Look at the path of the steam and the path of the ground beans ... Cuisinart sucks because the steam rises straight into the grinder path and you end up with soggy caked coffee dust.

We had a Capresso for several years, but I went through three replacements and gave up because the grinding amount was very erratic. Quality Conteol was not good.

I'm now using a Cuisinart coffee grinder and a $15 Mr Coffee.

I seldom drink coffee, but I did when I was in Italy, and our hotel in Florence had a great coffee machine that would grind the beans and make the coffee at the touch of a button. I would recommend looking for an Italian machine, as they seem to have the process down. Here are some options from Gaggia. I think you can get a decent one for less than $300, if you shop around, but it's easy to spend $800 and up. You'll probably end up with espresso, but you can always dilute that to whatever you prefer. When I used the machine in Florence, I used a cappuccino cup, made one espresso in that cup and then made a cappuccino in the same cup. That way I got a double cappuccino. The best coffee I had was on Maui, but that's because they had the best beans. I did not like the coffee in Costa Rica, and so I did not drink it there, although I tasted what my brother had. I don't drink coffee at all at home, although I did when I was younger and do have a small cappuccino machine for guests.

Really depends on what you want in terms of coffee and versatility, how much he likes fussing with different tools and gadgets and how much he likes following the different trends. Good coffee can be as simple as cold brew in a canning jar or a simple pour over (both of which we like and can do), to a machine that can make any drink with the touch of a single button. Does he still want a grinder, French press, expresso pots, etc? Are you looking for a grinder/drip coffee maker or something that can do the espresso and such too?

We use a Jura super automatic -- it grinds and brews coffee, espresso, cappuccino, late, ristretto, etc. and can be programmed for other drinks. It is our third Jura in about 15 years, but all three machines are still in use -- one went to grad school with our oldest son, the other to DH's office and since DH started working from home more to our younger son who will be student teaching this year. Have never missed having to buy a new coffee maker every year.

It's hard to get better flavored coffee than from a French press. Hands down the best coffee maker unless you move to one of the expensive Italian cappuccino/espresso makers.

I'd get him a really good grinder and some great beans and call it a day!!

We have bought form wholelattelove and recommmended them. Sur la Table has Jura machines and some others, but you may or may not find someone in the store who knows a lot about them. They should be able to brew a sample for you even if they can't answer all your questions. Even if you pick the brains of the online folks and their 800 numbers, it might help to see one and be able to put your hands on it. Have bought supplies from 1stincoffee since then -- they seem to have regular sales on Jura new and refurbished models. Our first two were bought refurbished -- first because we had a hard time spending that much but were sick of throwing away $100 every year and then the second to get the same model in a different color after it had been discontinued. Those are now near 15 and 10 years old and still in use.

Gaggia is also a well respected name.

For regular drip/filter coffee, it may be best to just get him a separate burr grinder andSCAA-approved machine, like a Technivorm or a Bonavita. The OXO has also been getting some good reviews lately, but the prior two appear at the top of nearly every test and ranking.

For automatic espresso machines, I also recommend viewing Seattle Coffee Gear's videos -- they do a great job in reviewing machines: LINK

If you decide to get just a new grinder--I'd highly recommend the Kitchen Aid Burr Grinder. It's infinitely adjustable, and very sturdy. At around $250, it's a bit spendy, but should last for years, if not decades! After burning out at least 2 mid-range priced grinders a year, we've had this one about 3 years.

I'm a serious coffee drinker. I've tried everything, but nothing was up to my standards. I'm using nespresso now and I am really happy with it. The coffee is more like an espresso, but it has natural froth on the top. I also put milk and splenda in it. I know a lot of coffee drinkers, including one who spent close to 10k on espresso machines, who now use nespresso.

I've been through this for my mother. True coffee aficionados do not care for all in one/ automatic machines. I learned this from a website, CoffeeGeek.com, recommended by someone on GW when I researched Miele and Jura coffee makers. I am not a true coffee lover- my mother is. I don't remember exactly the issues. There was talk of plastic parts, insufficient something or other- but the one thing I learned was that Gooster's tip about buying a great grinder was a crucial issue for those who love excellent coffee. That site also gave great reviews to the Breville espresso machine for those not looking to spend a fortune or earn a special degree in espresso making.

Moccamaster technivorm

I'm on my second Nespresso Pixie. Nothing wrong with the first except I needed a new Aeroccino frother and it's a better deal bundled with a new Pixie. So now I have a spare, just in case.

I love my Pixie and my OriginalLine capsules. I'm very ritualistic about my cup in the afternoon, a hybrid latte/cappuccino rolled into one 16-oz. cup. I'm a froth addict. I'm liking my morning Cuisinart drip coffee less and less, while loving my Nespresso all the more.

I agree with the comments about coffee snobs above. I would not want a machine that grinds and brews. I like my Baratza Encore grinder, and I recently got an Oxo coffee maker/water kettle combo. I also have a Bonavita coffee maker and a Nespresso Vertuoline, and an AeroPress. The AeroPress makes amazingly good coffee, probably the best I've ever had. The Nespresso was a gift, and though I wouldn't have bought it for myself (pods are $$$), it makes delicious coffee.

I know people who have the Cuisinart grind & brew because it makes good coffee, but they put ground coffee into it.

I've done the burr ginder, tamp, brew, dump and repeat. On white tile counters -- and with fine grinds for espresso, well, that's what led to a super automatic. I don't think you can make blanket statements about what folks like and don't like or the quality of the build that you can't remember with any accuaracy.

As far as preferences, there is no one size fits all. We looked at those built-in coffee makers out of curiosity when we were redoing our kitchen. We weren't really interested in building one in for pragmatic reasons, but the ones we were able to try made undrinakable coffee. Still, other have had them and loved them. DH and I are pretty picky about coffee and have not been impressed with a lot of machines, but we are pleased with our Jura and have guests who walk in, say hellos and head to the coffee machine.

As far as quality, true -- the casing, water tank and dump box are plastic, but the boilers are marine grade brass and the electronics have been solid. There are folks who want to criticize anything, especially what they don't have. With a refurbished machine going on 15 years, I think the quality is where it needs to be. Buut that may be far beyond what the OP had in mind.

Nest time I am in SLT, I should see if they have a Nepresso for sampling. Don't need one, but I'll try what George Clooney is making a fuss about.

I agree with pippiep, a good quality grinder would make me much happier than a grind and brew. We also have a Baratza, it was a game changer. We use that and an Aeropress for our coffee.

Yikes, I certainly did not mean to make a blanket statement without remembering the particulars. While I am a lawyer, I thought I was writing in a conversational style and not submitting a brief for the court's consideration. I linked to the website with the information and recounted what I remembered, clearly indicating that was the case. The point of my comment was to agree with the rec about the importance of grinders to those who care a great deal about their coffee. As for me, after spending a too much time on the CoffeeGeek website, I bought my mother a Linea Mini from La Marzocco. While I find that machine beautiful, I love mechanical things; it does not suit me because as I said, I am not a great coffee lover and I don't have the patience to learn how to pull shots. I am a French press kind of gal.

Thank you all for your comments. I learned a lot.

Based on the information you all have given me, and pointed me to, I am not going to get the all-in-one grinder/coffee maker. He is a coffee purist, drinks a pot a day easily plus espresso later in the day. Drinks it black. How he sleeps is a wonder to me Would never even drink a cappuccino, but I do. (Incidentally, I do have the Braville cappuccino/espresso machine. I love it.)I think I'm going to get him a coffee grinder, a good one, and a bottle of single malt scotch.

Quick funny story – – last year in Connecticut we went to our favorite coffee hunt and he ordered his redeye, blah blah blah. I ordered a decaf latte with skim. They called out "one redeye, blah blah blah and one "why bother" I looked at the person behind the counter and said "hello, standing right here."

(I keep trying to get him to get a tattoo that says "cup o' jo. --no luck so far. :-)

Rita, maybe it's a definitional issue -- because depending on how "true coffee affecionados" or coffee snobs are defined, I might agree with you. There are folks who are very narrow in their view of what the proper, best or right way to do anything is and there are those who approach a cuppa as they would engineering a bridge -- and even then think there as only one proper approach. Totally agree that coffeegeek sees plenty of them.

On the other hand, I think there are plenty of people who really enjoy making and drinking quality coffee in different forms and getting there in different ways. Like I said -- cold brew in a Mason jar makes good coffee. Doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. But a lot of money is spent of coffeemakers that are semi-disposable and not all that great. I don't think super automatic machines are for everyone either, but I don't think that is because they are inferior. Just different. Agree there are some beautiful machines out there I don't have the patience for.

I agree with you on the quality grinder also. We had a conical burr grinder and separate machine -- still have the grinder, just in case, but our machine also has one built in.

At any rate, until the OP tells more about her fiance's preferences and whether she's just looking for a 2 in one coffee pot, in which case I have heard more praise for the Technivorm than any other, or if she's thinking of something that might replace the espresso pot, etc. too, all of this may be irrelevant.

Interesting that Nepresso got several recs here -- not a grind and brew, but it seems to be taking the lead in a market Keurig started.

I have a coffee nut/connoisseur for a husband. He has a gaggia and he likes it. He had a couple of machines that grind and brew, but he goes back to a grinder and a separate coffee machine.

Ask him what coffee place in town makes the best coffee. Buy him that process.

Some of those combo machines can take up 5 SF of counter top space.

They sell Jura on Wayside, we're happy with ours.