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In the search for the perfect cup of coffee, we bought 11 top drip brewers and compared them side-by-side to determine which makes the most delicious, tastebud-tickling coffee. Our team happily made pot after pot of fresh coffee and assessed each machine for the taste of the coffee it produced, the overall brew quality, the brewing speed, and how easy it was to use and maintain.
After excitedly sipping at dozens of cups of coffee and running many different tests, our team's favorite drip coffee maker was the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT. During taste testing, no other coffee compared to the divine brew made by the Moccamaster — the flavor was euphoric. It's also incredibly fast and consistent — you will love how reliably this machine makes outstanding coffee each and every day.
Our runner-up is the newly updated Ratio Six Series 2. Our testers couldn't get enough of the flavorful, well-balanced coffee it made — the machine did well to bring out subtler tasting notes with a smooth finish. Also, the much-improved carafe and heat guard make this handsome machine way easier to use than its predecessor.
Editor's Note: Our drip coffee maker review was updated on Dec 24, 2024, with newly tested drip coffee makers from Ratio, OXO, Technivorm, and Black+Decker.
Average Brew Time: 4 min 18 sec | Scheduled Brewing: No
REASONS TO BUY
Outstanding coffee flavor
Bloom and extraction adjustability
Single-switch operation
Multiple color options
REASONS TO AVOID
Large footprint
Priced at a premium
"Balanced," “smooth,” and “bright” are just a few of the words our testing team used to describe the delicious coffee brewed through the Technivorm Moccamaster. One of our taste testers stated, “I'm shockingly impressed with its ability to emulate the flavor quality of a well-prepared pour-over”. Everyone aligned on how enjoyable the coffee experience was and even recorded the same subtle fruity, floral, and nutty flavor notes. From the “pleasantly balanced flavors” to the smooth aftertaste, the Moccamaster proved to be a masterwork of flavor extraction.
The simple one-switch operation belies the customization the Moccamaster offers. You only need to flip that main switch to brew a pot of coffee once your water and grounds are prepared, but the Moccamaster also allows the user to manually control pre-infusion and slow the brew time with a drip stop switch that's located on the filter basket. However, if you let the machine do its thing, it's remarkably fast — it can brew a 6-cup pot of coffee in 4 minutes 18 seconds. In our testing, only the OXO Brew 8-Cup could approach anywhere near the same speed, but it was still a minute slower. And with an average brew temperature of 193 °F, the Moccamaster makes coffee solidly within the ideal temperature range for maximum flavor extraction.
Though the Technivorm Moccamaster is a standout drip brewer in terms of flavor and speed, it's very tall — standing 15 inches from base to lid — and it's not the most user-friendly machine. The Breville Precision Brewer is way easier to use and maintain and has many more coffee customization options. The Moccamaster doesn't even provide auto-brew functionality, so you're going to have to manually make your coffee every morning. This can be a plus for enthusiasts who enjoy the craft of coffee making but a drawback for those who simply want a tasty pot of coffee waiting for them when they roll out of bed. For coffee drinkers who prefer that convenience, you can have it at a much lower price with a brewer like the Ninja 12-Cup Programmable, which also makes a pretty good brew.
If you want your home kitchen to look like a coffee master's, the Ratio Six Series 2 will certainly fit the part. The beautiful design will elevate the style and status of any countertop. Second only in overall taste to the Technivorm Moccamaster, the Series 2 wowed our taste-testing team with its wholly balanced, ambrosial brews. One of our testers recorded flavor notes like “chocolaty, nutty, and a hint of caramel” and also raved about how the Series 2 made coffee that was “significantly less acidic in flavor than the pour-over we compared it to.”
The Series 2 is the updated version of the original Ratio Six. The newly designed carafe, heat guard, and reworked measurement markings vastly improve the machine's overall ease of use. These adjustments really elevate the overall usability of the machine because, by design, it's a hands-on machine that requires some manual operation, unlike more set-it-and-forget-it machines like the Breville Precision Brewer. We found that its average brew temperature was just under the ideal range at 192.5°F, but its average max temp soared above that range at 206.7°F. However, as mentioned, our taste testers highly rated the resulting coffee. It was also pretty quick, brewing a 6-cup pot of coffee at 6 minutes flat.
The polarizing part of the Series 2 is how you interact with it during the brewing process. Not a single programmable function is available on this machine. There's a single button to start the brewing process, and the machine automatically pre-infuses before the dripping begins. Then, with how the carafe and brew basket are designed to stack on top of one another, there is a multi-step process to go through before you can pour your first cup, including removing the brew basket from the carafe and setting it on a separate drip tray before then inserting the carafe's lid. It's a little clunky, but it's nothing too demanding. Enthusiasts may enjoy the process and make it a part of their morning ritual, but those who prefer simplicity may like a straightforward and programmable drip brewer like the Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable instead.
The Ratio Six Series 2 drip coffee maker is an aesthetically pleasing appliance, but it also brews a downright delectable pot of coffee. Its brew quality is top-notch, and recent upgrades have improved its user-friendliness.
Average Brew Time: 7 min 48 sec | Scheduled Brewing: Yes
REASONS TO BUY
Brews a balanced pot of coffee
Removable water reservoir for easy filling and cleaning
Intuitive features
REASONS TO AVOID
Hot plate doesn't keep coffee hot
A little on the slow side
The Ninja 12-Cup Programmable makes a “bright and crisp” pot of coffee and is equipped with a useful array of features for its wallet-friendly price point. While it doesn't come with every available customization point — see the Breville Precision Brewer if you want enhanced customization features — it does offer a sufficient amount of settings and customization for a great coffee-making experience. We love that the Ninja is not ridiculously expensive, it makes lip-smacking good coffee, and it is programmable, which means you can set it to automatically brew at a specific time and have your favorite coffee waiting for you when you get out of bed. Its average max brewing temperature (202.5°F) hits “the sweet spot for ideal extraction,” according to our lead tester Lesley. That, combined with good water distribution from its showerhead, ensures a well-balanced cup of coffee — the pre-infusion setting soaks your grounds before brewing to encourage even distribution. This keeps your grounds from being over-extracted in some areas and under-extracted in others, which can lead to a flatter flavor.
Unfortunately, the hot plate doesn't get incredibly hot — in our testing, the coffee temperature dropped 10°F over the course of an hour, which didn't keep the pot at the ideal temperature you'd want to drink it at. So you'll want to drink it soon after brewing is complete, or you may have to reheat using a microwave (bleh). It also brews a bit slower. The average 6-cup pot we brewed timed in at 7 minutes 48 seconds. That's not a big deal if you set up the auto brew the night before, but if you forget or want to make a second morning pot, you'll have to be patient.
So, while our taste testers agreed that the Ninja 12-Cup brewed a good cup of joe with a refreshing kick of acidity, it wasn't perfect. For the coffee connoisseur, the Ninja lacks the refinement and upper-tier customization options needed for an optimal brew. It does not offer the option to control the flow rate or change the water temperature. But if you're that keen on seeking out primo pots of java, you're going to have to drop the cash needed for the Technivorm Moccamaster or Ratio 6 Series 2, both of a which are a league above the Ninja in the taste department. But that's a lot of cash to drop — the Ninja is great for its price. And if budget is your main concern, the Black+Decker 12-Cup Thermal manages to make an acceptable cup while being even less expensive.
Good coffee at a good price. The Ninja 12-Cup is a well-balanced drip brewer you can rely on. It has several convenient features, and its taste and brew quality stand toe-to-toe with more expensive models.
Freshness timer (indicates how long your coffee has sat in the pot)
REASONS TO AVOID
Carafe's press-to-pour is clunky
Not for those who prefer bold coffee
For how inexpensive it is, the Black+Decker 12-Cup Thermal gets the job done. It'll never make the greatest coffee in the world, but the quality is acceptable. Tester Rachael Lamore said the “flavor isn't offensive because of how light and fleeting it is” and that the overall mouthfeel was “on the lighter side”. Essentially, in our tests, the Thermal made coffee that was light and easy to drink cup after cup but wasn't rich with bold flavor. For some coffee drinkers, that's okay, and for others, that's exactly what they're looking for — a coffee that's easy to chug so you can get on with your day.
The lightness is partially due to the low brewing temperature — we recorded 177.4°F on average inside the brew basket during brewing, which is on the lower end of the ideal brewing temperature range. These less-ideal temps translate to less-than-ideal flavor extraction. The machine does have auto-brew functionality and a freshness timer, which are amazing features to have at this price. It's also far from the slowest brewer we tested, making a 6-cup pot in just a hair over 7 minutes. And the insulated thermal carafe is a nice bonus that is typically seen on much more expensive machines like the OXO Brew 9-Cup and Technivorm Moccamaster.
The Black+Decker 12-Cup Thermal impressed with its brew quality and coffee taste — for its price. That's the sticking point, because this is an incredibly inexpensive machine. However, compared to the top models we tested, the Thermal simply cannot compete. An expensive powerhouse like the Breville Precision Brewer outclasses the Thermal in every way. But compared to a cost competitor like the Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mini Brew, the Thermal shines.
The Black+Decker 12-Cup Thermal offers decent-quality coffee, convenient programmable features, and an intuitive interface, all at an unbelievably low price.
Average Brew Time: 5 min 54 sec | Scheduled Brewing: Yes
REASONS TO BUY
Good tasting coffee
Incredibly customizable
Can make cold brew
REASONS TO AVOID
Loud brewing
Pour-over style coffee is popular because it produces the cleanest cup possible and is almost infinitely customizable. With minute variations in pour and brew time, water temperature, and grind size, you can pull out even the most delicate nuances in your coffee. The problem is the concentration required for a pour-over can be difficult to learn and challenging to get right every single time. Switching to a larger batch brew usually means giving up your ability to dial in your brew with such precision. However, the Breville Precision Brewer solves this dilemma. The customizable features on the Precision Brewer allow for adjustability over pre-infusion, water temperature, and flow rate for your various brewing needs. Our taste testers liked the coffee they made with the Breville using the standard brew option and found the taste to be “soothing and nutty with a strong mouthfeel and a neutral finish that didn't linger on my tastebuds”. The thing is, it has so many customization options to choose from — adjustable bloom time, temperature control, flow rate levels, a different mode for cold brews, etc. — that users can really fine-tune it to find the perfect settings over time and even play with the settings to make the most of different coffee roasts. It even includes both flat bottom and cone filter baskets, so users can choose whichever they prefer.
The Precision Brewer's brew temperature landed right where we wanted it for ultimate flavor extraction at 195.6°F, and it was among the quicker machines we tested, brewing a 6-cup pot in just under 6 minutes — only the OXO Brew 9-Cup, OXO 8-Cup, and Technivorm Moccamaster were faster. But with its myriad possible customizations, you can make it do almost anything you want — you may be able to discover the right settings to make the most delicious cup of coffee you've ever had. A more accurate look at its brew quality may then be better focused on how consistently it hits its intended metrics, and after all tests were said and done, the Breville kept its temperatures the most consistent among all the machines we tested with only a 1.41°F standard deviation across multiple pots of coffee.
While we think the number of features and possibilities included in the Precision Brewer is great, it's more likely to be used with the same settings every morning for many coffee drinkers. That said, our testers thought the machine's interface was “very intuitive and easy to navigate, but may be overkill for some folks.” Breville did a fantastic job in making cycling through the options and adjustments very user-friendly, so even if you don't make use of all of the options but enjoy the idea of them being available, you won't be easily overwhelmed by this machine. But if you don't need quite this level of adjustability, the Ninja 12-Cup has a few nice-to-have customization options and brews an equally good standard pot of coffee at a much more affordable price. Still, the Precision Brewer is a super powerful and capable machine that really can do it all.
The Breville Precision has a plethora of great features and makes really good coffee. It features a large, easy-to-navigate interface that you can use to customize your coffee experience.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
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We tested each coffee maker side-by-side using the same performance metrics.
Credit: Laura Casner
How We Test Drip Coffee Makers
Since 2017, we've researched, purchased, and tested scores of the best drip coffee makers available. Our core team of coffee professionals has sipped untold cups of coffee and spent hundreds of hours testing, cleaning, measuring, and analyzing these appliances side-by-side in our lab. We tasted our cuppas side by side, closely evaluating their flavor, finish, and acidity, timed the brewing speed of the machines, evaluated how easy each machine was to use and clean, and paid particular attention to consistency. We even drove our coffee makers several hours down the hill to test them in a controlled environment at sea level to manage variables such as temperature and humidity changes and brewed batches of coffee back-to-back to record their average temperature and evaluate their consistency. These controls allow us to assess each model relative to each other and help you find the best drip coffee maker for your taste and space.
Each machine underwent the same rigorous testing methods. Our taste testers sampled coffee from every brewer to accurately assess the differences in taste and mouthfeel.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Our in-depth testing process of drip coffee makers breaks down into four mutually exclusive testing metrics:
Taste (50% of overall score weight)
Brew Quality (30% weighting)
Brew Time (10% weighting)
Ease of Use (10% weighting)
The tools of the trade. Thermometers, refractometers, scales, stopwatches, and more, all to help you determine the best drip coffee maker for your coffee needs.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
If you want to learn more in-depth info on our testing, take a look at our How We Test article, where we outline our process in more detail.
Why Trust GearLab
This review is the result of the combined efforts of several GearLab testers. Our team of coffee experts and aficionados includes Michelle Powell, Lesley Robinson, Arthur McMahon, Maggie Nichols, and Kendra Ridenour.
Lesley Robinson holds a degree in food science from California Polytechnic State University. She brings a wealth of knowledge of all-things-food-and-appliances to our team and has personally tested hundreds of kitchen gadgets. Lesley spent the last decade of her career in the food and supplement industry, working with a diverse range of products. She also has extensive experience in quality assurance and food safety. Her commitment to quality gives her a unique perspective when it comes to testing the latest kitchen tech products. Plus, her experienced and discerning palate understands what quality coffee should taste like.
Arthur McMahon has served many thousands of coffee and espresso drinks as a professional barista, cafe manager, and deli manager. During his years working at and managing coffee shops, Arthur has assisted in opening several new cafes and became a certified Coffee Master. His enthusiasm for all things coffee has even led him to tours of remote coffee farms and roasteries for in-depth specialty coffee training and tastings.
Joining these coffee experts is Maggie Nichols, who has a vast scientific background. She earned her BS and Master's degrees by designing and conducting dozens of field experiments. She has almost a decade of experience working in university research laboratories, publishing results, and contributing to numerous collaborative studies. Her shrewd attention to detail allows for precise measurement and testing to get exact results. Plus, she absolutely loves coffee.
Finally, our team is rounded out by Kendra Ridenour. Kendra is a former homemaker who has relied on coffee to get her through many challenging days raising children and managing a busy household. She spends much of her free time working to perfect her writing capabilities. She has a knack for formulating thoughts and test results into an easy-to-digest format without losing any of the important data along the way.
The cold brew setting allows for no-heat brewing in the brew basket for a set amount of time, 10 to 20 hours, before releasing it into the carafe.
We collected copious data from each machine's brew basket and carafe, to see which are doing the job properly.
We used the same coffee in each brewer for fair comparison and brought our machines down to sea level for accurate temperature measurements.
Our team of testers puts every one of these machines through the same series of side-by-side tests to see which ones are truly the best.
Analysis and Test Results
For so many of us, coffee is our moment of morning zen, our elixir of life, our little cheerleader. While some prefer a rich, complex roast with depth of flavor so deep you can swim in it, others prefer a light, easy-to-drink cup to kickstart their day. Similarly, some look forward to fiddling with their brewing machine to extract peak flavor, while others just need an automated machine that can reliably make a decent pot. However you look at it, for a drip brewer to make a great cup of coffee and give a good experience, it has to possess a few key elements.
What's the Best Value?
There are a lot of drip coffee makers to choose from and equally as many price ranges. If coffee quality and flavor are all you care about, then the Technivorm Moccamaster is the answer.
However, if you're weighing quality, features, and cost in your decision, other machines may make more sense. For many people looking for the right blend of performance, taste, and price, the Ninja 12-Cup is a fantastic choice. It may be a little slow, but it makes good coffee and has convenient features at a bargain of a price compared to its top competitors. We're also big fans of the high-value offered by the Black+Decker 12-Cup Thermal, which makes decent-tasting coffee at a very modest price. However, for those who are ready to invest in a brewer that makes great coffee, the customization and seriously excellent features and options of the costly Breville Precision Brewer may be worth it.
The Ninja makes a good cup of coffee with a robust flavor presentation and is highly affordable.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Taste
Good coffee means something different to each individual. To put it into words, some people prize terms like deep, dark, and robust, while when others think of the perfect cup, they conjure up descriptors like delicate, vibrant, or floral. Taste is subjective — unique to each lover of coffee. So, how do we measure it so that we can compare these drip machines against one another?
Taste Ratings
Product
Flavor
Finish
Acidity
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT
4.5
4.5
4.5
Ratio Six Series 2
4.0
4.5
5.0
OXO Brew 9-Cup
3.5
3.5
4.0
Breville Precision Brewer
3.5
3.0
4.0
OXO Brew 8-Cup
3.0
3.0
4.0
Mr. Coffee Mini Brew
3.0
2.5
4.0
Ninja Programmable
3.5
2.5
3.5
Black+Decker Thermal
3.0
3.0
3.0
Cuisinart Programmable
3.0
2.5
3.5
Black+Decker Programmable
2.5
2.0
3.0
Black+Decker Easy On/Off
1.0
1.0
1.0
Our team of taste testers sipped, slurped, and sniffed at dozens of cups of coffee and evaluated each for its flavor, acidity, and finish. We made it a point to be as objective as possible during our taste testing. Taste comprises 50% of our overall score because we know how important it is to coffee lovers like you. Each tester tasted samples from every drip coffee machine and one sample from a pour-over as a control and reference point.
Cheers to tasty coffee! Our taste testers sampled coffee side by side to accurately assess the differences.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Flavor
Lots of lip-smacking could be heard as our team assessed and noted the flavors of the coffee each machine produced. Ranging in description from bitter and astringent to chocolaty and nutty — and in flavor strength from thin to heavy — our coffee aficionados ranked each machine for flavor based on the flavor of the coffee it produced.
Our panel of expert taste testers put in the “hard work” of sampling dozens of cups of coffee.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Technivorm Moccamaster outshined every other drip coffee maker in our lineup. Our expert tasters unanimously agreed that the Moccamaster thoroughly expressed the coffee's subtle floral, fruity, and nutty flavor notes. It was a sumptuous experience, and our testers were amazed at both the depth and balance of the flavor profile.
The Ratio Six Series 2 was equally as impressive. Interestingly, our tasters noticed chocolate and caramel flavor notes in the brew, which differ from what the Moccamaster extracted despite the coffee grounds coming from the same bag. We think this is at least partly due to differing filter shapes — the Ratio Six uses a flat-bottom filter, whereas the Moccamaster uses a cone-shaped filter.
Flat vs cone filter baskets — which is better?
The Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) explains how basket shape can affect flavor, and our testers experienced exactly this. The basket shape is just one of many factors to consider when deciding on a drip coffee maker.
Other brewers that made pretty good-tasting coffee include the Ninja 12-Cup, OXO 9-Cup, and Breville Precision Brewer. Each of these machines made coffee with subtle yet identifiable flavors that our taste testers thoroughly enjoyed drinking.
A smile is worth a thousand words. The Technivorm Moccamaster's coffee took top marks across all of our tasting categories.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Finish
A coffee's finish is how the coffee feels on your palate. Does it linger, or is it fleeting? Is it a smooth finish, or does it feel rough? The Ratio Six Series 2 was the crowd-favorite here — the coffee was exceptionally well-balanced with a superb mouthfeel, and it left a smooth wash of flavor on the tongue as it faded off the palate. The Moccamaster also was among the most pleasing but with a slightly lighter mouthfeel and aftertaste than the more robust Series 2. And our testers really enjoyed how the OXO 9-Cup finishes as well, describing similar characteristics to the Moccamaster.
Tasting each pot of coffee may have given us a bit of a caffeine buzz, but it was the best way to compare overall flavor from each brewer.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Acidity
Some acidity is good — it brings balance to the brew. If a coffee lacks acidity, it doesn't taste or feel whole, but if the acidity is too intense, it can overpower any subtleties in flavor and ruin the experience.
Again, the Technivorm Moccamaster achieved perfection with just the right amount of brightness in its acidity. The Ratio Six Series 2 also did well in this regard, with one tester saying the acidity was “I feel it is prominent but not 'in your face' like poor performers that were too bright.” Other models that did well in balancing the coffee acidity include the Breville, OXO 9-Cup, OXO 8-Cup, Mr. Coffee 5-Cup, and Ninja 12-Cup.
Certainly one of the “perks” of the job. Our taste testers regarded the Moccamaster and Ratio Six as their favorite tasting coffee. Both produced balanced and flavorful brews with a nice finish.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Overall Taste
Throughout their tasting journey, our testers reported their experiences, jotting down their thoughts on strength and depth of flavor, mouthfeel, acidity levels, and aftertaste to determine each machine's overall coffee quality. Top performers brewed exquisite pots of coffee teeming with flavor yet were well-balanced and satisfying, while those at the bottom made coffee that was either bitter and burnt or watery and thin.
Brew Quality
The taste of the coffee a drip brewer makes is heavily dependent on its brew quality. But, while a brewer may brew a good first pot of coffee on Monday, that doesn't necessarily mean it'll brew the same at noon or the next day. So, our expert coffee testers ran some tests to see how well each machine brews coffee and how consistent they were across multiple brew cycles.
The Technivorm Moccamaster has a detachable showerhead that provides even water distribution throughout the filter basket. This ensures the grounds are thoroughly soaked for a balanced brew.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Brew quality comprises 30% of our overall score, and to score it, we looked at elements such as water dispersion and coffee ground saturation — an even water distribution ensures all of the grounds contribute to the brew, resulting in well-balanced coffee without harsh or bitter flavors. We also measured the temperature of each machine's brew basket during brewing and the temperature of the coffee in the carafes once brewing was done. We checked those temperatures against industry standards, such as the SCA's optimal brewing temperature range (195°F to 205°F) for maximum coffee extraction.
Going one step further, we examined these temperatures for consistency across multiple pots of coffee. Proper water temperature is essential to opening the flavor nuances of every coffee. A brewing temperature that is too low won't pull those subtle flavors from your grounds, and too hot can, of course, burn the coffee.
Ratio Six Series 2Black+Decker 12-Cup Easy On/Off
The Ratio Six Series 2 uses a flat-bottom basket, and its grounds are evenly soaked, resulting in a level display of used grounds. The Black+Decker 12-Cup Easy On/Off has poor water distribution, and here you can see that the dip is especially pronounced, contributing to an unbalanced flavor.
Consistency in temperature is not only a metric that shows your brew will reliably be at the same temperature when you drink it pot after pot, but it also indicates that the quality of the coffee will be consistent as well. A drip coffee maker that brews at a consistent temperature will more likely provide the same coffee flavor and finish for every pot brewed. To measure this, we checked the temperature of the coffee in the carafes immediately after brewing was completed. We recorded the temperatures over five brew cycles for each machine to see how consistent they were over multiple brews.
The Technivorm Moccamaster's temperatures were on point for ideal extraction. The insulated carafe can keep coffee hot for hours and includes a travel lid for taking it outside your home.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Some of these machines were better than others at providing a consistent brew temp, time after time. Models like the Breville, Black+Decker 12-Cup Programmable, OXO Brew 8-Cup, and OXO Brew 9-Cup provided nearly the same temperature over multiple rounds of testing. Other machines had more variable temperatures. A consistent drip coffee maker will brew the same quality of coffee day after day — you don't want one that'll fail to meet your expectations. That's an easy way to ruin a good morning.
Average brew temperature across testing is shown to the right of each bar on the graph. Shorter bars indicate consistent temperature, while longer bars are indicative of wider temperature variance.
Credit: Lesley Robinson
Temperature
To be fair and objective, we measured the temperatures of all machines over repeated brews around sea level. In recording the brew basket temperatures, we noted both the average brew temperature and average max brew temperature in order to gauge how closely each machine was able to reach and maintain optimal brewing temperatures for what the SCA refers to as the “Golden Cup.”
Brew Temperature
Average Max Brew Temperature
Average Brew Temperature
Black+Decker Easy On/Off
182.2 F
169.9 F
Black+Decker Programmable
192.2 F
181.8 F
Black+Decker Thermal
195.4 F
177.4 F
Breville Precision Brewer
201.5 F
195.6 F
Cuisinart Programmable
195.6 F
191.9 F
Mr. Coffee Mini Brew
194.1 F
181.9 F
Ninja Programmable
202.5 F
191.6 F
OXO Brew 8-Cup
200.2 F
193.6 F
OXO Brew 9-Cup
196.9 F
191.6 F
Ratio Six Series 2
206.7 F
192.5 F
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT
201.7 F
193 F
Many of the machines we tested were able to reach that ideal range (195°F to 205°F) on average over three brew cycles. Several drip brewers were solidly reaching near or in that ideal temperature time and again, including the Breville Precision Brewer, Technivorm Moccamaster, Ninja 12-Cup, and OXO 8-Cup. Others were just barely able to reach that range, which means that a good portion of the brew time was a little cooler — less than ideal. And a few machines, like the Black+Decker 12-Cup Easy On/Off, didn't come close.
With the Ratio Six Series 2 and all other drip coffee makers, we recorded the temperatures inside the carafe and the brew basket across multiple brew cycles.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Ratio Six Series 2 was actually a bit too high in temperature at its peak, rising above the ideal extraction range at 206.7°F. This max brew temp average doesn't paint the entire picture, though — as the Ratio Six had an overall average brew temperature of 192.5°F. This means a good portion of its brew cycle was between the two, which is where the ideal extraction range lies.
Checking the brew basket temperature is like seeing if the machine is healthy. If it brews at the right temperature, then the coffee should turn out okay. But if the temperature is off or inconsistent, that's a sure sign that the coffee will taste “off”.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Lastly, we also noted the average carafe temperature, as it is a measurement of how hot your pot of coffee is at the end of the brew cycle, or right before you pour out a cup. While, as noted in the previous section, we did check the carafes for temperature consistency, their average temperature is also important. The Cuisinart had the hottest carafe coffee at 183°F, followed closely by the Ninja at 182°F and the Breville at 180°F. Those temps will make for some steaming cups of coffee.
Calculating and combining all of these factors that affect brew quality, we were mightily impressed by the precision and consistency of the Breville Precision Brewer — it hit every metric and proved itself to be as accurate and reliable as they come. It even allows you to adjust options like brewing temperature and flow rate so you can make your coffee exactly as you want it each and every time. The OXO Brew 8-Cup was also surprisingly on point across the board, though its carafe temperature was a little low.
A shower head with fewer holes that are concentrated in the center can give you uneven saturation of your grounds, which won't give you the full flavor potential of your coffee.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Overall Brew Quality
Testing for brew quality involved recording many temperatures and brewing a whole lot of coffee. Top performers brewed coffee within ideal coffee extraction parameters and did so consistently pot after pot. They also kept coffee at a good, drinkable temperature after brewing was done and evenly dispersed hot water throughout the grounds in the filter basket. Those that scored low failed to get hot enough for proper coffee extraction and had inconsistent temperatures across multiple brew cycles.
Brew Time
The difference between getting your coffee now and getting it 12 minutes from now can feel astronomical, especially if you're late for work. Brew time comprises 10% of our overall score because how fast a drip coffee maker can actually make coffee matters.
Drip coffee makers — Start. Your. Brewing! We timed each machine, including the Black+Decker Thermal, across five brew cycles.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
To measure brew time, we used a stopwatch to track the total time it took for each unit to brew a pot of coffee. This didn't necessarily line up with when each machine beeped or blinked at us to tell us when it was done brewing because we found that some machines would continue to drip for up to a minute after it signaled that brewing was complete. For this test, we brewed 6-cup pots of coffee using each machine's recommended coffee-to-water ratio. We also brewed five separate pots with each machine and timed each to spot any patterns or inconsistencies.
The Technivorm Moccamaster was lightning quick, with an average brew time of 4 minutes 18 seconds. That's incredible, given how good of coffee the Moccamaster makes, which shows that the length of brew time does not correlate directly with coffee quality. However, you can slow down the brew of the Moccamaster if you desire, thanks to its filter basket's drip stop switch, which allows you to extend the brew time for more precise control over flavor extraction. So, if you want your coffee this instant, the Moccamaster is the brewer that'll get it to you the fastest.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup was among the faster brewers. Its first brew was its quickest at 5 minutes 42 seconds, but the following brew cycles were closer to 6 minutes.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Also fairly fast were the Breville, Ratio Six Series 2, and OXO 9-Cup brewers, each with an average brew time of roughly 6 minutes. These were all quite consistent across multiple brew cycles, too. Other machines were slower and showed inconsistencies, such as the first pot brewing much more slowly than those that followed.
The range of brew times of each coffee maker in our lineup. Shorter bars denote more consistent brew times.
Credit: Lesley Robinson
Overall Brew Time
Our testers time each machine over five brew cycles to determine their average brew time. The range of temperatures across these cycles was also factored into our scoring calculations. Top performers were fast and consistent, while underperformers took longer than desired to brew a pot of coffee and had inconsistent results.
Ease of Use
A good drip coffee maker is one you want to use every day. Ease of use comprises the final 10% of our overall score because user-friendliness, helpful features, ease of cleaning, and maintenance requirements all play a role in how we feel about our drip coffee maker. Even if the machine makes good coffee, you're not going to want to use it if you don't like using it. An interface that is too complicated can be a bit of a pain, especially first thing in the morning when you haven't had any caffeine to jump-start your brain. A carafe that pours sloppily is aggravating, as are hard-to-clean surfaces, and an inaccessible water tank could prove to be a nuisance. We kept these things in mind as we assessed the ease of use of each machine.
Ease of Use Ratings
Product
Interface
Carafe
Water Tank
Ease of Cleaning
Breville Precision Brewer
10
9
9
8
Ninja Programmable
7
7
9
10
OXO Brew 9-Cup
8
10
9
5
OXO Brew 8-Cup
6.5
9
8
7
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT
7
8
9
6
Ratio Six Series 2
7
6
7
7
Black+Decker Thermal
7
6
6
7
Black+Decker Easy On/Off
5
7
5
7
Black+Decker Programmable
6
7
5
6
Cuisinart Programmable
7
5
5
7
Mr. Coffee Mini Brew
5
5
5
7
Interface and Features
While we can all appreciate a more personalized coffee experience, a complicated interface and puzzling features may be challenging. Alas, the Breville knocked it out of the park with the Precision Brewer. Though it is loaded with extra features and customization options, it presents it all with a clean and highly intuitive interface that is easy to navigate and won't leave you feeling overwhelmed. Similarly, the OXO 9-Cup is controlled with a basic knob and button that simply work. It has extra features like auto-brew, a freshness timer, and a sneak-a-cup option that lets you pause the brew cycle to pour a cup, and they're all easy features to access and use.
The Breville Precision Brewer has a clean and easy-to-understand interface. Everything is clearly laid out, even though it has a ton of customization options.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
For coffee perfectionists, we know that the ritual of manually brewing your morning pot is how you spark joy at the start of your day. With their single-switch operation and physically interactive elements, Technivorm Moccamaster and Ratio Six Series 2 are great for this. However, for those who prefer to sleep in and save time, it's nice to have a machine that will greet you first thing in the morning with a nice steaming cup of caffeine. The Ninja 12-Cup, Black+Decker Programmable, Black+Decker Thermal, Cuisinart 14-Cup, Breville Precision, and OXO 9-Cup can all accommodate. With auto-brew functionality, you can prepare any one of these machines the night before and have that sweet smell of coffee to coax you out of bed.
The Ninja has easy-to-navigate buttons and programmable auto-brew.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
A carafe that pours easily and smoothly is a delight to use. We really like the carafe that comes with the OXO Brew 9-Cup — it has a well-designed ergonomic handle with a soft silicon grip that is comfortable to use and easy to pour, whether the pot is full or nearly empty. The OXO 8-Cup also pours well, and the lid is super easy to screw on or off. Likewise, the Breville has a nice click-into-place lid, and its tapered opening inside of the carafe makes it a breeze to pour until it's completely empty. Other carafes with untapered designs or obstructions like unnecessary ridges inside can hinder the flow of coffee, making it especially difficult to get that last cup or two out of the pot.
Credit: Lesley Robinson
We like our coffee hot, and there are different strategies these drip coffee makers utilize to make it stay hot. Some, like the Technivorm Moccamaster and Black+Decker 12-Cup Thermal, use insulated thermal carafes to retain the heat from brewing, while others, like the Cuisinart and Ninja, rely on hot plates to heat up or maintain the temperature of the coffee in their glass carafes. Both methods work. Thermal carafes keep coffee warm for a long time, but they are more difficult to warm back up once cooled. Glass carafes let you see how much coffee you have left and stay plenty warm on a hot plate, but if the hot plate is too cool or too hot, it will affect your coffee quality.
The Technivorm Moccamaster carafe pours smoothly without a splash. It also has a glass interior that improves heat retention.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
We appreciate removable reservoirs that can be carried to the sink to fill, like the Ninja's, which lifts off easily with conveniently placed grips. Some machines also offer a large enough opening on the tank to make up for a tank that's fixed in place like the Moccamaster. What's also great about both of the aforementioned water tanks is that they are separated from the coffee grounds, which are often placed under the same lid as the water tank. This can result in accidental spills where the grounds get wet with cold water before the brew begins. Left-handed coffee drinkers can easily fill both of these tanks — some others have lids that open to the left, making it impossible to fill from that direction, or they put the water level measurement markings only on the right side, which then aren't visible to lefties as they're filling the tank.
The design of Ratio Six Series 2 adds a couple of minor steps to the brewing process since the carafe and filter basket stack on one another. Also, the water tank hole is a small target to hit, but at least it has a helpful funnel design.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The size of a machine can also impact the decision to buy one model or another. A large machine may be a good option for some, while other consumers may not have the space required for a monster of a brewer like the 15-inch tall Moccamaster. For a smaller space, the Mr. Coffee 5-Cup and the Black+Decker 5-Cup are great pint-sized options. They have a small footprint, making them unassuming and easy to store for someone living in an efficient apartment, dorm room, camper van, or other smaller locations.
Be sure to measure the size of the space where you intend to put your new drip coffee maker, then check the machine specs to make sure it'll fit. Also, consider how the top lids open and how you'll fill the water tank, as low-hanging cabinets may get in the way.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of Cleaning
It may not be the first consideration that pops into your head, but the ease of cleaning a drip coffee maker is worth thinking about. A machine with lots of build-up can make coffee taste stale, so it's important to keep your machine clean for the best-tasting cup. We assessed the ease of cleaning based on dishwasher compatibility, ease of daily washing, and descaling process. We hand-washed all the parts and pieces from every model, taking note of all the little nuances that make a machine simple to take care of or more difficult to keep sparkling clean. We also ran through the descaling process on every machine, noting which machines took a terribly long time or were very complicated and which ones managed the task with no sweat.
Most often, vacuum-sealed carafes like the one that comes with the Black+Decker Thermal cannot go in the dishwasher as the high temperatures can damage the vacuum seal. They're easier to handwash when the top is wide enough to fit your hand inside.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
When it comes to daily cleaning upkeep, convenience is key. The more dishwasher-friendly components, the better as far as we're concerned, and just about everything on the Ninja 12-Cup is dishwasher safe aside from the machine itself. Carafes aren't always dishwasher-safe, though, especially insulated carafes, so you might want to look for one that is big enough to fit a hand inside to wipe it out.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup carafe has an opening that is too small for most hands, so a bottle brush is required to thoroughly clean inside it. Hand washing with a bottle brush is a bit of a hassle. But we really do love everything else about this carafe.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
For example, the Ratio Six Series 2 and Breville Precision have carafes with wide openings for easy hand washing — with many others, you'll have to use a bottle brush to scrub them clean. A machine with an exterior that's easy to wipe clean is nice to have as well. Stainless steel tends to collect fingerprints and requires a bit of extra scrubbing to get squeaky clean, but mostly plastic machines like the Mr. Coffee 5-Cup are easy to wipe down, as are aluminum exteriors like the Ratio Six Series 2 has.
Many thermal carafes cannot be placed in the dishwasher, and some have openings too small to fit your hand inside for handwashing.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Hot plates tend to get grimy and can be difficult to clean. Not all brewers have them, such as the Technivorm Moccamaster. Drip coffee makers with sneak-a-cup features like the Mr. Coffee tends to drip and leak a little, which then burns onto the hot plate and requires extra elbow grease to remove.
Hot plates are notorious for burned-on gunk. This Black+Decker 12-Cup Easy On/Off and other hot plate models will require extra scrubbing from time to time to keep clean.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The descaling process is the largest cleaning and maintenance task to consider when purchasing a drip coffee maker. Some can take an hour to complete and require you to be involved throughout the process.
Others can be quick and straightforward — the Technivorm Moccamaster only takes 18 minutes and should be completed every 100 brew cycles. But the Moccamaster doesn't have an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale. If you'd rather not keep track yourself and prefer to have the machine remind you when it's time, the Breville Precision Brewer has got your back, as do both the OXO 8-Cup and 9-Cup.
Descaling the Breville Precision Brewer takes 27 minutes.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Overall Ease of Use
Our testing team considered many factors in scoring the ease of use of each machine, including the intuitiveness of its interface, the practicality of its features, the carafe efficiency, and how much effort you have to put into cleaning. Top performers had user-friendly layouts and features and were simple to keep clean, while bottom performers were confusing to operate, unintuitive, and required more cleaning and maintenance than others.
How to Choose a Drip Coffee Maker
The world of coffee is endless. There are countless brew methods, features, and price ranges to choose from. While the task of selecting the right machine may feel daunting, it's important to keep these key factors in mind: Budget, taste, quantity, and quality of life features.
Programmable vs Non-Programmable
If you're the kind of person who values convenience over quality, you may prefer a programmable coffee maker. A programmable unit can set a schedule to start brewing your coffee in the morning, so you can have your brew ready before you head off to work without any of the early-morning hassle. The caveat to this is that your grinds will be sitting out all night, and your coffee won't be as fresh. If you're very particular about the taste of your coffee, you may want to go with a non-programmable option.
Quantity and Budget
Drip coffee makers are meant for those who expect to be drinking multiple cups or who want to share their coffee with the rest of the family. But, these can often costs hundreds of dollars, and if you're not brewing for more than one person and simply want to enjoy a rich cuppa in quiet solitude, you may be more interested in a Pour-Over or a French Press. A Pour-Over brews nicely balanced and neutral coffee from pouring hot water on top of the grinds, usually into a cone-shaped filter, while a French Press steeps your coffee and brews a bolder, richer flavor profile. The caveat is that with either of these options, you'll need to invest in an electric kettle or teapot — but these are often affordable and can still save you money. Both of these options tend to be much more affordable than a drip coffee maker and often come in smaller quantities, although they can usually still produce a few servings of coffee for those caffeine junkies like us.
We tested for coffee taste, brew quality, brewing time, and ease of use, but you may also want to consider sizing and style when you decide which is the best drip coffee maker for you.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Conclusion
The best drip coffee maker is the one that best fits your preferences. Whether you're most interested in compact automated convenience or desire a machine that can be manually fine-tuned to take your brew to the next level and beyond, there's a machine on this list for you. Our tests provide side-by-side, real-world, and directly comparable results, so you can rest assured that our data will lead you to the best model suitable to your needs. For other home and cooking items, check out our best kitchen appliances list and peruse some of the other things we can't live without.
—Lesley Robinson, Michelle Powell, Arthur McMahon, Maggie Nichols, and Kendra Ridenour
