There are three things in this world that we can say with absolute certainty the world revolves around: Amazon, social media and — of course — coffee.
But, not just any coffee. Real coffee lovers know we only want *the good stuff*. This means barista-style brews topped with cold foam, globally sourced grounds and the fanciest yet practical of machines.
Enter the world of drip coffee makers. They joined the party of coffee makers as one of the best for at-home use, thanks to their unique features and properties.
RELATED: Best espresso machines
“A drip machine is probably the easiest way to produce consistently good coffee,” Maciej Kasperowicz, director of coffee at Trade and certified Q-grader with more than a decade of experience in coffee retail, education and green coffee, told the New York Post. “As long as you take care of your machine and use roughly the same amount of coffee and water each time, you’ll get good, easily repeatable results. Unlike for manual pour-overs, you can get those results by just pressing a button, not having to stand over with a brewer pouring yourself.”
Not only did we put a handful of top-rated models to the test but Kasperowicz outlined other signature drip coffee machines worth your time and money. Oh, and if you’re new to this whole new world (cue Aladdin) — don’t fret. We put together an in-depth FAQ section explaining how to use drip coffee makers and more.
Oh, and you don’t want to skip out on Pecana (because, almond milk is *so* last year). It’s one of our new favorites to splash into our coffee, the shelf-stable, female-owned brand we need to place on your radar.
Click to jump to a specific section:
- Best Drip Coffee Maker Overall
- Best Budget Drip Coffee Maker
- Best Drip Coffee Maker Worth the Splurge
- Best Small Drip Coffee Makers
- Best Capacity Drip Coffee Maker
Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select 10-Cup Glass Brewer Coffee Maker
Pros:
- Easy to use and offers a sleek, aesthetically pleasing look
- One of the quickest to deliver a fresh pot of coffee
- Generous, 10-cup capacity
Cons:
- None to speak of
As the best drip coffee maker tested, the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select 10-Cup Glass Brewer Coffee Maker stood out in terms of performance, quality and overall look. It’s a trusty kitchen appliance worth the counter space, at that, especially because it’s pump-free and heats water to the correct temperature for coffee extraction.
Namely, The Moccamaster was exceptional at brewing a full 40-ounce pot of coffee in five minutes — using only one switch. For its fastidious pour and ease of use, it deserves all the five stars in the world.
But, the major question: How does the coffee taste? Exceptional, just as its full-throttle machine. What’s more, it automatically turns off after 100 minutes (for safety, another checkmark in its favor) and is backed by a five-year warranty, should anything go awry.
“I use Technivoorm’s Moccamaster KBT ($339) at home, and we use its CDT Grand ($395) at the Trade office,” Kasperowicz exclusively told The Post, recommending the brand. “They’re reliable, super well-built, and they look really good. Its KGB-V — this one right here — also come in some really cool colors.”
Best Budget Drip Coffee Maker
Cuisinart 14-Cup Glass Carafe Coffee Maker
Pros:
- Includes all of the bells and whistles of most other drip coffee makers tested — without the high price point
- Various personalized coffee brew settings
Cons:
- It could be easier to pour fresh water into the reservoir
Budget-friendly and surely worth the cost if fresh coffee is what you crave, the Cuisinart 14-Cup Glass Carafe Coffee Maker is the best model on the market that’ll execute a lovely pour of hot coffee. At only $100, it’s remarkably lower than other drip coffee makers tested.
Hailing from a kitchen brand we know, trust and love, this option boasts nearly 35,000 rave reviews on Amazon alone. You can choose from regular or bold settings, allowing the drip coffee maker to consciously cater to your unique taste preferences with every brew.
For the price, it’s settings are magnificent: 24-hour programmability, the ability to choose from one- to four-cup settings, auto-off functionality (up to four hours) and an optional ready alert tone for added convenience. It’s also stylish and space-saving, touting a glossy, stainless steel makeup.
Best Drip Coffee Maker Worth the Splurge
SMEG Drip Coffee Maker
Pros:
- Chic look without compromising modernity and efficacy
- Well-made carafe, included measuring spoon and overall machine shell
- Ultra-quiet operation
Cons:
- Pre-setting your drip coffee-making schedule comes with a bit of a learning curve, though not a dealbreaker
There’s something special and magnificent about the SMEG Drip Coffee Maker. The hallmark of this model, of course, is its retro-chic style — bringing a flair of nostalgia in a modern-day kitchen landscape.
This is currently my drip coffee maker of choice, mostly for how it looks on my counter. But, it’s not all about looks; this model is extremely simple to use, comes with an included measuring spoon to scoop your fresh grounds of choice and is ultra-quiet.
It also comes in a dreamboat of lovely colors, though I find the cream seems to match with most kitchens. However, if you want a statement coffee maker, go all out with its pink or mint shades.
Best Small Drip Coffee Makers
OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker
Pros:
- Space-saving design
- Quality stainless steel makeup
Cons:
- Doesn’t boast plenty of customized features, as some others on this list have
Save space — and receive fresh dripped-over coffee — with the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker. Fairly priced and non-bulky, it upholds nearly 4,000 applauding recommendations on Amazon alone. Notably, it features a double-wall, vacuum-insulated thermal carafe with a brew-through, pour-through carafe lid.
“I’ve used OXO’s 8-Cup Brewer a little, and have some friends who swear by it,” Kasperowicz says. “It brews really solid coffee, and comes with some attachments for brewing a single cup for times when you don’t want to brew a big batch.”
Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe
Pros:
- Impressive temperature regulation settings
- Space-saving design
Cons:
- Doesn’t boast plenty of customized features, as some others on this list have
The Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe is another space-saving drip coffee maker that’s worth the price. Readily available online, it’s said to brew a full pot in only six minutes.
“I’ve used the Bonavita Connoisseur as well, with really good results,” Kasperowicz shares. “It offers a simple pre-infusion mode, which is cool. Pre-infusion, or bloom, dispenses a little water to start, lets that hot water get some of the carbon dioxide out of the coffee and then continues with the rest of the brew; that’s a technique used in most manual pour-over brewing to brew more evenly, and it’s cool to have it in an Auto-drip machine.”
Moreover, its powerful 1500W heater maintains a professionally recommended brewing temp of 198 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal flavor extraction. With a durable stainless steel thermal carafe and double-walled, it helps keep coffee’s ideal temperature longer.
Best Capacity Drip Coffee Maker
Café Specialty Drip Coffee Maker
Pros:
- Signature personalization settings
- Easy to navigate and use
Cons:
- The model is fairly heavy and takes up considerable countertop space
If you’re looking for a drip coffee maker that’s (1) stunning and (2) perfect for entertaining, the Café Specialty Drip Coffee Maker is one of the best I’ve tried. Because of its 10-cup capacity and ability to choose the boldness level and strength, it’s truly alluring.
Additionally, its WiFi Enabled Voice-to-Brew Technology is undeniably high-tech; you’ll feel like you’re working at an elite coffeehouse when using this machine (and, without the stress, because it’s pretty simple to navigate).
More, when you use the auto-brew feature, you can wake up to fresh and perfectly personalized coffee that is ready just when you’d like. To top it off, its easy-to-use filtration unit fits inside the water reservoir of your coffee maker. This helps remove chlorine and other impurities from your water.
For more, read our full review of the Café Specialty Drip Coffee Maker.
An FAQ on Drip Coffee Makers
Ahead, a certified coffee expert brews up the 411 on what to know about drip coffee makers — how to use them, why they’re so popular and why they’re worth the investment.
What is a drip coffee maker?
First things first — with all the buzz on different types of at-home brews, it’s best if we start with the basics. Though they sound seemingly complex, they’re not as daunting as they appear.
“We use the term ‘drip coffee maker’ or ‘auto-drip machine’ for any electric machine that brews coffee by automatically pouring water over a bed of coffee grounds and having it drip through,” Kasperowicz told The Post. “This category doesn’t include espresso machines, which use pressure to push the water through or single serve machines like K-cup brewers that use pods.”
When should I use a drip coffee maker?
The short answer — whenever you want coffee. But, with some models taking up a considerable amount of counter space, it’s good to know when may be a good time to whip one out (if it doesn’t live on your counter, that is).
“Drip machines are good for anyone that needs to brew more than one cup of coffee at a time, anyone that’s at all busy, or anyone that wants to make coffee that is both delicious and easy,” Kasperowicz shares. For that reason, drip coffee makers are exceptional for hosting guests at dessert hour.
How to use a drip coffee maker, step by step
Below, Kasperowicz details a coffee cheat sheet for you to have on the counter at all times:
- Put a filter into your coffee maker.
- Put your ground coffee into the filter. Most days I use 60 grams of coffee and one liter of water and end up with three drinkable cups, and whether you’re making more or less coffee, that’s a good ratio to start with.
- Fill your reservoir with water.
- Press the button!
How do I properly clean a drip coffee maker?
With any appliance or item, it’s best to learn how to maintain it for longevity.
“The most important thing for the long-term health of your brewer is probably to descale it,” Kasperowicz advises. “That means running it with some solution that cleans out the limestone buildup that comes from your water. Your brewer will come with a recommendation for how often to do that.”
There are plenty of recipes online for doing it with white vinegar but he recommends buying some descaling powder or solution so as not to have your kitchen smelling like hot vinegar. Particularly, he recommends the Urnex Cleancaf Coffee Machine Cleaning Powder ($12).
“For cleaning the carafe, clean it the same way you’d clean any glass or metal vessel,” Kasperowicz adds. “But if you really want to give it some oomph, a powder like Cafiza ($15) that’s meant specifically for coffee oils will get anything that comes into contact with coffee really shiny.”
What to look for when shopping for a drip coffee maker, per a coffee expert
Good coffee makers deliver consistently hot water from the beginning of the brew to the end, while the temperature on some lower-quality models can fluctuate throughout.
“Better brewers will also have a good shower head that gently and evenly delivers that water,” Kasperowicz notes. And, if you’re brewing coffee that you want to stay hot for a while, he prefers brewers with thermal carafes to ones with hot plates.
“That heat applied directly to the bottom of your coffee pot can lead to worse flavor outcomes and any time you get coffee on that hot plate it creates an annoying-to-clean mess,” he says.
Pro tip: “The most annoying thing about coffee makers is that the standards for what a “cup” is are so inconsistent,” per Kasperowicz .”A cup the way you’d use it in baking means eight ounces, but if you measure out what those cup markings on the side of your brewer translate to, they’re usually between four and five ounces (much smaller than any coffee mug in my cupboard).”
This doesn’t mean the lines on your brewer are useless, just that it might be worth it to do some initial measurements or some trial and error to figure out what they mean.
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