The 10 Best Drip Coffee Makers

Editor's Notes

July 28, 2020:

Coffee evokes a lot of things, not least of which include a sense of purpose, energy, and balance for getting the day started. Some even see their morning coffee routine as a "religion" of sorts. It's something they can depend on. It never ceases to amaze me how personal one's choice of brew is. While some prefer a dark roast with bold and intense flavors, others want a light and milder taste for their morning commute. You might think I'm a little nuts for saying this, but one of my absolute favorite coffees is Trader Joe's ground pumpkin spice blend that comes out once a year, typically in September and before Halloween. Whenever it comes out, I order a case of 24 canisters from the store, which usually lasts me until the next run a year later. This is a medium-dark roast packed with many fall spices like orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla. For me, this product is like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in a can. But is it really pumpkin? Well, with the exception of natural pumpkin spice flavor as an ingredient, it's not really pumpkin and I admit that. But the spice flavor infused into the coffee grounds still pleases my taste buds anyway. While flavor and aroma depend greatly on the type of beans used, a resulting cup of coffee is also highly dependent on the method by which it's prepared in the first place. For that reason, many coffee drinkers want as much control over the brewing process as possible. In order to maintain that control, a dependable drip coffee machine is necessary.

We wanted to make sure we provided a range of models that appeal to a variety of lifestyles. The Technivorm Moccamaster 59616, for example, is simple enough for consumers and professionals to use. It's also very fast, brewing a 40-ounce pot in just six minutes. I actually own the Cuisinart Perfectemp and can vouch for its simplicity and features. It's not as fast as the Moccamaster, but it produces a pretty good cup of joe. I also like the fact that it lets you know when it's time to descale it. You can use some white vinegar and run the machine through a normal brew cycle and that usually does the trick.

We've also added the Keurig K-Duo, which has the capacity to make fresh drip coffee with your own blend and a K-cup pod for single serve consumption at the same time.

I've always associated items like the Bunn BT Velocity with restaurants and coffee shops, and for good reason. It's powerful, quick, and thanks to an internal thermostat and vacuum-insulated thermal carafe, keeps your java piping hot.

Both The KitchenAid KCM1208DG and Mr. Coffee Manual are convenient choices if you have limited (or oddly-shaped) counter space, the former of which has brew buttons on its front and side panels for easy startup while the latter has a very small footprint. Like several others on the list, the Mr. Coffee model is equipped with a convenient pause function that allows you to remove the carafe and pour a cup in the middle of a brewing cycle without worrying about messy drips.

We thought the design of the Ninja CE201 was interesting due to its straw-like attachment that circulates coffee throughout the carafe's interior, ensuring every cup is poured at the same temperature and has the same rich flavor as the one before it. Some coffee machines operate without this attachment, so when coffee drips into the carafe, the liquid closest to the bottom of the carafe could be a different temperature than what's on top. This could lead to a burnt taste if the stuff closest to the bottom is too hot and doesn't mix evenly with the newly dripped coffee above it.

If you think of yourself as a coffee buff, the Breville BDC450 can give you plenty of options for customizing how it gets brewed. Despite a rather high price point, its thermocoil heating system and digital temperature controls give you additional precision over the brewing process that other models don't offer.

We didn't want to forget the busy commuter, either, so the AdirChef Grab N' Go is definitely well suited for such circumstances. With this one, you don't have to worry about using your own mugs, since it comes with a tapered travel tumbler that fits right into your vehicle's cup holder.

Finally, we included the Zojirushi 10 Cup for its modern design, pre-infusion cycle for optimal blooming, and graduated water tank that can help you measure proper ratios for serving hot and iced coffee.