We get it… having the best coffee maker in existence is important. It is not a luxury but a need! Coffee is one of the most precious, delicious and feel-good things in the world and something that we can enjoy daily. By investing in a great coffee maker you can enjoy delicious coffee at home rather than spending $4/cup at Starbucks or your local coffee stand.
When looking for a coffee maker you will want to think about quality, durability, whether or not an auto setting is important to you, portability and even cleanability. You only want to buy once and buy one that will pretty much last a lifetime.
Below are reviews of the best coffee makers on the market to help you make the best decision possible.
Best Drip Coffee Maker: Cuisinart DCC-2650 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
A coffee machine is an absolute must-have for every household. Even if it’s not something you drink on a daily basis, it’s a guarantee that you have guests over to your home that would love to be offered a fresh cup of coffee. There are many coffee makers on the market but knowing which to choose could be difficult. Obviously, coffee makers can range from $30 in price to hundreds of dollars, so which do you choose?
We are picking the Cuisinart DCC-2650 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker as the #1 coffee maker on our website because it was an average of 4.7 stars out of 5 stars according to over 700 user reviews on Amazon. It is one of the most widely-purchased coffee makers on the market, and for good reason. It isn’t cheap by any means, but it’s still not expensive which makes it affordable for any household. It produces great coffee and is equipped with some of the most-loved features.
The Cuisinart DCC-2650 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker can make up to 12 cups at a time which is great for households with multiple coffee drinkers or frequent guests. It has a pausable brew which means that you can pour yourself a cup ‘o joe before the brew is complete which is great for impatient folks like ourselves. It has many programmable options so that you can have a pot of coffee waiting for you when you awake, and three different temperature settings allow your coffee to stay warm for up to four hours, at whichever temperature setting you prefer. The housing is stainless steel which will look modern on most any counter top, and it even has a water filter to remove impurities from your water, giving you the most pure cup o’ joe possible. Really… what more do you need in a basic coffee maker?
Great. Replaced a 5 yr old Cuisinart. Easy to fill water tank (not small, as previous reviews mentioned – larger than my last model). I use Zevro Coffee Container and Dispenser that holds a one pound bag of ground coffee perfectly ( I love this product), gives a precise measurement of coffee grind, and brewed coffee is perfect! Be sure to change filter and clean as recommended to maintain taste quality.
This coffee maker makes a great cup of coffee. It has no swivel cover that will break like the Bunn we had previously. The carafe is well designed, no tipping it upside down to get the coffee out. Two thumbs up!!
See the best drip coffee makers >>
Best Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Toddy Cold Brew System
Cold brew coffee is the latest rage. By having a cold brewing system in your home you can make delicious cold brew coffee on a moment’s notice. Cold brewed coffee is 67% less acidic then hot brewed coffee making it a popular choice among people who prefer their coffee to be sweet rather than bitter, or have a sensitive stomach to acidic foods and beverages.
The Toddy Cold Brew System is the top-selling cold brew coffee maker on Amazon, and for good reason. It was designed by Todd Simpson, a chemical engineering graduate of Cornell, and he patented this sort of cold brew system. To make this coffee, you simply let the grounds “brew” overnight using room-temperature water. It’s the heat that releases the acidity, so by removing the heat and simply letting the grounds take time, it results in a much smoother coffee. We’ve tried it – we love it! There’s no going back!
The Toddy Cold Brew Coffee Maker is not one-dimensional… it can also make tea!
Customers report that this coffee maker is easy to use, easy to clean, and a great out-of-the-box solution to cold brewing. It’s great for beginners, and is extremely affordable.
This thing makes the most wonderful coffee. I am an admitted coffee snob but was suffering from the acid in the coffee I drank. It all ended with this set up. It makes great coffee that is so darn much easier on your system.
I’ve tried espresso makers, french press, auto drip and even (dare I say it) instant coffee, and french press is the only type that comes close to the rich flavor. But that said, as I get older (early thirties) acid content becomes a bigger issue for me, and the relatively low acid content in a cup from the Toddy system is more and more appealing.
Kind of a pain to make it – not because it’s a lot of effort, but because it takes so long (in total – most of the time just has it sitting on your kitchen counter). But as long as you plan accordingly, the end-result is the best coffee I’ve ever had. I would recommend this to anyone.
See best cold brew drip coffee makers >>
Best Affordable Coffee Maker: Mr. Coffee DRX5 4-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
While there are many great coffee makers and machines on the market, sometimes you just want great-tasting, easy-to-brew coffee without breaking the bank! Maybe you’d rather just get something simple to get the job done so that you can move on with your life. In that case, there are many options for affordable coffee makers but the most popular would have to be the Mr. Coffee DRX5 4-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker.
This coffee maker is on the “back to school” checklist for college students because it’s so affordable at just under $20.00. You don’t get all the bells and whistles but it does make a great cup of coffee for just pennies! It only makes four cups but that’s okay for some folks that aren’t coffee-guzzlers (don’t feel bad if you are… we are for sure!). At $20,00, you’re still getting some really great features with this coffee maker.
The best feature is the brew pause which lets you pause the brewing mid-cycle so that you can grab a cup! No messy coffee all over your hands like some coffee makers encourage! This machine also has a little view window so that you can see where the water level is at. An on/off light tells you when the machine is ready to brew. It also is shipped in frustration-free packaging which isn’t highly important, but still noteworthy. It also has a warming feature that automatically shuts off after about an hour. Perfect for dorms or any household that wants a great coffee maker for a low price.
I bought this coffee maker to replace a ten year old machine that died. Wanted the same machine so I could use the pot from my original one. The only small issue with this newer machine is that the lid for grounds and water has a stiff catch that I hope will loosen a bit over time. It brews a nice full pot that I consider to be 2 mugs or 2 large cups with good temperature. I’m a little on the picky side about my coffee and always use freshly ground beans and have been very happy with this item.
Love this! We go through coffee pots like our life depended on it. In a world where a coffee pot costs $85 and still breaks, this one is somewhat magical. It is small, so 4 cups is like 2 cups, but that works really well for me, as I can only handle 2 cups at a time and I don’t mind, as I love to brew fresh coffee. Perfect for my needs. I really appreciate the added features of the timer and clock. I have not had any issues with it not keeping the right time, or anything. I am so happy with this little purchase.