Alexandra Ramirez
1. BUNN
Best Overall Drip Coffee Maker
5/5 Product Rating
Using the Velocity Brew technique, water is kept at the right brewing temperature in an internal tank that keeps it hot.
What this means is that whenever you want a cup of coffee, BUNN has the water ready and you’ll have your cup of coffee in about 3 minutes. The warning plate is coated in porcelain and can be turned on and off as needed.
The stainless steel internal hot water tank will keep the water at 200 degrees F. The spray head ensures that you get evenly distributed coffee flavor extraction. When you pour your coffee, you’ll love the pour-o-matic, drip free glass coffee decanter. This terrific professional style coffee maker for home use comes with a 3 year limited warranty.
– Sarah Lytle
2. Cuisinart 2650
Best Overall Drip Coffee Maker – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
The ergonomic handle on the 12-cup carafe is comfortable and easy to hold and has a drip less spout and knuckle guard. Adjust the temperature on the carafe to low, medium or high with the easy to use settings.
Brew Pause, one of this coffee maker’s features, allows users to enjoy a cup of coffee even before brewing is finished. The commercial style permanent filter is gold tone and adds to the style as well as the charcoal water filter that removes the impurities from the water.
The reservoir cover conveniently flips back so you can fill it easily. There is a water level indicator so you know how much water is in the pot.
The showerhead ensures an even covering of the coffee grounds so you get full, rich coffee and the grounds don’t get wasted.
The useful charcoal filter eliminates chlorine, calcium and bad taste and odor from regular tap water so your coffee tastes like a professionally made cup. At the end of the brewing cycle, the drip coffee maker will alert users with 5 beeps to let them know it’s done.
The filter basket is a commercial style filter and gets rid of paper filters. Brew Pause does just what it says which is to stop the flow of water when the carafe is removed from the heater. It will resume again once the carafe is put back. The scratch resistant heating plate is black, covered in a non-stick coating.
Additional features include convenient cord storage, power loss backup system, BPAS-free, auto on and auto off features and much more. If you are looking for a coffee maker that makes preparing a cup of coffee easy and efficient with superior results, you’ll love this Cuisinart Drip Coffee Maker.
– Sarah Lytle
3. Zojirushi
Best Budget Coffee Maker
4.4/5 Product Rating
The filter cone sits down inside the decanter which makes this coffee maker easier to use and more compact as well.
Additional features include the concealed, removable water reservoir, auto warming function, replaceable water filter and more.
A user manual and measuring spoon come with this coffee maker so you can scoop out the proper amount of coffee.
The silver color fits beautifully in any kitchen and matches all decors. The company provides a 1 year limited warranty on this product against defects and problems not caused by misuse. The Zojirushi won’t take up much room either since it only measures 6” x 8-7/8” x 10-5/8” and won’t need a lot of space.
– Sarah Lytle
Drip Coffee Maker Buying Guide
What is the Right Coffee Maker for You?
There are several things that you will need to answer before you purchase a drip coffee maker. The answers to the following questions will automatically help narrow the choices so you only have to look at the ones that fit your needs and preferences.
- Determine your budget – This is one of the most important aspects of choosing a drip coffee maker. Drip coffee makers can range from $10 to well over $200. Knowing ahead of time what your budget is will eliminate all the machines that fall outside of that range. If you don’t drink coffee very much at all it is not necessary to purchase an expensive drip coffee maker.
- Hot plate or thermal? – The difference between thermal coffee make and glass pot coffee makers is that the coffee is brewed directly into an insulated carafe rather than having to place a glass pot on a hot plate to keep warm. The insulated carafe of the thermal coffee maker keeps the coffee at brewing temperature for over an hour. Two seems to be the most common time frame.
- Do you want to grind the beans? – Grinding or not grinding your beans yourself is a personal preference. Some grinders are separate and some are a built-in component of combination grinder/brewers. The combination brewer/grinders are better for those who are dealing with less storage space.
- How much space do you have? – You will need to have an idea of the storage space you have to work with both in clearance of the cabinets and the space you have to set a drip coffee maker. It is much easier to purchase a coffee maker that fits in the space you have easily rather than having to find a place to store it in between uses. If you make coffee frequently, having to drag it out every time can become inconvenient very quickly.
- How Often do You Make Coffee? – How much you will use your drip coffee maker is an important piece of information to have. If making coffee is a rarity for special occasions or when guests are over, you will not need a coffee maker that has a large cup capacity. If you make coffee one or more times each day, you will want to spend some extra money on a drip coffee maker that has some good features that will make it easier and more convenient to use.
Drip Coffee Maker Features
Coffee makers have a multitude of potential features depending on the model you are looking at. Below we have outlined the more common features that drip coffee makers can have. See which ones appeal to your needs and preferences so you can choose a machine that fits with what you are looking for.
- Good cup capacity range – Most people don’t typically make 12 cups of coffee at a time on a regular basis, but sometimes they want to make more than one cup. Look for coffee makers that have a good range. 4-12 cups is a common range and this usually fits well within most coffee drinkers’ needs.
- Programmable – Choosing a drip coffee maker that has several programmable features can add a lot to the whole coffee drinking experience. Some typical programmable features include setting a timer so the coffee maker starts brewing at a certain time that has been set, faster brewing option, one cup brewing options and several others. What features are important to you?
- Pause and brew – This unique and useful feature pauses the brewing so you can grab a quick cup of coffee before the brewing process is finished without making a mess. This is a great feature for when you are short on time.
- Automatic Shut-off – Forgetting to turn off the drip coffee maker is very easy to do especially if your usual morning routine is hurried. Auto-shut off works to automatically shut off the coffee maker after a specific amount of time.
- Water Filters – Filtered water makes better tasting coffee than water straight out of the tap. Many drip coffee makers have carbon water filters that reduce chlorine and other impurities in the water. If you choose a coffee maker that doesn’t have a carbon filter, using filtered water will help. Finding a coffee maker with the carbon filters is much more convenient than using filtered water.
- Great Warranties – Look for drip coffee makers that have excellent warranties. They don’t have to be lifetime, but the longer the warranty is the more faith the company has in their own products which can give you a lot more peace of mind. A longer warranty is more important for a higher end, more expensive model.
Cleaning a Drip Coffee Maker
Keeping your coffee maker clean is critical to keeping the great taste of your coffee. We have listed several options for keeping your coffee maker clean and producing an excellent cup of coffee.
- Vinegar – plain white vinegar is an excellent cleaner and odor eliminator for many things, including a drip coffee maker. If you clean your coffee maker on a regular basis, use 2 parts water, to 1 part vinegar solution. Add enough of the solution to fill the coffee pot and then pour into the reservoir. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then set it to brew. Repeat as needed once the vinegar water cools. Run a pot of plain water through the system to ensure all vinegar residue is gone.
- Denture Tablets – If you don’t like the smell of vinegar and don’t want the house to smell of vinegar while you are cleaning the drip coffee maker, you can use denture tablets. This method is great for removing mineral deposits which are caused by hard water. They are also great for removing any bacteria that may be inside the coffee maker. Dissolve two tablets inside the coffee pot and then pour into the reservoir. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and then set to brew. Run a cycle of fresh water through afterwards.
- Salt and Ice – There is a way to get your glass coffee pot sparkling clear and looking like it is brand new. Cover the bottom of the coffee pot with salt and then put 4-5 ice cubes inside the pot. Swirl the ice and salt around continuously until the ice has melted. Pour out the mixture and repeat if there is still anything in the pot that shouldn’t be.
Conclusion
Drinking coffee is a favorite activity of a large number of people. With all of the coffee maker choices you have available, it can be daunting to try and figure out which is the best when so many look to be an excellent choice. The information provided in this buyer’s guide will help you sort through the dozens of choices that are available much easier so you can make a great decision on a coffee maker for your kitchen.
If you are a big coffee drinker, the coffee maker you choose is a big deal. Make sure that you know what to look for and send some time researching the different drip coffee makers that appeal to you to see which one fits your lifestyle the best.
Resources
- BUNN – http://www.bunn.com/home-products
- Zojirushi – https://www.zojirushi.com/
- Cuisinart – https://www.cuisinart.com/
