Drip coffee makers create the warm, revitalizing brews that so many of us crave, the lifeblood that makes the daily get-up-and-go a little easier and much more enjoyable. As such, a drip coffee brewer is an essential part of many people's morning routine. Finding the right drip coffee maker that suits your tastes and needs is necessary to achieve that java-induced bliss each and every day. To help you determine the best coffee maker for your kitchen, our team of testers made use of multiple testing procedures to evaluate each coffee maker based on the taste of the coffee it produced, the overall brew quality, how fast it could brew a pot, and how easy the machine was to use and clean.
Taste
Taste is our most important metric, accounting for 50% of our overall score. While taste can be subjective, we made the taste-testing process as objective as possible. Our testing team included expert baristas and coffee connoisseurs with discerning palates.
For this test, we brewed coffee in each machine at the 1:18 golden ratio of coffee to water, and we also made the same coffee in a classic pour-over for comparison. Our team of taster testers then sipped the coffee brewed from each machine in the lineup, jotting down their thoughts. Each tester described the flavor and also noted how strong the coffee flavor was, the experience of the mouthfeel, the aftertaste, and the acidity level. Each tester scored the coffee, and the results were compiled to determine the final results.
Brew Quality
Brew quality was the second most important metric in our scoring, comprising 30% of the overall score. For the coffee to taste great, the machine must have good brew quality. Our tests went further to measure the precision and consistency of the machines as well. We wanted to see how well these machines performed pot after pot.
To measure brew quality, we started by recording the temperatures in the brew basket during the brewing process. We tracked the results for each machine across three brew cycles, then ran quick calculations to determine the average brew temperatures and average max brew temperatures. We rated these for if and how closely they achieved the ideal temperature range for brewing coffee (195 to 205°F as is standardized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)).
We also logged the temperatures in the carafes of coffee when brewing was completed. For all temperatures recorded, we checked for consistency and recorded the standard deviation of temperatures. We also noted water distribution across grounds and whether or not a preinfusion mode was available.
Brew Time
Brew time made up 10% of our overall score. While many drip coffee makers can brew a pot of coffee in a reasonable amount of time, we know that coffee drinkers often want their coffee now — not 10 minutes from now. So, we timed each machine across five brew cycles to see how fast they could brew a 6-cup pot and how consistent their brew time was across the multiple pots of coffee. We calculated their average brew times but also noted if any patterns arose, such as the first pot brewing faster than subsequent pots.
Ease of Use
Ease of use also made up 10% of our overall score. To assess ease of use, our coffee professionals brewed numerous and repeated pots of coffee on each machine. We evaluated the process from start to finish, including filling the water tank, inserting filters, and loading coffee grounds. We compared the interfaces of each model to see how simple or convoluted they were. The availability and convenience of features like auto-brew, hot plate shut-off, and cleaning reminders were considered. We also ranked each model based on the design of their carafes and how well they handled and poured.
Cleaning and maintenance were also factors in this metric. We took note of any manufacturer-recommended daily, weekly, monthly, or occasional cleaning tasks but also factored in tasks that needed to be completed. For instance, descaling is a necessary cleaning task to ensure the longevity of any drip coffee maker. So, we looked into each machine's process, but if those details weren't provided, we performed testing and research to determine how often each task needed to be completed and how long it would take to do so.
