Grind and Brew Coffee Makers

Are grind and brew coffee makers superior?

Many people wonder this, and in this article we will try to dispel some prevailing myths. The truth is that not all grind and brew coffee makers are really superior to your basic automatic coffee machine. however, some of them do make great coffee, and will allow you to enjoy the convenience of freshest coffee in the morning.

• How to have the freshest ground coffee at home
• Will you save money by buying a grind and brew coffee maker?
• What is the best grind and brew coffee maker available?
• What is the best bean to cup coffee maker? (alternative to your traditional grind and brew, and far less expensive)
• What is the best coffee making option – ie what I would recommend most.

People buy grind and brew coffee makers because they want fresh coffee and they want convenience. Everyone knows how important fresh grounds are, so I won’t waste my breath expanding their benefits, and going on about the fact that coffee you have freshly ground tastes so much better.

In order to have freshly ground coffee, you will need to grind it at home. This is where most people start to waver and wonder if it is really worth it. Well, yes, it really is.

How to Have the Freshest Ground Coffee at Home

I’ll be frank: the best way to have great tasting, freshly ground coffee at home is to buy an automatic burr coffee grinder and a separate automatic coffee machine since in general, most grind and brews will not actually grind your beans properly. However, there are two great machines out there and you could use either of these machines; in my opinion no other grind and brews are worth it.

Will I Save Money By Purchasing a Grind and Brew Coffee Maker?

Some people think that a grind and brew coffee maker costs less than the price of a separate coffee grinder plus a coffee machine.

That may be true, but the real reason that a grind and brew coffee maker costs less is because the coffee grinder that is built in, is an inferior coffee grinder. A coffee grinder that you can buy separately costs a bit more, but is far superior to the built in coffee grinders. And anyone who has experience making coffee knows that a high quality separate burr coffee grinder is essential to making great tasting coffee.

So the answer is: yes, you will save a bit of money by purchasing a grind and brew. However, it’s really not worth the few bucks’ savings. I recommend spending a bit extra to get a great grinder.

Alternatively, you should be prepared to spend a bit extra to buy a good bean to cup coffee machine that brews coffee which actually tastes great. In this case, you will spend more money than what you would pay for a seperate grinder and brewer - but that's the cost of convenience. Of course, depending on sales that you catch, you may get the two machines I think are good for a reasonable price.

What is the Best Grind and Brew Coffee Maker Available?

Ok, maybe you really want the convenience that a grind and brew coffee maker will let you enjoy. And the truth is, not all bean to cup coffee makers are bad. Infact, the models and designs have greatly improved in recent years and some of them actually make pretty great coffee!

When it comes to grind and brew coffee machines, there are really only two coffee makers that you should consider, in my opinion.

The first is the Capresso Coffee Team bean to cup coffee machines. While these may cost a bit more than your regular grind and brew coffee makers, they also make far superior coffee. The Capresso Coffee Team machines have the absolute best burr grinder that I have seen in a bean to cup coffee machine. Plus, they make the absolute best tasting coffee. If you are after the best, then get yourself a Capresso.

Read customer reviews of the Capresso Coffee Team machines here.

The other option in terms of a grind and brew coffee maker is a Cuisinart Grind and Brew coffee maker. This has some great reviews and some mixed reviews. Read the reviews carefully prior to purchasing, since some of the older models use inferior blade grinders; however, the newer models do use good burr grinders. The newer models get great reviews, and in our testing we have found wide variation between models. The older models are not recommended at all, but the newer models are pretty good.

Read customer reviews of the Cuisinart Grind and Brew coffee maker here.

What is the Best Bean to Cup Coffee Maker?

This is not a very traditional answer, but in terms of bang for buck, I actually recommend getting a single cup coffee maker. If you are looking to make only a few cups of coffee each morning, I recommend these models over the traditional grind and brew models.

The one cup coffee makers, or pod coffee maker as they are also known, use prepackaged coffee pods to make coffee. The way these pods are packaged keeps them fresh for a very long time.

Using a one cup coffee maker is simple, all you have to do is press fill up the water reservoir, put in the coffee pod, and press a button. Cleaning up is just as simple – all you have to do is to remove the used up coffee pod. A 1 cup coffee maker makes great tasting, fresh coffee.

Single serve coffee makers also cost significantly less than a bean to cup coffee maker and are just as convenient to use. You can read our full review of the three best single cup coffee makers here.

What is the Best Coffee Making Option?

The best coffee making option for you really depends on what you’re after.

• Do you want freshly ground coffee, and great tasting brew, but don’t mind the separate grinding and brewing too much? – If so, get a separate automatic burr grinder and an automatic coffee machine.
• Do you want convenience and are happy to pay a bit extra for it? – If so, get one of the superior bean to cup coffee machines. I personally think that the Capresso Coffee Team is the best option, but some people prefer the newer Cusinart Grind and Brew coffee makers.
• Do you want to spend a bit less but still enjoy convenient coffee making? – If so, get a single cup coffee maker.