The 10 Best Drip Coffee Makers, According To Reviews

Nothing beats a drip coffee maker for practicality and convenience. Just fill the reservoir with water, position your carafe or cup, and push a button. In the old days, such hands-off brewing would only have been done in the kitchens of utilitarian coffee drinkers; connoisseurs would more likely use an Aeropress, French press, or pour-over to achieve a finely nuanced cup. But today's top drip machines, with their more precise temperature control and improved water distribution, don't sacrifice flavor for ease of use. Some of them keep things simple, forgoing bells and whistles in favor of a streamlined approach to gourmet drip coffee. Others go the extra step by including a range of customizable options for your brew. 

When considering a drip coffee maker, take your needs and preferences into account. Some drip machines allow for single-cup brewing, for instance, while others don't. Some pots come with a snap-on lid, and others use a hinge. Budget is, of course, important too — some of the best drip coffee makers on the market are under $50 while others are well over $100. To find the best of the best, we've sifted through online reviews. Out of these 10 brewtiful machines (presented in alphabetical order), there's bound to be one that satisfies your every coffee-related need.

With a history dating back to 1910, Black+Decker is a household name for affordable home essentials. And that includes the Black+Decker 12-Cup Digital Coffee Maker. This basic but incredibly well-reviewed machine includes a 12-cup glass carafe with an easy-grip handle and Quicktouch programming that makes it super easy to set up auto-brew for the morning. The Sneak-a-Cup feature allows you to shut off the drip for a moment while you pour a cup before the whole pot is done, a must for the "need-caffeine-now!" drinkers in the house.

Reviewers who wanted a no-frills machine appreciated this drip coffee maker's simple, foolproof setup. They also enjoyed the big buttons that are a cinch to tap in the hazy early hours of the morning. The quality of the coffee impressed reviewers too, as did the water reservoir's front-facing measurement markings. As for the two-hour automatic shut-off feature, your opinion may vary: One reviewer found it a nuisance, another a stress-saver. Overall, for around $35, this drip maker is a great value for money. Since coffee prices are increasing, it's nice to save a little somewhere. 

Bonavita specializes in coffee makers and kettles, and their drip makers have been featured in several yearly Best-Of lists. At around $150, the Bonavita 5-Cup One Touch Drip Coffee Maker is the brand's most basic small-volume coffee machine, but that doesn't mean it produces a brew any less memorable than a pricier unit. This is a drip maker designed to act like a pour-over, with a well-sized showerhead water system and a flat-bottomed filter basket. The resulting coffee has inspired comparisons in online reviews to more prestigious machines, such as those from Technivorm. Reviewers also note that, in addition to producing great-tasting coffee, the brew quality is also consistent, no matter how much you're making, and it stays hot for one hour in the double-wall stainless steel carafe.

The machine's simplicity is also a boon to reviewers, who note that it requires only one touch of a button (just like the coffee maker's name) to get your brew going. Plus, the unit's smaller size, particularly its height, makes it easy to store on counters beneath cupboards. Some reviewers find the design of the carafe a bit annoying, though, in that it always retains a little in the bottom.

The Braun BrewSense 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker is a streamlined machine that reviewers prize for a number of features, foremost of which is the strong, tasty coffee it produces. This is partly the result of the machine's PureFlavor system, a one-two-punch combo of perfect temperature control and brew time that lets the best flavor and aroma come forward. The Braun BrewSense also comes with a glass carafe that's designed to limit the coffee's exposure to air, thus locking in taste. That carafe is a contentious item among reviewers, though, with some noting that it will drip if you pour too quickly and others finding that scrape marks have appeared on its lid from pulling it out to pour. Most users of this model report no issues with this, however.

Reviewers also enjoy that the machine's hot plate has three temperature settings, so you can keep your coffee as hot as you want it. (Those of you who find yourselves always seeking a quick fix for lukewarm coffee, take note.) The BrewSense's ease of use is another significant selling point: If you want a machine so intuitive that you don't even need to read the instruction manual, this is the one. Overall, folks find it an excellent machine for the price, which is around $85 on Amazon.

Anyone who's ever worked in a restaurant or sat at a diner counter has likely seen a Bunn-O-Matic brewing up coffee en masse. Bunn produces home coffee machines, too. And one of the best you can get is the Bunn Speed Brew Platinum Thermal Coffee Maker.

The machine's name is no idle boast. Reviewers gush over this workhorse drip maker's incredibly fast brewing times reporting that it only takes four minutes to brew a full 50-ounce carafe. The machine achieves this with a commercial-grade stainless steel hot water tank that continuously heats 70 ounces of water so that coffee starts brewing as soon as you shut the reservoir lid.

Some reviewers don't like that you have to leave the coffee maker on at all times for this feature to work, but others maintain that it's a great coffee pot if you read the instructions, set it up correctly, and don't try to treat it like a regular drip maker. Reviewers also appreciate that the coffee stays nice and hot in the carafe – even longer than it's advertised to do, in some cases. You'll pay around $170 for this speed and functionality — worth every penny if "immediate need" describes your relationship with caffeine.

The Cuisinart name is ubiquitous when it comes to exceptional kitchen equipment, be it the best cookware sets or the top toaster ovens. Well, add the Cuisinart 14-Cup Coffee Maker to the brand's list of successes. This drip maker, priced at around $80, is wildly well-reviewed, both among people who bought it as a replacement for an earlier Cuisinart model and those who've made the switch from other brands. This fully automatic machine comes in a respectable range of colors, offers two choices for the strength of your brew, and allows you to pause brewing to sneak in a cup before the pot is done.

Reviewers love the hot, rich, flavorful coffee this machine makes, not to mention its classic aesthetic and user-friendly features like a comfortable handle, easy-to-read buttons, and water level indicator. At only nine pounds, it's also easy to move around the kitchen, if that's important to you. That said, one customer notes that the machine is mostly plastic, but the majority of reviewers reported no quality issues.

If you like to brew a single cup of joe but also sometimes need to make a full pot, the Hamilton Beach 2-Way 12-Cup Programmable Drip Coffee Maker & Single Serve Machine might be the drip coffee maker for you. Reviewers of this versatile machine, which goes for about $70, enjoy the single-cup option on the machine's side. This feature allows for more flexibility within a multi-brew household without the need for coffee pods, though some reviewers found the single-cup brew speed to be a bit slow.

The machine produces coffee that's not only bold and fresh, it comes out at a nice, hot temperature – no lukewarm brews here. This coffee maker also comes with several other features that make it a crowd-pleaser: The Autopause and Pour functionality lets you sneak in an early cup, and there's a two-hour auto shut-off feature that reviewers find convenient for peace of mind. The unit is also simple to use, with a single switch and button.

The machine's water reservoir situation might prove a little tricky to get used to at first. It utilizes two water reservoirs, not a central one, so you have to fill the one for single-cup if you want to use it. Some reviewers also find it a little hard to pour in the water, as the reservoir has a narrow opening. But in all, though, this drip maker has a legion of fans who find it a fool-proof multitasker.

Mr. Coffee's drip coffee makers are pretty much synonymous with affordability, dependability, and simplicity; they're no-nonsense machines that get the job done and, for most reviewers, stand the test of time. The Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Black Coffee Maker takes that reputation and dials it up to full strength. Reviewers sing the praises of this model's ease of use and reliability. At about $40, the price is also an obvious benefit. If you're the type to buy only the best coffee beans and lovingly fine-tune your brew, this isn't the machine for you, but you will get a consistently good pot.

Unlike several other drip coffee makers, this one has no auto shut-off. This can be jarring if you've come to rely on this feature in other machines. The lid to the water reservoir is also taller than you might be used to, which might present a challenge if there's a cabinet over the counter where you brew your coffee.

Ninja's substantial catalog of kitchen and cooking appliances includes drip coffee makers of varying degrees of versatility. The Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Brewer is one of the brand's more basic, streamlined models. It offers both classic and rich brew styles, has a 24-hour programmable delay brew option, and allows for mid-brew pause so you can sneak a cup.

Beyond those more basic features, this coffee maker sets itself apart from other brands' more simple drip makers. The machine offers a small-batch function for one to four cups, so you don't have to waste coffee if all you need is a little pick-me-up. It has a clear, detachable water reservoir that reviewers find convenient and easy; you can fill it under the tap or leave it on the base and fill it old-school style. It also simplifies cleaning, as you can peer inside and see what the environment is like.

Reviewers also agree that the Ninja makes excellent coffee that justifies the $80 price tag over a cheaper machine. The coffee comes out good and hot, and there are even different options for keep-warm times, ranging up to four hours.

Where the regular Ninja 12-Cup maker dips its toe into customizability, the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker does a cannonball flip into brewing choices without sacrificing ease of use. Besides classic and rich brews, this drip maker also offers settings for brewing over ice and making a just-right cold brew, all with the touch of a single button for each option. The two-sided spoon that comes with the machine contains clear markings for scoops-per-serving, taking the guesswork out of the perfect brew and preventing wasted coffee.

As for brew sizes, there are six options, ranging from a small cup to a full pot, and each is accessible with the turn of a knob. If you do happen to make a mistake (like not adding enough water for your brew size choice, for instance), the coffee maker will make a warning sound and clearly indicate the issue.

This Ninja Specialty maker differs from previous models with its inclusion of a Specialty button. This option brews 4 ounces of extra high-quality coffee ideal for savoring alone or using as an upgrade to a protein shake or cocktail. At around $170, this machine isn't the cheapest drip maker out there, but it offers great value for money if you like making different types of coffee drinks. It even comes with a milk frother for those "fancy latte" kind of days.

Unless you're a dedicated coffee nerd, you may not have heard of Technivorm. This Dutch brand produces the Moccamaster line of coffee brewers, including the highly-reviewed Technivorm Moccamaster 53922 KBGV 10-Cup Coffee Maker. At around $350, this is the most expensive drip maker we assessed, but reviews across the internet make one thing clear: If you're the type of coffee drinker who would buy this machine, you're probably going to find it worth every hundred-dollar bill.

Reviews note that the Moccamaster isn't a high-tech machine with a lot of settings and options. Rather, it focuses its efforts on producing outstanding coffee quickly, extracting the maximum flavor from grounds and brewing a 40-ounce pot in 4-6 minutes. It's easy to clean, too: Despite not having a removable reservoir, you can see the tank at all times, and its wide opening allows for easy insertion of a sponge. Plus, the brewing temperature is excellent, according to reviews.

Criticisms of the Moccamaster are mostly focused on the carafe's size: Several reviewers wish it brewed more coffee. A few thought the carafe and coffee maker should feel a little more robust than they do for the price (the carafe feels uncomfortably lightweight to some, for instance). For the most part, however, reviewers found the Moccamaster a top-quality machine.

For this review, we scoured reviews across the web for drip coffee makers, and we only considered machines with at least 2,800 reviews. We excluded any models for which low ratings accounted for more than 9% of the total review count. Specifically, we looked at opinions and reviews regarding each drip machine's ease of use, the flavor of its brewed coffee, and its brew speed, temperature, and consistency. We also looked out for comments about functionality, durability, and aesthetic appeal — because you'll have to look at your coffee machine every day, after all.