These Eliminate the Hassle of Grinding Beans Separately (2024)

Breville’s coffee maker with grinder was a top performer in our tests. Though on the pricey side, it was one of the few contenders that could produce fine, medium and coarse grinds that were consistent with what you would get from a high-quality standalone coffee grinder. It has a burr grinder with six grind-size settings to choose from so you can customize your coffee or change settings if you swap beans. Because the hopper can hold a half pound of beans, you don’t need to refill it every time you brew coffee.

We also found the digital display very easy to read; it shows the number of cups to be brewed and the strength setting. As an added bonus, the front-facing digital display indicates how much water is in the tank, so you don’t need to lean over to the side to check your water level like with some other coffee makers. It also produced one of the tastiest cups of coffee: smooth without a hint of bitterness.

For those who don't want to start their morning to the sound of obnoxiously loud coffee grinding, this machine from Black and Decker is for you. The built-in grinder was one of the quietest we tested and in our taste test found it produced a flavorful cup of coffee with a pleasant aroma. Plus, our pros found it produced a consistent grind, even better than some of the more expensive machines.

Our experts appreciated the unique setup with the grinder integrated into the brew basket, making it easy to clean both at the same time. The machine can use pre-ground coffee or whole beans; however, you need to add beans every time you make coffee since there's no hopper to hold extra beans. We also liked the on-screen display that shows how long it's been since the coffee was brewed, so there's no guessing the time it's been sitting around.

The Cuisinart Grind & Brew Plus offers customization and convenience in one machine, allowing you to make fresh coffee from whole beans, pre-ground coffee or pods. One side of the machine is for making drip coffee; it can grind whole beans or use pre-ground coffee, and it lets you choose the strength setting. But since it doesn't have a hopper, you'll need to keep refilling the beans. The other side is for single-serve cups and it does not grind; it uses pods or a reusable pod filter (sold separately).

While it didn't have the highest score in our taste test due to its slight bitterness, the convenient pod option can be helpful for days when you need just one cup. The coffee grinder and housing are removable for easy cleaning and to help prevent any clogging. Plus, there's an indicator light so you know when it's time to decalcify the machine.

This Cuisinart coffee maker stands out with its built-in grinder for a single-serve reusable pod. Unlike other machines that use pre-packaged pods, this machine grinds enough for one mug's worth of coffee from whole beans. In fact, we loved it so much we gave it a spot in our 2023 Kitchen Gear and Coffee Awards.

The catch is it's a two-step process, so you can't hit a button and walk away. However, it simplifies the process by grinding the precise amount of whole beans directly into a reusable capsule. Then simply load it into the capsule holder like a regular pod and brew. For mornings when you're in a rush, it can use K-cups and offers size options of eight, 10 or 12 ounces. Our pros found this machine intuitive to use without having to read the instruction manual. The 48-ounce water tank detaches so you can easily refill. Overall, we found the coffee we brewed was entirely satisfying with a medium body.

The Spinn coffee maker is a favorite among our experts, so much so we gave it one of our Kitchen Gear and Coffee Awards. The reasons are plentiful: It makes a variety of flavorful coffees, the app is easy to use with custom options available and the large hopper holds up to 18 ounces of beans.

With this machine, there's also no guessing the grind size or manually adjusting the grind setting for each drink. The burr grinder automatically selects the correct grind size to optimize each drink. We love that beans are sold directly through the app, and if you input the specific coffee type into the app, it will brew it using the manufacturer's recommendations.

Our Lab experts were impressed with the unique nitro-like brew option, a feature you don't often see with other machines, and our testers confirmed that it produces a strong cup of coffee similar to nitro. In fact, one tester declared this was the best coffee they've ever had. One thing it does not have is a built-in frother so it will have to be purchased separately.

Our pros gave this machine high marks because it was one of the easiest to use coffee makers with a built-in grinder and had one of the quickest brew times, making it great for those who want a fuss-free fast coffee-making experience.

Even if you haven't read the instruction manual (and are uncaffeinated), navigating the control panel is a breeze. Another nice perk is that you won't have to refill the hopper as often since it holds a half pound of whole beans, though we didn't love that it only has one grind setting. Using pre-ground beans is an option too.

The coffee basket swings forward, so there's no worrying about it hitting low cabinets. The coffee is poured into a glass carafe, but we loved the thermal carafe model that keeps the coffee warm, it's currently unavailable.

A favorite among our Lab experts, this De'Longhi coffee and espresso produces superb-tasting drinks from espressos and lattes to iced with a few taps on the touchscreen. Simply choose the type and size of beverage you want, and the machine automatically does everything else for you including grinding, brewing and milk frothing. Though it does come with an app, we found that it was fairly basic and didn't add much to the user experience.

Even better: It also rinses out the spout at the beginning so you can be sure there’s no leftover coffee residue in your cup. We were impressed with the quality of the espresso with a rich crema and how simple it is to use the milk frother that froths on its own for a truly hands-off experience that doesn’t get much easier.

Breville drip coffee makers consistently score well in our tests, so it's no surprise we also love the Barista Pro espresso machine. Customizing your coffee drink is easy, thanks to the easy-to-read LCD screen that our experts found simple to use. If you like to fine-tune your coffee or change the grind size depending on the type of bean, the Barista Pro has 30 different grind sizes and five temperatures to choose from.

The machine has precise digital temperature control, which controls the temperature of the water precisely to extract a consistent and tasty espresso shot. Our experts found the built-in steam wand produced a thick layer of froth, which some other machines struggled with in our tests.

To determine the best coffee makers with built-in grinders, we collected and analyzed over 270 data points. We first test them exactly how we test drip coffee makers: We brew at least two full pots of coffee in each drip machine and record the brew time, the brew temperature and how well the coffee stays warm over a two-hour time span. We also pay attention to consistency, as we do when we test espresso machines and single-serve coffee makers. As part of our brew tests, we conduct a sensory test and get as many people as we can to sample each coffee and share their tasting notes.

In addition to performance, we assess ease of use by scoring a number of factors including whether the user guide is straightforward to follow and how painless it is to operate the controls, access the water tank and brew basket, read the markings on the tank and carafe and clean the carafe and more.

After fully testing each coffee maker’s brewing abilities, we then appraise the built-in grinder. We evaluate how easy it is to fill the hopper, record the loudness of the grinding process using a decibel meter, and note how many different grind sizes are available. Finally, we then analyze grind-size accuracy, grind uniformity and grind consistency using a Kruve Sifter to determine the ground coffee particle sizes down to the micrometer.

✔️ Grinder type: Coffee makers with built-in blade grinders are either blade or burr grinders. Blade grinders work like food processors in which the blades spin to chop the coffee beans. Burr grinders are similar to pepper mills so two metal or plastic grinding surfaces mill the coffee into ground pieces. Blade grinders tend to be less expensive than burr grinders, but that often comes with the trade-off of having only one grind-size setting. If you like to adjust your grind settings, the pricier built-in burr grinders often have more settings to choose from.

✔️ Hopper capacity: Hoppers can hold different amounts of beans; consider a larger hopper, such as eight ounces or larger, if you don't want to refill often. Also, note that if the machine does not have a hopper, you’ll need to fill the coffee maker with beans each time you brew.

✔️ Number of grind settings: If you like to fine-tune the grind size of the coffee, look for machines that have multiple grind settings. The size of the grind affects the taste of the coffee: the finer the grind, the stronger the coffee.

✔️ Carafe type: Glass and thermal carafes each have their pros and cons. Glass carafes tend to be less expensive, lightweight and easy to clean as they are often dishwasher-safe. Thermal carafes are typically more expensive but can keep coffee hot for hours without using a warming plate, which means you don't have to worry about whether you shut the coffee maker off and can bring the carafe directly to the table.

✔️ Customization and convenience: Beyond grind-size settings, coffee makers with grinders may also have customization options such as coffee-cup size and strength. More advanced machines can make coffeehouse-style drinks, like lattes, at the push of a button without the need for manual tamping or frothing. However, you’ll often pay much more for this amenity. A general rule of thumb: The more convenient and hands-off the coffee machine, the higher the price. Be sure to pay attention to which features are worth the extra money to fit your lifestyle.

Having a separate coffee grinder may be better for some people but not for others. Coffee enthusiasts may like having a stand-alone grinder to make different coffee types beyond drip coffee, such as pour-over or French press, because there are more grind settings. The downside is that it's an extra step to making coffee, which is not as streamlined as a coffee maker with a built-in grinder and it's also an added purchase.

Coffee makers with built-in grinders offer the convenience of grinding the beans, and often automatically starting the brewing process. It's best for those who want to save time and effort by having freshly ground beans and coffee at the push of a button or two. Just note, if the machine or grinder breaks over time, you'll have to replace the entire machine. Plus, switching beans is harder since you'll have to wait until the hopper is completely empty before adding new beans.

• Drip coffee machines
• Espresso makers
• Single-serve coffee makers
• Nespresso machines
• French presses
• Milk frothers.