I did – some of the steps I listed I didn’t do before. The only time I ever disassembled the grinder mechanism on the first machine was during the descaling process. I do use very dark beans though, and since I’ve grown accustomed to deep cleaning an espresso machine after regular use, I’ve noticed details about cleaning this machine I neglected before that when done regularly, produce a better brew. Also with this new machine, I only use the included basket instead of paper filters. This method delivers a brew consistency closer to a French Press, which is sort of what the Grind Control is – an electric French Press…… … … End of Year 8 Update… … ….UPDATE: FIVE (5) Years Later… I Still use this machine daily, usually for at least 2 single serve cups of various size, depending on the mug I’m using that day. Occasionally I’ll brew a pot, either when I have guests, or the day after I run the Decalcification cycle, which I just ran today. The machine has a censor that tells when to clean, but rather than waiting, I prefer to clean every 6 weeks. In addition to the brush provided, I use a bamboo picnic knife to scrape inside of the chute to remove more grinds. Compressed Air is useful as well when doing a deep clean of the machine which I do twice a year ((OUTSIDE)). With the hopper removed (and excess beans) I spray the compressed air through the chute and the grinder (top half removed). Vinegar-soaked paper towels help remove ground coffee built up around the grinder and in the chute. Allow to air-dry, and reassemble. …(End of 5 Year UPDATE)…The Breville Grind control is the best product with an electric cord I have ever purchased. I first saw it at the mall, and upon inspection it was clear it was designed for people who really enjoy coffee, by people who really enjoy coffee. The display model was the only one in stock, and the next store did not have it either. I logged onto Amazon when I got home, and 4 days later it arrived. The next morning, just over 2 weeks before my 42nd birthday, I tasted the coffee I always wanted but never was attainable.The ability to brew as few as one to as many as 12 cups is awesome. Before work I only have time for one cup, usually 350 ml. On days off I fill the entire carafe, and after more than 3 hours, the last mug is still a very drinkable and tasty temperature. For a single cup, which I enjoy black, I use strength setting 8 (strongest), and grind setting 1 (finest). For a carafe I use 3 on the grind setting.For after work, I found it quite easy to make an even stronger brew by starting the machine just long enough to grind beans for a 295 ml cup. Stop, open and close the brew basket door, adjust the grind for 235 ml cup, and within a few minutes I have a great base for whatever espresso type drink I have attempted to make. I purchased a separate milk frothing/steaming machine, so now when I visit the local Coffee House it is only to buy beans.Clean up is easy. Barely 2 minutes of rinsing and wiping. The longer it sits, the tougher it is to wipe the release disk, but I’ve not been so lazy yet that it has been bothersome. This past weekend I performed the descale process for the first time. It was simple and the machine is programmed to allow plenty of deep cleaning time. The previous brewer I owned was a single cup grind and brew system. It made a decent cup of coffee, but was no where near as hot or good. Clean up was tougher as the actual grinders had to be rinsed and dried after each cup. After a few months, the pressure point on the lid of the grinder popped off, cracking the lid. I made it work for a few weeks until I found the Breville Grind Control.Honestly, the coffee is so tasty I actually thank the machine as soon as the brew process is complete. The only downside? I work at a Diner and usually allow myself whatever coffee I can manage to sip until 10 a.m. I just can’t taste it anymore. It tastes vaguely like that sip of decaf I mistakenly had a couple years ago, and as such, leaves me asking, why? Why would anyone drink this? Well, I for one, am currently devising an iced coffee recipe for my Grind Control so I will no longer have to.I paid full price for my Breville Grind Control, and have neither requested nor received compensation for my honest review. It has had no performance issues so far and I am extremely satisfied with the purchase.The photos are of a latte macchiato, from start, to beginning of the end, made using the Grind Control and separate frothing machine. If you need a new coffee brewer and you really enjoy coffee, this is the machine you need.Variation: Size: MediumColor: Silver
4.0 out of 5 stars Great coffee ... at 50 cents a pot extra. Have owned several of these. They make seriously great coffee, much better than any others we’ve tried – and we’re minor coffee snobs. It’s easy to set up to go in the evening and wakes us up at the right time every day. It’s easy to use, easy to clean daily and monthly cleaning isn’t too bad. It does single cups pretty well and it’s easy to set up for pre-ground coffee. And it doesn’t seem to last more than a couple of years =/ . I figure spending 50 cents a day on a coffeemaker that makes really good is acceptable, though I’d REALLY rather not have to replace it so often.There are a bunch of knobs you can fiddle with – don’t be afeared, because the settings it comes with are just fine and make a really good cuppa. If you fool with them, you can make better coffee than you can get anywhere else short of out of a cappucino maker run by a real live barista.Or French press. Yeah, French press is better coffee, but does a French press wake you up in the morning and have your coffee ready to pour by the time you stumble out to the kitchen? NO! This grind-and-brew fella does that, though. You set the clock, set the on-time (easy PEASY), go to bed, and at whatever AM the grinder goes GRRRRRR, the dogs jump on you in the bed, you get up and feed the noisy varmints, and by the time they head out the door to pee, your coffee is DONE. Let’s see a French press do THAT.Setting it up night before is easy. You dump in some water, fill the bean hopper if you need to, dial in however many cups of brew you want tomorrow, push a button twice and there you go. It tells you it’s set to go off in the morning on the lighted display.Yeah, the thermal carafe doesn’t pour right. Seems to be a common flaw with everyone’s stainless jug. It does keep the coffee warm pretty well. We drink it before it cools (because it’s GOOD), so can’t tell you how long it will stay warm enough for you in the pot. btw, pulling the pot out mid-brew isn’t a problem. There’s an automatic valve in the bottom of the filter basket that shuts off flow. Don’t leave the carafe out for too long, because the basket will eventually overflow, but we’ve never had a problem with coffee dribbling all over the counter whilst we pour an impatient cup.It does single cups pretty well, but there are some tricks. You probably want to dial the grinder down to a smaller number, like a 2 or 3 as opposed to a 4 or 5 for a larger pot. (And you have to remember to reset it or your pot will be bitter in the morning!) You also may have to dial in a higher strength setting. You just have to figure it out based on your preferences, the coffee you use and what you and your significant other negotiate. And if you don’t do that, your single cup comes out a bit weak. Drinkable, not terrible.You can use preground coffee just fine. You press a button to turn the grinder off and put your best stuff into the filter. Everything else is the same. And it stays on preground until you change it. But use beans, all y’all! You paid for the privilege!Daily cleaning, after you get the hang of it, is a nice ritual, not hard at all. I dump the waste coffee into chipmunk holes and around snail-chomped hosta plants in my garden. I spend a minute scrubbing out the pot, lid, filter (I use the metal one that comes with the pot) and filter basket with a soft brush under running water. I wipe down the shiny metal disk on the coffeemaker to get the hardened coffee gunk off – otherwise, it dribbles after a few days.Then I get it ready for tomorrow. I stick the filter in the basket, hook the basket into the basket holder and close the basket holder firmly. I fill the water tank with filtered water from my fridge dispenser (don’t use distilled – makes horrible coffee!). I fill up the bean hopper if need be. I make sure the right number of cups is still set and press the wake-me button twice. When I’ve done that right, it beeps cheerily and flashes 5:00 AM (ugh). Done.Monthly cleaning is a little more involved. First, it’s best to use up all the water or you could make a mess (I’ve certainly never done that). I wash and replace the filter and basket and close the basket holder. The bean hopper comes off easily, and if you do it with the basket holder closed, it also spins the metal disk so you can see through the disk’s window into the grinder. I take the filter basket out.I unplug it next, because I do all this stuff outside – it’s a bit of a mess. I tip it on its side to get the few beans left in the grinder. There’s sort of a handle on the top grinding plate that you turn, and it comes off. I usually have to use a pliers to do that, but it isn’t hard. I use an old toothbrush to clean up the burrs and top grinding plate, then poke around through the disk window with the odd brush they give you to loosen up the caked-up grounds under the bottom grinding plate. Then I either use a canned-air spray you use to clean your keyboard or – I like this, but you HAVE to make sure!!!! there’s no!!!! water in the hopper!!!! – a vacuum set on minimum suck, like you’d use for curtains. Then I put it all together (you won’t need your pliers if you did it well) and go plug it in again.Next, I press the button for preground and dial cups to 12 (no coffee in there!). I pour Costco vinegar into the water tank up to the 4 cup mark, then fill it to 12 cups with filtered water. Don’t overfill – it just slops out the overfill drain onto your counter. Vinegar is bad for marble, btw. You push one of the knobs until you get a beep and the display says, “Infusing”. It cogitates and gurgles and steams, then starts filling the pot with hot vinegar water. Beep says it’s done and you dump it out and do it one more time. (I pour the hot vinegar water on the weeds in the road. Kills ’em satisfactorily without poison. We all win.)Last, you fill the tank with filtered water and run the preground cycle (no coffee!), dump out the water and do it at least one more time. Yeah, it’s a bit of work, but only once a month. I start in the morning and kind of do it all day, doing chores, raving on Facebook, and whatever while the pot is cycling. No prob. Well, a little prob, but the coffee is worth it.Now we come to the reliability thing. This is my fourth or fifth one of these over about ten years. The last one died because somehow we got water into the grinder. Trick is to catch it and get the water out as soon as you realize what happened, but this time … gremlins. Usually, it just gets clogged and mad and stops, but this time, a little water got into the motor. Long story, but my circuit breaker was bad and the motor burned up. Rats. Don’t get water in the grinder. No.The others – one suddenly wouldn’t grind without bogging down, one began starting whenever it pleased but never when we wanted it to, and one just completely went on strike. The lights were on, but no one was home. Shortest (barring water where it doesn’t belong) 14 months, just over the warranty period; longest more than three years. But not great.I bought another one. I’ll probably buy another one after this. Not happy about average of a bit more than two years per machine at $300 per plus tax. But I figure about 50 cents per pot is something I can do for excellent coffee and, other than reliability, pretty great design.Breville: I do quality design and process improvement for a living, and I’m retiring in a few months. Let me know if you want help (not for free, though, all y’all!). You have a blockbuster machine here – but.Variation: Size: MediumColor: Silver
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes excellent coffee, has a bit of a learning curve, but is not difficult to clean I bought this coffee maker after seeing an article stating that the editor of Food and Wine wouldn’t use anything else. I had some trepidation after reading Amazon reviews saying it was unreliable and hard to clean. I’ve had it for several months now, so I can’t speak to long-term reliability, although It has worked flawlessly for me. But what I can say is that I’ve never drunk better coffee from an automatic coffee maker (for the best coffee, use an AeroPress, but I’m not often willing to go to the trouble). I buy freshly roasted beans from a local gourmet roaster, and this coffee maker lets the great quality shine.I usually brew just a single cup of coffee at a time. The GE Cafe Grind-n-Brew that I owned previously made anemic single cups. The Breville will make them as strong as you want; indeed, its controllability is one of its best features.Now, as to complaints that others have registered. Some say that grounds get stuck in the rubber conduit between the grinder and the brewing basket and won’t make it to the brewing basket, so the coffee brews weak. That will not happen if you are punctilious about cleaning the basket and drying it thoroughly before brewing more coffee. If the rubber conduit is wet or has a buildup of coffee oils, ground coffee will stick to it and block coffee from getting into the brew basket.Others complain about the need to clean the shiny vertical disk that opens and closes to allow coffee to come from the grinder. You have to do it, but it only takes a few seconds per brewing session.I do wish I could toss the brew basket into the dishwasher, but it doesn’t take that long to rinse it out and put it in the draining rack to dry out between uses.The carafe is a weak spot, IMHO. You really do have to preheat it or your coffee will not stay hot. Moreover, it has to be turned nearly upside down to pour a cup, and the design makes it difficult to pour that last cup and to clean it well.You may reasonably decide that this coffee maker doesn’t provide enough added value beyond a garden variety Mr. Coffee or equivalent to justify the cost. But I was comparing this to a Jura 6 or a high-end Philips or DeLonghi at more than twice the price. It won’t make espresso, but for standard brewed coffee, this coffee maker does a superb job and to me is worth its high price.Variation: Size: MediumColor: Silver
5.0 out of 5 stars Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker With Grinder UPDATED 4/20/2026, CORRECTED SOME TYPO’SI’ve had this Breville Grind Control for a total of 2-weeks. It’s a great choice for a combo grinder/brewer. This Breville replaced a very old Capresso maker (only), which after an almost ridiculous 20 years, finally started giving me problems.I don’t expect this Breville, or any coffee maker for that matter, to ever last that long again, but we’re very pleased with the high quality of this machine and the brew it makes every day.It only took 1 or 2 experimental rounds to get it dialed in and making really great tasting coffee. No more guess work — set your grind, set your strength, the number of cups, and you’ll get a great cup of coffee every time. I only buy our coffee from a very well known local family-owned roaster and purveyor located in The Strip District of Pittsburgh, PA. The Finest roasts and coffee you can buy. With this Breville it’s perfect every time!!Very easy to use, totally automatic, and from grind to brew to finished product, it’s a very fast machine. Coffee temp is right on the mark. I’ve temped the coffee with a ThermoPro instant read a few times and it ranges from 184-188 deg F. Works for me!I read some reviews stating there’s no hot plate to keep the coffee warm. Well first, there is a hot plate, just not the old time hot plate some folks are used to having that would evaporate the coffee in your old glass pot within an hour. Nope, the Breville has a warming plate that just sort of pre-heats the carafe.And that’s another item — it’s a stainless steel INSULATED carafe folks. It DOES NOT need an old style hot plate. Use common sense — before your make coffee put a small pot of water on your stove to boil, dump it into this Stainless Steel Carafe, let it sit for a few minutes. Dump out the hot water and your carafe is preheated and ready for the coffee to grind and brew. The carafe will now keep it warm for a decent time, ON YOUR COUNTER. Try it, it’ll work. Same thing for your travel mugs — preheat with some boiling water first, then get your coffee going.So to continue the review of this machine — I didn’t set out to purchase a $400 coffee maker. But I wanted a new burr grinder too (my previous grinder was also a very old Capresso burr grinder, that had seen much better times) and this Breville was the combo I was looking for. So I took the leap and did it. If you’re on the fence debating the cost versus a cheaper coffee maker, just know that this Breville works great, makes tasty coffee of your choosing, and as a bonus can make single cups, travel mugs, partial carafes, and it can also use your favorite pre-ground coffee if you use that stuff. So it’s very versatile.Cleaning the machine hasn’t been a major deal either. I take a few minutes after each brew and wipe the interior off from any residue. Also I watched a video here that some folks had apparently solved a “sort of problem” with steam affecting the remaining beans that are left in the hopper. I follow those folks recommendation and remove the brew basket immediately after the cycle is finished, leaving the brew basket door open so I can wipe the inside down, toss out the used coffee grounds, rinse out the basket etc. No problem at all with compromised quality of the remaining whole beans in the hopper. Thank you to those folks who figured that out!! Much appreciated!! Do yourself a favor and check out their short video.To wrap this up, I highly recommend this Breville Grind Control coffee system. Cost may seem a little high, but it’s worth it because you can grind and brew all in one machine, for the freshest of fresh coffee.I also purchased an extended Asurion warranty because there’s so much electronics on all these appliances now, the extra protection is worth it, to me anyway.Variation: Size: MediumColor: Silver