Are Built-in Coffee Machines Worth It? Read This Before Buying

Αre built-in coffee machines worth it? The other day my girlfriend and I had a talk about buying a built-in coffee machine. We’ve been having our coffee machine for quite some time now and we’re planning to upgrade soon. So, this was a topic I brought up and it’s an option we’re considering. Stick around, in this article a go a bunch of things to keep in mind before purchasing a built-in coffee machine. 

Are built-in coffee machines really worth it? 

This is a subjective question since it depends on many different factors including your finances and the space in your house. 

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of such an investment in your house.

How does a built-in coffee machine really work?  

The good news with a built-in machine is that it works by itself. 

What do I mean by that? They are typically installed on your counter or cabinet in your kitchen and, in general, make better coffee than a portable smaller coffee machine. 

And different brands come with different adds-on attached to the machine. 

For example, some have an attached grinder while others have a frother for making iced macchiato, cappuccino and latte. So if you’re planning to invest in such as machine you won’t need to use any other gadgets since built-in machines have pretty much every feature you need to help you enjoy great coffee. 

Advantages and disadvantages of a built-in coffee machine

Let’s go over the advantages and disadvantages of having such a coffee machine at home. 

Advantages of having a built-in coffee machine 

Let’s have a look: 

• Comfort: having a built-in machine means that you can more comfortably enjoy espresso-based drinks. 
• You keep things neat: you won’t have to deal with cords hanging off, and everything is going to look neat.
• It adds style to your kitchen: it really makes your kitchen look way more modern and if you’re into interior design you’re going to fall in love with your built-in coffee machine. 
• Better coffee: built-in machines tend to be more powerful as most of them are manufactured for coffee shops. You’ll be able to pull espressos at the perfect pressure with a rich aroma and flavour. 
• Constant supply of water: another advantage of a built-in machine is that you have a constant supply of water, meaning that you won’t need any more to refill the water tank every time you’re about to brew. You can do this by plumbing your coffee machine.
• It will save you money: if you drink many cups of coffee every day and you spend too much on takeaway coffee from your local cafe, a built-in machine is going to prompt you to brew coffee at home 

Downsides of having a built-in coffee machine 

Here are the main downsides: 

• Τhey are pricey: let’s face it, the price of a built-in machine is high; it can start at $3,000 and can go up to $30,000. So if you can’t afford to pay this price it’s better to look for alternatives I go over further down in this article. 

• Their maintenance takes a lot of time: if you end up buying it, it’s wise to keep it in top condition. If it’s a machine that you just bought a couple of hundred of dollars to buy but you’re not bothered to clean it regularly it’s (kinda) understandable. But if you own a built-in machine is a MUST to clean it as this is the only way to expand its lifespan. Plus, repair costs are also high and you won’t (who does?) spend money on such things.

5 top built-in coffee machines 

Let’s quickly chat about 5 different built-in coffee machines.

1. Miele CVA6405

This is a great coffee machine that can pull 2 espresso shots at the same time. It has an EasyClick Milk System that helps you store your milk in the fridge. The great news is all the popular espresso-based brews including americano, cappuccino and latte are fully customisable; you can make them the way you like.

2. Gaggenau CM470711

This is a powerful Geman coffee machine with 8 personalised espressos. It has a 1-touch control panel and an intuitive visual display. And the good news is it has a rinsing program that makes cleaning easy.

3. Bosch BCM8450UC

Another super powerful German built-in coffee machine. It is easy to set up the water supply, so you won’t worry about plumbing your machine. It’s available in 4 different languages:

• English
• French 
• Spanish
• German

4. Thermador TCM24TS

The Thermador TCM24TS allows you to save your favourite presets and enjoy customisable beverages. It’s fairly easy to clean as it uses both hot water and steam for better efficiency and effectiveness. Due to its ceramic disc will be able to enjoy great coffee day in, and day out. 

5. Smeg CMSU6451X

The Smeg CMSU6451X comes with a milk frother to help make great cappuccinos and lattes. It’s fairly easy to clean as it uses a rinsing system. Plus, it features 3 different coffee temperatures. 

Why are built-in coffee machines so expensive?

These machines are built to make top-quality coffee.

Specifically, they’re manufactured for coffee shops that make hundreds or even thousands of espresso every day. This means that the materials used for such a machine and the engineering required are costly. Plus, testing and experimenting is involved to find the magic formula.

All of the above drive the price of a built-in machine high. But the good news is that if you can’t afford it right now there are many alternatives that also make great coffee. 

How long does a built-in coffee maker last? 

The answer is: it depends. 

The lifespan of the majority of built-in coffee machines is between 5 to 10 years. But you can keep it for longer than this by cleaning and descaling it regularly. 

Over it coffee residue is built up on the inside that causes the machine to malfunction. And on top of this water minerals can also cause your machine to malfunction. For this reason is crucial to use cleaning tablets or powder at least once in 2 months. Also, the machine needs descaling every 3-4 months to keep it in top condition. 

I know cleaning an espresso machine is kinda boring but it’s a necessary evil to expand the lifespan of your machine. 

What to look for when buying a built-in coffee machine?

Let’s go over a few things to keep in mind before buying a built-in coffee machine:

• Think about the space in your kitchen and the counter you have available
• Keep in mind the number of cups of coffee you have per day; if you have many every day it’s wise to go for a powerful coffee machine that consistently makes great coffee
• Consider how easy it is to clean the built-in machine you’re planning to buy
• If you’re into latte or cappuccino consider purchasing a machine that has a frother attached
• If you like to try different coffee bean types opt for one that gives such an option 
• And it goes without saying to think about the price and purchase a machine that you can afford. 

Let’s wrap it up

So, are built-in machines worth it? I hope after reading this article you don’t feel more confused. The truth is, it’s not an easy decision to make as it’s a pricey and complex project. For that matter, if you aren’t 100% sure about it, give it a bit more time.