All coffee lovers strive to brew the best possible cup of their sweet, sweet caffeinated nectar. The best way to achieve a great brew at home is by using freshly ground coffee beans. But what if you don’t want to buy a coffee maker and a grinder? Or maybe you don’t feel like going through the trouble of grinding the beans yourself.
Either way, fear not!
The market is loaded with bean-to-cup coffee makers and espresso machines, and, luckily for you, we at Roasty have taken the time to review some of the top offerings. Plus, we threw in some tips on distinguishing the gems from the coal in case you venture out on your own while searching for grind and brew coffee machines.
At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For Coffee Makers With Grinder
Quick Summary: The Best Coffee Makers with Grinder
 | Our Top Choice CUISINART DGB-900BC GRIND & BREW COFFEEMAKER |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | BLACK + DECKER 12-Cup Mill and Brew Coffee Maker |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | BREVILLE GRIND CONTROL COFFEE MAKER |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | CUISINART DGB-400 GRIND & BREW COFFEEMAKER |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | CAPRESSO DIGITAL COFFEE MAKER WITH CONICAL BURR GRINDER |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | KRUPS GRIND AND BREW AUTO-START MAKER |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | GEVI 10-CUP DRIP COFFEE MAKER WITH BREWER |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | BREVILLE BES870XL BARISTA EXPRESS |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | DE’LONGHI ESAM3300 MAGNIFICA |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | GAGGIA BRERA SUPER-AUTOMATIC ESPRESSO MACHINE |
| Check on Amazon → |
Keep reading for our guide to the best coffee maker with a built-in grinder.
Why does a fresh grind matter in the first place?
Even if you opt for a separate grinder, freshly ground beans are important to the brewing process. Once ground, beans quickly lose their flavor, resulting in bland brews.
Plus, investing in a machine with a top-notch grinder means the oils and compounds that make each blend unique get released evenly. That means, in turn, you’ll get a great-tasting cup of coffee.
Why Get One?
The upsides to getting a coffee or espresso machine with grinding capabilities are numerous:
- There’s no need to purchase a separate grinder, justifying the extra cost
- You can enjoy the full potential of your beans because they will be freshly ground every time you brew
- Less effort has to be expended on your part to achieve the perfect brew — the machine does the work for you
Roasty Rankings: Our Picks for Best Grind and Brew Coffee Makers
Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
Though relatively new to the coffee game, Cuisinart’s machines are some of the leading offerings when it comes to coffee makers with built-in grinders. The DBG-900BC is our top pick from the brand’s lineup for a few reasons.
Besides the surprisingly quiet stainless steel burr grinder, this solid coffee maker has impressive programmability. It has three brew strength options — mild, medium, and strong — and volume control that begins at two cups and increases in two-cup increments up to 12 cups.
Plus, you can wake up to an ultra-fresh pot of coffee every morning since this coffee maker has a 24-hour programmable timer. The double-walled thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot for a few hours without worrying about it getting scorched by a hot plate.
Other features we like are the eight-ounce bean hopper, brew-pause feature (perfect for those who just can’t wait until the carafe is full to pour the first cup of morning coffee), auto-off for safety and energy efficiency, and charcoal water and commercial-style gold-tone filters to remove impurities from water and previous brews.
This machine only has two real drawbacks. First, the chute is a bit cumbersome to clean and requires a fine brush that must be purchased separately. Second, the grind size cannot be altered. However, the grind preset is a pretty standard medium size that’s big enough to prevent clogging and fine enough for good flavor extraction.
BLACK + DECKER 12-Cup Mill and Brew Coffee Maker
You might recognize Black and Decker from your dad’s tool collection, but did you know the American manufacturer also has a pretty good selection of quality, affordable coffee makers? While they have a variety of coffee makers sure to satisfy every type of java drinker, we’re specifically focusing on the company’s 12-cup Mill and Brew machine.
Let’s go ahead and get the bad news about this brewer out of the way: the integrated grinder uses blades instead of burrs, which means it’s harder to get consistent grind size out of it. If you’ve read our guide to the best coffee grinders, you’ll know we aren’t the biggest fans of blade grinders since uneven coffee grounds make it harder to brew the highest-quality coffee every time.
That said, we know some are simply looking for a machine that simply gets the job done — no more, no less. Therefore, we made an exception to our unofficial “burrs only” rule to recommend this Black and Decker brewer.
Now, on to the good news about this machine! It’s got customizable features, including a three-option brew strength selector and 24-hour programmability. Do you only have pre-ground coffee on hand? No problem; just turn the grinder off and proceed with standard drip coffee brewing.
We also love that the 12-cup brewer is easy to clean, as the grinder and permanent filter can be removed and washed in the sink. And, on your sleepiest, groggiest mornings when you can barely manage to keep your eyes open long enough to turn on your coffee maker, let alone wait for the full batch to finish brewing, you can take advantage of the sneak-a-cup feature.
This feature allows you to pause brewing to pour yourself that much-needed first cup before the brewing is complete.
Breville Grind Control Coffee Maker
This Breville machine has just about everything you could hope for in a bean-to-cup coffee maker, with a reasonable price, if not a little on the steep side.
Conforming to Breville’s reputation for high brewing standards, the Grind Control is truly a marvelous machine with lots of handy features. However, its biggest asset is the level of customizability. With eight strength settings and six fineness settings, there’s plenty of room to experiment until you get a perfect cup of joe.
We recommend starting with level 3 on the grind size and working from there. However, if you have a pre-ground specialty coffee, you can use the pre-ground mode to temporarily bypass the built-in stainless steel burr grinder.
Extra features include a removable drip tray that accommodates cups up to seven and a half inches tall, a delightfully large 60-ounce water tank, a sleek and user-friendly LCD screen, and both carafe and single-cup brewing modes.
The machine’s drawbacks are pretty minor. If you use a lot of specialty coffee, you’ll need to clean this machine to avoid shortening its lifespan (due to the extra oils). Also, it is a little slower than some of its competitors, but the 24-hour programmability helps mitigate that issue.
Cuisinart DGB-400 Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
If you fell in love with the previously mentioned Cuisinart offering but aren’t as fond of its price tag, let us introduce you to its very similar sibling, the DGB-400.
Unlike the DGB-900BC, this Cuisinart Grind and Brew boasts a blade grinder instead of burrs. As we mentioned earlier, we’re not the biggest fans of blade grinders, as they don’t give you the most consistent grind.
However, some people swear they can’t taste the difference between coffee grounds with a blade grinder versus one with burrs. So, if you’re not too picky about your ground coffee, you might get a kick out of this grind-and-brew drip coffee machine.
This coffee maker is easy to use and pretty customizable, with clearly-labeled buttons and controls for simple brewing, auto-off and brew-pause features, a one- to four-cup setting, and 24-hour programmability so you can wake up to a full pot of hot coffee every morning.
It’s also equipped with a charcoal water filter to effectively eliminate the impurities (like chlorine and other minerals) from your water and keep your machine clean.
As far as blade grinders go, this one’s pretty decent, making it a great entry-level or budget-friendly grind-and-brew coffeemaker.
Capresso Digital Coffee Maker with Conical Burr Grinder
Our favorite aspect of this machine is its longevity and durability. Technically similar to the Cuisinart, this machine has solid build quality, meaning it’ll be on your kitchen counter for years to come.
The Capresso has a stainless steel conical burr grinder, 10-cup brewing capacity (with four, six, eight, and 10-cup options), and three brew strength options (mild, regular, and strong). All of that is pretty standard, so the grind settings are what set it apart from other models.
The 465 has five grind settings, which allow you to adjust the grind size for different roasts. This helps improve the machine’s lifespan and cuts down on required maintenance.
Also on the Capresso unit’s roster of features is a thermal carafe (complete with stainless steel outer casing and temperature-regulating inner casing), brew-pause setting for impatient coffee fanatics, a pre-ground setting for when you run out of your favorite coffee beans, and a digital control panel for clear visual programming cues.
The only real complaints we have about this machine are that this grinder, while high-quality, is quite loud. For someone who lives alone or with heavy sleepers, that’s no big deal, but for early risers in sleepy households, that could be a dealbreaker. Second, it only has a six-ounce bean hopper, which is a little on the small side.
KRUPS Grind and Brew Auto-Start Maker
Next on our list is a brewer from German manufacturer Krups, a brand that’s made a name for itself in the world of kitchen appliances and coffee brewers. The 10-cup grind-and-brew machine has a built-in, conical burr grinder, which is perfect for giving you coffee shop-quality java in the comfort of your home. The grinder is customizable, with a two to 10-cup setting to personalize your amount and five grind size settings.
When you’re ready to brew, choose one of the three brew strength options — mild, medium, or strong — to enjoy a cup of coffee that best suits your preferences. The auto-start function gives you the freedom to schedule your brews (yup…you can wake up to that fresh coffee smell every day), and the machine will keep your java warm for up to two hours.
Additional features include a brew-pause setting for the most impatient of budding baristas, a curved spout on the carafe for spill and drip-free pouring, a removable gold-tone filter basket for easy cleaning, and a clear LCD screen for trouble-free programming.
Gevi 10-Cup Drip Coffee Maker with Brewer
Last but certainly not least, on our list of best coffee makers with grinders is a machine that comes from the kitchen appliance brand Gevi. You’ve got two options with this brewer: pour fresh whole beans into the built-in, conical burr grinder or, instead, use pre-ground beans.
Then, once you hit the brew button (or take advantage of the auto-start function and schedule your coffee hours in advance), watch up to 10 cups of delicious joe drip into the glass carafe.
If that’s not enough to convince you to give this coffee maker a shot, then maybe the warming plate that keeps your coffee hot for 120 minutes post-brewing, three strength control settings, and eight grind sizes will.
Bean to Cup Espresso Machines
Breville BES870XL Barista Express
One of our top recommendations for espresso machines in general, the Breville Barista Express is a great bean-to-cup machine.
This sleek, semi-automatic machine is quite similar to the bestselling Barista Touch, except it focuses more on semi-automatic capabilities.
The conical stainless steel burr grinder is top-of-the-line, and the overall build quality makes this machine durable and reliable. It’s got a 1600-watt Thermo coil heating system to regulate temperature and an automated group head cleaning cycle for easy maintenance. Additionally, a big selling point for this brewer is the level of customization you can achieve with a short learning curve.
You can adjust the temperature, grind fineness, dosage, and tamping with this Breville coffee maker. With all of those features, you can get a completely customizable cup. Take advantage of the half-pound bean holding capacity, 67-ounce removable water tank, and milk frother that’s perfect for making specialty drinks.
A couple of this machine’s drawbacks are that it’s a little on the large side and a tad noisy. Other than that, this is an excellent machine, especially for the price point.
De’Longhi ESAM3300 Magnifica
The De’Longhi Magnifica might be the machine for you if you need something a little more streamlined.
This superautomatic espresso machine packs a considerable punch for a relatively compact footprint. It has an adjustable conical burr grinder and a cappuccino system with a milk frother.
It’s decently customizable for a superautomatic machine. You can change the brew strength, make specialty drinks, and opt for short or long-shot pulling. Additionally, it’s a pretty low-maintenance machine with removable parts and an auto-descaling indicator.
This easy-to-use machine has quite a range of features, including instant reheat (this works best with double-walled mugs), a double-boiler system for back-to-back brewing, a user-friendly control panel, and adjustable spigots that make brewing different-sized cups simple and painless.
One of this machine’s only downsides is that it’s a little noisy, except when it comes to letting you know it’s done brewing, so you will have to check in on it.
Gaggia Brera Super-Automatic Espresso Machine
From one of the first-ever espresso machine brands, this Gaggia bean-to-cup brewer doesn’t disappoint.
This machine’s price point is on the upper end of this list, but in the realm of espresso machines, it’s actually closer to a mid-range price. The biggest difference between the Gaggia Brera machine and the others on the list is that it has a ceramic (not steel) burr grinder.
Ceramic burrs can hold the sharpness of their edges for longer than steel burrs. So, with proper maintenance, this grinder will perform well for far longer than a stainless steel one. It also automatically adjusts the RPM and grind time to best suit your blend.
Avid coffee drinkers will love filling the 8.8-ounce hopper with their favorite blend of fresh beans and using the built-in Pannarello steam wand to make specialty drinks. No worries if you’ve run out of whole beans; just use the machine’s pre-ground mode until you can buy more! Other features worth noting on this espresso machine are the 1.2-liter water reservoir and four-part filtration system.
With its customizable presets and respectable programmability, this mid-range machine is pretty straightforward and simple. We included it on our list because it’s a relatively affordable and reliable option if you’re looking for a ceramic burr grinder.
Grinder Specs
We’ve covered how to select a good grinder pretty well in the past. But here is a quick recap in case you forgot (no judgment here).
Remember that almost all of the grinders in these machines are burr grinders, which is the standard for high-quality built-ins. So this information is primarily useful if you decide to branch out from the suggestions we’ve made here.
Burr or Blade?
Burr is the way to go here, hands down. Blade grinders are less likely to produce consistent grounds, which results in uneven or sub-par flavor extraction. On the other hand, burr grinders guarantee all of your grounds will be the same size, optimizing the resulting flavor and giving you the delicious coffee you crave.
Ceramic or Steel?
Most built-in and electric grinders use steel blades for two reasons, the main one being that ceramic doesn’t hold up well against sharp, sudden impacts. So, if there are foreign bits of not-coffee in your beans (which is pretty common), they can easily damage the grinder.
In addition to being a bit more crack-resistant, steel grinders actually begin sharper than ceramic ones. However, ceramic grinders maintain their sharpness longer.
Some coffee snobs argue that ceramic is better because there is no generated heat that might negatively impact extraction. But, no conclusive studies have shown this to be true. So your stainless steel grinder should do the job just fine.
However, if you are into the bougie, high-quality feel, and longevity of ceramic, check out the Gaggia machine we have listed above.
Drip or Espresso
As you probably noticed, we split this list into drip coffee makers and espresso machines with grinders. While a fresh grind is important for both types of brewing, the styles are better for different types of coffee connoisseurs.
If you simply prefer an easy, delicious-tasting cup of classic coffee, the drip brewers will be more up your alley. These typically require less maintenance and can usually brew larger batches of coffee in one go. Plus, they come at a lower price point. However, as a general rule, drip brewers will have fewer customization options.
So, if you really want to experiment with grind size, pressure, etc., they might not be your best choice. Also, if you need a great-tasting base for a specialty drink, most drip brewers can’t make a coffee concentrated enough to pass for espresso.
On the other hand, espresso machines will be more expensive and require more maintenance. And it’ll probably take you longer to get the hang of using it. But grind customization is pretty standard on these machines, as are things like steam wands or frothing systems. So, these are worth looking at if you want to make cappuccinos or lattes.
Coffee Lovers Also Want to Know…
How do you clean a coffee maker with a grinder?
We’re sure you don’t need us to tell you that keeping your brewing machines and accessories clean and in tip-top shape will give you quality cups of coffee for years to come. But how exactly should you do that with a grind-and-brew machine?
Since every coffee maker is different, consulting the instruction manual is the best way to know exactly how to clean your brewer. But generally, you’ll want to wash all of the removable parts with warm, sudsy water and run a mixture of water and white vinegar through the brewer to decalcify it.
As far as cleaning the grinder is concerned, it depends on whether or not you have blades or burrs. Regardless of your gear, it’s important to note that you should not wash the metal burrs or blades with water!
To clean a burr grinder, you’ll need to take apart your burrs, use a soft brush to scrub out any left behind coffee grounds, reassemble, and you’re ready to get grinding again! Many also swear by grinder-cleaning pellets, so it may be worth researching to see if those are the way to go.
If you have a blade grinder, you’ll need to use a soft brush or cloth to scrub the remaining grounds from the blades and wash the removable parts of the grinder with warm and soapy water.
How often should I descale my drip coffee maker?
That chalky deposit that builds up in your coffee pot and inside your coffee machine is called limescale and needs to be cleaned out periodically. It’s not toxic or anything — it’s a buildup of calcium and magnesium salts from heated water. But, it will reduce the efficiency of your machine and slow down the brewing process over time.
How fast the scale builds up depends on the “hardness” of your water, but generally speaking, you should descale your machine every 200-300 cups of coffee. For me, that means every two months or so.
What’s the best commercial coffee maker with a grinder?
See above: Breville Barista Express.
Though it was actually designed for home use, this tiny-but-mighty brewer can service a smaller coffee shop or cafe…and do it well, too. This machine’s adjustable settings make this affordable option a great choice for commercial use. Baristas and customers alike will appreciate the rich, bold flavor of the espresso shot this coffee maker can produce.
During a long day of slinging coffee drinks, the built-in steam wand will become your new best friend as it creates the perfect microfoam for latte art.
What’s the best single-cup grind and brew combo machine?
Our vote for the best single-cup grind-and-brew coffee machine has to go to the Breville Grind Control coffee maker!
We already gave you the lowdown on this combo grinder and brewer, but what we didn’t mention about this machine is that it’s versatile enough for single-serve brewing, too. Let your coffee brew straight into a tall cup or travel mug on days when you don’t need an entire carafe of coffee.
What grind size should I use for my coffee maker?
For drip coffee makers, it’s best to grind your beans to medium grind size. If the grind is too fine, it will slow down the water passing through the grounds and will lead to more bitter flavors extracted in your brew. On the flip side, if the grind size is too coarse, the water won’t be in contact with the grounds long enough, and you’ll end up with a batch of sour and watery coffee.
Aim for a grind size that has a smooth texture, like perfect sand.
Why not just use pre-ground coffee?
Oh, you’ve got so much to learn…
I’m just giving you a hard time.
But seriously, beans start to lose their freshness after they are ground – so, ideally, you should be grinding your beans right before you brew, if at all possible. Whether you have a separate burr grinder and a drip coffee maker, or if you opt for the all-in-one convenience of a grind & brew machine mentioned above – either approach is preferable to buying pre-ground coffee from the grocery store.
Wrapping up
Regardless of the brewing team, you play for, getting a machine with a built-in grinder can be a great way to up your coffee game.
Remember to look for machines with burr grinders and be aware of what kind of drinks you plan on making your budget, and your customization needs before you buy.
Happy Caffeinating!
