Facts About Combination Coffee Machines

If you've seen the price of grind and brew coffee makers, you may have decided to pass on buying one. Before you do, take a look at both the pros and cons and the one factor that will influence your decision.

These machines are convenient, there is no doubt. Everything takes place within one unit. One machine that does both jobs makes life much simpler. There is no mess, no spilled beans and no grinds on the kitchen counter. They are space savers too. You don't need extra storage space for your grinder, since it's built into the coffee maker. This can be a bonus for anyone with a small kitchen.

These kinds of machines give the home coffee connoisseur a super fresh brew. Flavor loss between brewing stages is eliminated since the beans are ground immediately prior to brewing. Everyone knows that coffee made from freshly ground beans tastes far better than something made from the package.

Grind and brew coffee makers are very convenient. Set the timer for first thing in the morning, and the freshest brew will be waiting for you when you awake. The sound of the grinding beans makes a wonderful alarm clock, an added bonus!

You should know that these coffee machines can be hard to store. They are usually tall and often can't fit on a kitchen counter, if there are cabinets above. So double check your measurements before going out to buy your coffee machine.

Both your coffee maker and grinder will be out of commission if something goes wrong. You won’t be able to grind or make coffee. Whether the unit needs to be replaced or repaired, you’re up the creek without a paddle.

If you do decide to go this route, ensure your machine has a conical grinder. This style of grinder can grind the beans to a more uniform size. It's important to remember since you can't upgrade later.

One point to watch for is that certain models aren't easy to clean. Some designs actually allow steam into the grinding mechanism. As a result this can quickly start clogging up. Inferior design can also result in bad storage conditions for the beans. A bean hopper that isn't air-tight allows the beans to be exposed to oxygen. When this happens they start to oxidize.

Yes, a grind a brew coffee machine costs more than a regular drip coffee maker. But that's because a grinder has been integrated into the machine, increasing the manufacturing costs. If you are in a situation where you want to upgrade to a conical grinder, than usually it's makes more sense to buy a grind and brew machine.