Cuff was an optician and microscope-maker. He was famous for his innovative microscope designs and sold his instruments at his shop; however, he had little success as a shopkeeper, and was forced to give up shopkeeping and sell his stock-in-trade at auction around 1758. However, he continued to make microscopes and teach apprentices. He failed to secure membership to Royal Society. He wrote many prose descriptions of microscopes and one poem on the same subject.