French press, dalgona whipped (a recent fad), pour-over, and the essential automated drip are just a few brewing methods available to coffee enthusiasts. Thus, we spent a considerable amount of time (over several weeks) putting the top-rated drip coffee makers through their paces, utilizing a variety of criteria.
Large bags of light roast, medium roast, and dark roast coffee beans were roasted, grounded, and brewed. We poured into full carafes, half carafes, and individual cups. We tried it black, with almond milk, sweetened condensed milk, over ice, and even as a cold brew.
Our testing methodology
Over the course of more than a month, these coffee makers were put through rigorous testing. We ranked each device on features, longevity, and aesthetics that the user would value most. In our extensive testing, we used both dark and light roast freshly ground beans, brewed automatically and manually, and put to the test the additional features of the more specialized machines at least twice (and often four to eight times) (cold brew, single-cup, tea, milk frothing).
We took notes on the unboxing process for each machine, read the manuals, used and re-used the equipment, monitored the brew cycles, recorded the coffee’s temperature, and sampled and had others taste and provide feedback on the overall user experience. We spent the month trying to learn as much as possible about each machine, developed strong feelings for many of them, and drank too much coffee.
Here are our choices down to four top-tier drip coffee makers:
The King: Braun KF6050WH BrewSense Drip Coffee Maker
We brewed dozens of pots of coffee, from light to dark roast, with the BrewSense. Every time we got a robust and flavorful cup that was free of sediment owing to the gold tone filter, meant to remove bitterness from the coffee and cut down on single-use paper-filter waste. The model we tried was white, a great color choice for people with a contemporary kitchen design; however, it also comes in black and is small enough to squeeze under the shelves in a tighter kitchen.
The BrewSense is easy to use because it looks and works like a classic automatic drip machine but has a more contemporary, minimalistic design. The hardware is sleek and modern, made of brushed metal and plastic, and the glass carafe is easy to hold.
The BrewSense’s functional simplicity and relative lack of extra features led us to rank it highly among the machines we researched and evaluated. In just 15 minutes of opening the box, with a single water flush, you can have a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. The quietness of the brewing process is especially welcome in the wee hours of the morning. Though some buyers may prefer a more feature-rich product, this is the best option for people who want to wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee every morning without spending more than $100.
There are flaws in the BrewSense: An entire pot of 12 cups takes more than 11 minutes to brew, making it one of the slower machines we tested. To top it all off, we discovered a frustrating mistake in the manual’s explanation of how to set the time (call us stubborn, but we insisted on setting the time on each machine before using it!). The instructions said to press and hold the CLOCK, followed by SET, but this did not produce the desired results. We held down the CLOCK button to set the time and guessed through the minutes and hours. The setup for the automatic features could have been more intuitive than we’d have liked. Still, once we figured it out, everything ran smoothly. Aside from that, the machine’s controls seemed natural, and we had no trouble using it without consulting the handbook.
At times, there may be more debris than usual to clean up after using this machine. The grounds are spread out as the hot water rises through the filter basket and into the cone. On one occasion, a small amount of ground rose above the cone and required a quick wipe-down. Still, compared to other options on the market, this device offers the most outstanding value for less than $80.
The Queen: Cuisinart DCC-T20
Among the three Cuisinart automated drip machines we evaluated, the Touchscreen 14-Cup Programmable came in second, barely behind the winner, the Braun BrewSense.
Despite our high praise for all three Cuisinarts, we ultimately chose the Touchscreen model because of its innovative appearance and practical functionality. In general, the Cuisinart devices we tested out all felt nicely made, but this one, in particular, has that “new Apple” smell and feel to it. It costs more than three times as much as the Braun ($235 at Macy’s) and looks and feels too fancy to be used daily (thanks to its all-black, sleek exterior and touchscreen control panel.
However, this is more than just a pretty machine: It made both robust and flavorful coffee, and the filtration system was effective. As a result of its tech-based foundation, it’s also simple to prepare and utilize. Easily adjust the strength, flavor, and other aspects of your brew with a few taps of your finger on the touchscreen panel’s adorable icons representing one-touch commands. Choose the BOLD setting if you prefer stronger coffee; the 1–4 cup setting for a slower brew with the proper extraction time; set the hot plate level to low, medium, or high; activate or deactivate the audible brew-cycle-finished tone.
One of the reasons it wasn’t number one is the focus on technology in the design. Despite how novel and refreshing the experience was, we concluded that the one touchscreen model we tried would make the daily ritual of making coffee for specific consumers more of a chore than an enjoyable experience. During the brewing process, the touchscreen turns off. It is aesthetically pleasing but also a little disconcerting because it leaves you wondering, “What’s happening?” The display makes the settings and buttons easy to see when turned on. However, it took us a few pots of coffee to get used to the amount of pressure we needed to apply to the touchscreen.
As a result, we could not give the gadget a perfect score for usefulness. We all know at least one person who would be lost entirely if given this machine and a bag of coffee.
Similarly to other Cuisinart models we’ve tried, this one takes longer to brew. We timed it at 11 minutes for eight cups, which seems like an eternity if you’re monitoring your coffee maker like a watched pot. While we hear you, pour-over and Chemex aficionados: 12–14 minutes for a whole pot of coffee feels like a considerable time to wait if you aren’t brewing it by hand. When it comes down to it, not everyone will be motivated to invest more than $200 in a coffee machine. Still, a sizable number of people might.
Some buyers may be put off by the advanced features of this premium item, but others would gladly display it as the focal point of their cooking spaces. Happiness in the morning is achieved here by combining form and function.
The Premium Option: Technivorm Moccamaster 59636 KBG
Even before we obtained the Technivorm Moccaster for this article, we had heard that it was a machine that was loved for its unique and old-school industrial design and that it had been handmade and developed in the Netherlands since 1968.
When we finally got everything set up, which took some time and effort, we were rewarded with what was perhaps the best cup of hot, freshly brewed coffee we’d ever made at home. And it’s done so quickly that you can hardly read the morning paper before it’s over. With the Moccamaster, I made 10 cups in under 6 minutes and 6 cups in under 4 minutes. The brew feature is so quick that it may be disorienting the first time you use it.
There is a lot to like about the Moccamaster, but we also found certain things that we didn’t particularly care for. Strangely enough, they center on the aesthetics of the item. Though some people may relish getting their hands dirty, others may find the number of moving pieces in this coffee-making method overwhelming. We had to read the instructions very carefully to put the pieces together. After we got the machine together and understood how the brewing process worked, it was relatively easy to run.
Putting in a fresh paper filter and coffee grounds necessitates taking apart the brew basket each time you utilize the machine, which can cause the outlet arm and the reservoir lid to become dislodged. While this isn’t a significant issue, it can be unpleasant to feel like you have to reassemble the coffee maker daily. The outlet arm and basket cover, where the hot water must pass through on its way to the brew basket, also heat up considerably. You wouldn’t want someone to walk up to the brewer without knowing it was on and accidentally touch the hot area of it.
Finally, our biggest gripe with this device is that the glass carafe scratches the warmer when it is returned to the hotplate between pours.
The coffee produced by this beautiful machine may help you focus less on other things; we kept bringing it to the kitchen countertop to brew again because of how well it worked. An expensive price tag can be spread over time if you, like us, are a devoted Moccamaster user.
The Affordable Option: Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Make
We won’t go into great detail regarding the Mr. Coffee 12-Cup. Still, it took only nine minutes to create 12 perfectly drinkable cups. Even though it took us 5 min and a pair of scissors to cut through all the plastic and cardboard packaging, assembling the machine was a breeze. The hardware can be used (and programmed to brew at a specified time) with little to no instruction manual. It’s one of the best tiny drip coffee makers we tried, and it’s built to last; also, its removable top half, brew basket, carafe, and lid are all dishwasher-safe, which was not the case for many of the other models we looked at.
Other options
Black+Decker 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
The Black & Decker 12-cup, the cheapest automated drip machine we tested, is also a good option. I had a pleasant experience using it and got eight delicious cups of coffee in just eight minutes. Although it was less sturdy in construction than its main competitor, the Mr. Coffee, this model offered programmability and ease of use at a comparable price to two venti lattes.
Cuisinart PerfecTemp 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
Our most basic Cuisinart brewer created an almost perfect cup at the ideal temperature (even after adding considerable cold milk, we still got a scalding hot cup) thanks to a temperature-adjustable carafe. This device is sturdy and well-made, but there is one drawback (for us): In comparison to other brewers we evaluated, its 14-minute brewing time for eight cups is excessive.
Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup One-Touch Coffee Maker
The Bonavita Connoisseur has its supporters; however, our unit experienced numerous problems. This charmingly vintage machine prepares a passable cup of coffee quickly and at an acceptable temperature, but the experience could be better. There is a fundamental fault in the design. Because the carafe cover must be lifted before brewing, the coffee brews directly into an open carafe, which we found so illogical that it detracted from the brew experience even after we had tried it three or four times.
During the brewing process, the brewer heats up considerably; we were concerned that the temperature could become dangerously high. Following brewing, we placed the carafe lid securely on and tried to put it beneath the brewer, but the top of the machine came off because the lid wouldn’t fit. Because the brew basket and carafe cover don’t fit into the equipment simultaneously, you’ll have trouble stowing the machine.
Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System
We put two different Ninja machines through their paces and found both had enticing qualities. The hot and cold brew system could produce a great pot of hot coffee in less than five minutes. A single cup (in various sizes) was also brewed quickly and tastefully. It also makes iced coffee, which is a popular choice among customers. We dig the sleek minimalism of the glass carafe, but the pouring hole in the lid is rather large and may cause some spillage.
Even though it does several valuable tasks, this machine gets docked a few points because its water tank, made of plastic with protruding ridges, looks and feels cheap. There are only two sizes of single-serve cups, half-carafe and full-carafe options, but no markings on the water tank. The water-to-coffee grinds ratio can only be judged with an ounce or cup marker. While it’s nice that the Ninja units come with detachable accessories like a frothing wand and a special-sized coffee scoop with varying quantities on either end, it’s not very pleasant that you have to use these parts every time you make a cup of coffee.
However, the machine’s high maintenance requirements and complex interface are trade-offs for its impressive performance capabilities.
Breville BDC450 Precision Brewer
We couldn’t contain our excitement as we unboxed this high-end brewer, which boasted a wide range of features like standard brew, rapid brew, gold, cold brew, single cup (attachment sold separately), and customized to your preferences. The variety of possibilities is fascinating if also bewildering. On a scale from hard to soft, the user is invited to specify the roughness of their water; however, not everyone who makes coffee at home is familiar with tap water quality. In addition, how shared knowledge is Gold Cup certification among regular coffee drinkers? For an automatic drip machine, these seem like unnecessary fine points.
Overall, the Breville made a decent pot of coffee in a reasonable amount of time. Still, we didn’t find it hot enough to our liking. The entire setup is visually appealing, with polished metal and a carafe that would seem right at home on a brunch table yet is surprisingly lightweight and elegant. But when we dug deeper, we realized this machine was simply too much. We have too much hardware, and it won’t fit beneath our cabinets. There were far too many settings for us to adjust to our liking without first reading up on the lore of coffee.
Many consumers would find this device’s combination of simplicity and sophistication ideal and relish the chance to experiment with each of its unique features; yet, those seeking a fully automated coffee-making experience may find this unnecessary frill.
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker with Glass Carafe
While the Ninja Specialty shares many similarities with the hot and cold brews, it differs significantly because the water tank is conveniently located just next to the brew basket. This one, like the others, makes excellent hot coffee. Still, it also has some neat extra features, such as the ability to brew in various cup sizes, half and full carafes, and even over ice. However, the water tank’s prominence detracts from the overall appeal of this design compared to the hot and cold variants. The tank also has a cheap, flimsy feel, which is hard to overlook in terms of UX.
However, fans of the Ninja brand (which produces, among other things, blenders) will find a lot of value in this.
Cuisinart Coffee Center 10-Cup Thermal Coffee Maker and Single Serve Brewer
This Cuisinart only makes 10 cups at a time into a thermal carafe. Still, it also includes a single-serve brew mode that works with pre-packaged coffee pods or fresh grounds thanks to a cute little micro filter. (Note: The microfilter might be a pain to maintain due to its diminutive size.) This machine, like its illustrious Cuisinart brethren, churns out delicious coffee. Still, the added bulk from the single-serve brewer is a letdown. The on/off switch is located in an awkward spot on the side of the device, which is the only real complaint I have with the layout.
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