The Best Coffee Makers
Our Picks
Breville Precision Brewer
The r/Coffee favorite for people who care about extraction. Six brewing modes including bloom time adjustment, gold cup standard compliance, and the ability to brew directly into a thermal carafe or your own pour-over dripper.
What we like
- SCA Golden Cup certified — brews at optimal 197.6°F-204.8°F
- Programmable bloom time for better extraction of fresh coffee
- My Brew mode lets you customize every parameter
- Flat-bottom basket with excellent water distribution
What we don't
- $300 is expensive for a drip machine
- Complex interface — more features than most people need
- Large footprint (13" tall)
| Capacity | 12 cups (60 oz) |
|---|---|
| Brew temperature | 197.6°F - 204.8°F (adjustable) |
| Carafe | Thermal (included) |
| SCA Certified | Yes |
| Price | $300 |
OXO Brew 9-Cup
SCA-certified brewing quality with one-button simplicity. No modes to configure, no settings to adjust — just consistently excellent coffee every time.
What we like
- One-button operation — no learning curve
- SCA Golden Cup certified extraction
- Rainmaker showerhead distributes water evenly
- Double-wall thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours
What we don't
- No programmable timer
- 9-cup max — smaller households only
- Can't adjust brew strength or temperature
| Capacity | 9 cups (45 oz) |
|---|---|
| Brew temperature | 197.6°F - 204.8°F |
| Carafe | Thermal (included) |
| SCA Certified | Yes |
| Price | $200 |
Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup
At $100, this is the entry point for properly brewed coffee. No bells and whistles — just correct water temperature and even extraction.
What we like
- SCA certified at half the price of competitors
- 1500W heater reaches optimal temperature quickly
- Showerhead design for even saturation
- Simple, reliable — minimal parts to break
What we don't
- No programmable features
- Glass carafe (thermal optional for $30 more)
- 8-cup maximum capacity
| Capacity | 8 cups (40 oz) |
|---|---|
| Brew temperature | 198°F - 205°F |
| Carafe | Glass (thermal available) |
| SCA Certified | Yes |
| Price | $100 |
Breville Grind Control
For people who want fresh-ground coffee without a separate grinder. The built-in burr grinder and programmable settings deliver café-quality results with minimal effort.
What we like
- Built-in conical burr grinder with 8 grind settings
- Grinds directly into brew basket — maximum freshness
- Adjustable brew strength and temperature
- Programmable timer for wake-up coffee
What we don't
- $350 — premium price for combo unit
- Grinder is good but not great (upgrade separately if you get serious)
- More parts to clean and potentially fail
| Capacity | 12 cups |
|---|---|
| Grinder | Conical burr, 8 settings |
| Carafe | Thermal or glass options |
| Price | $350 |
How We Researched This
Most coffee makers don't actually brew coffee correctly. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) certifies machines that reach proper extraction temperatures (197.6°F-204.8°F) and complete brewing in 4-8 minutes. We focused on:
- 5,400+ user reviews from r/Coffee, Amazon, and coffee forums
- SCA certification as a baseline — uncertified machines often brew too cold
- James Hoffmann's testing and other specialty coffee expert recommendations
- Long-term reliability — heating elements and carafes are common failure points
What to Look For
What actually matters
Brew temperature. Coffee should be brewed at 197.6°F-204.8°F. Most cheap machines brew at 180°F-190°F, resulting in under-extracted, sour coffee. SCA certification guarantees proper temperature.
Showerhead design. Water should saturate all the grounds evenly, not pour through a single hole in the center. Look for "rainmaker" or showerhead descriptions.
Thermal vs. glass carafe. Hot plates continue cooking coffee on glass carafes, making it bitter within 20 minutes. Thermal carafes keep coffee at the right temperature without degrading it.
What matters less
Cup capacity claims. A "12-cup" coffee maker uses 5oz cups. That's 60oz total, or about four normal mugs. Don't overbuy capacity you won't use.
Programmable features. Nice for scheduling, but if the machine doesn't brew at the right temperature, no amount of features will fix bad coffee.
Products We Considered
Technivorm Moccamaster: Legendary quality and Dutch-made, but $360 for a simple drip machine is hard to justify when the Breville offers more features at the same price.
Cuisinart DCC-3200: Popular and affordable, but not SCA-certified. Brews too cold for proper extraction.
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker: Versatile with multiple brew styles, but water temperature is inconsistent per user reports.
Our Methodology
We prioritize SCA certification because it's an objective standard for brew quality. We update this guide when new certified machines launch or when reliability data changes.