Why Costco Dropped Its In-Store Coffee Grinders In 2025

Beyond the obvious appeal of bulk-buy savings, a Costco membership also comes with many perks. There's the exclusive access to the chain's iconic food court, a famously generous returns policy (when used within reason — otherwise, frivolous returns are one of the reasons the chain revokes memberships), and, of course, the chance to graze your way through the warehouse on free samples alone. However, while there is no shortage of benefits, one beloved in-store feature that disappeared in 2025 was its coffee grinders. While shoppers were sad to see an end to these machines, judging by the stories circulating online, it might be a blessing they're gone.

These machines were undoubtedly convenient, and while Costco never revealed why it discontinued the popular machines, on Reddit, one self-identified Costco employee explained just how difficult they were to maintain: "Everything about them is proprietary; any time anything went wrong with them (which was constant)[,] we needed their specialist technicians to come and service them ... it meant paying for the travel and accommodation of these service people, which was expensive."

But digging a little deeper, it seems that customers may have also played a role in the machines' constant malfunctions. On the same thread, another Reddit user shared what they'd heard from an employee. "They said people were abusing it ... people were double/triple grinding ... I was also told people were putting dog food through it." Others reported spices, peanuts, and nuts were being put through, adding allergens and further contamination to the list.

As is unfortunately the case with many food retail perks, it seems a handful of selfish customers pushed things too far until it simply stopped being worth the trouble. And honestly, after learning there's even a slight possibility of coffee grounds served with a side of dog food, grinding beans at home starts to sound a lot more appealing.

Just because Costco discontinued its in-store coffee grinders doesn't mean customers should suddenly switch to pre-ground coffee. If we were forced to compare the two, whole beans come out on top in almost every category. Once coffee beans are ground, they immediately begin oxidizing and going stale, losing much of their depth of flavor and aroma. On top of that, once you open a large bag of coffee grounds, it's essential you store them properly, otherwise you risk their flavor and freshness quickly degrading. So for serious coffee drinkers and home baristas alike, freshly ground whole beans remain the gold standard.

But if you're one of the many customers who relied on Costco's coffee grinders, the store does sell automatic coffee grinders. However, if you're on a tight budget or just don't want to pay for something that Costco once offered for free, there are plenty of ways to grind your beans at home without spending a dime. For most, one of the most practical and efficient ways to grind beans is by popping them into a blender or food processor and slowly pulsing until they reach your desired coarseness. 

But if you don't own a blender, or maybe you're experiencing a power cut but still want to brew coffee, you can still grind your beans with a bit of creativity. One method is smashing the beans in a mortar and pestle, or placing them into a zip-lock bag and whacking them with a rolling pin (a particularly good method for those looking to release pent-up feelings). These manual methods definitely require significantly more elbow grease, but they'll get your beans to where they need to be.