We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world (
In addition to providing caffeine, it contains over 1,000 bioactive compounds, some of which have been shown to have beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (
For many people, drinking coffee is a regular part of their morning routine. While some prefer to buy their coffee from a shop, making coffee at home is less expensive and gives you more control over its flavor and strength.
Along with buying good quality beans, the type of coffee maker you use significantly affects the final quality of your morning brew.
The products on the list were evaluated based on ease of use, dependability, and the quality of the coffee they make.
Whether you prefer to use an automatic drip machine or manual pour-over method, here are the 22 best coffee makers for every purpose.
A note on price
General price ranges with dollar signs ($ to $$$) are indicated below. One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher price range.
Pricing guide:
- $ = under $100
- $$ = $100–$200
- $$$ = over $200
Drip coffee refers to coffee that’s brewed in an automatic coffee maker that drips hot water over ground coffee beans. The coffee passes through a filter and into a carafe, which is typically situated on a hot plate to keep the coffee warm.
When shopping for a drip coffee maker, some factors to consider include the brew temperature (the temperature of the water can greatly affect the flavor of your coffee), brew time, volume of coffee it can make, and how long it keeps the coffee hot.
If you prefer to wake up to your coffee all ready to go, you’ll want to look for a machine with programmable options.
1. Best overall: Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
Price: $
Ninja’s 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker is the overall best pick for a drip coffee maker, as it has the standard settings you would expect from a coffee maker and gets rave reviews for the quality of coffee it makes.
To ensure the best flavor, this Ninja coffee maker maintains a constant temperature throughout the brewing process, evenly saturates the beans using their Ninja XL Showerhead, and blooms the coffee beans before brewing.
Blooming refers to the processes of pre-wetting the coffee beans, which helps release their carbon dioxide gasses, before adding the rest of the water. This step makes it easier for the water to extract their flavors, resulting in a more flavorful cup.
In addition to a 24-hour programmable delay for preparing your brew in advance, it has an option to brew coffee in small 1- to 4-cup (237- to 946-mL) batches for when you don’t plan on making a full 12-cup (2.8-liter) pot.
Other features include a mid-brew pause to allow you to pour a cup before all of the coffee has been brewed, 4-hour warming plate, cleaning cycle, water tank that doesn’t need to be refilled each time, and 1-year warranty.
Shop for the Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker online.
2. Best luxury option: Technivorm Moccamaster 59616 KBG Coffee Brewer
Price: $$$
Significantly more expensive than most other coffee makers on this list, the Technivorm Moccamaster is the best option for true coffee connoisseurs.
Handmade in the Netherlands, this coffee maker is elegantly designed. It’s also approved by the Specialty Coffee Association and European Coffee Brewing Center for the quality of the coffee it brews.
Especially if you spend extra for high quality beans, the Technivorm gets great reviews for bringing out their flavor by using a copper heating element to bring the water up to the proper temperature quickly and keeping it consistent throughout brewing.
It also uses a 9-holed showerhead to fully saturate the coffee beans and extract as much flavor as it can. Plus, it does all this in just 6 minutes.
The Technivorm Moccamaster can make up to 5 cups (1.2 liters) of coffee at a time, is easy to use, and has an automatic shutoff for safety. Plus, it comes with a 5-year warranty.
Shop for the Technivorm Moccamaster 59616 KBG Coffee Brewer online.
3. Best budget-friendly option: Hamilton Beach Programmable Coffee Maker
Price: $
If you’re looking for a no-frills, budget-friendly coffee maker, the Hamilton Beach Programmable Coffee Maker is your best option.
It has two features that are often missing from cheaper coffee makers — a programmable clock to schedule your brew time and brew strength in advance, as well as a 2-hour automatic shutoff for safety.
While it doesn’t have some of the same features as more expensive models when it comes to how the beans are brewed, it still produces a smooth cup of coffee. However, some reviewers complain that the coffee could be hotter.
The Hamilton Beach Programmable Coffee Maker comes with a 1-year warranty.
Shop for the Hamilton Beach Programmable Coffee Maker online.
4. Best large volume coffee maker: Salton FC1667 14 Cup Coffee Maker
Price: $
Whether your household goes through a lot of coffee in the morning or you’re buying a coffee maker for a small office, the Salton FC1667 is your best option.
Making up to 14 cups (3.3 liters) at a time, the Salton is an inexpensive option that gets great reviews for being easy to pour and producing a good cup of coffee.
While it has a programmable option, this machine doesn’t have a lot of additional features, making it a good option for individuals looking for a basic, good quality coffee maker.
The Salton Coffee Maker comes with a 2-year warranty.
Shop for the Salton FC1667 14 Cup Coffee Maker online.
5. Best thermal: Cuisinart Stainless Steel Thermal Coffeemaker
Price: $$
If you prefer to sip on your coffee throughout the morning, a thermal carafe will help keep your beverage hotter for longer. One of the best options on the market is the Cuisinart Stainless Steel Thermal Coffeemaker.
Featuring a 12-cup (2.8-liter) thermal carafe, the Cuisinart Stainless Steel Thermal Coffeemaker gets great reviews for brewing coffee that stays hot for up to 4 hours in the carafe.
Plus, unlike some glass carafes on hot plates, reviewers note that the thermal carafe protects the liquid at the bottom from getting burnt.
As with other makers on this list, the Cuisinart has a 24-hour programmable delay brewing option, small-batch brewing option, automatic shutoff, and self-cleaning cycle.
The Cuisinart Stainless Steel Thermal Coffeemaker comes with a 3-year warranty.
Shop for the Cuisinart Stainless Steel Thermal Coffeemaker online.
6. Best grind and brew: GEVI 10-Cup Programmable Drip Coffee Machine
Price: $$
One way to improve the flavor of your coffee is by grinding the beans fresh just before brewing, rather than buying them pre-ground.
If you want the benefit of freshly ground beans without buying another appliance, the GEVI 10-Cup Programmable Drip Coffee Machine is one of the best grind and brew options.
The GEVI has a built-in coffee grinder, featuring eight settings to control the grind size of your beans. Additionally, you can choose between three strength settings depending on how strong you prefer your coffee.
To use the GEVI, simply set how many cups of coffee you want to make and the desired strength. The machine will then grind and brew the appropriate ratio of beans to water.
In addition to adding whole beans, the coffee maker allows you to brew pre-ground beans in case you have any that need to be used up.
The GEVI 10-Cup Programmable Drip Coffee Machine comes with a 2-year warranty.
Shop for the GEVI 10-Cup Programmable Drip Coffee Machine online.
7. Best drip coffee machine with a milk frother: Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System
Price: $$$
For a coffee maker with greater functionality, opt for the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System.
In addition to brewing hot coffee, this system can also make hot tea, iced tea, and cold brew coffee. You also have the option of 6 brew sizes, including a standard single-cup (237-mL) serving, larger travel mug, half carafe (5 cups or 1.2 liters), and full 10-cup (2.5-liter) carafe.
The machine features a fold-away milk frother that allows you to froth hot or cold milk so that you can make your own matcha tea lattes, flat whites, and lattes.
While the unit gets high reviews for flavor and ease of use, the system doesn’t have a warming plate. So, unless brewing into the thermal carafe, you may want to use an insulated mug to help keep your beverage hot.
Unlike coffee machines, espresso makers use high pressure to quickly force very hot water through finely ground beans. What results is a more concentrated shot of coffee that, when properly brewed, still has a smooth, balanced flavor.
When shopping for an espresso machine, one of the main decisions you need to make is whether to buy one that uses pods or finely ground beans.
While pods are more convenient, some individuals prefer the taste of ground beans, especially freshly ground beans.
Other factors to consider include your budget, how many shots of espresso you want to make at a time, and how much counter space you have available.
8. Best overall: Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
Price: $$$
While it comes with a hefty price tag, the Breville boasts everything you need to brew the perfect cup of espresso — minus the beans.
This includes a tamper to pack the beans into the basket evenly, built-in coffee grinder, frothing wand, frothing pitcher, and even the tools you need to clean the machine properly.
Another convenient feature is that the Breville automatically adjusts the water temperature for the proper extraction of the beans’ flavor.
You can also choose whether you’re making a single or double shot so that the grinder gives you just the right amount of ground beans.
In addition to being easy to use and customizable, reviewers praise this machine for producing a cup of espresso that’s perfectly smooth, full-bodied, and well balanced.
The frothing wand also gets great reviews for producing a micro-foam texture that allows you to create your own latte art. This model comes with a 1-year warranty.
Shop for the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine online.
9. Best espresso maker with pods: Breville Nespresso Creatista
Price: $$$
Pods are prepackaged, single-serving containers of pre-ground coffee or espresso beans and typically designed to be brand-specific. While they’re more expensive than buying whole beans, many individuals appreciate their convenience factor.
Nespresso is a company that produces its own espresso makers and pods.
While they have several models, the Breville Nespresso Creatista is one of the best options, as it combines the convenience and flavor of Nespresso’s machines and pods with Breville’s micro-foam milk technology.
Ready to start brewing in as little as 3 seconds, this machine gets great reviews for ease of use, the quality of its espresso, and customizable milk frothing temperatures. It also takes up less space on your counter than many other machines.
As for the pods, Nespresso has an expansive line of capsules, including various strengths of espresso-style beans, single-origin capsules, decaffeinated pods, and lungo capsules, which are used for making espresso with double the amount of water.
The Breville Nespresso Creatista comes with a 1-year warranty.
Shop for the Breville Nespresso Creatista online.
10. Best budget-friendly espresso maker without pods: SOWTECH Espresso Machine 3.5
Price: $
If you want to use freshly ground beans but need a more budget-friendly option, the SOWTECH Espresso Machine 3.5 is a reliable choice that comes with a lifetime warranty.
While you don’t get all the fancy features of the Breville Barista Express, you do get a unit that produces a very good cup of espresso and is compact, easy to use, and complete with a frothing wand.
However, as the unit is manual, it may require some trial and error to figure out how to get the flavor and strength just right for your preference. Some reviewers also mention that there’s a learning curve with using the frothing wand.
Some drip coffee makers are capable of making a small batch of coffee. However, if you typically only make one cup of coffee at a time, a single-cup coffee maker can be a more convenient option.
As with espresso machines, when shopping for a single-cup coffee maker, the first decision you want to make is whether you want to use pods or ground coffee. You’ll also want to consider the price and size of the unit.
11. Best single-cup coffee maker with pods: Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker
Price: $$
Keurig is a popular single-cup coffee maker brand.
Similarly to Nespresso, Keurig has a large line of pods called K-Cups. Plus, many other companies sell K-Cups, including Dunkin Donuts and Pete’s Coffee.
In addition to traditional black coffee, you can buy K-Cup varieties that are flavored and sweetened. There are also tea, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and other specialty drink options, all of which can be used in the Keurig K-Elite.
This machine brews multiple cup sizes, has settings to increase the strength and temperature of the brew, and comes with an iced setting for making cold beverages.
Reviewers also like that the unit is compact and easy to use, as well as its short brew time. The Keurig K-Elite comes with a 1-year warranty.
Shop for the Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker online.
12. Best single-cup coffee maker without pods: AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
Price: $
Popular among coffee enthusiasts around the world, the AeroPress is an inexpensive coffee press that delivers an impressively flavorful and smooth cup of coffee or espresso.
Consisting of two nested cylinders, the AeroPress method involves placing ground coffee on top of a paper filter in one of the pods and pouring hot water directly over the coffee grounds.
The second cylinder is then used like a plunger to slowly push the water through the coffee grounds and into your cup below. Ready in under 2 minutes, many find the coffee to be less acidic and bitter than other methods due to the shorter steeping and brewing times.
In addition to brewing coffee quickly, the AeroPress is easy to clean, portable, and compact. While you do need to buy filters periodically, it’s also one of the most budget-friendly options.
A French press is a coffee-brewing device in which coarsely-ground coffee beans are steeped in hot water for several minutes before a mesh plunger is pressed down to contain the grounds in the bottom of the container.
When shopping for a French press, you want to decide between a glass, plastic, or stainless steel carafe. While glass carafes are easy to clean and allow you to see how much water you’re pouring in, stainless steel carafes tend to keep the coffee hotter for longer.
Other factors to consider include how sturdy the handle is, the quality of the metal screen on the plunger, carafe volume, and your budget.
13. Best overall: Frieling French Press Coffee Maker
Price: $
The Frieling French Press Coffee Maker is the best overall choice, as it’s made with a double layer of high quality stainless steel, which the company claims is four times better at keeping your coffee piping hot, compared with glass varieties.
Inside, it has a two-stage filter system to help prevent the coffee grounds from ending up in your cup.
The Frieling French Press is available in 17-ounce (0.5-liter), 23-ounce (0.7-liter), 36-ounce (1-liter), and 40-ounce (1.2-liter) capacities. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe and comes with a 5-year warranty.
Shop for the Frieling French Press Coffee Maker online.
14. Best value: Veken French Press Coffee Maker
Price: $
For a less expensive option, the Veken French Press Coffee Maker is one of the best choices.
Available in three colors, the Veken features a glass carafe with a precise measuring line to make it easier to prepare the exact amount of coffee to meet your needs. It also has a double stainless steel filter to reduce the amount of sediment that ends up in your cup.
In addition to the press itself, the Veken comes with a frothing wand, wooden spoon for stirring, measuring spoon, cleaning brush, and four filter screens.
Pour-over coffee is a manual method of making coffee in which coffee beans are placed in a cone-shaped container with a hole in the bottom so that the brewed coffee can flow into a mug or serving container below.
To brew the coffee, hot water is slowly poured over the ground beans to extract their flavor.
As making pour-over requires precision, you also want to have a coffee grinder, gram scale, and tea kettle. Some individuals also use a thermometer to make sure the water temperature is consistent each time.
15. Best overall: Kalita Wave Pour Over Coffee Dripper
Price: $
For making a single cup of pour-over coffee, the Kalita Wave is the best overall choice, as it’s easy to use and consistently results in a full-bodied, flavorful cup.
Unlike many other pour-over makers, the Kalita Wave has a flat bottom that helps maintain a more uniform flavor extraction from the beans.
The flat bottom likewise makes it an easier pour-over maker to use, as you don’t have to be quite as precise with the timing of your pouring.
The Kalita Wave fits over most mug sizes and comes in glass, stainless steel, and ceramic models.
Shop for the Kalita Wave Pour Over Coffee Dripper online.
16. Best for making several cups at once: CHEMEX Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker
Price: $
The CHEMEX is probably the most iconic pour-over coffee maker. With its signature hourglass-shaped glass flask and wooden handle, it has an elegant design that’s also a favorite among boutique coffee shops for its full-bodied, clean flavor.
Unlike the Kalita, the CHEMEX uses thicker filters, which reduces the amount of natural oils from the coffee beans that end up in the coffee. While some people prefer the cleaner flavor of the CHEMEX, others may miss the Kalita’s thicker coffee.
Easy to use and clean, the CHEMEX comes in a variety of sizes, making it a good option if you’re making coffee for more than just yourself.
Cold brew is a method of making coffee in which ground coffee beans are steeped in water for 12–24 hours. The resulting beverage is typically smoother and less bitter than traditional hot or iced coffee.
When making cold brew, it’s important to note that most cold brew makers result in a coffee concentrate that you then mix with water or milk. You can adjust the strength of your cold brew by adjusting the ratio of concentrate to water or milk.
17. Best overall: OXO Good Grips 32-Ounce Cold Brew Coffee Maker
Price: $
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker is the best overall option, as it is easy to use and consistently produces a flavorful cold brew concentrate.
Unlike many other cold brew makers, the OXO stands out in that after the ground coffee beans are added to the coffee bowl, water is poured through a perforated “rainmaker” top that evenly distributes water over the coffee grounds.
As a result, the OXO is able to extract as much flavor as possible from the ground beans. After letting it steep for 12–24 hours, you simply press a switch to filter the concentrate into a glass beaker, which can then be sealed and stored in the fridge.
The OXO Good Grips can hold up to 32 ounces (0.9 liters) of concentrate and gets great reviews for the flavor and overall quality of the cold brew it creates. It also comes with a lifetime warranty.
Shop for the OXO Good Grips 32-Ounce Cold Brew Coffee Maker online.
18. Best budget-friendly: Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot
Price: $
While the OXO isn’t overly expensive, the Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot is generally about half the price and still delivers a full-bodied cold brew concentrate.
The Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot is easy to use, as you simply place ground coffee beans and water into the provided filter, stir, and allow the grounds to steep for 8–24 hours.
This cold brew maker features a compact glass container that won’t take up much room in your fridge. However, because it’s glass you want to be careful not to bump it or place it in an area of the fridge where it can easily get knocked out.
The Hario Mizudashi can hold up to 32 ounces (0.9 liters) of cold brew concentrate, which gets rave reviews for its flavor and lack of bitterness.
A coffee percolator is a type of coffee maker that brews coffee by cycling boiling water through coffee grounds multiple times. As a result, percolated coffee is often very strong and very hot, and it can be quite bitter.
When buying a percolator, you need to decide between a stovetop or electric unit. You also want to consider the volume, price, quality of materials, and ease of cleaning.
19. Best stovetop percolator: Farberware 47053 Classic Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator
Price: $
The Farberware Classic Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator is the best stovetop option, as it’s made with heavy-duty stainless steel to keep your coffee nice and hot. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe.
It also features a permanent percolator filter basket, which eliminates the mess of using disposable paper filters.
Reviewers like its classic design, comfortable handle, and quality coffee.
Available in an 8-cup (1.9-liter) and 12-cup (2.8-liter) size, this stovetop coffee maker is also a good option when camping.
Shop for the Farberware 47053 Classic Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator online.
20. Best electric percolator: Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Electric Percolator Coffee Maker
Price: $
Hamilton Beach’s electric percolator coffee maker is the best option if you want strong, piping hot coffee, but without worrying about monitoring your percolator while it brews over the stove.
The Hamilton Beach has a convenient light to let you know when the coffee is ready to pour, as well as a detachable cord for easy serving.
This coffee maker also gets good reviews for its quick brew time, drip-free pouring spout, and ease of cleaning. It comes with a 1-year warranty and can also be used to make hot chocolate and tea.
Shop for the Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Electric Percolator Coffee Maker online.
Price: $$
While similar to a stovetop percolator, moka espresso pots have three distinct chambers, only extract the beans once, and use finely ground beans, resulting in an espresso-like taste and texture.
The Cuisinox Roma Stainless Steel Stovetop Moka Espresso Maker is the best stovetop coffee maker, as it’s made with durable, high quality stainless steel. It’s also unique in that it has an induction base that allows it to be used on both gas and electric stovetops.
Easy to clean, reviewers love this stovetop coffee maker for its consistently high quality brew and 25-year warranty. Just note for best flavor, Cuisinox recommends using filtered water, rather than tap, to make your coffee.
Shop for the Cuisinox Roma Stainless Steel Stovetop Moka Espresso Maker online.
Price: $
Turkish coffee is a style of coffee that’s prepared on the stovetop using very finely ground coffee that doesn’t get filtered out. It’s often flavored with sugar and occasionally spices, such as cardamom.
To prepare it, Turkish coffee is brewed in a pot called a cezve. An optimal cezve should have a wide base and narrow top so that it can create foam without boiling over. It should also have a long handle for preparing and pouring the coffee.
The CopperBull Heavy Duty Engraved Copper Turkish Greek Coffee Pot is one of the best options, as it has a wide base, narrow top, and long wooden handle that won’t get too hot, and it can brew up to 5 cups (1.2 liters) of coffee at a time.
Each product is handmade in Turkey and has an elegant design that makes it nice for entertaining guests.
Shop for the CopperBull 2016 Design Heavy Duty Engraved Copper Turkish Greek Coffee Pot online.
When it comes to making coffee, there are many ways to brew your perfect cup.
From automatic drip coffee makers to espresso machines to manual pour-overs, it can be overwhelming to figure out which option to buy.
When shopping for a coffee machine, it’s important to know what your ideal cup of coffee tastes like, including your ideal temperature, as that can help narrow down the brewing method.
From there, you’ll want to consider other factors, such as the volume of coffee brewed, whether it has programmable settings, its brew time, price, and size, as well as the presence of other features you may need, such as a frothing wand.
And don’t forget, the coffee maker is just one piece of the equation. For the best cup of coffee possible, you’ll also want to consider investing in a coffee grinder and good quality beans.
More Stories
New Forever 21 CEO plots post-bankruptcy comeback with physical stores
The New Laws Trying to Take the Anxiety Out of Shopping
Shop Prime Day savings before Black Friday