Best Drip Coffee Maker

It’s not simple to choose the greatest drip coffee maker. There are hundreds of options available, and each one may be the “best” for a different person. To make your life simpler, Home Grounds tested a variety of drip coffee machines and prepared this article.

To help you distinguish between excellent and terrible brewers, we’ll offer our top picks for coffee makers this year and explain which features to look for. The only thing left to do is to begin making fantastic coffee.

Review

Technivorm Moccamaster KBT – Best Overall

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 16.14” x 13” x 6.7”
• Filter Style: Cone
• Materials: Stainless steel
• Carafe: Thermal
• Capacity: 10 cups

You’ve probably seen the Moccamaster, a gorgeously designed drip maker, in high-end 3rd wave coffee establishments. That in and of itself is a claim (and this is our preferred drip brewer). Because of its pre-infusion and brewing procedure, although being on the more expensive end of the pricing range, it produces the greatest coffee a drip maker can possibly produce. Additionally, this thug has SCAA approval.

One of the greatest Technivorm coffee makers is the Moccamaster KBT. You won’t have to worry about it breaking down on you because it is simple to disassemble and clean, and it has a 5-year warranty.

WHEN YOU SEE A TECHNIVORM MOCCAMASTER IN SOMEONE’S HOME, YOU KNOW THEY’RE SERIOUS ABOUT GOOD COFFEE

Breville Precision Brewer – Runner Up

Specifications

• Dimensions: 14” x 9” x 16” 
• Filter style: Basket and Cone
• Material: Brushed stainless steel
• Carafe: Thermal
• Capacity: 12 cups

The Precision Brewer drip coffee maker from Breville is swiftly rising to the top of the market and has established itself as a competitive alternative to the more costly Moccamaster. In fact, you might even prefer the Breville to the Technivorm if you want a coffee maker that is more programmable.

The Precision Brewer is SCAA approved for producing coffee of the finest caliber, much as the Moccamaster. It maintains accurate temperature control from 197 to 204 °F, which is the optimal brewing window.

There are six pre-programmed brewing modes included, including the SCAA-optimized Gold Cup option. Alternately, you may tailor your brewing to precisely match the flavor of your preferred coffee beans by altering the bloom time, brew temperature, and flow rate.

It’s impressive that this model works with both flat and conical filter baskets and includes one of each. It’s a nice advantage to having the choice of either, since recent study has shown that flat and cone-shaped baskets may accentuate certain flavors in coffee in different ways.

Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker – Budget Pick

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 12.3” x 11.76” x 13.8”
• Filter style: Basket
• Material: Plastic
• Carafe: Glass
• Capacity: 12 cups

This inexpensive 12-cup Mr. Coffee coffee machine is perfect if you want a straightforward and delectable cup of coffee with little work or price. It is our best budget brewer this year because it is really inexpensive, simple to use, and regularly produces a good brew. It is also an Amazon’s Choice product.

Mr. Coffee emphasizes this machine’s simplicity of use as its key feature, and they are absolutely correct. Set it up, add the water and coffee, and start the brewing. That’s all there is to it. The hot plate can keep the glass carafe warm for up to two hours after brewing.

It is by design that this drip coffee maker cannot be programmed, so you cannot alter the brew temperature or set a timetable for it to brew. Its selling point is how easy it is to use. However, it does include the really useful grab-a-cup auto pause option, allowing you to have your first caffeine shot even before the brew cycle is finished.

Cuisinart DCC-3200 – Best Value

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 7.75” x 9” x 14”
• Filter Style: Cone
• Materials: Stainless steel & plastic
• Carafe: Glass
• Capacity: 12 and 14 cups

The Cuisinart DCC 3200 offers nearly all the capabilities you might desire (without breaking the budget), and it comes in models with 12 and 14 cups. One of the few in this price range that can make a full carafe. Customers adore its delicious hot-plate temperature control function since it prevents them from scorching their coffee (and their tongues).

The completely automatic 24-hour programmability of this coffee maker with timer makes it shine; all you have to do is configure it to your preferences and your coffee is made. Each and every day! It contains an auto shutdown mechanism, a 1-4 cup setting, and a self-cleaning feature. Sadly, some consumers discover that brewing more than 10 cups of coffee causes the coffee grounds to float to the top of the beverage. If it does that to you, it basically decreases the capacity from 14 cups to 10.

The Cuisinart DCC 3200 is the drip coffee maker you need if you want to create huge quantities of coffee with hot water that is almost precisely the right temperature. Our Cuisinart DCC-3200 review has further information on this brewer.

Black + Decker 5-Cup Coffee Maker – Best For Small Spaces

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 7.25” x 8.2” x 10.75”
• Filter style: Basket
• Material: Plastic
• Carafe: Glass
• Capacity: 5 cups

A tiny coffee maker is a great choice for a lot of reasons. Perhaps you only need one cup at a time and don’t need to boil 12 at once. Or your counter space is restricted. Perhaps you’re looking for a brewer for your RV, business, or dorm room. This little Black + Decker coffee maker is a great option for any purpose. It has a tiny size yet a high level of quality.

In addition to its small size, this drip coffee maker boasts a few noteworthy qualities. To begin with, it offers the same automatic brew pause frequently found on bigger machines, allowing you to quickly take a cup while it’s brewing. Smaller breweries frequently neglect this possibility. It also includes an illuminated power switch, a little but crucial innovation that lets you see if it’s hot or not at a look.

I like that it doesn’t need a paper insert because it utilizes a metal basket filter. Cutting down on paper waste benefits the environment and costs less. Win-win! And don’t worry, it’s quite simple to remove and clean the filter basket after brewing. However, this Black & Decker coffee maker is a superior option if you want a larger brewer.

Cuisinart DGB-800BC – Best Large Grind And Brew

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 13.1″ x 10″ x 18.1″
• Filter Style: Basket
• Materials: Stainless steel
• Carafe: Thermal
• Capacity: 12-cups

There are many features on this lovely programmed brewer that will thrill you. The primary one is that it automatically grinds your coffee beans just before it brews (ultra fresh coffee).

Although many consumers claim it’s simple to clean, this Cuisinart model has a double-edged sword in that you must follow the instructions to reach the grinder mechanism and clean it frequently to maintain it in top condition and taste fresh. If you want to save money and counter space by using two machines in one, the grind-and-brew could be your best option.

Nostalgia RCOF12AQ Retro – Coolest Style

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 7.75” x 10.25” x 14.25”
• Filter style: Basket
• Material: Plastic
• Carafe: Glass
• Capacity: 12 cups

You’re going to adore the stylish design of this coffee maker if you’re trying to achieve a retro aesthetic in your house. What else would you anticipate from the Nostalgia brand, really? Everything about it screams mid-20th century in the nicest manner imaginable, from the baby blue hue to the dated scribbled type.

However, unlike true coffee makers that are 50 years old, this one is also outfitted with the practicality of contemporary amenities, exactly as the well-known Smeg coffee maker. For those of us who battle with the early, pre-caffeine hours of the day, it may be set to brew on a timer. Additionally, it boasts the ever-popular brew pause feature, allowing you to quickly pour the first cup without a mess.

The hot plate automatically turns on after brewing to maintain the temperature of your carafe of priceless bean juice. Then, after two hours, it turns off as a helpful safety measure to prevent drying out the carafe.

If you love the retro design of this coffee maker, you’ll be glad to know that it comes as part of a set so your entire kitchen can maintain the vintage aesthetic. Additionally, nostalgia creates a microwave and toaster in the same trendy baby blue.

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker – Most Versatile

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Specifications:

• Dimensions: 12″ x 8.8″ x 15″
• Filter Style: Cone
• Materials: Stainless steel
• Carafe: Thermal
• Capacity: 10 cups

There are several possibilities available with this Ninja. Because it has two coffee makers, you may decide whether to wait for a full pot of coffee to brew or prepare a cup right away. Or perhaps you want to adjust the amount of water to get a richer or more diluted brew? Or perhaps you’re sick of drinking plain black coffee and would want to indulge in a latte or vanilla iced mocha instead?

The response from this simple-to-use brewer would be, “You wish is my command.” (If coffeemakers could communicate)

This is not your typical hot and cold coffee maker; instead, it is a Ninja brewer that can create practically any type of coffee for you (almost everything, but not cold brew or espresso). The Ninja Specialty excels in adaptability. Now, because you can, go create a brand-new, thrilling cup of coffee by pressing a few buttons.

It can create iced coffee, but it cannot make cold brew coffee; there is a significant difference. A separate cold brew maker is still required.

OXO BREW 9-Cup Coffeemaker – Best With Thermal Carafe

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 8.3” x 15” x 17.2”
• Filter Style: Cone
• Materials: Stainless steel & plastic
• Carafe: Thermal
• Capacity: 9-cups

You may prepare one spotless, delectable, and robust carafe of coffee with the OXO prepare drip coffee machine, which replicates the manual pour over method. It is simple to operate and produces coffee that is so excellent that it has received SCAA approval; this is a legitimate rating.

Imagine that you had a personal pour-over barista available to brew you a Chemex whenever you need one. But he won’t charge you $8 for a coffee or be rude to you if you’re not hipster enough. At the press of a button, you may have premium coffee in a minimalistic design.

Aside from all those great stuff, we think it’s a BIG bonus that this OXO 9 cup drip coffee maker is one of the finest BPA-free coffee makers. You can read our whole review, in which we went into more detail about the Barista Brain 9 cup maker, here. Another excellent choice is the Oxo 8 cup brewer.

Hamilton Beach 49980A – Best Dual Brewer

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 10.6” x 12.2” x 13.7”
• Filter Style: Basket
• Materials: Stainless steel & plastic
• Carafe: Glass
• Capacity: 12-cups

The Hamilton Beach offers a big carafe or a portable cup as two different ways to brew. This means you may make it brew a big pot of coffee or use it for a single serving. The cup side allows you to brew with pods, however unlike the Hamiton Beach FlexBrew, it is incompatible with K-cups. The carafe side has a regular coffee filter for drip brewing.

Customers can’t stop raving about its outstanding features, all in a positive way.

For the purpose of waking up to the aroma of coffee, you may preset your brewing time up to 24 hours in advance. Additionally, you may adjust the extraction level to change how strong or mild your brew tastes (all via the convenient LED digital display).

The Hamilton Beach is a fantastic, cost-effective programmed drip coffee maker. a beloved all-arounder. Even though it doesn’t have a nice thermal coffee pot, it still makes drip coffee fairly well.

Bunn Classic Speed Brew BX – Fastest Drip Machine

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 14.3″ x 7.1″ x 13.8″
• Filter Style: Basket
• Materials: Stainless steel & plastic
• Carafe: Glass
• Capacity: 10 cups

As its name indicates, the Bunn Speed Brew is one of the quickest coffee makers on the market. In less than three minutes, a complete pot of brewed coffee will be made.Your coffee will be ready once you add the coffee and water, push a button, and check your social media.

Is coffee quality compromised for speed? Probably, but not in the way you may anticipate. Bunn is renowned for producing excellent coffee makers, and with the Classic Speed Brew BX, they haven’t taken any short cuts. Additionally, they are produced in the USA.

The Bunn Speed Brew’s internal water reservoir ensures that the water is constantly at the ideal temperature for brewing coffee, and the unique spray head works diligently to thoroughly saturate your grounds and enhance flavor. It’s the quickest, but the coffee won’t be great. This Bunn drip coffee maker might help you save valuable time in the mornings if you’re rushed and busy so you can enjoy more coffee.

Tips For Choosing The Right Brewer

When choosing the ideal drip coffee maker for your home, keep these suggestions in mind. You have the best opportunity of making the appropriate decision when it goes.

Carafe Capacity

Do you require more than one cup of drip coffee in the morning, or just one? Will you be the only one drinking coffee, or does your family depend on you? Determine how much coffee you need to prepare at once, and take that into consideration while making your choice.

Don’t ignore the carafe size since being ‘carafe-d’ under or over can be a pain. Carafes with 4, 10, or 14 cups are available; 12 being the most common.

Should you be unaware, the “carafe” is the pot or container that the coffee drips into. It is preferable to have a machine with a larger carafe because you don’t HAVE to fill it up. If brew strength is not a concern, you might want to think about obtaining a coffee urn. In contrast to some drippers, yours should ideally be brewing into a heated coffee pot. We go into more detail about this below.

Style Of Filter Basket

You may choose between a filter basket with a flat bottom and a cone shape when purchasing a drip coffee maker. What kind of paper filter to choose is influenced by the form of the filter basket, but that’s not all!

Long-standing claims by coffee geeks that the shape of the filter also influences the flavor of your coffee have been validated by new study funded by the SCA (1). When you consider it, it’s not all that unexpected. The extraction is impacted by the design of the filter because it alters how water passes through the coffee grounds.

Flat-bottom baskets are believed to best accentuate these characteristics if you want bright, fruity, flowery, and sweet coffees, such as those you may get from Ethiopia. Contrarily, a cone filter will work better if you want darker, earthier coffees like those from Sumatra. If you enjoy them all, take into account a brewer like our Runner Up selection, the Breville Precision Brewer, which has both types of filters.

Programming Features

Unlike the majority of coffee makers, certain drip coffee makers allow you to regulate the timing of when they turn on and off, how long they stay hot before turning off, and other functions. If you want to wake up to the fragrance of coffee or don’t want the hassle of making a cup in the morning, these functionalities may come in useful. All you want is for the coffee to arrive. We comprehend. Not all of us are morning people.

The majority of coffee makers may be set to turn on at a specific time. Some of them, nevertheless, brew quite rapidly and don’t require this functionality. Decide if you want this feature and add it to your list of desires.

Ability To Pause Mid-Brew (To Steal A Quick Cup)

Some brewers let you pause them mid-brew so you can pour a cup before it’s done. You might want to put this on your wish list if you’re the type of person that wants their coffee as soon as possible. The ones that do this have been examined.

Without coffee, am I not productive? This function is necessary.

It might be simple to forget to switch off the coffee maker if you’re the type of person who hurries out the door in the morning. This functionality is helpful in the situation.

Water Filters

Does your kitchen sink have a filter? If not, you’re probably using subpar water to make your coffee, which detracts from the flavor. Not to worry, some coffeemakers include a built-in water filter inside the water reservoir that enhances the flavor of your hot cups of coffee.

Remember that this requires more work and price to replace the filters, so you could or might not want them. You don’t need this if you already have a water filtering system.

View Steven’s entertaining video on how to make better coffee at home:

Common Overlooked (Yet Important) Factors To Consider

Now many people look at some of the jargon words that are simple to overlook yet crucial in making the best decision. Let me reiterate that we are only looking at drip machines here; we are not include Keurig or manual coffee makers, such as the French press.

Hot Plate Vs Thermal Carafe

Here, the choice is between price reduction and improved taste or energy efficiency.

• Glass carafes are often less expensive, but the hot plate warms the coffee more, over-extracting the oils and giving it a harsh flavor. The warming plate must also be continuously kept on in order to maintain heat, which consumes additional energy.
• For 1-2 hours, a thermal (or steel) carafe maintains the coffee at its ideal brewing temperature of 195-205 degrees. Some people think hot pot preserves the coffee flavor better. In the process, some energy is also saved. They are usually more costly, though.
• Gold standard = thermal carafe. You need a coffee maker with one of these if you’re serious about creating delicious drip coffee every day. A comprehensive list of the top thermal carafe coffee makers is provided below

Do You Have A Coffee Grinder Already?

A medium-coarse grind is often required for drip brewers.

You have two alternatives if you want freshly ground coffee (and you should), either get a machine with an integrated grinder or purchase a separate one. Even though coffee brewers with built-in grinders are often more costly than those without, you could still save money by not purchasing a separate grinder. Additionally, by combining two machines into one, counter space will be saved.

Separate coffee grinders, however, often perform a superior job of grinding and let you grind for different brew types. Some coffee consumers contend that the greatest flavor and most uniform coffee grounds need the use of a separate grinder.

Purchase a second grinder if you’re a stickler for the best or want to try other brew types.

SCAA Certification

Coffee equipment, including drip coffee makers, is reviewed, tested, and certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. You can be sure you’re looking at coffee makers that have been evaluated by specialists in the business when an organization like the SCAA has awarded something its seal of approval.

THIS PROGRAM EVALUATES HOME BREWERS TO SEE IF THEY SATISFY THE STRICT CRITERIA FOR BREWED COFFEE QUALITY AS SPECIFIED BY THE SCA. IT WAS CREATED BY PROFESSIONALS IN COFFEE SCIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL COFFEE TASTERS.

The Verdict

Coffee makers are a case where you get what you pay for. Therefore, if drinking coffee is an essential part of your daily routine, it is worthwhile to spend money on the best. And the Technivorm Moccamaster is the greatest drip coffee machine, according to a resounding majority of votes from coffee shops, customers, and the SCAA.

Even if the price is a little more than typical, the value is still there. The thermal carafe keeps your coffee hot and tasty and is created by hand in the Netherlands and certified by the SCAA to give the best cup of coffee. It also has an industry-leading 5-year warranty. Who could not adore this?

FAQs

Are Expensive Coffee Makers Worth It?

Depending on your habits, a costly coffee machine can be worthwhile. Because more costly brewers have more control over water flow and temperature, they often produce better coffee. However, unless you’re already purchasing high-quality coffee, it’s doubtful that you’ll realize this advantage. Additionally, more metal and less plastic are used in expensive coffee makers, which makes them more durable. It is up to you to balance these benefits with the price.

How Often Should I Clean My Coffee Maker?

After each use, you should give your coffee machine a simple cleaning because coffee oils and sediments can quickly accumulate. Depending on the manufacturer’s advice, a thorough descaling should be performed less regularly, typically every 3 to 6 months.

What Is The Difference Between A Cone And Basket Filter?

The form of a cone filter and a basket filter clearly differs from one another. Contrary to cone filters, which narrow to a point, basket filters have a flat bottom. But more subtly, because of how the design affects water flow, they also brew in a different way. Cone filters draw attention to the darker elements of a brew, while basket filters favor the sweeter flavors.

Should I Use Pre-Ground Coffee In My Coffee Maker?

You may use pre-ground coffee in your coffee maker since most of it is ground to the proper size for drip brew. However, freshly ground coffee will always taste better if you have access to a good burr grinder.