Krups Coffee Maker With Grinder: An Honest Assessment
Krups has been making coffee equipment since the 1950s, and their grind-and-brew coffee makers remain popular picks for people who want freshly ground coffee without dealing with a separate grinder. If you're considering a Krups coffee maker with a grinder, the good news is that they offer decent value. The bad news is that they come with some trade-offs you should know about before spending your money.
I've tested several Krups grind-and-brew models alongside competitors from Breville, Cuisinart, and others. Here's what I found, including where Krups excels and where it falls short.
What Krups Grind-and-Brew Models Are Available
Krups has made various grind-and-brew coffee makers over the years. Here are the main models you'll encounter today.
Krups Grind and Brew Auto-Start (KM785D50)
This is the model most people are looking at. It's a 10-cup drip coffee maker with a built-in flat burr grinder, a 24-hour programmable timer, and a gold-tone permanent filter. The grinder has 5 grind fineness settings and a bean quantity selector that lets you choose how much coffee to grind per brew cycle.
I used this model daily for about three months. The flat burr grinder is a step above the blade grinders found in cheaper machines, but the 5 grind settings feel limiting compared to the 8-25 settings you get from Breville or Cuisinart. For standard drip coffee, though, the medium setting works fine.
One thing I appreciate about this model is the auto-start feature. You can load beans the night before, set the timer, and wake up to freshly ground, freshly brewed coffee. The machine handles the grinding and brewing automatically without any input from you.
Krups Personal Café Grind and Brew (KM1010)
This older model offered 12-cup capacity with a conical burr grinder and a more aggressive grind range. It's been discontinued, but you can still find refurbished units online. I wouldn't recommend hunting one down unless you find it at a steep discount, since replacement parts are becoming scarce.
How the Krups Grinder Compares to Competitors
This is where honest evaluation matters. The Krups grinder is good, but it's not the best in its price range.
Grind Consistency
Krups uses flat burrs in their current models, which produce reasonably consistent grounds for drip coffee. However, I noticed more fines (tiny dust-like particles) at coarser settings compared to Breville's conical burr design. Those extra fines can lead to slight over-extraction, making the coffee taste a touch more bitter than it should.
For everyday drinking where you add cream or drink it casually, this is barely noticeable. If you're particular about clean, balanced flavors from a light-roast single-origin, you'll taste the difference.
Grind Range
Five settings is the minimum I'd accept for a grind-and-brew machine. It covers fine-to-coarse for drip brewing, but that's it. You can't grind fine enough for espresso or coarse enough for a true French press. If drip coffee is all you make, five settings will serve you fine. If you ever want to branch out, you'll need a separate grinder.
Compare this to Breville's Grind Control, which offers 8 settings and calibration for different bean types. Or Cuisinart's grind-and-brew lineup, which typically offers 4-8 settings. If you want to see how the top grinders perform across all brew methods, take a look at my roundup of the best coffee grinders.
Build Quality
Krups machines feel solid enough but lean toward plastic construction more than Breville. The carafe, filter basket, and lid are all standard quality. The grinder mechanism itself is well-built, but the hopper lid and controls feel a bit cheap compared to premium competitors. For a machine in the $100-150 range, the build quality is acceptable, just not remarkable.
Real-World Performance: What to Expect
Let me share what daily use actually looks like with a Krups grind-and-brew.
Morning Routine
You load beans into the hopper (holds about 8 ounces), select your grind size and coffee quantity, choose how many cups, and press start. The grinder runs for about 20-25 seconds, dumps grounds into the filter basket, and brewing begins. Total time from button press to full carafe: about 12 minutes for 10 cups.
Coffee Quality
At its best, the Krups makes a perfectly respectable cup of drip coffee. It's miles better than using pre-ground beans from a can. The freshly ground flavor comes through clearly, with good body and decent aroma. The slight excess of fines I mentioned means you might get a touch more bitterness than a machine with a better grinder, but a medium grind setting on medium-roast beans produces a reliably good cup.
Noise Level
The grinder is loud. I'd estimate 72-78 decibels, similar to a garbage disposal on low. If you use the auto-start timer at 6 AM and your bedroom is nearby, plan accordingly. The grinding lasts about 20 seconds, followed by the quieter brewing cycle.
Common Problems and Solutions
After researching owner reports and experiencing some issues myself, here are the problems that come up most often.
Grinder Clogging
Oily dark roast beans can clog the burrs and the chute between the grinder and the brew basket. I experienced this twice in three months. The fix is to run grinder cleaning pellets through the system monthly and avoid letting oily beans sit in the hopper for more than a couple of days. If a clog happens, you can usually clear it by running the grinder empty a few times or using a thin brush in the chute.
Inconsistent Dosing
The bean quantity selector controls how long the grinder runs, not the actual weight of the grounds. This means dose accuracy varies depending on bean density. A light roast (less dense) grinds faster and produces less weight per cycle than a dense dark roast. I compensate by adjusting the quantity selector when switching roasts, but having a kitchen scale nearby helps verify the dose.
Water Scale Buildup
Hard water leaves mineral deposits in the brewing system over time. Krups recommends descaling every 2-3 months with their branded descaling solution, but white vinegar diluted 50/50 with water works just as well. Run the descaling solution through a full brew cycle, then run two cycles of plain water to rinse. This keeps the heating element efficient and prevents off-flavors.
Who Should Buy a Krups Coffee Maker With Grinder
Great fit for:
- Budget-conscious buyers who want fresh-ground coffee without a separate grinder
- People who drink standard drip coffee daily and value the auto-start timer
- Small households where 10 cups per brew is the right size
- Coffee drinkers who prefer medium to dark roast beans
Not the best fit for:
- Espresso drinkers (the grinder can't go fine enough)
- Coffee enthusiasts who want precise grind control
- People who switch between brew methods regularly
- Anyone who prioritizes build quality and premium materials
If you're looking for something with more grind precision and build quality in the same form factor, Breville's Grind Control is the upgrade pick, though it costs about $100 more. For a wider view of what's available, my top coffee grinder roundup covers standalone options at every price point.
Maintenance Tips for Longevity
Here's the cleaning schedule I followed that kept the Krups running well.
Weekly
- Remove the gold-tone filter and wash it with dish soap
- Wipe down the exterior and carafe
- Empty old beans from the hopper if not using daily
Monthly
- Run grinder cleaning tablets through the burrs
- Clean the grinder chute with the included brush
- Check the brew basket for coffee oil buildup
Every 2-3 Months
- Descale the entire brewing system
- Inspect the carafe lid and filter basket for cracks
- Clean the warming plate (burnt coffee drips affect flavor of the next pot)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pre-ground coffee in a Krups grind-and-brew?
Yes. There's a bypass opening that lets you add pre-ground coffee directly to the filter basket. This is useful for decaf or when you want to use a specific pre-ground blend without swapping beans in the hopper.
How long does a Krups grind-and-brew last?
With regular maintenance, expect 2-4 years of daily use. The grinder burrs and motor are typically the first components to wear. Some owners report longer lifespans, but Krups machines tend to have shorter service lives than Breville or Technivorm.
Is the Krups grinder loud enough to wake someone up?
Yes, if they're in the same room or an adjacent room with thin walls. The grinding cycle is about 20 seconds, so it's brief, but at 72-78 decibels, it's not subtle. If you use the auto-start timer, account for this.
Can I adjust the brew strength on a Krups grind-and-brew?
You can adjust it indirectly by changing the grind size and the coffee quantity. A finer grind with more coffee makes a stronger cup. There's no dedicated "bold" button like you'll find on some Cuisinart models, though.
The Verdict
The Krups coffee maker with grinder is a solid budget option for drip coffee drinkers who want the freshness of grinding at brew time without paying Breville prices. The 5 grind settings are limiting but adequate for standard drip coffee, and the auto-start timer is genuinely convenient. Just keep up with maintenance, stick to medium-roast beans for the most consistent results, and set realistic expectations about build quality. For $100-150, it delivers good value.