The consensus is that freshly ground beans are the way to go for making the best cup of coffee. There are many ways to go about this, including grinding the coffee beans separately or using a coffee maker with an integrated grinder.
A niche pick to consider are single cup coffee makers with grinder. They are somewhat rare, but the growing coffee culture and demand for specialty coffee continues to expand the market of single-cup coffee makers.
2020’s Best Single Cup Coffee Maker With Grinder Picks
- Cuisinart DGB-1 Single Cup Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
- Mr. Coffee Single Cup Coffee Maker with Travel Mug and Built-In Grinder
- Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker, Grind and Brew Single Serve (49989)
- Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker
- Viante Mini Grind and Brew Coffee Maker
Top Grind And Brew Single Cup Coffee Maker Reviews
1. Cuisinart DGB-1 Single Cup Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
An easy to use machine, the Cuisinart Single Cup Grind & Brew Coffeemaker can get you a 16oz cup of coffee rather quickly. The machine has a built-in blade grinder that whirrs into action and prepares freshly ground coffee for your brew. All you have to do is add the coffee beans and water in their respective compartments and hit the “Grind And Brew” button.
The oversized button covers a prominent area on the face of the machine. In a way, it highlights the easy operation of this single serve coffee maker. The reservoir for this coffee maker is just 16 oz, which is also the maximum volume of coffee you can brew.
Cuisinart DGB-1 is a single-serve machine and will utilize the full reservoir every time it brews coffee. Refilling the reservoir every time you want coffee can be slightly annoying, but overall it seems a fair tradeoff in value and convenience.
The dimensions are suitable enough to accommodate various sizes of cups and travel mugs. Even so, if your travel mug doesn’t fit under the dispenser, it is possible to remove the drip tray for easier access.
Additional Features Of Note
Cuisinart DGB-1 Single Cup Grind & Brew Coffeemaker has a built-in grinder that puts the coffee grounds directly into the filter basket. There’s also a mechanism in place for when you want to use pre-ground coffee.
For this, you can simply add coffee to the filter basket as you normally would. There’s a smaller “Grind Off” button towards the top right of the large button. Hit that button and your coffee is all set to brew without the grinder whirring into action.
This is a lightweight coffee maker and is compact enough to be moved freely. A permanent cone-shaped gold tone filter is included with this coffee maker.
Pros
- Lightweight machine
- Easy to operate, simple interface
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Refilling the reservoir for every cup can get annoying
- Coffee maker can be difficult to clean
2. Mr. Coffee Single Cup Coffee Maker with Travel Mug and Built-In Grinder
Functionally, Mr. Coffee Single Cup Coffee Maker with Travel Mug and Built-In Grinder is quite similar to the Cuisinart machine we see on this list. The machine has a built-in grinder, a 16 oz water reservoir, and an easy to operate interface.
Once it starts brewing, the coffee maker will use the entire content of its grinder and water reservoir. It is possible to adjust the brew size with water quantity, but be careful to always have more water than the minimum requirement.
Buttons on the side of the machine let it know if you’re using whole beans or pre-ground coffee. In the case of whole beans, the blade grinder will come alive and deliver well-ground coffee beans for a fresh cuppa.
There isn’t much room for customization since there are no specific options. However, since the coffee maker simply needs a touch of the button, it remains remarkably easy to operate.
Additional Features Of Note
Mr. Coffee Single Cup Coffee Maker with Built-In Grinder includes an adjustable tray to place the cup and adjust its location. That way, the risk of spilling is lowered. Besides, the coffee maker comes with a stainless steel travel mug to make things more convenient.
The machine works well with coffee beans but will as easily switch to pre-ground coffee as needed. Mr. Coffee has included a permanent, dishwasher-safe filter with the coffee maker for more convenient use and ease of cleaning.
While cleaning the filter works like a charm, descaling or deep cleaning the coffee maker can be difficult.
Pros
- Easy to use and operate
- Includes a travel mug
- Excellent value for money
- Built-in grinder is reliable
Cons
- Refilling the reservoir for each cup can get annoying
- Button placement could have been more intuitive
- The machine can be difficult to clean
3. Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker, Grind and Brew Single Serve (49989)
Hamilton Beach 49989 Grind And Brew Single Serve Coffee Maker is an excellent pick for single-serve goodness. The coffee maker has simple, intuitive controls and is easy to operate. Like other single-serve grind and brew machines, this one too works with a 16 oz water reservoir.
Interestingly, this coffee maker includes the possibility of brewing two cups of coffee at the same time. That way, rather than getting the full 16 oz mug, you could enjoy two standard-sized 8 oz coffee cups. It’s a simple touch that comes in quite handy.
Hamilton Beach Grind and Brew Coffee Maker will always brew all contents of its water reservoir. There is a possibility to make small adjustments to suit your desired brew-size, but be sure to always have more than the minimum recommended amount.
Additional Features Of Note
Two buttons are present on the face of the machine. One represents the “Grind and Brew” option, while the other is all about the “Brew” mode. As the names imply, the grind and brew setting puts the grinder in action. Using the brew mode is sufficient when using pre-ground coffee.
The machine has a wide and adjustable drip tray, so there’s enough room for two cups to be placed side-by-side. Alternatively, a tall travel mug can fit in as comfortably on the drip tray. An automatic rinsing cycle cleanses the grind chamber occasionally to avoid any clogging in the grinder.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Easy to use controls
- Well-placed features like brewing two cups at the same time
Cons
- Can be a pain to clean
4. Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker
Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker adds more nuance and finesse to the small grind and brew coffee makers. This is a high-tech machine with plenty of options and features to pick from.
The sleek machine is capable of handling brew sizes ranging from a single cup to a full 12-cup carafe. In that sense, this is not exclusively a single cup grind and brew coffee maker. However, it can conveniently be adjusted to grind beans for brewing a single cup of coffee.
The grinder here has a capacity of 0.5 pounds and makes use of top-quality steel burrs. This makes it excellent at grinding and ensures a longer life for the grinder.
Additional Features Of Note
Controls on the top of the machine can be adjusted to get your desired grind size. An LCD provides information on the current settings. Apart from grind size, these include brew-strength, water level, brewing time, and other settings.
Water reservoir capacity for the Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker is 60 oz, which makes it a very capable 12-cup coffee maker. Thankfully, it is as easy to work with single-cup brewing. The machine is also compatible with pre-ground coffee beans.
Breville has added 24-hour programmable functions to this coffee maker. That means you can set it to start brewing automatically at a set time. When the right time approaches, the coffee maker switches on by itself and grinds and brews your coffee.
Pros
- High-quality machine with excellent features
- Grinder uses high-quality steel burrs
- Programmable coffee maker
- Grind size can be adjusted to user requirements
- Brew strength adjustment
- Can make 1-12 cups of coffee, as needed
Cons
- Expensive
- Not a dedicated single serve grind & brew coffee maker
5. Viante Mini Grind and Brew Coffee Maker
A compact coffee maker with an interesting design, Viante Mini Grind and Brew Coffee Maker is something to consider. It packs quite a lot of features at a low price, which is what makes it so interesting.
The blade grinder is quick to its job and prepares coffee grounds in a few seconds. The water reservoir here is 32 oz, which comes out to about 4 cups of coffee, considering a standard 8 oz cup. Simply put, the water reservoir capacity is twice that of conventional single-serve grind and brew coffee makers.
Additional Features Of Note
Operating this machine is fairly simple. Just hitting the “start” button will send the machine into option. Moving the dial at the front decides the intensity and mode of the coffee. It can be set to pre-ground coffee, if that’s what you’re using. The other two options work with whole beans and select brewing intensity.
The intensity settings can be set to work with the full 32 oz reservoir, or you could have something more robust and strong by filling the reservoir to only 16 oz.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Compact and sleek design
- Can be used as single-serve or four-cup coffee maker
Cons
- Questionable longevity
- Water reservoir opening is narrow and can be bothersome
A Buying Guide To Single Cup Coffee Makers With Grinder
The Type Of Grinder Matters
Most grind and brew single cup coffee makers use blade grinders, simply because they fit in well with the design. Blade grinders are relatively cheap, easier to maneuver, and simpler to integrate with a budget machine.
The preferred type of grinders for coffee are burr grinders. These grinders provide a uniform size of the coffee grounds and don’t harm the coffee while grinding. They are pretty much standard on quality machines and higher-end models. On our list, only Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker has a burr grinder.
When picking a burr grinder, the material of the burrs is important as well. Ceramic is often used for the lower end machines, while the high-end grinders are fond of stainless steel.
Why Grind And Brew?
For best taste and coffee experience, it is recommended that coffee be ground right before it is brewed. In fact, even freshly ground coffee should be used within 20 minutes. While pre-ground coffee off a store shelf may be convenient, it isn’t going to be as great as freshly ground coffee.
Of course, coffee quality, roast, and brewing skills play a part too, but freshly ground coffee can be expected to have better results.
With grind and brew coffee makers, the coffee is ground and brewed almost immediately. This provides a better quality of coffee. If you’re short of space, it can be cumbersome to buy multiple appliances (like grinder and coffee maker). A compact machine that puts both these appliances together is certainly welcome.
The Bottom Line On Grind And Brew Combos
If you want a quick cup of coffee with a semblance of a gourmet touch, a single cup coffee maker with grinder can be the right pick. The coffee is ground right before brewing, so freshness and flavor are maintained.
However, tiny single-serve machines aren’t quite geared for top quality, so don’t expect them to move mountains. On the plus side, they’re definitely better than using stale pre-ground coffee.
If you need a recommendation, our top choices for this category are Cuisinart DGB-1 Single Cup Grind & Brew Coffeemaker and Breville BDC650BSS Grind Control Coffee Maker.