Equipment Review: The Best Coffee Makers (Automatic Drip)

Byamazingfoodstv


We tested more than a dozen drip coffee makers to see if they could deliver a great brew without a lot of fuss.

Buy the winning Technivorm Coffee Brewer:
Buy the OXO Coffee Maker:
Buy the best buy Zojirushi Coffee Maker:
Buy the Breville Precision Brewer Thermal Coffee Maker:

Read our full review:

ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.

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37 Comments

  2. I am so glad you listed the Zojirushi! I bought one last fall at Crate and Barrel, because I have limited countertop space. The salesman highly recommended it, but I was skeptical considering the price. I am pleased to say it consistently brews excellent coffee and it does so quickly. It's also easy to clean. It replaced my Bonavita, which I do not miss one bit.

  3. One thing worth noting: I have the oxo 8-cup and love it, but the carafe took a little trip to the dump by accident and oxo does not sell a replacement unit for this maker. Not a big deal for me since I can just brew right into a mug or travel thermos. I have seen used replacement units on eBay for 45-50 bucks

  5. I bought the best inexpensive winner from another Americas Test Kitchen test, The Bonavita 8 Cup and it really changed my opinion on home brewed coffee. It really made a World of difference in flavor, I also only use freshly ground coffee now.

  6. Hey, what gives? Didn't see the Mainstays 12-cup drip coffee maker in there. $12.87 from Walmart. Yes, you saw correctly; $12.87… AND it does a decent job. Does a better job than some of these 'nose stuck up in the air', hoity toity machines. Do I have one? Why yes I do. Too good to go to Walmart? np… You can order it online and they'll deliver it right to your front door. Now that's service.

  8. I recently purchased the Technivorm, more as a holdover until my superautomatic machine ships this spring. William Sonoma had this model on sale for 229$. Great purchase! I rarely make a full pot but, I am able to get a great smooth cup consistently in roughly 3 mins. Cleanup is a breeze. This machine is an ace in my book. I use the Breville Precision Grinder and have found that the dosing using the on-screen measurements is slightly off so, dosing 2 grams more usually is the sweet spot for the bean I use most frequently. I have also found that pre-wetting gives me the best extraction when using the paper filter.

  11. I just realized that paper filters can change the taste of coffee. I have been using a reusable mesh filter for a couple of years. I decided to switch to paper filters last week. I couldn't figure out why my coffee tasted different. Now, I know!

  14. Another positive vote for the Technivorm. We have had ours for close to 15 years and it's still plugging along nicely. It's not going to win and industrial design awards, but the design is simple and straightforward.. The UI on the Technivorm is an ON-OFF switch. You can't get simpler than that. lat but not least, it make noticeably better coffee that the cheaper coffeemakers. I would not have believed it until I bought one of these things.

  22. Thorough as usual. As a coffee roaster I highly recommend the Moccamaster. We have never had a customer return one. In fact we get calls about how impressed they are. I will also say the KBGT with glass carafe and hot plate is still a great choice. The hot plate rolls on and off as not to overheat the coffee. It’s important to me that it maintains great flavor. Great job on the extensive testing. I will be directing people to this video.

  23. No Mr. Coffee 10 cup. Plus the coffee she was pouring looks like water. The descaling powder is citric acid. You don't need some fancy brand name. We grind/brew seven days a week. The test didn't do any fresh ground that I could see. Also no 8-12 cup basket designs, just a bunch of faux ebulliometers meant to catch your eye.

  26. I am actually surprised you all did not test out the Bonavita 8 Cup coffee brewer. From what I understand is a cult favorite that brews to gold cup standards. I am pleased however that Zojirushi had their coffee maker mentioned. I have a rice maker and water boiler/dispenser from Zojirushi that have been great.

    I think the second Technivorm could have been left out in favor of a Bonavita brewer. Also makes sense due to the fact that they are listed on the SCA certified home brewers page. I think a great follow up would be "What is the best of the SCA certified home coffee brewers" using the most technically advanced 8 cup version of each brand that is available in the USA.

  27. I bought the Technivorm Moccamaster with thermal carafe almost two decades ago because it won a taste test Wine Spectator did (12/02) on coffee makers and it's still considered the best today in this test. Pricey, but it makes some great coffee fast (higher wattage than most) and yes, it's durable. 👍

  30. Love our 8 cup OXO and use a gold metal filter,it sits next to the OXO coffee grinder.Highly recommend.WARNING: Stay clear of Bona Vita, poorly made by a company that does not stand by their product that is overpriced.

  33. she says 'ditch the scoop'—but even mass is irrelevant b/c it doesn't account for coarseness of grind. So X grams of barely ground beans would make a really lousy cup of coffee. I use the brown scoop, one slightly rounded scoop per 6 ozs water, using a very fine grind. Everyone seems to like a different grind, so there is no way to provide a gold standard of measurement.

  34. I wanted a drip brewer with a metal carafe. After reading the ATK review, I decided on the OXO recommended by ATK. And I'm sorry to say it was the worst machine I've ever had. The freshly brewed coffee was not very hot. Only 158F according to my IR thermometer, not the 183F listed in the review. And some grounds were still dry after brewing. For the price, the OXO name and they ATK recommendation I expected so much better. It promptly got boxed up and sent back.

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