Grind And Brew Coffee Maker
by Evan
A Grind and Brew Coffee Maker conveniently combines two critical steps on the way to a perfect cup of coffee. By blending two of these steps together, coffee maker manufacturers make it more likely that even the most impatient among us can achieve a better cup of coffee.
As most coffee connoisseurs know, each step on the way to that finished cup of coffee can make a fundamental difference in the quality of the end result. Most of us won’t go back as far as the roasting of the beans, but it wouldn’t hurt. In this article we will focus on how certain new drip coffee makers address three of these steps: the grind, the brew and the carafe (yes the carafe is a vital step).
If you’re here reading this page, then you’re ready to graduate from that standard Cuisinart coffee maker to a robust grind brew coffee maker.
The Advantages of A Grind and Brew Coffee Maker
The primary advantage of a owning and using a grind and brew coffee maker is the simplified process and minimized space of a single unit taking care of a formerly two unit process. You save counter space and you make the process simpler by putting both your beans and your water into a single machine.
Grind and Brew Coffee Maker
Another advantage is that it makes it easier to brew fresh coffee. All grind and brew coffee makers brew the coffee immediately after the beans are ground. As you may know, coffee oxidizes and begins breaking down immediately after it is ground, so the longer you wait to brew your coffee after it is ground, the lower the quality and lesser the flavor of the final brew.
One catch here, however, is that it is debatable whether you should leave your beans in the grinder overnight for a timed grind and brew in the morning. Some may argue that it is getting a bit picky to think about the beans growing stale over just a few hours, but for maximum flavor, you do want to keep your beans in an airtight container within a cool, dry location until right before grinding and brewing.
One final advantage associated with the grind and brew coffee maker is that it reduces the mess two separate units can create. However, depending on the grind and brew coffee maker you choose, this isn’t always an advantage. Some drip coffee makers which combine the grinding and brewing aren’t always easy to clean afterward (I will go into more detail with my drip coffee maker reviews).
Your Grind and Brew Coffee Maker’s Brewer
The basic construction of the brewing mechanism for a drip coffee maker hasn’t changed much in recent years. Different companies use different materials, different brewing temperatures and different brewing speeds, but the process remains largely the same.
The primary components of the brewer are the water reservoir, a heating component with a thermostat, the filter and the pot or carafe. Water is taken from the reservoir, run through the heating component, then poured into the filter. In the filter, the hot water brews with the ground coffee beans with the fresh brewed liquid then working its way down from the filter in to the pot or carafe.
Generally, more expensive models of grind and brew coffee makers will have a quality thermostat which brews the coffee at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Other variables to consider are the quality of the water and the speed of the brew. Some models include a charcoal water filter in the water reservoir to clean the water and minimize the flavor of minerals and chemicals. If your coffee maker doesn’t contain its own water filter, I urge you to filter your water before pouring it in the water reservoir.
The brew speed must be calibrated with the brewing temperature and type of filter. Generally, a faster brew doesn’t absorb as much flavor. Some quality coffee makers pinch the filter every few minutes to maximize the flavor by keeping the brew from finishing too fast.
The carafe isn’t really part of the brew, but I’ll quickly note that better grind and brew coffee makers feature thermal carafes rather than pots. I explain why this matters on the front page of Drip Coffee Makers Guide, but the basics are that you don’t want to allow oxygen exposure or reheating of the freshly brewed coffee.
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Your Grind and Brew Coffee Maker’s Grinder or Mill
Coffee grinders (or “coffee mills”) come in two basic types, blade grinders and burr grinders. Most real coffee aficionados agree that burr grinders are usually best. A burr grinder provides an even, gentle grind which can be more easily adjusted to obtain the ideal grind for your taste or the coffee bean you’re grinding.
In recent years, some coffee fanatics have come to claim that conical grinders are best. Currently, the only widely available conical grinders are made by one company: Capresso. The Capresso Grind and Brew Coffee Maker is an excellent choice if you’re willing to pay a good amount for a coffee maker with a grinder.
A finer grind will result in a stronger coffee but oils become blended into the grounds. A more coarse grind can lead to weaker coffee, but allows oils to remain independent of the grind. For most drip coffee makers, the ideal is a pretty even, medium grind with some finer grinds and coarser grinds in the mix. However, some beans work better with different grind levels. For example, a really oily coffee bean roast will taste best with a slightly more coarse grind.
Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffee Maker
The very best grind and brew coffee makers give you different grind granularity settings, but some other models do a surprisingly good job of creating a nice, even medium grind with their default and only setting. Generally, modern grind and brew coffee machines are much better about their grinding capability than they were even three or four years ago.
My first grind and brew was a Melitta Grind and Brew Coffee Maker which always ground the beans too fine. A couple years later I bought a Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffee Maker and while it has its problems, I was really surprised with how well Cuisinart pre-configured the grind to be so balanced and proper for a wide variety of coffee beans.
When the Right Grinder and Brewer Come Together
There are a wide variety of grind and brew coffee makers. Unfortunately but not surprisingly, the more expensive they are, the better they are. Ideally, the best grind and brew coffee maker provides variable grind settings and brew settings, features a water reservoir with a water filter, and brews the coffee into a high quality, vacuum-sealed thermal carafe. However, combining all these elements leads to a pretty hefty price tag (don’t realistically expect to find a quality one for under $250 or even under $299).
However, many a grind and brew coffee maker still exist which provide a balanced, flavorful mug of coffee with convenience and minimum expense. I encourage you to write down your own requirements before you go shopping. It can be confusing as you’re lured to the various features and amenities after you start shopping. Keeping a list of what matters most to you will keep you on track.
Size is certainly a variable you should consider. A single cup grind and brew coffee maker may provide all you need for your lifestyle (but remember that the much hyped K Cup Coffee Maker uses pre-ground coffee). Or perhaps you need one that provides far more than the standard 10 or 12 cup brews.
A timer is becoming more and more common, with automatic or programmable grind and brew coffee makers becoming the norm. There simply isn’t anything like waking up to a fresh brew of coffee made from just-ground coffee beans without your having to lift a sleepy finger. However, if you’re a stickler for top quality, you’ll still want to keep coffee beans airtight before brewing, so a timer isn’t optimum for coffee-flavor purists.
I hope this helps you understand how a grind and brew coffee maker can be a fun and convenient way to a tasty mug o’ coffee. Please return to my Drip Coffee Makers site soon because I will soon roll out specific grind and brew coffee maker reviews of specific models.
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