Technivorm Moccamaster KBT Review

Individually assembled by hand in the Netherlands, each Technivorm Moccamaster KBT is thoroughly inspected for quality standards before it leaves the Amerongen factory. This level of attention is apparent in the machine's beautiful design and craftsmanship. It makes rich, flavorful coffee at the flick of a switch and allows for manual control over the pre-infusion and brew time for those who want to hone their brew to perfection.

Taste

The flavor of coffee is what gives us that warm, invigorating feeling after the first sip. A rich, balanced, smooth cup of flavorsome coffee can make the morning a little brighter — and the Technivorm does just that.

The Technivorm Moccamaster is a coffee master's machine. You can let it do its thing or take manual control to craft your own coffee masterpiece. Our team of taste testers were astonished by the coffee this machine produced. Myself and other taste panelists drank the coffee this brewer made alongside a classic pour-over for comparison. One member of our review team said she was “shockingly impressed with this coffee maker” and that it “really seems to emulate the pour-over flavor.”

Nutty, floral, and sweet flavor notes stood out. I brewed a dark roast coffee, and the Moccamaster highlighted the best elements of this roasted bag of beans. Each of our testers reported the brew to be balanced in flavor and mouthfeel. They enjoyed the smooth aftertaste as well, with one taster saying that it had “such a pleasant acidity.”

Brew Quality

No machine can make coffee taste that good without having the brew quality to match. To measure the brew quality of a drip brewer, I look at more than its components. I also record the temperatures of the water during the brewing process and the coffee inside the carafe, checking to see if the machine meets Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) parameters and how consistently it does so.

The Technivorm Moccamaster is an SCA Certified Home Brewer (you'll see a lot of Moccamasters on the list). Our testing shows why. The ideal temperature range for brewing coffee is 195 to 205°F — this is the range where coffee extraction is at its peak. The Moccamaster's average maximum temperature was right in the sweet spot at 201.7°F, while the average temperature throughout the entire brewing process was 193°F, just a hair shy of perfection.

It was fairly consistent as well, with only a 3.36°F standard deviation across the multiple pots we brewed. Inside the carafe, the average temperature across five brew cycles was 177°F, which is a great temperature for pouring into a cup. What's also great is that the carafe comes with a lid and a mixing straw that mixes the coffee as it brews so that the extraction and temperature are balanced throughout.

Brew Time

To measure brew time, I simply started a timer and let the brewer run through its entire cycle, then stopped the timer. I found the Technivorm Moccamaster to be amazingly fast at 4 minutes and 18 seconds at its standard setting while still brewing delicious coffee.

You can manually do a pre-infusion and extend brew basket brewing time if you'd like, but that's completely optional. At this speed, you can start your brew, brush your teeth, return to the kitchen, and pour yourself a cup without missing a step.

Brewing speed is even more important on a machine like the Moccamaster that does not have auto-brew functionality. You'll need to manually start the brewing process every morning rather than programming it the night before, so brew time can significantly affect how it impacts the pace of your morning routine. Luckily, the Moccamaster is wicked fast, brewing in half the time of other coffee makers we tested.

Ease of Use

On looks alone, the overall presence of the Moccamaster may appear at once both intimidating and deceptively basic. It looks like a pour-over because, at its core, that's what it is. And the one-switch operation couldn't be simplified any further. However, the design visually separates each of its major components, which makes it seem more imposing than a compact, all-in-one machine can appear. But it's simpler and more user-friendly than it may seem. This brewer uses a standard-size cone paper filter and comes with a measuring spoon.

The filter basket's drip stop is a fantastic feature that you never have to use if you don't want to. Basically, you can use this switch to pre-infuse your grounds (soak them for a bit) before the full brewing process begins, and you can halt the filter basket from dripping into the carafe to extend the brew time if you'd like, which can be useful for certain types of coffee to draw out different flavors.

Two different carafe lids are included, one for brewing and the other used as a travel lid that can completely seal the carafe and keep the coffee hot for longer. The carafe itself pours very nicely. Inside, the carafe has a borosilicate glass lining that further improves heat retention, which is nice since this brewer does not have a heat plate as many others do.

Cleaning is straightforward for much of the machine. Wiping it down is easy, though the stainless steel carafe and glass water tank do collect fingerprints. The water tank has a large opening for easy cleaning, but the carafe opening is small and will require a bottle brush to fully clean. Many of the components are removable, but none are dishwasher safe. Descaling with Urnex of Durgol products is required every 100 brew cycles. There's no indicator for this, though, so you'll have to mark it on your calendar and keep track of it.

Should You Buy the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT?

If you don't mind the lack of auto-brew functionality and can afford it, the Technivorm Moccamaster is a fantastic drip coffee brewer. The standard operation is quick and makes a sensational cup of coffee, and the drip stop gives advanced coffee connoisseurs the ability to play around with flavor extraction and brew times. But if you're looking for a more automated or affordable brewer, other options may better suit your needs.

What Other Drip Coffee Makers Should You Consider?

The manual adjustments you can make while brewing with the Moccamaster are great, but if you desire even more coffee customization options, the Breville Precision Brewer should be at the top of your list. The Breville makes quality coffee and is loaded with convenient programmable features and adjustments, including auto-brew, a cold brew setting, and adjustable temperature control. Alternatively, if you're all about top-tier flavor but want a programmable option, the Ratio Six Series 2 is a spectacularly modern-looking drip coffee maker that brews excellent coffee and is the Technivorm's only rival when it comes to impeccably great tasting coffee.