Ninja XL 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
The best coffee maker for $100 or less
Café drip coffee maker
The best programmable coffee maker
Oxo Brew Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Best cold brew coffee maker
Oxo Good Grips Pour-Over
The best coffee maker
Hot and Cold Ninja System
The most versatile coffee maker
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There are countless ways to enjoy coffee these days. in Starbucks, Dunkin’ or CaribouYou can have anything from a simple black coffee to a coffee-flavored milkshake. Or you can opt for one of the artisanal coffee shops that have popped up in the past decade or so, and have a finely brewed coffee or latte. but If you are looking to save moneyor just Interested in learning more about brewing coffeeyou’ll want to make it at home.
Home brewing options can seem like many off-the-shelf options when you consider factors like brewing method, price, and your personal situation. (Does someone who lives alone need 12 cups of coffee every morning? I’m not here to judge.) The choice may seem difficult, but we’re here to make it easier. Now is the perfect time to look for a coffee maker. You can find Holiday deals on coffee makers happening now.
We’ve thoroughly tested the best coffee makers available right now and handpicked them. Whether you are looking to brew your coffee hot or cold, manually or automatically, on a budget or without financial constraints, we have an option for you. (You can also check out our picks for The best coffee subscriptions.)
The best coffee makers
The Oxo Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker delivers Gold Cup-rated coffee from the Specialty Coffee Association and tastes just as good as the coffee from our previous favorite, the Bonavita Connoisseur, but the new Oxo Brew Coffee Maker is designed with a little more detail. This drip machine also comes with a special 1-cup filter basket for Kalita Wave filters. The Oxo Brew is the best drip coffee maker that has a compact and elegant design And Durable, plus it comes with a non-drip or spill-free thermal carafe.
Read our review of the Oxo 8 Cup Coffee Maker.
At $99.99, the Ninja Programmable XL 14-Cup Coffee Maker comes in at around $100, but if you’re looking for delicious coffee on a budget, this machine does an excellent job. Among the cheaper coffee makers in the category, this Ninja regularly made the smoothest, richest, most flavorful (not to mention the most delicious) coffee. With both classic and rich brew settings, and lower brew settings, it’s a coffee maker that can accommodate working from home alone or having friends over for lunch. It will brew at a set time and heat your brewed coffee, like many other pots, but it also has a cleaning cycle. With a reusable filter in the box, you can also cut down on other coffee expenses.
While the specialty drip coffee maker isn’t cheap, it does offer a lot for the money. If you’re a coffee lover who loves a smart coffee maker, you can schedule a delicious cup in advance with our auto brew feature. It is an excellent brewer that brews quickly with exceptional water temperature control. The Cafe model also offers a high-quality thermo carafe, makes 10-cup batches and connects to Wi-Fi to provide smart app control. The café is easy on the eyes too, with plenty of brushed metal in its design.
Read our Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker review.
Cold brew coffee is delicious, but it can be irritating. The Oxo Cold Brew Coffee Maker takes a lot of the headache out of the process. The Oxo Brew Coffee Maker evenly saturates coffee grounds and allows you to drain cold coffee into a glass carafe with relative ease.
Read our review of the Oxo Cold Brew Coffee Maker.
Delicious coffee and a great-tasting drip from a product that costs less than $20? It may seem unlikely, but that’s what the affordable Oxo Good Grips Pour-Over delivers. It only makes one brew of coffee at a time and requires you to supply hot water. However, the simple brewer turns the otherwise complex task of making a pour into one that’s easy, clean, and almost foolproof.
Read our Oxo Good Grips Pour-Over Coffee Maker review.
Think of this kitchen appliance as the Swiss army knife of the drip coffee maker world. The Ninja Programmable Brewing Machine (with thermos carafe, whisk, and reusable filter) offers an extreme degree of flexibility, making it the best coffee maker for those who don’t always want the same cup. This coffee maker can make everything from a solid drip to the perfect cold brew or iced coffee to latte-style drinks with milk foam, and it will adjust the temperature according to your selection. The thermal carafe keeps tea or coffee hot for up to two hours. This programmable coffee maker allows you to brew iced coffee and hot coffee in multiple sizes, from small cups all the way up to full pitchers.
Read our Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System review.
You won’t mind having the Wilfa Performance Coffee Maker on your counter. Its clean and stunning design makes it a device to show off. You’ll also want to have it on hand for smooth, well-balanced coffee preparations. This machine from Wolva combines a beautiful design with simple controls that allow you to customize your drink without getting bogged down in minute details. While you may find the same quality for cheaper, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better-looking coffee maker.
Those looking for plenty of coffee in a hurry will love this coffee machine’s quick brew cycle. The Bunn Velocity Brew BT drip coffee maker with its lined stainless steel thermal carafe brews a great pot of coffee at amazing speed. In as little as 3 minutes and 33 seconds, the coffee maker can deliver full batches of delicious drip coffee to your drink.
Read our Bunn Velocity Brew BT review.
Dutch company Technivorm has sold good drip coffee makers for decades. The Moccamaster drip coffee maker features a design with clean lines and sharp angles that dates back to 1968, the year the first Moccamaster appeared in stores. Apart from the retro design, the Moccamaster KBT 741 consistently delivers perfect fresh coffee that will satisfy the barista connoisseurs. The stainless steel thermal jug also keeps its contents hot for a full 6 hours.
Read our Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741 review.
How we tested coffee makers
performance appraisal a coffee maker More difficult than it might seem. You need to know what good drip coffee actually is, and according to the Specialty Coffee Association, there are basic criteria for brewing well. Topping the list is brewing time and water temperature. Hot water should be in contact with the bagasse for no less than four minutes and no more than eight minutes. The ideal water temperature is between 197°F (92°C) and 205°F (96°C).
To find out how well each barista meets this challenge, we record the length of their brewing cycles. We also use thermocouple temperature sensors that are connected to industrial data loggers. This allows us to record the temperature inside the coffee grounds during the brewing process.
We measure the temperature inside the brewing chamber of every coffee maker we test.
After brewing the coffee, we take a sample of the resulting coffee liquid readings using an optical refractometer. Since we take into account the amount of water and freshly ground coffee used, this data allows us to calculate the total percentage of dissolved solids in each beverage. From there we get to the extraction ratio. It is generally believed that the ideal range is between 18% and 20%.
We also back up the measured data with a good old-fashioned taste test. Over-extracted coffee tastes bitter and sharp, while under-extracted coffee is usually weak or sour. To be sure, we ran identical tests at least three times to understand the average results.
Frequently asked questions about the coffee maker
How long do coffee makers last?
If the coffee maker is taken care of properly, it can last for years. However, with the exception of the Technivorm Moccamasters, which are covered by a five-year warranty, most coffee makers come with one-year limited warranties. No matter their length, all of these warranties cover manufacturing defects, not normal wear and tear or misuse of the item.
How do coffee makers work?
Even the most advanced coffee makers perform the same simple task. This is to run hot water over the ground coffee, then collect that liquid inside a container. However, it is difficult to achieve the perfect balance of strength and flavors for an excellent coffee. Most machines fail because they either lack quality water heating systems, run water through the ground too slowly, or can’t prepare enough grounds to begin with. Some baristas suffer from a combination of these issues – or all three.
How do you clean the coffee maker?
Besides removing external dirt, stains, and dust, all coffee makers require periodic deep cleaning. Specifically, indoor water heating systems must be descaled regularly. Some manufacturers ask you to do this with a vinegar and water solution. Others specify only say use a store-bought descaling solution. For example, Technivorn says it uses products like Durgol to descale its machines.