It’s that time of the year: we need to keep updated on what’s going on in the world of hybrid coffee makers. Grinder-integrated coffee makers are becoming increasingly popular because of how effective they are at saving space and -more importantly- at delivering a great cup of coffee.
The thing is… It can be hard to tell what machine is better than the other when you have to take into account an integrated grinder. Don’t worry, though: We know a thing or two about coffee makers, and we’re here to bring you what we think are some of the best coffee machines out there with their very own coffee grinder. Keep reading to find the coffee maker of your dreams:
1. Breville’s Barista Express
We’re kicking this list off with one of the best machines in the market by all standards. Among coffee makers with an incorporated grinder, this one has a substantially better reputation and popularity – let’s see why.
Digital temperature control
This system of digitally controlled water temperature helps the temperature of your coffee stay right in the sweet spot. Espresso machines, as we all know, work with steam. Too often, these machines become slightly overheated and that results in a bitter coffee. Not anymore!
Grind adjustment
The grinder on this machine has a very wide range – which is adjusted via a dial. This dial is one of the most convenient we’ve seen when it comes to grinders – small, very smooth to use and the grind size indicator is not hard to understand and follow.
High-quality steam wand
Steam wands are crucial to the performance of your espresso machine. What’s the point in having a steam wand if it doesn’t texture your milk properly? And that’s precisely the strong point here: The Barista Express’ steam wand was designed to propel the steam out with enough force so that all of your milk is properly texturized.
Automatic direct-to-portafilter grinding
This machine’s grinder will grind directly into your portafilter when it’s locked into place. You can either program it, or do it manually – all it takes is a push. Once you’ve programmed your preferred dose, you can just push once on the portafilter and the programmed dose will be delivered, but if you’d rather do it yourself you can push and hold: Grounds will start grinding directly into the portafilter until you stop pushing.
The Barista Express is a very convenient machine, too. While the grinder is sublime, you can always use your own ground coffee. And it’s got a storing place for the tamper so that it’s right there in clear view at all times, a lifesaver for all those who constantly misplace this tool (looking at you, specifically).
Bonus: You can manually adjust the water temperature. A great feature for the most nitpicky amongst us!
Other features:
- Power saving after one hour of inactivity and Auto Shut Off after three hours.
- Removable water tank, 2 liters.
- Cup warming tray.
- Pre-infusion of grounds for maximum extraction.
Specs:
- 1600-Watt Thermocoil.
- 15 bars of pressure.
- Weighs 23 lbs.
- Storage space for accessories.
2. Cuisinart DGB-700BC Grind-and-Brew
Whether you’re ready or not, this coffee maker is about to take your drip coffee to the next level.
Cuisinart, always stepping up their coffee game, decided to make a grind-and-brew line of coffee makers. Though all of these are quite similar in design, they are set apart by their performances; This one is, we think, their best one yet.
It has a 24-hour programmable function
If you’re like us, you want coffee first thing the morning – but sometimes we’re way too sleepy to make a decent cup, and it feels like such a chore. With this function, you can program your machine to brew a batch of coffee up to 24 hours before you want it done.
With this function, you can wake up to a freshly ground and brewed cup of coffee – that’s the kind of life anybody would want.
Its Brew Pause™ function lets you skip the wait
You’re making a full carafe in the morning -this coffee maker’s carafe, by the way, holds 12 cups- but you’re in real need of some coffee ASAP. Don’t worry: pause the brewing process for a second, pour yourself a cup, then just keep brewing the rest of the coffee.
It comes with a high-quality water filter
As we all should know by now, water plays an important role when it comes to making a good cup of coffee. Not only that; water that is too hard could even contribute to the presence of limescale, which hinders a coffee maker’s ability to perform correctly. With the Cuisinart Grind-and-Brew’s charcoal water filter, you’ll be making coffee with the cleanest water possible.
Other Features
- Showerhead system to improve water distribution when brewing
- Sealed bean hopper, tinted to keep out light.
- Gold-Tone filter
3. Gaggia Brera Super-Automatic Espresso Machine
This machine, designed and made in Italy, brings you the best quality coffee drinks with a very smooth user interface that makes it simpler than ever to brew your morning cup of coffee. With the help of a digital LED display, you can easily make complex drinks and program the machine to learn your favorite coffee.
Ceramic Burr Grinder
The most impressive detail about the Gaggia Brera is the use of ceramic grinders. Typically, grinders are made of stainless-steel, ones of better quality steels and others, not so good… But even the best of those grinders have two big problems: They wear down eventually and steel heats up faster than ceramic, which could lessen the quality of your coffee since some of the coffee beans might get burnt during the grinding process.
But ceramic grinders are the best of the best; They last years and years without so much of a scratch and they don’t overheat as much. Truly a superior quality feature.
Optiaroma
Like it is the case with so many other automatic coffee makers, you can select the strength of your brew but Gaggia goes a step beyond, by implementing the optiaroma feature, which not only changes the strength of your coffee, but also changes its flavor and the intensity of the aroma.
Pannarello steam wand
Made to deliver the best possible steam for your milk-based drinks, this machine has not just a regular steam wand, but Gaggia’s very own pannarello. With the pannarello, you will find it easy to create rich foam for cappuccino and great milk texture for your latte. The pannarello can also dispense hot water if you are not in the mood for coffee but would rather drink some tea.
Other features
- Stainless steel finish.
- Descaling alert.
- Very easy to clean.
- User-friendly LED display.
4. DeLonghi Magnifica – ESAM3300
The Magnifica is a powerful coffee maker that combines the convenience of modern coffee makers with the elegant design of retro espresso machines.
Double coffee spout
Replacing the need for a portafilter, we see here a coffee spout that can make two shots of espresso at the same time. It can be adjusted to accommodate taller glasses if you want to make, for example, a latte macchiato.
Patented cappuccino system
The greatest feature on this machine might just be its steam wand, which does all of the work for you; Just place the pitcher on the drip tray with milk under the nozzle and the Magnifica will create the thickest foam you could ask for. With this feature, you can make anything from cappuccinos and lattes and anything in between with minimal effort.
Double boiler system
Now, this feature is something you don’t see every day. Whenever a coffee maker makes you a shot of espresso, it occupies its heating system specifically for the brewing water. But with a double boiler, you have a dedicated heating system for the steam wand, meaning that can be brewing coffee on one side, and making yourself a cappuccino with the other hand without any delay, and without overheating the machine at all!
Direct-to-brew
The Magnifica has a completely original way of delivering coffee. Coffee grounds are transported to the brewing chamber immediately after ground. This minimizes the risk of losing coffee quality because of many factors (like, machine temperature, clog tubes, etc.). The direct-to-brew feature guarantees the freshest cup of coffee possible.
Other Features
- 60-ounce removable water tank.
- 15 bar pressure system.
- Easy to use dials to operate the machine.
- Automatic shut-off after three hours to save energy.
- Cup warmer function for preheating your coffee cup.
Specs
- Weight: 23,2 lbs.
- Whole bean container: 8.8 oz.
- Silent coffee grinder with 13 settings.
5. Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control
Breville makes its way into our list again, and for good reason. The grind-control coffee maker is an exceptionally good-looking and compact machine packed with features.
8 different strength settings
Nothing is more desirable in a coffee maker than being able to customize your coffee as much as you possibly can, and the grind-control lets you customize further than any other coffee maker of its kind, with 8 different strength settings for you to choose from and make a cup of coffee exactly the way you like it.
Steep and release system
The first thing you will notice about this coffee maker is that it brews directly into a carafe, this, however, doesn’t mean you can’t brew a single cup of coffee at a time. The steep and release system enables you to choose between a carafe or a single mug, but without changing the quality of your coffee at all, so that if you choose to brew a big batch of coffee, you won’t find it to be diluted or watered down.
Thermal carafe
The grind-control comes with its own carafe included, and it is truly one of a kind. This carafe, which holds up to twelve cups of coffee, it’s made of stainless steel and has a double wall to prevent your coffee from going cold and potentially losing flavor and aroma. A true commercial-grade thermal carafe that you will fall in love with.
LCD display
The grind controls digital display is of the same quality of other Breville coffee makers and just as easy to use. To make for a much more compact design, the display is facing upwards instead of being in front of you, which we found makes it easier to operate this coffee machine.
Other Features
- Gold-toned filter.
- Included cleaning brush.
- Bean hopper holds up to half a libra.
- Water temperature control.
Specs
- Water tank: 60 ounces.
- A stainless steel burr grinder.
6. Capresso 487.05 CoffeeTeam Pro
Capresso didn’t just want to get into the market of integrated-grinder coffee makers – they really made a machine with a high-quality grinder that might as well be its own separate machine. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite features on the Capresso CT Pro.
Grind and Clean system
Yes, grinders require a lot of maintenance. This is because infinitesimal coffee particles always get stuck in between parts and onto any type of surface: It’s the most annoying thing about owning a grinder. With this system, the grinder does a big part of the cleaning right after having ground the coffee beans.
Different beans, different settings
Although this coffee maker makes only drip coffee, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t many types of settings to experiment with. The CoffeeTeam Pro offers up to three different settings for you to try. On top of this, there is a special function for grinding dark beans: The Oily function makes sure that darker beans are properly ground while leaving behind very little residue.
Stand-by function
You know you’re going to be making coffee later – and know your Capresso knows it, too. After brewing, this coffee maker will keep the brewing water warm so that the next time you make coffee, you don’t have to wait as long. This lasts up to two hours after your last batch!
Slow grinding feature
When a grinder isn’t particularly well-built or isn’t made of decent quality steel, the way to get an adequate grind is by jacking up the speed of the grinder. Effective, yes, but not without consequences: A faster grinder means it will wear down sooner and that it will be prone to overheating. Capresso’s grinder is programmed to never go higher than 500 RPM while still giving you a good quality ground coffee.
Other Features
- Brews with pre-ground coffee, too
- Drip stop – pour yourself a cup of coffee in the middle of brewing a batch
- Charcoal water filter
Specs
- It comes with a gold-tone filter, cleaning brush and coffee scoop.
- Weight: 13 lbs.
7. Mr. Coffee Single Cup Coffee Maker with Travel Mug and Built-In Grinder
Mr. Coffee’s coffee maker is by far the most convenient machine on this list. It is an incredibly small machine that somehow still manages to fit a grinder in it – all designed to make you a great cup of coffee, probably on the go.
What you see is what you get with this machine – there aren’t any fancy or unnecessary features that sometimes are there just to justify the price on some machines. This coffee maker is designed to give you an extremely fresh cup of coffee while still keeping things simple. Plus, it’s the most inexpensive coffee maker with an integrated grinder.
Features
- Silver-tone filter
- Brews with pre-ground coffee as well
- Comes with a high-quality travel mug
- Adjustable brew sizes
Specs
- Weight: 4 lbs.
- BPA-free
- The filter is dishwasher safe
8. Delonghi ECAM45760B Digital Super Automatic Espresso Machine with Latte Crema System
Opposite to the super minimalistic, ergonomic (and cheap) Mr. Coffee, we give you the elaborate, sophisticated (and expensive) De’Longhi ECAM45760B.
This coffee maker is on par with some of the most complex machines out there and yet it is a machine that could fit well in your home and just the same at a café – a sweet spot.
Lattecrema system
This system consists of a very automated way for both frothing milk and delivering right to your cup – once you’ve selected the type of drink you want, the ECAM will then froth milk accordingly and pour it through the nozzle into your drink – the frother on this is so potent that you will not be able to distinguish between a cappuccino made on this machine and one made in your best local coffee shop.
Metal touch panel
Further adding to convenience and its elegant design, this machine has a metallic touch display where, combined with a digital display, you can navigate through the machine’s many customizing options. You’ll also find one-touch drink options.
Milk menu
With this awesome function, you can adjust the type of froth or foam you want for a specific drink and what’s more, you can create your own drinks by experimenting around on this menu. Create unique drinks with extreme ease!
Other Features:
- Double brewing cycle
- Can use pre-ground coffee
- Hot water dispenser
- Tubeless system
Specs:
- Weight: 24 lbs.
- Auto shut off function
- Programmable water hardness
- Removable water tank
And there you have it. Did you find the one you were looking for? We certainly hope so.
And if you don’t seem convinced even after going through this list, don’t worry: Grinder-integrated coffee makers are not for everyone. We’re sure that you can find something for you in one of our pieces about different types of coffee makers.
