Coffee Maker Buying Guide
So you decided you want a coffee maker, and chances are this is not the first time. Still, the incredible depth of options and features for drip and single serve coffee makers can send even a savvy coffee drinker on a wild chase. In this guide we will try to make things as easy as possible, because they can be!
In 1908, Melitta Bentz, a German housewife, had the bright idea to use paper to filter the coffee grounds, and drip coffee was born. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), roughly 50% of Americans drink coffee on a daily basis, most of which is brewed using the drip method. Over the years, many new features and brewing methods have developed and in this guide we will focus on drip and single serve coffee makers.
The first choice to be made is that of a traditional drip coffee maker versus a single serve coffee maker. Generally speaking, the first fits anyone wishing to make a few cups at a time, while the other would work best for brewing single cups, especially when each cup is of a different flavor (e.g. decaf, regular, vanilla, etc).
Within each category there are many features to choose from as can be seen in the table below. These are pretty strait forward and there is no need to get into the details here. However, before you start hunting, do prioritize the features, in the table, that matter to you the most. Deciding the budget in advance helps too of course. In the coffee world, just as in life, the more one pays the more one gets, but there is no reason to get carried away.
Coffee Maker Buying Guide Table
Category |
Pros |
Cons |
Optional Features |
Price Range |
Thermal carafes |
Keeps the coffee fresh and hot after brewing, even when removed from the unit. | No clear visual coffee level indication. No single serve option. Can be messy. |
• Fast brew |
$25 and up |
Glass Carafes |
Clear visual coffee level indication. | Coffee gets burned taste if kept long on the burner. No single serve option. Can be messy. | • Fast brew • Built in grinder • Adjustable strength • Programmable power on/off • Water filter • Drip Stop & Serve • Milk frother |
$25 and up |
Single Serve |
Every cup is fresh. Can brew different coffee by the cup. Faster and cleaner process. | Coffee capsules/pods are more expensive per cup. | • Brews in under a minute • Use ground coffee • Cup size control • Adjustable strength • Programmable power on/off • Water filter • Milk frother |
$25 and up |
Tip
While brewing coffee using a coffee maker is pretty straightforward the quality can be significantly improved by using freshly ground coffee (that means buying a good coffee grinder), filtered water (e.g. a Brita), and by reducing the time the coffee is kept after it is brewed.
Follow this link for our Espresso Machine Buying Guide.
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REVIEWS & COMMENTS
FUN
jbviau | Mon, 11/14/2011 - 21:24I didn't know Melitta was a German first name.
WATER TEMPERATURE
samuellaw178 | Fri, 11/11/2011 - 11:29Good guide there. However, there is one common problem for most coffeemakers- the water temperature. It was often reported that the water wasn't heated enough in drip coffeemakers that the resulting brew almost always under-extracted. Not giving the best from the beans. The Technivorm coffee maker addressed this issue but the cost is pretty high up there.
PROPERLY HEATED WATER IS THE
intrepid510 | Sat, 10/22/2011 - 00:05Properly heated water is the must tho, you can always put the coffee in the thermos to keep it if the makes comes with a glass carafe. Pay attention to what others say about the maker. BTW like the guide said bad coffee in bad coffee out no matter the maker.
A NICE START
Wakeknot | Wed, 10/05/2011 - 14:24this is a topic that you could write hundreds of pages on (although I couldn't since I tend to opt for french press, clever drippers, and espresso).
GLASS FOR THE WIN!
EricBNC | Sun, 08/14/2011 - 22:15I like coffee out of a glass carafe or a glass lined thermal carafe - I am just picky I guess.
...
broseph | Fri, 12/10/2010 - 23:03Cursory for sure but also potentially misleading. Thermal carafes are better than hot plates but just the mere act of keeping coffee hotter than it would otherwise be has nasty taste effects. Brewing by the cup is ideal, which is not to say that I endorse the pod/capsule thing...
GOOD OVERVIEW
shaffer22 | Tue, 12/07/2010 - 01:45This article is a good overview of the various types of drip makers availble. It would be great to see a more in-depth look at specific makers, with their pros and cons listed.