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Article updated on March 11, 2024 at 12:00 PM PDT

Best Coffee Makers for 2024

In a bid to find the perfect brew, we put the best coffee makers on the market to the test. From drip coffee machines to cold brew makers, we’ve got recommendations to fit every taste and budget.

Our Experts

Written by 
Brian Bennett
Andrew Blok
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement
Brian Bennett Former Senior writer
Brian Bennett is a former senior writer for the home and outdoor section at CNET.
Andrew Blok Editor I
Andrew Blok has been an editor at CNET covering HVAC and home energy, with a focus on solar, since October 2021. As an environmental journalist, he navigates the changing energy landscape to help people make smart energy decisions. He's a graduate of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State and has written for several publications in the Great Lakes region, including Great Lakes Now and Environmental Health News, since 2019. You can find him in western Michigan watching birds.
Expertise Solar providers and portable solar power; coffee makers, grinders and products Credentials
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Our Picks

$200 at Best Buy
The Oxo Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker sits on a countertop.
Best drip coffee maker
Oxo Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker
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$100 at Amazon
The Ninja Programmable XL 14-Cup Coffee Maker Pro
Best coffee maker for $100 or less
Ninja Programmable XL 14-Cup Coffee Maker
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$229 at Amazon
ge-cafe-specialty-drip-main
Best programmable coffee maker
Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker
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$52 at Amazon
A cold-brew coffee maker on a table
Best cold brew coffee maker
Oxo Brew Cold Brew Coffee Maker
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$18 at Best Buy
oxo-good-grips-pour-over-coffee-maker-product-photos-1.jpg
Best pour-over coffee maker
Oxo Good Grips Pour-Over
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$200 at Amazon
ninja-hot-cold-10
Most versatile coffee maker
Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System
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$249 at Lardera
The Wilfa Performance coffee maker.
Best-looking coffee maker
Wilfa Performance Coffee Maker
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$160 at Amazon
bunn-velocity-brew-bt-product-photos-10.jpg
Best for speedy pots
Bunn Velocity Brew BT
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$339 at Amazon
technivorm-moccamaster-1.jpg
Best for traditionalists
Technivorm Moccamaster
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When you think of coffee, you might think Starbucks, Caribou and Dunkin' which serve up a variety of coffee, but it can be expensive to do all the time. Getting a good coffee machine at home can give you the same effect and save you money if you know what to do.

The options for brewing coffee at home are vast; there are plenty of machine types to pick from. When picking a coffee maker, it’s important to take into account factors like brewing method, ease of use, price and your personal coffee preference. While some people love an easy-to-use pod coffee machine, others prefer a proper espresso maker. Choosing a machine might seem intimidating but that’s where we come in; we’ve tried and tested multiple coffee makers, selecting our favorite ones to round up below. 

We've meticulously tested and carefully chosen the best coffee makers available now. Whether you're looking to brew your coffee hot or cold, manually or automatically, on a budget or without financial constraints, we've got an option for you. (You can also check out our picks for the best coffee subscriptions.) 

Best coffee makers

Editors' choice
$200 at Best Buy

Best drip coffee maker

Oxo Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker

The Oxo Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker delivers Speciality Coffee Association Golden Cup-rated coffee that tastes just as good as coffee from our previous favorite, the Bonavita Connoisseur, but Oxo's new coffee brewer is more thoughtfully designed. This drip machine also comes with a special single-cup filter basket for Kalita Wave filters. The Oxo Brew is the best drip coffee maker that's compact, stylish and sturdy. Plus, it comes with a thermal carafe that doesn't drip or spill.

$100 at Amazon

Best coffee maker for $100 or less

Ninja Programmable XL 14-Cup Coffee Maker

Often found at a sale price of $80, the Ninja Programmable XL 14-Cup Coffee Maker provides tasty coffee on a budget. Of the cheaper coffee makers, this Ninja regularly made the smoothest, richest and tastiest coffee (not to mention the most volume of coffee). With both classic and rich brew settings and a setting for making smaller quantities, it's a coffee maker that can accommodate working from home alone or having friends over for brunch. It'll brew at a set time and warm your brewed coffee, like many other pots, but also has a cleaning cycle. With a reusable filter in the box, you can also cut down on one more coffee expense.

$229 at Amazon

Best programmable coffee maker

Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker

While the Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker doesn't come cheap, it does offer a lot for the money. If you are a coffee drinker who likes a smart coffee maker, you can schedule a delicious cup in advance with its auto brew feature. It's an excellent brewer that brews fast and with exceptional water temperature control. The Cafe model also offers a quality thermal carafe, makes 10-cup batches and links to Wi-Fi to provide smart app control. The Cafe is easy on the eyes, too, incorporating lots of brushed metal in its design.

$52 at Amazon

Best cold brew coffee maker

Oxo Brew Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Cold-brew coffee is delicious, but it can be a pain to make. Oxo's cold-brew coffee maker takes much of the headache out of the process. This Oxo Brew coffee maker saturates coffee grounds evenly and lets you drain cold-brewed coffee from them into its glass carafe with relative ease.

$18 at Best Buy

Best pour-over coffee maker

Oxo Good Grips Pour-Over

Delicious coffee and great-tasting drip from a product that costs less than $20? It sounds unlikely, but that's just what the affordable Oxo Good Grips Pour-Over offers. It only makes coffee one drink at a time and requires you to provide hot water. That said, the simple brewer transforms the otherwise complex task of making a pour-over into one that's easy, clean and almost foolproof.

$200 at Amazon

Most versatile coffee maker

Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System

Think of this kitchen appliance as the Swiss Army knife of the drip coffee maker world. The Ninja programmable brewer (with frother, thermal carafe and reusable filter) offers an uncanny degree of flexibility, making it the best coffee maker for those who don't always want the same cup. This coffee machine can create everything from solid drip to perfect cold brew or iced coffee to latte-style drinks with its milk frother, and it will adjust the temperature according to your choice. Its thermal carafe will keep tea or coffee hot for up to 2 hours. This programmable coffee maker even lets you brew iced coffee and hot coffee in multiple sizes, from small cups up to full carafes.

$249 at Lardera

Best-looking coffee maker

Wilfa Performance Coffee Maker

You won't mind having the Wilfa Performance coffee maker sitting on your counter. Its clean, striking design makes it a device to show off. You'll also want it close at hand for the smooth and balanced coffee it makes. This Wilfa machine pairs a beautiful design with simple controls that allow you to customize your brew without getting too bogged down in minutia. While you might find similar quality for cheaper, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better-looking coffee maker.

$160 at Amazon

Best for speedy pots

Bunn Velocity Brew BT

Those who seek lots of coffee in a hurry will love the quick brew cycle of this coffee maker. The Bunn Velocity Brew BT drip coffee maker with its stainless-steel-lined thermal carafe whips up a large pot of joe at an astonishing speed. In as little as 3 minutes, 33 seconds, the coffee maker can deliver full batches of tasty drip coffee to drink.

$339 at Amazon

Best for traditionalists

Technivorm Moccamaster

Dutch company Technivorm has sold exceptionally good drip coffee makers for decades. Its Moccamaster drip coffee machine sports a design with clean lines and sharp angles that harkens back to 1968, the year the first Moccamaster hit stores. Retro design aside, the Moccamaster KBT 741 consistently puts out perfect freshly brewed coffee that will satisfy coffee connoisseurs. Its stainless-steel thermal carafe also keeps its contents hot for a full 6 hours.

How we tested the coffee makers

Evaluating the performance of a coffee maker is trickier than it might sound. You need to know what good drip coffee is and, according to the Specialty Coffee Association, there are essential criteria for brewing well. Brewing time and water temperature top the list. Hot water should come into contact with grounds for no less than four minutes and no more than eight. The ideal water temperature range is between 197 degrees Fahrenheit (92 degrees Celsius) and 205 degrees Fahrenheit (96 degrees Celsius).

To see how well each coffee maker meets that challenge, we log the length of their brew cycles. We also employ thermocouple heat sensors connected to industrial-grade data loggers. That enables us to record the temperature within the coffee grounds while brewing is underway.

Testing a pot of coffee using an optical refractometer.
Enlarge Image
Testing a pot of coffee using an optical refractometer.

We measure the temperature inside the brewing chamber of every coffee maker we test.

Brian Bennett/CNET

After brewing coffee, we take sample readings of the produced coffee liquid with an optical refractometer. Given that we factor in the amount of water and freshly ground coffee used, that data lets us calculate the Total Dissolved Solids percentage of each brew. From there we arrive at the extraction percentage. The ideal range is commonly thought to be between 18% and 20%.

We also back up measured data with a good old-fashioned taste test. Over-extracted coffee tastes bitter and sharp, while under-extracted coffee is usually weak or sour. To be certain, we brew identical test runs a minimum of three times to get a sense of the average results.

Coffee maker FAQs

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How long do coffee makers last?

If cared for properly a coffee maker can last for years. That said, with the exception of Technivorm Moccamasters which are covered under a five-year warranty, most coffee makers come with one-year limited warranties. Regardless of their length, all these warranties cover manufacturing defects, not ordinary wear and tear or misuse of the item. 

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How do coffee makers work?

Even the most sophisticated coffee makers perform the same simple task. That's to run hot water over ground coffee, then collect that liquid inside a container. Achieving the perfect balance of strength and flavors for excellent coffee is difficult. Most machines fail because either they lack quality water-heating systems, run water through the grounds too slowly, or can't brew with enough grounds to begin with. Some coffee makers suffer from a combination of these issues -- or all three.

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How to clean a coffee maker?

Besides removing external dirt, stains and dust, all coffee makers require periodic deep cleaning. Specifically, their internal water heating systems should be descaled regularly. Some manufacturers instruct you to do this with a vinegar-and-water solution. Others don't specify except to say to use a store-bought descaling solution. For example, Technivorn says to use products like Durgol to descale its machines.