We are in the habit of associating filter coffee machines with low-end, low-cost parts. This is a very common appliance in kitchens, but most coffee machines are low level. However, more and more consumers value the different options offered by the market and do not settle for a standard filter coffee machine.
They want to pamper their coffee and enjoy all the nuances and flavours that this method of preparation provides. And to meet this demanding demand, you have two options: buy a coffee grinder and grind it yourself at home, or opt for drip coffee machines with an integrated grinder—the most glamorous in the industry.
The range of filter coffee machines with grinders is by no means as wide as the traditional ones, but there is still a good bouquet to choose from.
Drip coffee machines with built-in grinder – prices
We will now inform you about the prices and offers in this segment of drip coffee machines with integrated grinders. As you can see, there are budgets for all tastes, but expensive coffee machines over £100 predominate. We have already said that this type of machine is the top of the line in the industry, and it is usually the best coffee machine within its brand. There are also some interesting exceptions, such as the Haier coffee machine, which has less capacity than the others and so is much more attractively priced.
- Russell Hobbs Chester grind & brew – 22000-56
- Russell Hobbs 20060-65 Coffee Machine Buckingham-20060-56, Black
Grosso Modo, we can say that two factors make the price of a filter coffee maker with a grinder cheaper:
- The capacity.
- The timer.
Many of the machines we present in this article are close to £200 in price because they are large (over a litre capacity) and are also programmable.
The more affordable ones (about half that cost) are either smaller to make 4-6 cups at a time, or do not have a timer. Or they lack both, which can also happen. They are a good alternative if you want to enjoy a delicious freshly ground filter coffee without leaving a penny in your pocket.
How does a filter coffee machine with a grinder Work?
Regular users of filter coffee machines already know what the process is like: you pour medium ground coffee into the conical filter of the coffee machine, and then you start it up with a full water tank. The problem with this technique is that the filter coffee is not very intense (you have other very appreciated qualities). If you also use packed coffee, which even if vacuum packed, takes time to grind and risks oxidation… the result is not always perfect.
The solution to this problem is to buy a coffee grinder, always buy coffee beans, and grind it yourself just before starting the drip-filtering process.
But there is a much better and more convenient alternative: save the grinder, and invest that extra money in buying a coffee machine with an integrated grinder.
In a filter coffee maker with a built-in grinder, you only have to worry about whether the grinder has enough coffee beans to grind. The operation is more automatic but also more complex than that of a normal drip coffee machine.
Filter coffee machines are usually very simple: they have a switch with which you turn the coffee machine on or off. That’s all there is to it. On a coffee machine with a grinder, on the other hand, you will usually find a digital panel with a display, where you can not only start the coffee but also program it (yes, almost all are programmable coffee machines with a timer). In many cases, you can also select the aroma or intensity of the coffee. Usually, you can choose between mild and medium intensity.
Once you have determined your preferences, you only need to start the coffee machine. The coffee will then start to be ground in the right dosage according to the settings you have indicated before. Once ground, the filtering process (spraying with water) will start automatically, without any intervention by the user. The result will be a much fresher coffee with more nuances and better taste than traditional coffee because freshly ground coffee is unbeatable!
The best drip coffee machines with built-in grinder
The time has come to choose. If you’re wondering which filter coffee maker with a grinder is best, or you want to buy one and don’t know where to start looking, we’ll do the selection work for you. Let’s take five. These are the ones:
Haier SKL coffee machine
We started our top with one of our favourites: the Haier coffee machine with grinder, which unfortunately is no longer in use in our country.
This is a drip coffee maker with a grinder that is much cheaper than the rest, which gives it a significant competitive advantage. Where does its low price come from? Mainly because it is a very small machine, almost individual, whose deposit only gives to elaborate 3-4 cups each time. It is not very practical if we need to prepare very large quantities of coffee or if there are many of us at home… but in most cases, it is more than enough. It’s no coincidence that it’s one of the best-selling drip coffee machines right now.
Razorri RCGE600A
This one is the same as the Haier: it is cheaper than normal because it is a small coffee machine with a capacity of just 0.56 litres in the tank.
It allows you to make coffee in three ways: half a tank (1-3 cups), a full tank (4-6 cups) or a special function to make traditional filter coffee directly from the pre-ground coffee of your choice, without using the grinder.
TM-Electron TMPCF020S
A Spanish brand coffee maker – a detail that many overlook – with the same characteristics as the previous ones: it is small (4 cups), 600 watts in power, and does not have a timer. This makes it much cheaper, and if you add to this the fact that the materials are quite normal, then… we have before us perhaps the cheapest drip coffee maker with a grinder on the market.
Philips Grind & Brew
And we go from one extreme to the other: the Philips Grind & Brew is the best drip coffee machine from Philips and one of the highest quality models in the whole industry. It is a virtually automatic coffee machine (like espressos), with a fully digital control panel and 1000 watts of power. Already going for the HD7766 version (at the time of writing).
The water tank is quite big (1.2 litres), and the dimensions of the piece, too. If you can install it in your kitchen, we assure you that it will be worth it. You will not regret the investment if you like good filter coffee. The best filter coffee maker with a grinder in this ranking? Possibly.
Russell Hobbs Buckingham Grind & Brew
This British firm has several drip coffee machines with grinders in its catalogue, but the best of them all is the Russell Hobbs Buckingham. Its characteristics are very similar to those of the Philips model mentioned above. It has a 1.3-litre water tank, finished in stainless steel, and 1000 watts of power. The grinder is quite large; it can store up to 250 grams of coffee beans and allows you to select up to 9 different levels or thicknesses for grinding.
Klarstein Aromatica 2
A coffee maker of the German brand Klarstein that is already in its second generation (the original model is no longer available).
The Klarstein Aromatica II coffee machine with grinder is a rather bulky machine, 1.25 litres, 1000 watts of power and with a completely black body. The best thing about it is that we can buy it with a glass carafe (the normal version), with a thermal carafe, or with both.
Ultratec Coffee Mill
Ultratec may not be as popular as the other brands in our ranking, but when you learn about the virtues of this machine, you will not be surprised to find that it is among the best-selling filter coffee machines. Ultratec’s coffee machine with grinder is another large machine (1.5 litres) with an attractive and robust stainless steel front panel.
1000 watts of power and the essential selection of aromas round off an impressive drip coffee maker, which is also significantly more expensive than its direct competitors in the high-end sector. Can you order more?
Kenwood CMM620
Kenwood CMM620, a very compact coffee machine with a tremendously robust design and from a prestigious firm such as Kenwood. It has a 1.25-litre capacity and can be programmed to make coffee whenever you want (it has a timer for up to 24 hours).
Grind & Brew Portable Coffee Machine
And we finish our ranking of the best filter coffee machines with grinders, with a unique and revolutionary model: a coffee machine with a portable grinder! A real 2 in 1: coffee maker and grinder, which also fits in one hand and you can take it with you wherever you want: travelling, on holiday, at work… does it sound strange? Well, yes, maybe it’s curling, but the invention exists and works wonders.
Of course, the space-saving has to have its benefits: this portable Grind & Brew can only heat up 130 ml of water (about one cup) and can grind 5 to 15 grams of coffee every time. But it’s hard to imagine so many functions and utilities in a single portable appliance: it even has a heat cup! In other words, in addition to grinding the bean on the spot and making conventional filter coffee, it allows you to take it with you and drink it in the street in complete comfort.
Our verdict: an ideal coffee maker to give someone a surprising gift.
This selection could include many others, such as the Klarstein Congenio or the H.Koenig MG10. Still, we have decided to stay only in a smaller classification in order to be able to justify our decisions well and be more rigorous in the ranking.
NOTE: If you are interested in this subject, you can also consult our generic guide to coffee machines with grinders.
