When I first started to analyze gourmet coffee makers and grinders, I started to separately look at options for each. In other words, it didn’t initially occur to me that perhaps it might be a good idea to consider a single appliance to grind gourmet coffee beans yet that could also serve as a gourmet coffee maker.
There are some main reasons why a 2 in 1 appliance could make sense. For example, one is if I don’t have a lot of available space (wherever that may apply: it could be storage space or where I actually use it). Another might be if I need an upgrade to an appliance I had been using, because the performance simply is not up to par compared to when it was new.
Below I cover some additional considerations. I start with the most basic considerations (first I consider each single purpose appliance individually: what I might get in a basic gourmet coffee maker, and what I might get in a basic gourmet coffee grinder. Then I’m going to be evaluating if and when it makes sense to go with a single appliance, and explore considerations beyond the most general ones mentioned above. Finally, I’ll be looking at the latest tech and features to see if they are worthy of spending extra for them.
Base Models
Here I will be covering what you might expect if you mix gourmet coffee and an inexpensive, no frills appliance. Some people might think that there’s no way these should ever be used in the same sentence. However, there are actually times when there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
GOURMET COFFEE MAKERS
I’m a bit biased here, and this has to do with the things that make me a unique individual (as we all are, it’s great for diversity). I suspect I’m not alone in this, though. My favorite go to coffee maker for gourmet coffee (and any other type of coffee, for that matter) costs about ten dollars. That’s $10, you read correctly. Where I live we call this simple yet wonderful timeless marvel a “greca.” Put in on a stovetop, wait a few minutes, and voilà! It’s also known as a stovetop espresso maker, likely because those of us who use it usually like our coffee strong. In my case, I like my coffee VERY strong (as in, “bring the dead back to life” strong.
In my opinion, it’s the coffee that makes the coffee taste great, not the coffee maker. So can you use the most basic of coffee makers and still get exactly the same great taste out of your gourmet coffee. If the choice is between spending more on the coffee or whatever you use to brew the coffee, I would say upgrade the coffee. Now, if you have money to spend on both (and perhaps even more things), you’ll want to read on. Things get progressively more interesting beyond this point
GOURMET COFFEE GRINDERS
The base models will cost you no more than $20 to $25 these days. Sticking with an inexpensive grinder is harder to justify, though. For the freshest coffee in general, buying coffee beans is the way to go. For gourmet coffee, the same applies. Beyond that, having payed extra for an experience that drinking regular coffee simply cannot provide, you’ll want to grind those beans in a way that allows you to brew the coffee to its “full flavor.”
How much extra to spend on a more sophisticated grinder will depend on a lot of things. I have a post dedicated to that specifically. My perspective in terms of grinders is similar to my perspective on coffee makers. I will always look to upgrade my coffee before I look to upgrade anything else. What I mean by this is that coffee can be obtained this day in just about every imaginable variety. Some brands pay very particular attention to bean uniformity, which in turn will general lead to better results regardless of the grinder you choose.
When You Should Consider A Coffee Maker / Grinder Appliance
Well, let’s get some of the easy stuff out of the way first. If you use or are considering using a stovetop espresso maker, then the choice is already made for you: I have never seen a “greca” that also grinds coffee. Though I must say, I wonder if there might be a possible way to achieve that or something similar. My undergraduate degree is in engineering, so I can’t help but wonder.
Another fairly obvious conclusion (but still worth mentioning, in my opinion) is that if you currently own neither (you prefer get your coffee already made, there are many options for that) then a 2 in 1 appliance can make sense even for starters. If you are willing to pay extra for the convenience of exchanging money for a ready-made cup of coffee, the convenience of a multi-purpose appliance will be a natural fit.
I also have a post dedicated to this topic alone, so now on to what I consider to be the funnest topic: the latest technology.
High Tech versus Low Tech Coffee Makers and Grinders
By now, I believe you can guess what my initial perspective is on this topic. Just in case: I don’t like to spend extra on anything but the coffee itself, and I like to keep things simple. If you have a similar perspective, then you’ll likely prefer to enjoy high tech in something like the next James Bond movie.
However, as an engineer who also has an MBA (masters in business), I can’t help keeping up with the latest. That means learning about the latest trends in the coffee industry, knowing the fine details of the gourmet coffee / specialty coffee markets, and the latest in technological advances. I have a variety of posts covering these subjects.
Features in Coffee Makers and Grinders that Are Worth A Premium
A topic related to the one above is that of features. For example, someone might value being able to remove dishwasher safe parts for easy cleaning. That in my opinion is worth paying a bit extra for. A coffee maker with a timer is usually pretty standard, but even for that I would be willing to pay a bit extra.
I’ll leave you with the following thought. I can buy the most expensive coffee maker in the world, with every bell and whistle imaginable. But if I’m using it to make coffee that I don’t like to begin with, even the best coffee maker in the world wouldn’t get me to like that coffee. If I use it to make coffee I do like, I know it doesn’t have the potential to offer me any meaningful improvement in taste. So to me the topic of additional features is all about convenience, and that is a very personal choice that I will leave for you to decide.
