The Best Drip Coffee Makers: Improve the Taste in Your Cup Now

Bottom Line Up Front

Our three favorite models – one for the average person who just wants a good cup without a lot of hassle, one for the coffee aficionado who wants to control all the variables and who needs things like presoak/blooming, and one for those who want the ultimate in terms of craftsmanship and fit and fitness.

Best for Most People: the Cuisinart DCC-3200

This model is not included in the SCCA’s Certified Brewer list, but it’s plenty good for most folks that regularly consume a cup or three (or a pot – you know who you are) on a daily basis.

The Cuisinart CCC-3200 is designed for those that don’t want to dicker with every kind of control or variable available – just put grounds and water in, get liquid black gold out.

Cuisinart DCC-3200 14-Cup Glass Carafe Programmable Coffeemaker available on Amazon

This is one of the few machines that we looked at outside of the SCCA list that is able to produce the 200°F temperature required to properly brew a good cup.

And it does it at a fair price.

Features:

• 200°F water temperature in the brew chamber.
• Shower spray head for even coverage.
• Simple to operate.
• Program feature for scheduled brewing.
• Large 14-cup (70 ounce) capacity.
• Easily brew small amounts (1-4 cups) with dedicated settings.
• Included charcoal filtration.

Unlike many competing models, the Cuisinart DCC-3200 features a “Bold” setting that retains the hot water in the brewing chamber for a lengthier period. This allows for a more complete extraction of flavors and results in a better cup.

Read our complete review or check prices and customer comments on Amazon now!

The Behmor Brazen Plus: A Coffee Lover’s Dream

One of our top recommendations, the Behmor Brazen Plus basically has it all. Adjustable water temperature allows you to customize your brewing, with the added ability to adjust for high altitude.

Behmor Brazen Plus Temperature Control Coffee Maker available at Amazon

Pre-infusion “blooming,” and even the ability to place any pour over device under the spout, means you can have your java juice absolutely any way you want it.

Allowing for the most flexibility in programming, this model creates the taste of a pour over by using the pre-soak setting, altitude calibration, and water temperature modification.

Features:

• Set specific brewing temperature for personalized flavor (190-210°F).
• Adjusts boiling point for altitude differences.
• Shower spray head to evenly extract flavor.
• Pre-Infusion “bloom” cycle.
• Place any vessel under the water spout (Chemex, V60, etc.).
• Automatic timer.
• SCAA Certified Brewer.

This model is pricier than most standard coffee makers, but not as high as many others that grace the SCAA’s Certified Brewer list, making it the perfect blend of features and affordability. It also comes with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Read our complete review or check prices and customer comments on Amazon now!

OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup: Simple to Operate

Also seeking to re-create the pour over, the OXO On 9-Cup features completely automated control of the brewing cycle through an intelligent microprocessor.

OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup Coffee Maker

A semi-fast brewing process, Rainmaker™ showerhead, and precise temperature control all contribute to this brewer’s ability to create an excellent cup.

The operation of the OXO 9-Cup is fairly straightforward. Add water, select the setting to brew 2-4 or 5-9 cups, and hit start. A small amount of hot water enters the chamber to bloom the grounds, and after a brief pause (to let the gas escape), the brewing cycle continues with about 6 or 7 minutes required to brew a full pot.

The showerhead on this model is better than most and the thermal carafe is no slouch either, with liquids still warm eight hours later.

Build quality is good and aesthetics are nice and clean.

Read our detailed review or see more reviews and comments on Amazon.

Check out our Comprehensive Buying Guide Below   OR    See More Product Choices

Choosing A Quality Coffee Brewer

But aren’t all coffee makers the same? The answer is a resounding “No!” Many automatic drip brewers that you get on the cheap are just that – made with cheap materials and not designed to extract the best flavor from the beans.

Some of the basic factors involved in choosing a coffee maker will depend very much on your own personal consumption habits.

This includes how much coffee you drink, when you drink, and how you like your java juice to taste. The brewers we’ve chosen as our top picks all make use of a few features that allow you to extract the best flavor from the beans into your cup.

The basic factors that greatly affect the flavor of your cup include the grounds (Hint: you should be grinding your own), the water temperature, and water management, including the activation of a pre-infusion “bloom” cycle.

Water Temperature

One of the biggest problems with basic automatic drip coffee makers is the fact that the water does not reach temperatures high enough to pull the best flavor out of the beans. The ideal temperature is 195-205°F. (A brewer needs at least 1400 watts of power to be able to achieve this.)

Although that range is the most important, some top brewers will even let you choose your exact temperature within this range. And if you live at an altitude other than sea level, you may want to consider a brewer that will calibrate near-boiling water temperature based on your altitude.

Water Management / Showerhead Design

The way that your  brewer manages the water is critical in making sure that the flavor is evenly extracted.

Coffee makers that just shoot the hot water right through the center of the grounds will over-extract from the grounds in the middle, causing a bitter flavor, while leaving the grounds on the outside untouched and basically wasted.

Showerhead configured drip systems incorporate multiple orifices to allow that piping hot water to evenly disperse into the grounds.

In addition to the way water is dispersed, other factors affecting the taste include whether there is a water filter included and if there is a pre-soak or “bloom” cycle.

A Note on Freshly Roasted Beans and Grinding at Home

One of the most important factors in getting the best flavor is by using freshly roasted beans and grinding your own grounds just before brewing with a burr based coffee grinder. Cheaper blade type grinders are not recommended and here’s why.

If beans are stored for more than a few weeks after roasting, the volatile acids and other flavor compounds that make up their sweet, sweet taste profile will begin to evaporate. Oxygen will also start to combine with oils, lipids, and other compounds, resulting in rancidity and other off flavors.

Similarly, beans that have been ground start losing their their flavor compounds at an exponential rate and the surface area is greatly increased – allowing the flavors to escape and oxygen to enter.

Most true java junkies will never use a 24-hour brew program with pre-ground beans, and will instead grind their beans as one of the last steps immediately prior to brewing.

Blooming

One thing to note: beans that are freshly roasted and just ground will have some pent up gases inside that need to be released prior to brewing.

If these gases are not allowed to vent off, the initial water added for brewing will not properly soak in and will remain on the surface as the dissolved gases exert pressure against the surface tension of the water. 

The way to go about releasing these trapped gases is by using a pre-infusion “bloom” cycle. All this means is that the freshly ground beans are pre-soaked for about 20 to 60 seconds. During this time, there is not enough water added to begin dripping, but just enough to soak the beans.

You’ll see the wet grounds begin to “bubble” up and move around a bit, as the release of CO2 gasses is completed.

If you don’t see this? Then it’s probably been more than two weeks since you beans were roasted, and the gas has already been released over time.

A few brewers, such as the Behmor Brazen Plus, have fully adjustable automatic bloom cycles where heated water is applied a minute or two prior to the main brew to allow these gases to escape. This allows the heated water to fully enter the grounds.

Other models, such as the Technivorm Moccamaster, have manual bloom cycle controls.

Thermal Carafe vs. Glass Pot & Hotplate

Drip pot coffee makers come equipped with either a thermal carafe or a glass pot with a hot plate.

A thermal carafe setup utilizes the brewed liquid’s own thermal energy to retain heat inside a double-walled container, designed to minimize the transfer of heat energy from the liquid to the outside atmosphere. 

The Bonavita BV1900TS with Thermal Carafe, available on Amazon

Thermal carafe quality can vary, but generally these containers are good for 2 to 12 hours of keeping liquids warm.

This form of storage vessel has advantages over the more traditional glass pot and hot plate setup. Flavor compounds within the brew can evaporate within as little as 15 to 20 minutes, and oils within the coffee can start to oxidize in the same amount of time, causing rancidity.

The end result is a sour, ill-tasting brew in as little as 30 minutes. This is one of the reasons convenience store “swill” has such a bad reputation.

Since a thermal carafe remains sealed, the rate of  evaporation of flavor compounds slows, as well as the rate of oxidation of the oils.

Also, since the brew remains unheated via a hot plate, the chance of having a burnt or scorched taste is nil.

Learn more about thermal carafes and glass pots now.

SCAA Certified Home Brewer Program

The standards set by the SCAA (in cooperation with the European Coffee Brewing Center) help consumers make conscientious and educated decisions about the purchases they make to support their home brewing efforts.

Requirements and considerations for this “SCAA Gold Cup” recommendation include factors such as volume, brewing temperature, brewing time, beverage preparation, uniformity of extraction, uniformity of performance, beverage clarity, holding receptacle/temperature, and operating manuals/instructional materials.

As noted on our coffee maker category page, ten home coffee brewers currently grace the list but this changes every so often. As the association does testing on the machines quarterly, they may be added throughout the calendar year.

Reviews and Recommendations

It should be noted that brewing a great cup  requires more than just a fancy brewer.

If you have a great coffee maker but fill it with old, cheap grounds and let it sit on a hot burner for an hour or two, your extraction is not going to taste great – or even good, for that matter.

In addition to your home brewer, you really need a countertop coffee grinder—preferably a burr grinder. Start with freshly roasted coffee beans, grind them immediately prior to brewing (NOT the night before!), and use clean water. If your tap water is full of unpleasant elements, be sure to filter it first or use bottled water.

With these simple modifications to your routine, you can ensure that every cup you brew at home is as tasty as what you would get in a gourmet cafe.

Here, we’ll take a look at eight more of our favorite brewers; many of which are on the SCAA list:

The Bonavita 8-Cup BV1900TS: A Space Saving Design

Simple, clean brewing is the name of the game with this Bonavita 8-cup brewer. This little guy brews a great tasting cup by making use of several features approved by the SCAA.

Bonavita BV1900TS 8-Cup Carafe Coffee Brewer in Stainless Steel

You get one-touch brewing without a lot of decisions to make, and a stainless steel lined thermal carafe keeps your great-tasting brew warm for about an hour.

The size and simplicity of this 8-cup home coffee brewer make it perfect for those who want a great tasting cup without a lot of fuss.

Features:

• Pre-infusion “bloom” phase to remove the CO2 from freshly roasted beans.
• 12-hole showerhead to evenly saturate the grounds (can be removed to clean).
• Filter basket has flat bottom for uniform extraction.
• One-touch brewing for ease of use.
• Stainless steel lined thermal carafe to keep liquids warm for an hour.
• Automatic shutoff.
• Dishwasher safe elements.
• BPA free.

Bonavita’s 8-cup model comes in affordably at around $150, and has a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Read our complete review or check it out on Amazon now.

KitchenAid Pour Over KCM0802: Great for Brewing a Cup or a Pot

This pot by KitchenAid was designed to mimic a manual, hand-made pour over brew by using pulsating intervals to pour the water over the grounds for a more even extraction.

KitchenAid KCM0802OB Pour Over Coffee Brewer in Onyx Black

This one has a few more features than the average SCAA certified brewer, including a progress bar so that the user can follow each step of the process. Quite a few color options are available for this model, including Empire Red, Onyx Black, Contour Silver, and Medallion Silver, making it a favorite of those who want their brewer to match their kitchen décor.

Many of the SCAA certified brewers allow for some variation of the cup size, but make it impossible to brew just one cup (technically, 2 measuring cups full).

This one allows you to select between 2 and 8 cups, giving flexibility and causing less waste. It does has some digital features that may be confusing at first, but are simple once you take a few minutes to learn about them.

Unlike the top rated Behmor Brazen Plus, which lets you simply select you desired water temperature to specifically dial in a roast or origin, this model make you go through a few gyrations.

First, you specify the type of coffee (light, medium, dark roast) and how many cups are being brewed. This controls the amount and temperature of water that the machine will use. We prefer the added control afforded by the Brazen.

Features:

• Pre-infusion “bloom” feature.
• Two brew setting temperatures (the usefulness of this feature is questionable).
• Serving size selector.
• Pulse Brew feature mimics the intervals used in a hand-made pour over.
• Programmable timer (which shouldn’t be used if you want great-tasting coffee).
• Brew Pause allows you to interrupt the brewing cycle to pour a cup.
• Available in multiple colors (four at the time of this writing).

At the more affordable end of the SCAA selections while offering plenty of features, KitchenAid offers a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Read our in-depth review or find out what others are saying on Amazon.

OXO On Barista Brain 12-Cup: Great for Both Coffee and Tea Drinkers

Intelligent brewing at its finest, this is more than just a larger version of the OXO 9-cup. The Barista Brain 12-cup has a removable carafe that allows you to heat your water separately, in case you have a tea lover in your life!

OXO On Barista Brain 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Removable Kettle

The internal water scale, precise temperature control, and intelligent microprocessor all allow for a controlled brewing cycle that produces a fine cup every time.

The OXO 12-cup has the cool feature of being able to heat water in an attached kettle that is separate from the coffee brewer and thermal carafe. The ability to precisely dial in water temperature is required to get the best nuances out of pricey teas.

Features:

• Temperature precision.
• Rainmaker™ showerhead for even soaking and extraction.
• Vacuum insulated double wall carafe.
• Removable 12-cup carafe.
• Coffee/Tea Cup selection.
• Pre-soak cycle for “blooming.”
• Brew 4-12 cups at a time.

The OXO Barista Brain 12-cup is at the higher end of the price range but you must remember, a comparable separate kettle would be an extra $100 or so.

Read our complete review or see what all the fuss is about on Amazon.

The Technivorm Moccamaster: The Best Quality Construction

This unit is the high end model that gives consumers the most options for how they want to brew their java juice. Customizable based on which type of carafe you desire with various shape and color choices, this brewer comes with a top-of-the-line 5-year warranty.

Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe in Polished Silver, available from Amazon

Hand built in the Netherlands and featuring precise brewing temperature, the spray head and ease of use place this model at the high end of the home brewing machines.

Also, all of the Technivorm products are created in environmentally sustainable factories and are recyclable.

Features:

• Multiple carafe choices.
• Multiple color choices.
• Brewing temperature from 198-205°F.
• Shower spray head with nine holes.
• Pulse brewing for precise flavor extraction.
• Brew half or full carafe.

Coming in at the higher range of the SCAA certified brewers and in six different 10-cup models and two 15-cup models, the Technivorm is a high end  brewer with a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty – the best in the industry.

Read our complete review or check prices and customer comments on Amazon now!

Cuisinart PurePrecision CPO-800/850 Pour Over

One of the newest additions to the SCAA certified list, the Cuisinart PurePrecision Pour Over brewer packs a lot of features for a reasonable price.

Cuisinart CPO-850 Pour Over Coffee Brewer Thermal Carafe, Stainless Steel

It’s a very modern design brimming with sleek stainless covering and a bright LCD display.

Unlike most other brewers, the Cuisinart PurePrecision is equipped with a charcoal filter. This not only improves the taste, it prevents buildup within the brewing chamber.

Features:

• Flavor Strength Controls: mild, medium, and bold.
• Temperature Controls: hot and extra hot.
• Dimensions: 14.5” wide x 13.75” high x 9.5” deep.
• Unit Weight: 10.2 pounds.
• Capacity: About 8 cups (64 oz).

Cuisinart CPO-800 Pour Over Coffee Brewer Glass Carafe, Clear

Although the Cuisinart PurePrecision has variable temperature controls, it only includes hot and extra hot, unlike the Behmor offering.

This model is available with either a glass carafe or a stainless thermal carafe.

It should be mentioned that the earliest production runs of this model had leaky thermal carafes, but this  issue appears to have been fixed within the production run.

Read our complete review or check prices and customer reviews on Amazon now! 

Cuisinart DCC-3400 12-Cup Programmable

The Cusinart DCC-3400 is a newer offering that has added a thermal carafe to the otherwise well regarded DCC-3200 14-Cup Glass Carafe Programmable model that we named as our number one pick for most households.

Cuisinart DCC-3400 12-Cup Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker

It’s a good quality machine but lacks adjustability – which is a good thing for those that just want a solid cup without a lot extra settings to contend with.

This is one of the few “regular” household models that heat water up adequately to proper brewing temperatures, has a shower head design, and can brewer smaller batches at full strength.

It also includes on board charcoal filtration.

Features:

• Thermal carafe that allows liquids to remain hot and flavorful.
• Brewing temperatures of 200°F.
• 1-4 cup setting.
• Shower head style nozzle that provides even coverage of all the grounds.
• Extended extraction time with the “Bold” mode to allow for more intense flavors.
• Easy to use controls.
• Charcoal filter to purge impurities that affect taste and cause scale.
• 24-hour program mode to set future brew time.

However, it does have a few issues (which precluded it from garnering our #1 spot). The thermal carafe is a bit funky in that you must turn it nearly vertically to get about 1/3 of the pot to drain, and the lip of the carafe is ill-designed and can cause splashing.

If these issues aren’t bothersome to you, then the DCC-3400 may be a serious contender for your household or office use.

Read our full review or check prices and customer reviews on Amazon now!

Bunn Programmable Heat N’ Brew HB

The Bunn Heat N’ Brew is one of the newest offerings on the SCAA list of certified brewers.

A lot of engineering has gone into this model, using what Bunn calls its “Heat & Release Technology,” which uses a digital thermometer to reach an ideal speed of 88 MPH… err, 197.6°F prior to releasing the piping hot water into the grounds via the lime-resistant spray head.

Once the brew chamber is fully flooded, the water remains immersed in the grounds for just the right amount of time.

This is unlike many conventional models that just pass the water through the grounds and into the pot with no time given for the grounds to fully release their flavor compounds.

The results are a deep and rich, full-bodied cup with all the nuances that the beans’ origin and roast profile can provide.

A flux capacitor is not included.

• 10-cup capacity is a good “average” size.
• Steeping temperature of 197.6°F.
• Lime-resistant multi-orifice spray showerhead to fully soak grounds.
• Programmable automatic mode for delayed brewing.
• Easy to use digital touch controls with intuitive settings.
• Golden Cup certified by the SCAA.
• Faster than many other SCAA models, a fresh pot can be had in 6-10 minutes.
• Drip-free carafe works like a champ, with all liquids arcing away from the pot rather than dribbling down it.
• Decent value; not insanely pricey.

Although we’d love to see this model come with a thermal carafe, this one is still a great contender and has the potential to move up our list of recommendations after more testing.

Read our full review or purchase directly from Bunn.

Zojirushi EC-YSC100 Fresh Brew Plus

This is another decent option with 200°F brewing capabilities along with a well designed shower head delivery system. The buttons are large and laid out in a logical manner. The included thermal carafe is well designed (unlike so many others) and easily pours into your cup.

Zojirushi EC-YSC100 Fresh Brew Plus Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

Unlike most other coffee makers, this one has a removable water reservoir that makes filling it very convenient. No more pulling out the appliance from under the cabinets so you can fill from the top.

The filter basket also rides on a hinged arm, which makes access quite convenient.

Features:

• Easy to use; buttons are intuitive.
• One of the best thermal carafe designs with NO issues (a rarity).
• Super awesome removable water reservoir with easy-to-read markings.
• Pull out filter basket means the machine can stay UNDER the cabinets.
• 200°F water temps and shower spray head.

Coffee made with this model tastes as it should. It’s well thought out and the ergonomics are well designed.

So why didn’t this one rank higher? Too many reports of overflows from the hopper. This is most likely related to a small rubber O-ring that fits on the valve leading to the carafe.

It either pops out of place or gets jammed with grounds. The basket then backs up and causes an overflow of hot water and grounds onto the countertop.

There are also many reports of the machine leaking from the bottom after 4 to 6 months of use, and many customers report slow responses from Zojirushi support.

One other small quirk is that the notification beeps cannot to be turned off.

Read our full review or check prices and customer reviews on Amazon now!

The Final Drip

If you are a java junky like we are, you’ll undoubtedly be happy with most of these brewing systems, and we hope this guide has proven to be useful.

So, have you decided on the perfect model for you? If not, revisit our suggested models or check out all of our coffee maker reviews now. And be sure to let us know in the comments if you have any questions or other concerns.

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