Marin Luxury Real Estate: Built-In Coffee Makers

Note the “Crema” On Top

When I first began selling Marin luxury real estate, I had never seen a built-in coffee maker. I was meeting with a seller and she was giving me a tour of her kitchen, and all of a sudden she pointed to this shining brushed-aluminum contraption in the wall.  “Is that what I think it is?” I asked. “Yes, she smiled, that’s the best thing since the microwave – it’s my favorite kitchen appliance! Let’s have a cup RIGHT NOW!!”

Now I see high-end coffee makers quite frequently, and I have also installed one in my own kitchen. Often plumbed with a water supply, these sophisticated machines grind beans, steam milk. and make the best cup of coffee you’ve had outside of Italy. Our Miele coffee maker (pictured below) went from being a novelty to a necessity — much like cable TV and heated car seats.

Our Miele Bulit-In Coffee Maker

While  they do require some maintenance (a monthly descaling cycle, cleaning, emptying of the grounds), the convenience is unparalleled. After pressing “ON,”, you have a delicious fresh-ground cup of coffee or espresso 3 minutes later. Ours will also steam milk for cappuccino however the coffee comes out with such a wonderful crema that even die-hard milk fans drink coffee in our house black.

These machines are not inexpensive, retailing for close to $4,000.  However if you are are planning a luxury home remodel and are tackling the kitchen, I suggest you consider one of these units. Marin luxury home buyers notice these machines immediately. Just last week I was with a client up in Kenwood and we were walking through a very nice home and she was still deciding whether she liked it. We walked by the built-in coffee maker and both stopped.  “Wow…” we exclaimed slowly in unison, mentally moving that kitchen and house up a notch or two.

If you open up one of these coffee makers (see picture, below), you see a container for the beans, one for water (if plumbed, this container auto refills), a drip tray, a supplies container and another drawer for access to the grinding mechanism. These well-engineered machines must be cleaned frequently, and require special descaling and cleaning tablets. The drip tray must be emptied and cleaned periodically. However once you get used to the routine, it becomes automatic… much like the coffee maker!

If you don’t want to spend the money or don’t have the room for a  built in coffee maker” but still want a great cup of coffee, there are a number of counter-top options that make very good cups of coffee and espresso. My sister-in-law loves her Phillips Saeco Automatic Coffee Maker.

I am always happy to talk about Marin luxury real estate, or discuss where to invest your home improvement dollars to drive buyer interest in your home. Feel free to call or text me at 415-847.5584. You may also want to read my blog post “8 Home Improvement Ideas to Sell Your House in Marin.”

Our coffee maker in action… note the Marin sunrise in the reflection!