In a rush? Our top choice is the Jenn-Air Built-In Coffee System.
Built-in coffee machines make your kitchen look sleek.
But picking one out is tough.
Let’s look at the best built-in coffee machines on the market today.
In the end, I even include a short buying guide to help you narrow down and eventually make your decision.
Let’s jump straight in.
Best Built-In Coffee Machines: Top 5 Picks
- Jenn-Air Built-In Coffee System (Best Overall)
- Bosch BCM8450UC (Best for Smart Homes)
- Smeg CMSU4104S Linea Aesthetic (Best for Strong Coffees)
- Thermador TCM24Rs (Best Fully Plumbed Option)
- Gaggenau 200 Series (Most Consistent Brewing)
Jenn-Air Built-In Coffee System
When I think of a built-in coffee machine, I think of Jenn-Air as the gold standard.
What makes it so good? Well, it does everything.
Do you want a cappuccino? The Jenn-Air has an integrated milk system that makes milk froth for a perfect cappuccino.
Do you just want a brewed coffee? The Jenn-Air has a brewed coffee option. But it also has a couple of different cup sizes to choose from.
Do you not want tea instead of coffee? The Jenn-Air has a dedicated hot water option, so you can easily brew tea, hot cocoa, or any other non-coffee hot drink.
Not only that, but it has an integrated burr grinder as well. That means that you’re getting freshly ground coffee each time you brew.
And the burr grinder is much better than a blade grinder, so you’re getting a really consistent grind each time, too.
The only downside is that the Jenn-Air isn’t compatible with any Smart Home system. You actually have to press buttons.
Pros
- It brews both espresso shots and cups of coffee, so you get a full range of drink options
- It has an integrated whole coffee bean burr grinder, which makes sure that you brew fresh coffee ground every time
- The integrated milk system makes it easy to brew lattes, cappuccinos, and any other specialty drink you want
- The hot water dispenser makes it easy to also brew hot cocoa, tea, or other hot drinks besides coffee
Cons
- It’s not compatible with any smart home systems
Bosch BCM8450UC
This built-in Bosch machine is the best option for the Smart Homes out there.
It integrates with Nest, or with its own app. But the best part? You can link this to other devices on your Smart Home network.
For example, you can attach this automatic machine to your alarm so that it starts brewing coffee as soon as your alarm goes off. How cool is that?
This Bosch machine also has a fully integrated milk system for creating lattes, cappuccinos, or any other specialty drink you can think of.
But it is also fully programmable. That means you can change the settings to match your preferred taste for all those drinks.
The big thing with built-in machines? Cleaning. But good news. The Bosch has an automatic cleaning function.
Basically, you just hit the cleaning button and wait for the cycle to finish. And boom, you’ve got a clean machine.
The only possible downside is that this machine isn’t plumbed, so you have to manually refill the water tank.
Pros
- Smart Home integration with Nest, so you can attach this machine to your home network to make everything work together
- An integrated milk system means you don’t have to froth any milk yourself, the machine will do it all for you
- It has pre-programmed drinks and programmable settings, so you tailor drinks specifically to your taste
- Auto cleaning makes maintenance super easy
Cons
- It’s non-plumbed, so you have to refill the water tank when it runs out
Smeg CMSU4104S Linea Aesthetic
Let’s talk about coffee tastes. Everyone has a different preferred strength to their coffee drink, right?
Well, this Smeg built-in machine has you covered. It has five different coffee strengths to choose from. That’s plenty for whoever you have around.
It also has three different temperatures to pick from. That means you can further dial in your coffee.
It’s also programmable, so you can save a handful of specific drinks and strengths for even easier brewing in the future.
This Smeg machine has a fully integrated burr grinder, so you never have to worry about grinding beans yourself.
Burr grinders are also much better than blade grinders. The burr grinder means you’ll get the most consistent grind size each time you brew a cup.
The 15-bar pump in this machine is more than enough to brew a cafe-style espresso drink that tastes great.
And it has a hot water dispenser for brewing teas, hot chocolates, or any other non-coffee hot drink.
The only downside is that the milk system for specialty drinks is bulky and sometimes hard to work with.
Pros
- It has five different coffee strength settings, so you can dial in your preferred coffee
- The integrated coffee grinder means you don’t have to worry about grinding beans yourself before you brew
- The 15-bar pump means this machine has plenty of pressure to brew a cafe-style espresso shot
- A dedicated hot water dispenser means you can easily make hot drinks besides coffee
Cons
- The milk system is bulky and hard to work with
Thermador TCM24RS
One big thing with built-in machines is the water tank.
The Thermador built-in automatic espresso machine takes the water tank out of the equation altogether.
Instead, it’s a fully plumbed machine. That means there isn’t a water tank but a water line that gets plumbed into your kitchen.
You will never have to worry about refilling a water tank again with this Thermador.
On top of the plumbed water line, it also features a water filter. That means you will always have the perfect mineral content for brewing the best possible coffee.
You’ll also get an automatic cleaning setting. Basically, just push the cleaning button, wait for the cycle to finish, and you’ve got a like-new machine ready to brew again.
The last thing I’ll say about this Thermador is that the touchscreen display is really intuitive and simple to use. So simple that anyone can figure it out in five minutes.
Just note that this isn’t compatible with any Smart Home devices.
Pros
- It’s fully plumbed, which means you never have to worry about filling up or cleaning a water tank
- It has a built-in water filter, so you will always get the best possible mineral content in the water you use to brew coffee
- It has an automatic cleaning setting to make cleaning the machine wildly simple
- The touchscreen display is intuitive and easy for anyone to use
Cons
- It’s not compatible with any smart home devices
Gaggenau 200 Series
This Gaggenau gives you a ton of control over the taste and strength of your coffees.
It features an adjustable brewing chamber to make it really easy to change and manage the strength of your brew.
But it also features Aroma-Whirl Technology. That just acts as a slower, more precise brew than most other built-in machines.
Add to that the integrated conical burr grinder, and you’ve got yourself a really consistent and solid brew every time.
The burr grinder is better than the blade grinder alternatives. They give you a more consistent grind size, which means a more consistent extraction and brew.
The Gaggenau espresso coffee machine also has both pre-programmed and programmable drinks. That makes it really easy for you to save specific strengths and settings for easier brewing in the future.
The only real downside is that this Gaggenau machine isn’t compatible with any Smart Home devices.
That means you actually have to go up and push some buttons to get your coffee going.
Pros
- The adjustable brewing chamber makes it easy to change the strength and settings of your espresso shots
- The Aroma-Whirl technology means you’ll get even and consistent extraction in your coffee every time your brew
- The integrated burr grinder makes it easy to push one button to start brewing a great coffee
- It has both pre-programmed and programmable drinks so you can tailor your coffees to personal tastes
Cons
- Not compatible with any smart home systems
A Short Buying Guide For Built-In Coffee Machines
It can be tough to choose between a bunch of built-in coffee machines that all have similar features and looks.
So in this section, I’ll go over the big things that I look for in the hopes that it helps you make a decision.
There are three things to consider before buying a built-in machine: design, functionality, and quality.
Let’s go over those three things in more detail.
How is the machine designed and how big is it?
The biggest question you have to ask yourself is how much space you have for a built-in coffee machine.
After all, these things aren’t small and will take up possible cabinet space in your kitchen. So, you need to figure out exactly how much space you have to dedicate to a coffee machine.
Usually, built-in machines come in 24-inch designs. But many companies offer trims to extend the flush integration to 27 or 30-inches.
But with the variance of designs from company to company, it’s best to look up the specific dimensions for the machines. Then be sure to measure the space in your kitchen where you want the machine to go.
The other thing about the design is the machine’s Smart Home compatibility.
Do you have other appliances hooked up to a Smart Home system? Do you like the idea of attaching your alarm to your coffee machine?
Then you should get a built-in coffee machine that is compatible with a Smart Home.
There are a few options out there, but not all built-in machines are compatible, so double-check that the model you’re looking for is one.
BOTTOM LINE
You need to figure out how much space you have to dedicate to a built-in coffee system. And then, you need to decide if you want to hook up your machine to a Smart Home system.
What functions should the built-in machine perform?
This is a relatively easy question to answer: what kind of coffee do you usually drink?
Are you mostly a drip coffee drinker or an espresso drinker?
If you’re mostly a drip coffee drinker, your options will be more limited. But there are still machines out there that will offer you a mug of coffee like the one from a drip coffee maker.
Espresso drinkers have more options in built-in machines. The built-in machine is more like an espresso maker. The main focus of these kinds of machines is specialty espresso drinks like lattes or cappuccinos.
But you need to be aware that not all built-in machines have integrated milk systems. And not all integrated milk systems are created equal.
You need to be sure that the specific model you’re looking at matches your desired outcome.
One final thing to consider in functionality is the types of other drinks you like. Do you like tea in the evenings? Hot chocolate in the winter?
Then you need a built-in machine with a dedicated hot water dispenser.
The last thing to consider is if the machine is plumbed or not. Most of the built-in coffee makers are plumbed, and you won’t need to manually fill up the water tank. However, there are some machines that lack this handy feature, so pay attention.
IN A NUTSHELL
I would recommend listing out every function you want from a built-in machine. Then reference that list when looking at specific models. Ranking the functions from most desirable to least desirable is a good way to narrow down the options.
What kind of quality can you expect?
It’s not a secret that built-in machines are expensive. It’s an investment to buy and install a coffee machine in your kitchen.
So you need to be sure that the machine you end up purchasing will not only make great coffee but also last a long time.
There are a lot of built-in coffee machines out there that just don’t quite cut it.
And unfortunately, there really isn’t a hard and fast rule about which machines and which companies are ones to avoid.
Your best option is to simply read reviews about each model you’re considering to get a sense of how good the machine is.
BOTTOM LINE
Read the reviews for all the machines to get a better sense of how quality the machines are.
My Final Verdict
I’m sticking with the Jenn-Air Built-In Coffee System for the best home coffee.
It brews a full range of coffee drinks, from espresso shots to drip mugs.
It features an integrated conical burr grinder for the freshest and most consistent grinds each time you brew.
And it has both an integrated milk frother for specialty coffee drinks and a dedicated hot water dispenser for teas and other hot drinks.
In short, it’s the most versatile and, in my opinion, best built-in machine on the market for every coffee lover who likes high-class brewing and comfort.
