Remember the days when your morning coffee ritual consisted of dumping a few spoonfuls of freeze-dried instant into a mug? We assume you’re shuddering at the painful memory. Well, wake up and smell the good news: Thanks to huge innovations in coffee-tech, you can now enjoy barista-standard coffee at home.
You’ll probably be aware that specialty coffee has developed a committed following of impassioned experts, much like wine sommeliers.
There’s now a whole world of excellent coffee makers out there. From drip to cold brew and everything in between, we’ve got your caffeine fix, fixed.
There are two types of coffee drinkers in this world:
The black coffee types (maybe with milk or cream on an indulgent day), and the white-chocolate-flat-white-mochaccino-almond-milk-vanilla-syrup types.
Whichever category you fall into (and there are no judgments here), we have the perfect coffee maker for you. You’re now free to indulge in elaborate multi-hyphenated hot beverages or a refreshingly simple black coffee con leche.
Consider yourself clued up on coffee, fluent in flat white, an expert on espresso (okay, you get the idea), or you simply enjoy the buzz?
Either way, we’ve constructed the ultimate guide to the best, top-rated coffee makers on the market this year, so you can shop with certainty:
Not a coffee drinker? Discover the best coffee alternatives for your morning ritual.
The best coffee makers
Here is our shortlist of the best coffee makers right now.
1. Breville the Barista Express Espresso: Best overall coffee maker
- Capacity
- 67 oz water tank
- Materials
- Stainless steel
- Brews with
- Whole beans
The Barista Express Espresso machine by Breville will have you expertly extracting rich black espresso with the perfect crema in no time. Featuring dose-control grinding, hands-free operation and a great steamer for micro-foam milk texturing, it pretty much has it all.
If you didn’t know, micro-foam milk allows you to create latte art, ensuring that only the most aesthetically pleasing coffees are served at your home. You can also adjust the setting to double espresso shots for those mornings.
However, the best is yet to be served. This machine grinds your beans right before you extract your espresso, which is the bonafide best way to get the freshest coffee. Freshly ground coffee is super important for optimal taste, so this is an excellent feature.
We’ve rated this the best overall at-home coffee maker because of its user-friendly yet versatile settings. Plus, it’ll look great on your kitchen counter.
Check price: Breville the Barista Express Espresso: Best overall coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Great deals
2. Moccamaster KBG Coffee Brewer: Best drip coffee maker
- Capacity
- 10 cups
- Carafe
- Glass
Drip coffee is like the cooler, more understated little sister of the more complex grind-and-brew machines. This drip coffee maker by Moccamaster KBG Coffee Brewer has an abundance of helpful features to help you make the best coffee, every time.
One of our favorite quirks of this model is that it has an automatic drip-stop brew basket that stops the flow of coffee when the carafe is pulled away. Furthermore, you can adjust the hot plate from 80 to 85 degrees so you can enjoy your coffee at your preferred temperature. Nifty.
You can brew over a liter pot of coffee in just six minutes. They promise a ‘unique hot plate’ which rolls heat, ensuring that each cup has an even taste (if you’ve ever suffered the misfortune of the last cup of a drip coffee carafe, you’ll understand).
For these reasons, we’ve rated the KBG Coffee Brewer as the best drip coffee maker.
Check price: Moccamaster KBG Coffee Brewer: Best drip coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Huge selection
3. Café Specialty Drip: Best smart drip coffee maker
- Capacity
- 10 cups
- Carafe
- Glass
- Filter style
- Cone
- Materials
- Glass
- Brews with
- Ground coffee
- SCA Certified Brewer
- Yes
An excellent cup of coffee is about more than just sourcing the best coffee beans—as important as that is—it’s also about finding the best coffee makers. As our best smart drip coffee maker, we’re particularly partial towards this one by Cafe. And according to our Insta feeds and Reddit reviews, so are all the other high-tech coffee aficionados.
Customizable and wi-fi enabled, Cafe’s drip coffee maker can be voice-controlled from anywhere in your kitchen. While the auto brew feature allows you to wake up to a steamy, personalized cup of coffee the minute your alarm goes off. Struggle not to hit snooze? This programmable coffee maker is the antidote to climbing out of bed.
Check price: Café Specialty Drip: Best smart drip coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Shop with confidence
4. Braun BrewSense: Best value coffee maker
- Capacity
- 12 cups
- Carafe
- Glass
- Filter style
- Flat bottom
- Materials
- Stainless steel
- Brews with
- Ground coffee
- SCA Certified Brewer
- No
A Braun brew tastes (almost) like some of the most expensive coffees in the world—but without the exorbitant price tag. Acclaimed as being the best value drip coffee maker, the smart design is sleek and elegant. While high tech programmable features make acquiring that much-needed caffeine kick a lot more convenient.
Braun’s Brewsense coffee maker may be more affordable than most. But you could never tell by the quality of coffee. The gold-tone filter only allows essential oils to reach your cup, enhancing the boldness of the brew. And charcoal filters purify the water. We dare you to invite the biggest coffee nerd you know around for an espresso and watch them rave—as only a true coffee nerd can.
Check price: Braun BrewSense: Best value coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Fast delivery on many items
5. OXO Barista Brain: Best programmable coffee maker
- Capacity
- 9 cups
- Carafe
- The double-wall stainless steel thermal carafe
- Filter style
- Cone
- Materials
- Stainless Steel
- Brews with
- Ground coffee
- SCA Certified Brewer
- Yes
Why would you want to drink the exact same coffee as the guy next door? You need something personalized to your specific taste buds. Hence the beauty of the fully programmable OXO drip coffee maker, a top contender for the best home coffee maker.
By means of just a single dial, you can set a wake-up timer to get the brewing started while you’re still hitting the snooze button in bed. You can also choose the amount of coffee you want to brew. Then there’s a double-wall thermal carafe made from insulated stainless steel, great for keeping your coffee at the perfect temperature.
Not convinced that this is the best programmable coffee maker around? Don’t take our word for it. This OXO machine has been SCA-Certified, and recognized as an exemplary home brewer by the Speciality Coffee Association.
Best for: A coffee customized to your unique brew preferences.
Check price: OXO Barista Brain: Best programmable coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Millions of products
6. Cuisinart DGB-900: Best grind and brew coffee maker
- Capacity
- 12 cups
- Carafe
- Double-wall insulated stainless steel thermal carafe
- Filter style
- Reusable, Cone
- Materials
- Stainless Steel
- Brews with
- Whole beans
- SCA Certified Brewer
- No
If you’ve got limited surface space but refuse to compromise when it comes to coffee, then you need a multi-functional coffee maker with grinder. We’ve found just the one.
This Cuisinart drip coffee machine is the best grind and brew coffee maker out there. As any coffee connoisseur knows, nothing beats freshly ground beans straight from a burr grinder and this machine offers just that. It grinds your beans automatically before starting the brewing process. You just need to choose how much you want to grind (2 to 12 cups).
You can also choose the right coffee strength (strong, medium, or mild). Plus, this Cuisinart coffee machine even features a charcoal water filter to remove impurities—because water quality is just as important as bean quality when it comes to a masterfully made cup of coffee.
As the coffee maker reviews confirm, this is one of the best home coffee makers around thanks to its durability, convenience, and power to deliver the best tasting coffee. If you prefer to grind your beans separately, check our round-up of the best coffee grinders on the market.
Best for: Double brewing bang for your buck.
Check price: Cuisinart DGB-900: Best grind and brew coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Easy returns on most items
7. Breville Precision Brewer: Best coffee maker with thermal carafe
- Capacity
- 7.5 cups
- Carafe
- Thermal
- Filter style
- Flat bottom and cone
- Materials
- Stainless steel
- Brews with
- Ground coffee
- SCA Certified Brewer
- Yes
If you’re yet to master the art of French pressing, we say ditch the plunger and get acquainted with this drip coffee maker. The thermal carafe keeps your coffee hot for hours after your morning brew. The customizable settings allow you to tailor-make your cup to your exact preferences. While the automatic preset adjusts the temperature and brew time to ensure the best brewing practices.
Dual filter baskets allow you to choose between flat bottom filters and cone filters. And Breville’s patented Steep & Release technology allows you to brew small cups at a time. Plus, this programmable Breville coffee maker can be set in advance to prepare a cup just when you need it.
Check price: Breville Precision Brewer: Best coffee maker with thermal carafe at Amazonat Amazon · Great deals
8. Capresso MT600 Plus: Best coffee maker for convenience
- Capacity
- 10 cups
- Carafe
- Stainless steel thermal
- Filter style
- Permanent gold-tone cone
For ultimate control, the Capresso 485.05 MT600 Plus 10-cup coffee maker, complete with a thermal carafe, could be a good option. With a gold-tone filter, this model promises to eliminate the need for paper filters, saving you time and hassle.
That’s not all, though. The in-built water filter is a handy little feature (purer water= better coffee) and the soft-touch controls with a clock/timer make the programming super easy. Set the timer to your usual wake-up time, and you can literally wake up to freshly brewed coffee. No effort required.
If you thought it couldn’t get more user-friendly, the stainless steel heating system ensures your coffee is always brewed at the perfect temperature.
So, if you have a penchant for convenience, the Capresso could be the coffee maker you’re looking for.
Check price: Capresso MT600 Plus: Best coffee maker for convenience at Amazonat Amazon · Huge selection
9. Minimal Precision Stainless Steel Pour-Over Stand: Best minimalist coffee maker
Sometimes in this hectic world, we just want simplicity. The Precision Pour-Over Coffee Stand and accompanying coffee grinder by Minimal is the perfect combination of style and simplicity.
Although there are plenty of minimalist-ish coffee makers on the market, the Minimal set breaks the mold with its pure, elegant design. Not out of place in the offices of a Silicon Valley tech start-up, it will supply refreshing modernity to your kitchen too.
The stainless steel pour-over stand is easy to assemble and clean up. The revolutionary filter system design ensures every cup is precisely brewed. The coffee grinder is beautiful and feels solid in hand.
The entire set is entirely built with stainless steel and durable aluminum. You won’t find any plastic here.
Minimal has seriously impressed us with their attention to detail, super-chic design and ease of use and cleaning. So, we’ve rated the pour-over stand and grinder as the best minimalist coffee maker on the market this year.
Exclusive Offer: Luxe Digital’s readers enjoy 20% off when shopping on Minimal. Use the code coffee20 at checkout.
Check price: Minimal Precision Stainless Steel Pour-Over Stand: Best minimalist coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Shop with confidence
10. De’Longhi Magnifica Automatic Bean-to-Cup: Most popular coffee machine
- Capacity
- 60 oz water tank
- Brews with
- Whole beans or ground coffee
Thought making cappuccino at home was the logistical equivalent to solving world hunger? Think again. With the Magnifica Automatic Bean-to-Cup coffee machine by De’Longhi, you can foam your milk to your precise preference. Dry cappuccino? No problem. Flat white? Done. Don’t care? That’s fine too!
This elegant model could be the new coffee machine you’ve been dreaming of. It has seven grind settings to ensure the perfect extraction and even cleans itself automatically.
It’s a good choice if you like a sleek appearance, a variety of options and total control over your cup. With all those great features, it’s not surprising that it’s the most popular.
Check price: De’Longhi Magnifica Automatic Bean-to-Cup: Most popular coffee machine at Amazonat Amazon · Fast delivery on many items
11. De’Longhi All-in-One Combination: Best all-in-one coffee maker
- Capacity
- 10 cups
- Carafe
- Glass
- Filter style
- Reusable
- Materials
- Stainless steel, glass
- Brews with
- Ground coffee
- SCA Certified Brewer
- No
If you’re the kind of person who likes an espresso on Mondays, a frothy cappuccino on Tuesday, and a luxuriously milky latte on the weekend, you need a coffee machine that can do it all. The De’ Longhi is that machine.
Use this coffee maker to create a rich and creamy froth for your cappuccinos. Enjoy water filtered by carbon for a fresher and better tasting brew. And take advantage of the large water reservoir when guests come over and want one of your famously professional coffees.
Other advantages to this De’ Longhi coffee maker? The 24-hour digital timer, the auto shut-off feature, the brew-pause feature so you can pour whenever you’re ready, and the warming plate for your cups.
Best for: The ultimate multitasking coffee machine.
Check price: De’Longhi All-in-One Combination: Best all-in-one coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Millions of products
12. Bella One Scoop One Cup: Best single-serve coffee maker
- Capacity
- 1 cup
- Filter style
- Permanent
- Brews with
- Ground coffee
Bella Housewares have struck a good balance of stylish and utilitarian with their One Scoop One Cup coffee maker. The one-touch operated single-serve coffee maker includes a reusable permanent filter— a handy feature we’ve come to expect from any worthy coffee machine.
Aside from being space-saving and energy efficient, the adjustable drip tray means that this neat little machine can make more than just coffee. The quick-brewing technology allows you to enjoy tea, coffee, or anything that requires hot water in seconds.
Bella’s whole philosophy is simplifying your kitchen needs, and their useful single-serve coffee maker certainly hits the nail on the head.
Therefore, a combination of attractive design and straightforward use means the Bella One Scoop One Cup coffee maker deserves our rating as the best single-serve coffee maker on the market.
Check price: Bella One Scoop One Cup: Best single-serve coffee maker at Amazonat Amazon · Easy returns on most items
13. Nespresso Vertuo Plus Special Edition by Breville: Best coffee maker for speed
Nespresso is synonymous with home coffee makers. In line with their bonafide reputation, the Nespresso Vertuo Plus makes great coffee fast. The single-serve mechanism allows you to choose between espresso, double espresso, and gran lungo (‘americano’ to us).
It takes 40 seconds for the water to heat, so it could be perfect if you’re always on the go. There’s also an auto-off mode after 9 minutes of non-use. Using the popular Nespresso capsules, there’s no need for a grinder. So, if you’re a combination of both very busy and very forgetful, this coffee maker was literally made for you.
We’ve allocated this model as the best coffee maker for speed because it’s quick, compact, and convenient.
Check price: Nespresso Vertuo Plus Special Edition by Breville: Best coffee maker for speed at Amazonat Amazon · Great deals
14. Ratio Six: Best looking coffee maker for beginners
- Capacity
- 8 cups
- Carafe
- Thermal
- Filter style
- Flat bottom
- Materials
- Stainless steel
- Brews with
- Ground coffee
- SCA Certified Brewer
- Yes
Like any life partner, looks aren’t the first thing we look for, but they certainly help—especially when it comes to your kitchen’s aesthetic. Enter: the Ratio Six home coffee maker. It looks just as good as the coffee it makes. And if you’ve tasted a cup made by this stellar machine, you’ll know that’s saying something.
Designed in Portland—home to many meticulous coffee connoisseurs—the stainless steel drip coffee maker is sleek and simple to use. With just one button, the machine’s Bloom, Brew, and Ready phases run in perfect succession. While the precise water flow simulates an expert barista’s pour. Place this scintillating coffee maker beside our best tea brands at your next tea party, and we promise no one will notice the cake flop.
Check price: Ratio Six: Best looking coffee maker for beginners at Amazonat Amazon · Huge selection
15. Oxo Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Best coffee maker for cold brew
- Capacity
- 32 oz
- Filter style
- Reusable stainless steel mesh
If the idea of cold brew is new to you, the Oxo Good Grips Cold Brew coffee maker could be a great starting point. Who knows, you might never go back. The cold-brew coffee maker (which can also make hot-brew) produces smooth, low-acid coffee in the carafe. Which, by the way, boasts a handy silicone seal to keep it fresh in the fridge.
With an automatic drip-stop when the carafe is removed, you’ll save yourself time cleaning the otherwise inevitable spillages.
While cold-brew coffee does take longer (i.e, a minimum of 12 hours soaking time), some consider it more flavorsome than hot-brew. While the jury’s still out, try it for yourself!
We’ve rated Oxo Cold Brew as the best cold brew coffee maker available. It’s clean, sleek, and interchangeable from hot to cold brew.
Check price: Oxo Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Best coffee maker for cold brew at Amazonat Amazon · Shop with confidence
How to find the right coffee maker for you: What makes a good coffee maker?
Honestly, what constitutes a good coffee maker really depends on what you’re looking for:
For drip coffee makers
Being able to tell the difference between a flat white and a latte is one thing, but being able to determine which of the top rated coffee machines is best is a whole other ball game. From the carafe type to the meaning behind “SCA-approved,” here is all you need to know about how to choose from the best coffee machines.
Water temperature and brew time
The best coffee makers use the right water temperature and brew time to consistently deliver the best tasting coffee. Some also offer the option to adjust the settings to get the flavor exactly how you want it depending on your coffee style.
Carafe
Hot plate? Or thermal carafe? The carafe you choose isn’t as simple as aesthetics. A glass carafe usually sits on a hot plate to keep it warm while the coffee brews. However, once the coffee is made, the coffee maker turns off, along with the hot plate. This means that you have to drink the coffee soon after it has been made as it will not stay hot for much longer.
A thermal carafe, on the other hand, can keep the coffee hot for hours after it has been made without continuing to extract grounds as it does in a French Press. This means that your second cup and third cup for the day are ready and waiting for you to drink any moment that you get a break.
Carafe capacity
Most drip coffee makers have a carafe capacity of 4, 10, 12 or 14 cups. Which one you choose will depend on how many coffee drinkers there are in your household—or how many cups of coffee you enjoy in the mornings. If in doubt, err on the larger side as you don’t always have to fill it all the way up.
Filter style
Ok, coffee nerds, we know that you’ve already researched the different filter styles, but allow us to explain to the newbies here. Without getting too technical, the shape of the filter affects the degree of extraction (or the TDS—total dissolved solids.)
A flat-bottom filter shape produces coffee with a lower TDS and yields sweeter notes such as honey, florals and fruits. A cone filter shape produces coffee with a higher TDS and yields darker, earthier notes such as umami, berries and cocoa. Apart from coffee flavor, cone filters work well with medium-fine grind sizes, while flat-bottom filters work with all grind sizes, allowing for more freedom.
Pausing capabilities
Pausing capabilities? Does this really matter? It does if you’re used to making coffee on the run. A drip coffee maker takes approximately five minutes to fill a carafe. And while this takes a whole lot quicker than running down to your local cafe, you may not want to wait to fill a full carafe before receiving your caffeine kick. In this case, the ability to pause mid-brew won’t go unnoticed. The ability to pause mid-brew allows you to pause the machine to fill your cup before it resumes brewing.
Water filter
Water is one of the most overlooked factors in an excellent coffee. Not only does it affect the longevity of your machine, but it reacts with the caffeic acids and can have a huge impact on flavor. This is why choosing a coffee maker with a water filter is so important. Water filters remove unwanted components in your brewing water for the best alkalinity levels. Charcoal water filters are acclaimed for producing even better-tasting water, but regular filters work well too.
Additional features
- Programmable - many drip coffee makers can be programmed to start brewing at a certain time.
- Customizable - the best home coffee makers will allow you to customize the strength of the brew according to your personal tastes.
- Brew-pause - if you can’t wait until the machine has finished brewing before drinking, look for a machine that allows you to pause mid-brew.
- Automatic keep-warm - if you want your coffee to brew and then stay warm while you finish your morning routine, it’s worth looking for a machine with a keep-warm button or hot plate.
- Automatic shut-off - this feature means the machine turns off after a certain period of being idle, ensuring the coffee maker is safe while also saving energy.
- Built-in grinder - freshly ground beans help to create a richer and smoother-tasting coffee. If you don’t already have a coffee grinder, consider getting a machine that automatically grinds the beans before brewing.
- Built-in water filter - some top rated coffee makers feature carbon filters to remove impurities from the water for an even more flavourful coffee.
- Milk frother - if you enjoy a cappuccino or latte from time to time, you might want a machine that comes with an in-built milk frother or steamer.
SCA certified
What does SCA certified mean? SCA stands for Speciality Coffee Association. And all coffee makers deemed SCA-approved meet the association’s rigorous technical requirements. This includes the perfect water temperature, brewing time and the ability to brew the Golden Cup. In short, if your coffee maker is SCA-certified, you know that a lifetime of excellent coffee awaits.
Ease of use
Obviously, the more functions a coffee maker has, the more complex it is to use. If you plan to be making a coffee in the mornings when you’re in a rush, you want a machine that’s simple and straightforward to use, with minimum buttons. The best home coffee makers make brewing coffee effortless.
Ease of cleaning
How easy is it to remove certain parts of the machine to clean it? Are any features specifically designed to make the process less messy, such as a carafe with a no-drip design?
Prop tip: Buy whole beans and grind coffee right before you brew
The essential oils are released during the grinding process. Therefore, to capture the full freshness of those aromatics and the natural complexity of the beans, we recommend buying whole beans and grinding them just before you brew.
For bean to cup/grind and brew coffee makers
Arguably the most authentic method for home coffee making, the grind and brew coffee makers closely resemble the kind you’d find at your local cafe (although considerably smaller). Thus, the following components are imperative for an all-round good coffee maker:
- Built-in, adjustable grinder. Coffee grinders are very sensitive and can fluctuate depending on factors such as humidity and temperature. It’s important to regularly adjust the grinder to make sure it stays at an optimal level.
- High pressure. Each coffee machine should state its pressure capability. High pressure is hugely important for ensuring the espresso is extracted properly. Too high, and you’ll have a slow extraction resulting in bitter, sour espresso. Too low, and you’ll be faced with a weak, watery espresso. The standard is 15 bars for home coffee makers.
- Tamper. This is a hand-held manual pressing device which is used to press the coffee into the coffee handle. Ideally, you want an even ‘tamp’, applying roughly the pressure of a firm handshake, leaving no cracks in the coffee granules. This is important because if there are cracks present, the water will just fall through and you’ll be left with a disappointingly watery espresso with no crema.
- Self-cleaning and water filtration system. For obvious reasons. No one likes cleaning.
- Auto-off mode. Many coffee makers have technology whereby they will automatically turn off after a set amount of no usage. Better for the environment and safer for your home.
- Milk frother. While not imperative, this is desirable if you’re looking to create a variety of coffees at home. Without one, you’ll struggle to form the appropriate consistency for most drinks, from flat whites to cappuccino.
Frequently asked questions about coffee makers
What is the best coffee maker to buy for home use?
Which coffee maker makes the best tasting coffee?
What is the best coffee maker?
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