Built-in coffee systems give you the best cup of coffee - better than any other option at home.
With a built-in coffee maker, you can make personalized, high-quality coffee beverages at the touch of a button. Not to mention, you will save money and time.
I don't know about you, but I can't do anything in the morning without having a coffee. K-Cups or Nespresso are quick and convenient compared to ordering coffee at your local coffee shop.
Kind of like hot dogs, but are we thrilled with the hot dog level of coffee? There are better experiences out there. Not to mention that you are paying double, or sometimes MORE than double, what a drip coffee maker would cost per cup.
According to the investment company Acorns, "the average American spends $1,100/year on coffee."
Their data also showed that 34% of Americans spend more on coffee than investing in stocks or bonds. The math is pretty straightforward.
If you spend $5 a day on coffee, seven days a week, for a whole year, you will have paid $1800+/year. Keep in mind these figures are for just one person. Imagine the yearly cost for a coffee-drinking household.
If you are like me and crave a high-quality cup of coffee or handcrafted beverage, consider purchasing a built-in coffee machine.
After you overcome the upfront cost, you will start to save money using it over the long term.
A built-in coffee machine is an investment. The good news is there aren't many options, and they all do the same thing.
In this article, you will learn all about the best built-in coffee machines from Miele, Gaggenau, Wolf, and Fisher & Paykel.
In the end, you will also see some cool accessories like warming drawers and vacuum seals, as well as how to maintain your coffee machine.
Let's get started.
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The Miele CVA 7775 CTS built-in coffee maker is Miele’s newest coffee system and is the best on this list for its build, convenience, and usability.
Miele is a German-based, family-owned company that prides itself on quality control. They produce more of their own components in-house than any other appliance manufacturer.
This 30-inch stainless steel coffee machine is plumbed and is available as left hinge only. It’s also self-venting.
As for convenience, this coffee machine can dispense two cups of coffee when placed side-by-side with the “OneTouch for Two” option and dual dispensing spouts.
It also has a cup sensor that will automatically adjust the spout to your cup's location.
With their whole bean coffee system, you can select how bold you want your coffee, along with what type of coffee, from a regular cup of joe to cappuccinos, espressos, macchiatos, and lattes.
Additionally, with Miele’s coffee pot function, you can hold up to eight cups.
All of Miele’s built-in coffee makers have their signature M-Touch controls to make your selection of coffee.
Miele’s M touch controls are easy to navigate by simply swiping the screen. This system will save your favorite or custom selections for up to 10 user profiles.
In terms of maintenance, Miele’s coffee machine is incredibly easy to clean. It essentially does the work for you with its automatic rinsing and cleaning programs. Each cleaning function is automatically activated when the machine is turned on or off.
If you need to access the bean container, milk reservoir, water tank, drip tray, capsules, or waste, the door will also swing outwards to easily access these components.
Lastly, all of Miele’s built-in coffee makers are plumbed or non-plumbed. You can install the non-plumbed version anywhere you have an outlet. However, you must empty the drip tray and refill the water reservoir manually.
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The Gaggenau CM 470 712 built-in coffee system is among the most innovative coffee systems with its visual touch display, personalization function, and automatic cleaning programs.
Gaggenau is German-based and owned by the BSH Home Appliances Corporation along with Bosch and Thermador. Like Miele, Gaggenau also manufactures many components in-house.
This 24-inch built-in unit is available tanked or plumbed, stainless steel, and left-hinge only. The plumbed model also has a drain line.
Gaggenau’s interactive touch display offers text in 25 languages. Its touch display has One-Touch options pre-programmed and can add up to eight personalized beverages to the menu for easy brewing.
As for making your coffee, this machine offers four size options, from small to extra-large. Additionally, this machine offers eight strength levels, mild to extra strong, and four level ratios to select from for milk.
Gaggenau’s coffee maker maintains a constant brewing temperature with its continuous flow heater.
As for cleaning, Gaggenau has similar automatic rinse options when turning the machine on or off. However, Gaggenau offers automatic steam cleaning for the milk system after every beverage. It also has an automatic descaling program.
The differences between 200 vs. 400 series coffee makers are the 200 series is flush install only, tanked only, no Wi-Fi, and no matching vacuum drawer.
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Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove are well known today as a reliable luxury appliance company that makes their appliances in the U.S.
In this case, however, Wolf has outsourced its coffee maker to De'Longhi along with Fisher & Paykel's built-in coffee machine featured below. De’Longhi is an enormous Italian company producing appliances from slow cookers and air conditioners to espresso machines.
The Wolf EC2450TE/S built-in coffee system is available as tanked only in 24 or 30 inches. It does not include a trim kit.
The Wolf transitional style built-in coffee machine is available in black or stainless steel with a full-color touchscreen, making it easy to operate and make selections.
It’s also available in Wolf’s contemporary or professional styles to best match your Wolf appliances. All wolf models have the same controls, warranty, and features. The only differences are cosmetics.
Like Gaggenau’s and Miele’s coffee systems, you can customize every aspect of your coffee drink.
You can select the coffee type you want, its strength, temperature, milk preference, and size. You can save up to six user profiles and custom selections.
Additionally, Wolf’s coffee machine can accept whole beans or ground coffee. Lastly, this coffee maker is self-cleaning.
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Fisher & Paykel, a subsidiary of Haier, has produced appliances since 1934. Based in New Zealand, Fisher & Paykel sells their products in over 50 countries worldwide.
Their coffee system, the EB30PSX1, is the least expensive on this list and has the most options. You have 13 options to choose from such as an americano, macchiato, or latte.
With an intuitive touch screen display, you can select your favorite coffee, select a brew time, and access maintenance data.
What’s unique about this model is that you can set your favorite coffee beverage to brew automatically at the same time each day. This way, your coffee is ready and freshly brewed when you are.
The difference between the Wolf and Fisher & Paykel coffee machines, both outsourced to De’Longhi, is that Wolf includes a coffee pot mode. Both of these machines have the same internals.
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Miele narrowly edges out its competitors due to its more straightforward interface and engineering. This unit has the most features and should last years if properly cared for.
Gaggenau’s coffee machine is still amazing. However, Miele’s auto-descale feature is why I nudged Gaggenau into second place.
The biggest differences between all four machines will be the user interface, installation type, and accessory options. Ultimately, your decision is based on what you value.
There are a few neat accessories available to compliment your coffee machine such as waring drawers and vacuum-seal drawers.
Warming drawers are great if you want to drink your craft beverage from a pre-warmed mug. They also work amazingly as towel warmers or when you must keep food warm before serving. There are some variations between brands.
Vacuum drawers are fantastic accessory that serves multiple purposes. If you have a steam oven, you can use the cooking method of sous vide.
Sous vide cooking is sealing your food in an air-tight bag and then cooking your food in the water at precise temperatures.
You can quickly marinate meats. You can preserve food or coffee beans. These do not vary between brands other than warranty. None of the options are panel ready, and they are all handleless.
Wolf, Miele, Thermador, and Bosch have compatible trim kits. Not Gaggenau. Every coffee machine is 24" comprehensive, and trim kits are an excellent option to pair with 30" warming drawers or ovens. You would not want to put a 30" warming drawer under a 24" coffee machine.
Remember, a coffee machine is an investment. Be prepared to maintain your machine so it lasts for years.
For those of you who already have a built-in coffee machine, here are some tips on how to get the best out of your machine and how to extend the life of it.
Additional Resources
Looking for more help on appliances? Get the free Yale Appliance Buying Guide with the 10 most frequently asked questions, their answers, features on the major brands, and lastly, advice for the best buying strategies. Well over 580,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
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