Brentwood CG-158 Review: Is It Worth It?

Hi, I'm Sam, and the Brentwood CG-158 is today's review. The CG-158 is a 4 oz (113 g) electric blade grinder with a 150 W motor. It comes in black, blue and white, and one button runs the machine.

I have dialed in coffee every morning since 2012. I judge the Brentwood CG-158 the same way. My opinions here come from running a coffee shop and from research. A blade grinder chops beans into mixed sizes, so the CG-158 suits drip better than espresso or pour over.

Owners rate it 3.8 out of 5 on Walmart. It costs about $15 to $21, and a one-year limited warranty covers it. The sections below cover the specs, the grind, cleaning, rivals and the verdict, so buyers can decide if a cheap blade grinder fits their kitchen.

What Is the Brentwood CG-158?

The Brentwood CG-158 is a 4 oz (113 g) electric blade grinder with a 150 W motor. Brentwood sells it for coffee beans, spices, herbs and nuts. A single button runs the motor, and a clear lid shows the coarseness.

Brentwood Appliances makes the grinder. The company is based in Morton Grove, Illinois, and has sold small kitchen appliances for over three decades. The CG-158 sits at the cheap end of its coffee grinder range.

The grinder has a chrome front, stainless steel blades and slip-resistant rubber feet. The design is simple: no screen, no timer and no dial.

The CG-158 is a corded blade grinder, not a burr grinder. Spinning blades chop the beans, and the user sets the result by how long the button stays down.

Brentwood lists the approval as cETL. That code is an Intertek safety listing, and the 'c' stands for Canada. The code does not show the 'us' mark for the United States.

Which Colors and Models Does the Brentwood CG-158 Come In?

The Brentwood CG-158 comes in black, blue and white under the model codes CG-158B, CG-158BL and CG-158W. The Brentwood site also lists silver. The manual covers the black and white units under the codes CB-158B and CG-158W.

Model codes:

CG-158B in black
CG-158BL in blue
CG-158W in white

Every color shares the same 150 W motor and 4 oz chamber. The color is the only change between codes. A buyer can pick on looks alone.

The CG-2021BK is a different machine. That model is an 8 oz burr grinder with a grind range knob. Brentwood lists it on the same support page as the CG-158.

How Does the Brentwood CG-158 Work?

The Brentwood CG-158 works by spinning stainless steel blades that chop beans inside a small container. A 150 W motor drives the blades. The user holds the button down until the beans look ground.

The blades chop beans on impact. A burr grinder crushes them between two surfaces instead.

The button is a press-and-hold switch, so the motor stops the moment the user lets go. The user controls the run time by how long the button stays down. That control is the only way to manage the grind.

A lid safety lock blocks the motor. The grinder does not run unless the lid sits correctly in place. This lock protects fingers from the spinning blades.

The CG-158 has no grind setting. Brentwood says the user pulses the beans to the wanted consistency. Grind time sets the coarseness: a short press leaves coarse pieces, and a long press makes a fine powder.

How Do You Grind Coffee With the Brentwood CG-158?

You grind coffee with the Brentwood CG-158 by adding beans, seating the lid and holding the button until the grounds look right. Release the button to stop the blades. Then pour the grounds out through the lid.

The manual asks for a wash first. Clean the lid, the motor housing and the container before first use. Dry each part fully.

The first run can give off a slight odor or a little smoke as the motor heats up. The manual calls this normal, and it fades fast. After grinding, measure the grounds and brew.

What Are the Brentwood CG-158 Specs?

The Brentwood CG-158 specs list a 150 W motor and a 4 oz (113 g) chamber. The body measures 11.9 x 10.7 x 21.1 cm (4.7 x 4.2 x 8.3 in). The blades are stainless steel. The lid is clear.

Specs at a glance:

Spec	Value
Motor	150 W
Capacity	4 oz (113 g)
Size	11.9 x 10.7 x 21.1 cm (4.7 x 4.2 x 8.3 in)
Blades	Stainless steel
Warranty	1 year limited

The CG-158 includes a safety lock and rubber feet. The lock stops the motor with the lid off. The feet keep the unit from sliding on the counter.

The grinder runs on a cord and has one control. Brentwood does not publish a noise level, a blade speed or a cord length. Buyers get a plain, small machine.

How Much Coffee Does the Brentwood CG-158 Hold?

The Brentwood CG-158 holds about 4 oz (113 g) of coffee beans in its grinding chamber. Brentwood gives the same capacity on its support page. A listing converts it to 113 g.

The chamber is large for a blade grinder. The Krups F203 holds 3 oz (85 g). The CG-2021 burr grinder holds 8 oz (227 g) in its hopper.

A full chamber grinds poorly, because the blades need room to move the beans. A smaller dose gives a more even result. Most home brews use far less than 4 oz.

How Well Does the Brentwood CG-158 Grind Coffee?

The Brentwood CG-158 grinds coffee well enough for drip, but it gives uneven grounds. Brentwood says the blades grind quickly and evenly. Owner reports are mixed on that claim.

A Walmart listing shows 22 of 37 ratings at five stars. Some buyers find chunks left behind and a grind that stays coarse. Others use it daily without a complaint.

Owners grind dry herbs, chia seeds and nuts with it. The grinder shines on spices and herbs.

Coffee brewing methods differ in how much they tolerate mixed particle sizes. Three methods show the range:

Drip: Drip baskets forgive mixed particle sizes, so drip is the best fit.
Espresso: Espresso needs an even, fine grind that blades cannot make.
Pour over: Pour over brewers such as the Hario V60 and Chemex clog on blade dust.

How well the brewer handles mixed particle sizes decides whether this grinder works.

Is the Brentwood CG-158 Grind Even?

No. The Brentwood CG-158 does not give an even grind, because blades chop beans into mixed sizes. A blade grinder has no fixed gap between cutting parts. Pieces end up as dust and boulders together.

No sieve test of the CG-158 exists. Owners who report chunks match the blade design. Longer runs shrink the chunks but add more dust.

Fine dust over-extracts, which means too much flavor is pulled out, and the coffee tastes bitter. Large chunks under-extract, so too little flavor comes out, and the coffee tastes sour. A cup made from mixed grounds can taste both at once.

Short pulses with a shake of the grinder between them help. The shake moves large pieces back to the blades. The result is still too mixed for espresso.

What Do Owners Say About the Brentwood CG-158?

Owners say the Brentwood CG-158 earns 3.8 out of 5 stars on Walmart, from 37 ratings. Five-star ratings reach 22 and one-star ratings reach 8. The grinder splits opinion.

The split shows in the share of each score. Five-star ratings make 59 percent of the total, and one-star ratings make 22 percent. Few buyers land in the middle.

The black CG-158B scores 4.2 out of 5 from 171 ratings on Amazon.ca. The two scores agree that most owners are happy. A clear minority are not.

What Do Owners Like About the Brentwood CG-158?

Owners like the Brentwood CG-158 for its low price, easy use and spice grinding. The one-touch button needs no learning. Many ratings praise the price.

The grinder handles dry herbs and chia seeds. Its 150 W motor powers through dry herbs and seeds.

The clear lid lets users watch the grind, so they can see when the texture looks right. The rubber feet keep the grinder steady while it runs. Daily coffee use gets a pass from many owners.

What Do Owners Dislike About the Brentwood CG-158?

Owners dislike the Brentwood CG-158 for coarse, chunky grounds and hard cleaning. Some buyers say it does not grind very fine. Whole pieces remain after a run.

The same grinder is also hard to keep clean. Oils and dust cling to the container. The motor housing is sealed, so it cannot go in water. Because water is ruled out, a full clean takes the rice method.

Durability can be a problem too. One Staples buyer of the blue CG-158BL saw the motor quit within two to three months.

How Do You Clean the Brentwood CG-158?

You clean the Brentwood CG-158 by grinding uncooked rice, then wiping the container with a damp paper towel. Brentwood calls this its cool trick. Rice absorbs the oils that coffee beans and spices leave behind.

Put 1/4 cup (60 ml) of uncooked rice in the grinder and close the lid.
Grind for a minute, or until the rice becomes a fine powder.
Unplug the grinder.
Remove the lid and dump out the rice powder.
Wipe out any residue with a damp paper towel.
Let the grinder air dry with the lid removed.

Repeat the rice clean weekly, or when the grinder looks dirty. A clean grinder keeps stale oils out of the next cup. Unplug and cool the unit before any wipe-down.

Urnex Grindz cleaning tablets are made for burr grinders, so they do not suit this blade grinder. The rice method fits the CG-158 and needs nothing but a pantry staple.

Never put the motor housing in water. The manual warns against it. A damp cloth is the only safe wash for the base.

Is the Brentwood CG-158 Dishwasher Safe?

No. The Brentwood CG-158 is not dishwasher safe, because the manual says no part of the appliance goes in a dishwasher. The French page of the manual states this plainly. Hand cleaning is the safe route.

A Walmart listing says the grinding parts are dishwasher safe. That line conflicts with the manual. The manual is the maker's own document, so it wins over the listing.

The CG-2021 burr grinder is a different case. Its bean hopper is dishwasher safe. The CG-158 has no such part, so the CG-2021 rule does not apply to it.

How Does the Brentwood CG-158 Compare to Rivals?

The Brentwood CG-158 can compare to rivals on chamber size, but the Krups F203 has more power. It holds 1 oz (28 g) more than the Krups F203. The CG-158's 150 W motor matches the BLACK+DECKER CBG100S, but the Krups F203 runs at 200 W.

Grinder	Type	Power	Capacity
Brentwood CG-158	Blade	150 W	4 oz (113 g)
Krups F203	Blade	200 W	3 oz (85 g)
BLACK+DECKER CBG100S	Blade	150 W	2/3 cup
Brentwood CG-2021	Flat burr	150 W	8 oz (227 g)

The Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind is another blade rival. It lists a 125 W motor and a 12 cup capacity. The Cuisinart DBM-8 is a step-up electric burr model. A burr grinder crushes beans instead of chopping them. It has an 18-position selector and an 8 oz (227 g) hopper.

No tested data compares these grinders head to head. The table uses listed specs only. Grind quality for blade grinders rests on timing, not on the numbers.

Brentwood CG-158 vs Krups F203: Which Is Better?

The Krups F203 is stronger on power, while the Brentwood CG-158 is stronger on capacity. The F203 has a 200 W motor and holds 3 oz (85 g). The CG-158 has 150 W and holds 4 oz (113 g).

Both grinders are blade grinders with one button. Neither offers a grind setting. A blade grinder chops beans with a spinning blade. That leaves motor power and bowl size as the main differences.

The F203 has a plastic body and stainless steel blades. The manual lists a one-year warranty. The CG-158 carries the same one-year limited term, so warranty does not separate the two.

Pick the F203 for extra power and the CG-158 for a bigger batch.

Brentwood CG-158 vs Brentwood CG-2021: Which Is Better?

The Brentwood CG-2021 is better than the CG-158 for coffee, because it uses flat burrs with 18 grind settings. The CG-158 uses blades with no setting. The CG-2021 also holds 8 oz (227 g).

The CG-2021 has a 150 W motor, a plastic body and a timed dose. It measures 7 x 4.25 x 9.5 in (17.8 x 10.8 x 24.1 cm) and weighs 2.6 lb (1.2 kg). Home Grounds rates it 3.8 out of 5.

The CG-2021 costs $50 to $60. The CG-158 costs far less. Buyers who brew coffee daily get more from the burr model.

How Much Does the Brentwood CG-158 Cost?

The Brentwood CG-158 costs about $15 to $21 at Walmart. One Walmart listing shows $14.95 for the black unit. Another listing for the same unit shows $21.49.

Price points:

Grinder	Seller	Price
CG-158B	Walmart listing	$14.95
CG-158B	Second Walmart listing	$21.49
CG-158B	Third-party seller	$41.22
CG-2021	Typical range	$50-$60

Prices vary by seller. A third-party seller lists the black CG-158B at $41.22. Buyers see a wide spread for one small grinder.

The burr CG-2021 sits at $50 to $60. The CG-158 costs a fraction of that. The savings come with blade grinding and no setting.

What Warranty Does the Brentwood CG-158 Have?

The Brentwood CG-158 does have a one-year limited warranty. Brentwood says most of its appliances carry one year, and the manual confirms the exact terms. A Walmart listing repeats the one-year term.

The manual excludes damage from accident, alteration, misuse, abuse, fire, flood and improper installation. It also excludes parts not approved by Brentwood. Repairs from unauthorized changes are not covered.

Third-party sellers can set their own warranty terms. Buyers should ask the seller before ordering. A Brentwood-sold unit keeps the maker's term.

Is the Brentwood CG-158 Worth It?

Yes. The Brentwood CG-158 is worth it for drip coffee and spices at a low price. It grinds beans, herbs and nuts at the touch of a button. The cost is about $15 to $21.

The grinder falls short on control. It has no setting, gives uneven grounds and is slow to clean. No test data backs the speed or evenness claims.

Pros:

Low price
4 oz chamber
One-touch button
Handles spices and herbs

Cons:

No grind setting
Uneven grounds
Hard to clean fully
No tested data

Espresso and pour over need a burr grinder. The CG-2021 is the nearest step up in the same brand. A cheap blade grinder suits casual drip.

Who Should Buy the Brentwood CG-158?

Budget buyers, spice cooks and drip brewers should buy the Brentwood CG-158. It suits a kitchen that grinds a little coffee and many herbs. The 4 oz chamber handles a family pot.

Espresso drinkers and pour over fans should skip it. Those methods need an even, adjustable grind, and the CG-158 does not offer one. A burr grinder gives that kind of control.

Shoppers who want a burr grinder from the same brand can look at the CG-2021. It costs more but adds 18 settings. Those settings are what the CG-158 lacks, so the CG-158 stays the pick for price alone.

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