Best Coffee Machine With Grinder
Fancy yourself a bit of a coffee aficionado but lack the time and patience to craft the perfect brew at home? Don’t fret: in today’s technologically-advanced world there are all manner of wondrous machines that can craft the perfect coffee for you from bean to cup, literally at the push of a button. Although some purists prefer to purchase a grinder and perfect the art of the grind themselves, there are those of us who are perfectly happy to let our machine take care of the hard work.
Machines with built-in grinders shorten the brewing process and can directly process the incoming beans to maximise their freshness and create superb-tasting coffee.
Below we review five contenders for the best coffee maker with grinder, to help you find your dream machine.
1) De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM4200
Available in black or silver, this stylish, fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine is a top candidate for the best coffee machine with grinder. With elegant simplicity, you can produce espresso, cappuccino or simply good black coffee with a single push of a button. Featuring optimal 15-bar pump pressure, you can choose to use this appliance with either fresh coffee beans or pre-ground coffee.
With an easy-to-use control panel and fully adjustable settings, this sleek machine will make the ideal cup of coffee every time, with the added bonus of the dual boiler system being able to brew two cups simultaneously, or create steam for the perfect milk froth.
Pros:
- Cup warmer and instant reheat setting.
- Adjustable height dispenser.
- Integrated stainless-steel milk frother.
- Dual boiler system – more adjustable/controllable.
- Removable water tank and bean container for easy cleaning.
Cons:
- Noisy in comparison to other models.
- Lacks an automatic timer.
- Internal components are made of plastic.
2) Sage by Heston Blumenthal the Barista Express
This machine looks the part: shiny silver fittings with dials and controls to rival that of a professional barista machine. In a hurry to get your coffee fix in the morning? This semi-automatic espresso machine with inbuilt grinder takes you from whole beans to espresso in less than sixty seconds. If you are in the mood to take your time and refine your blend more, there is a manual option for those lazy Sunday mornings; otherwise, you can just stick to the fully automatic mode for a super-fast yet delicious cup.
The quality of this machine is reflected in the price tag – there is no plastic involved in the manufacture, only high-quality materials and an integrated stainless-steel conical burr grinder. Although it’s marketed as an espresso machine, you can make a wide variety of different kinds of coffee.
Pros:
- Takes up very little bench space.Runs self-cleaning programs every few months.
- Large two-litre water tank.
- 18 grind settings.
Cons:
- The portafilter can tend to overflow, spilling coffee grinds into the machine.
- Because of its compact size, you can’t fit a larger travel or coffee mug underneath the spout.
3) Cuisinart Grind and Brew Plus
The highly popular Grind and Brew is a filter coffee maker with a difference: the integrated ceramic burr grinder produces even grinds that are immediately filtered through a gold tone filter, specifically designed to retain the pure taste and aroma of your coffee. The two charcoal filters aid in purifying the water and minimise the build-up of limescale. Automatic timers for start-up and shutdown mean that the coffee is ready when you need it, and the insulated thermal carafe keeps the coffee warmer for longer without adding to those electricity bills.
Choose between three different coffee strengths and make between two and twelve cups in one go, to keep any sized gathering happy.
Pros:
- Quick to brew.
- Can use pre-ground coffee if you prefer.
- Affordable.
Cons:
- Water level indicator is on the rear of the machine, so can be difficult to see.
- The burr mill creates a somewhat coarse grind.
- Noisy during grinding process.
4) Gaggia Brera Bean to Cup Coffee Machine
From the company that literally invented the espresso machine comes this energy-efficient and simple-to-use bean-to-cup appliance. With an attractively simple, box-like design, it features programmable dispensing buttons on the front control panel so that you can input your preferred coffee settings. The ceramic grinder can be adjusted to different grind settings, and there are three strength settings to choose from.
Pros:
- Integrated milk frother produces excellent froth.
- Reasonably sized footprint.
- Adjustable nozzle height to fit various sizes of cup.
Cons:
- Water tank is small and needs refilling regularly.
- Descaling process is time-consuming and complicated.
5) Jura Impressa Z9
The most expensive contender for best coffee machine with grinder on this list, the Jura One Touch is a superb-looking appliance with all the extra bells and whistles. Made with only the best quality materials, it features a high-resolution colour screen that you can use to select your drink or to pre-program and store your preferred settings.
It can even communicate wirelessly with the Jura Cool Control device, which controls various functions. The grinder completes its job in a thrifty five seconds, and the two separate thermoblocks mean that you can froth milk immediately after dispensing your coffee. There is even a hot water outlet to make a cup of tea.
Pros:
- Removable 2.8 L water tank.
- Integrated rinsing, cleaning and descaling programs.
- Energy efficient.
- Wide variety of adjustable settings.
Cons:
- Comes with a large price tag.
Conclusion
One of the key factors in creating professional-style barista coffee at home is the freshness of the grinds: you’ll notice the difference when grinding and immediately brewing with your machine as opposed to using older grinds or pre-ground coffee. Grinding your own coffee with a standalone device can be time consuming and often takes a fair amount of trial and error to perfect the grind size and learn the correct tamping procedures.
These five coffee machines with attached grinder will provide you with the delectable taste of freshly-ground beans without the hassle and extra expense of purchasing a separate grinder.
