| Choosing the best coffee maker means deciding | | | | built-in grinders don't hold enough whole beans to make |
| whether to get one with a built in grinder. While most | | | | a full batch of ground coffee. |
| machines do not include a grinder, you can find "grind | | | | Experts say that the best grinder is a conical burr |
| and brew" coffee makers that go from whole bean to | | | | grinder. That applies to buying a separate, stand alone |
| delicious brew with the touch of a button. | | | | grinder or a grinder built into your automatic maker. |
| This type of coffee maker with grinder is one that lets | | | | Why might you buy a grind-and-brew coffee system |
| you to place fresh, whole gourmet beans into a | | | | with a blade grinder? Two reasons. First, the cost is |
| hopper, choose your grind, turn it on and let the freshly | | | | going to be less, and secondly there are very few burr |
| ground beans fill your your brew basket to start the | | | | grinders built into makers. Most built-in grinders are the |
| process. | | | | lower cost but noisier and less effective blade grinder |
| The biggest advantage of a grind and brew coffee | | | | type. |
| system is that you don't need to purchase a separate | | | | For a better grind, chose a machine with a burr grinder |
| maker and a stand along grinder. The other advantage | | | | built in. First, the burr grinder makes a more consistent |
| is that you don't need to worry about transferring the | | | | grind, which gives better flavor. Secondly, you really |
| ground beans into your coffee maker from the stand | | | | want a quiet grinder to that it won't wake you in the |
| alone grinder, without making a mess. | | | | morning when you program your first, freshly brewed |
| This extra convenience can be the difference | | | | cup of to be ready for you to meet the day. |
| between the freshest possible ground beans or | | | | One last caution: be careful not to purchase a maker |
| grinding your your beans ahead of time and storing it | | | | that simply has a grinder attached to the coffee |
| for later. The easier and quicker that you can make | | | | maker. That is not a true grind and brew coffee |
| the grinding process, the more likely you are to enjoy | | | | maker and should be avoided. |
| grinding your beans just before brewing. | | | | For the better grind and brew coffee makers, expect |
| Before buying a grind and brew coffee maker, know | | | | to find a burr grinder built in, along with programmable |
| that cleaning the built in grinder can be trickier than | | | | features, a water filter, and even stainless steel |
| cleaning a stand alone grinder. Also, makers be sure | | | | thermal carafes. These extra conveniences will make |
| that the grinder holds enough whole beans to grind for | | | | brewing great gourmet coffee a joy to make and to |
| a full pot of coffee. For some reason, some of the | | | | drink. |