The best drip coffee makers in 2024, tested and reviewed

A drip coffee maker is as essential an appliance as a refrigerator or (countertop) oven for most of us coffee lovers. And that is no surprise to Greg Dawson, director of coffee for Bellwether Coffee in Berkeley, Calif., who says drip coffee makers offer several advantages. “Generally, they are user-friendly, can produce a sizable amount of coffee at once, and offer customization options like brew strength and water temperature.”

Despite being straightforward to use, the sheer variety of brewing apparatus—from different sizes and shapes to the assortment of features available—can make it difficult to know what to look for when choosing one. However, we’ve tested many and also spoken with experts to come up with this list of the best drip coffee makers. 

• Best overall: Breville Precision Brewer   
• Best smart: Café Specialty Drip   
• Best with grinder: Breville Grind Control  
• Best splurge: Wolf Gourmet Coffee Maker  
• Best design: OXO Brew 9 Cup  
• Best for pods and grounds: Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker     
• Best single-serve and carafe: Keurig K Duo Plus  
• Best combination coffee/espresso: Cuisinart Coffee Center Barista Bar 4-in-1 Coffeemaker
• Best color choices: Technivorm Moccamaster 53941 KBGV 
• Best budget: Krups Simply Brew      

How we chose the best drip coffee makers

As a freelance journalist for over 10 years, I’ve reviewed home and tech products for publications including Forbes, CNN Underscored, NBC News Select, Popular Mechanics, Architectural Digest, Tom’s Guide, The Daily Beast, USA Today’s Reviewed, TechRadar, Better Homes & Gardens, and Bob Vila. I’ve tested and written about several dozen coffee makers and brought this experience to the task of narrowing down the drip coffee maker options based on various factors—and also interviewed several coffee experts for suggestions and tips on making the best cup. 

The best drip coffee maker: Reviews & Recommendations

If you’re the kind of person who lives to tinker with every cup’s grind size and water temperature, it’s better to opt for a specialty coffee machine like the xBloom. But one of the great things about drip coffee, and our suggestions for drip coffee makers, is the amount of effort required to enjoy your java is quite minimal. 

“Overall, the level of customization is limited in comparison to, say, a pour-over,” says Bellwether Coffee’s Dawson. “But if you are looking for a solid cup of joe in the morning, [a drip coffee maker] is a great choice.”

Based on rigorous testing and the factors explained at the end of this roundup, along with our personal love of coffee accouterments and recommendations from colleagues, these are the best drip coffee makers.

Best overall: Breville Precision Brewer  

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Why it made the cut: It’s programmable, with adjustable temperatures and customizable brewing modes—yet easy to operate and beautiful to look at. 

Specs

• Dimensions: 14” x 9” x 16”
• Weight: 3.15 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 60 ounces
• Carafe: Thermal

Pros

• Six brewing mode presets
• SGA Gold Cup standard certification
• Includes both flat bottom and cone filter baskets
• Three flow rates
• Adjustable temperature
• Programmable
• Supports pour-over mode

Cons

• Water tank lid doesn’t attach

The Breville Precision Brewer has so many features that it’s hard to list them all. It has presets for Gold (according to SCA Gold Cup standards), Fast, Strong, Iced, Cold Brew, and you can even customize a My Brew option to remember your favorite settings. People who like to make adjustments will appreciate being able to adjust the bloom time, brew temperature, and choose from one of three flow rates for the Thermocoil heating system.

The generous 60-ounce thermal carafe provides the ability to brew a little or a lot of coffee, and the water container has markings listed in both ounces and cups to ensure you pour just the right amount of water. And since the shape of the filter basket can determine the type of coffee (for example, a flat bottom basket is better for medium and dark roasts, while a cone shape does better with light coffees), Breville includes both flat and cone-shaped options.

The thermal stainless-steel carafe keeps coffee hot for a long time (although you can also order the model with the glass carafe instead if that’s your preference). The coffee maker can even use a drip adapter when you want to make pour-over coffee instead of brewing into the carafe. It’s the best auto coffee maker, and the only con we can find (and this is really nit-picking) is that the water tank’s lid isn’t permanently attached like almost every other coffee maker we’ve ever tested. So, instead of just flipping it up, you need to take the lid off and set it down somewhere until you’ve filled the water tank. 

Best smart: Café Specialty Drip 

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Why it made the cut: Built-in WiFi lets you control the coffeemaker via your smartphone or Alexa and Google Home.

Specs

• Dimensions: 14” x 7.3” x 12.5”
• Weight: 10 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 10 cups
• Carafe: Thermal

Pros

• Built-in WiFi
• Programmable
• SGA Gold Cup standard certification
• Adjustable water temperature
• Three color choices

Cons

• No presets to brew iced and cold coffee

With a temperature range of 185 to 205 degrees F, the Café Specialty Drip Coffee Maker—which is SCA Gold Cup Certified—lets you brew gold, light, medium, and bold strengths. (For the price, we wish it had presets for iced and cold brew as well.) The coffee maker is simply beautiful and available in three finishes: matte black, matte white, and stainless steel—each with copper trim. There’s also a glass carafe option. 

The coffee maker is easy to use, with touch buttons to select the strength and temperature. Easy-to-read markings on the water tank (in both cups and ounces) also make it easy to pour water into the machine. However, perhaps the best feature is the ability to control this WiFi-enabled connected coffee maker via smartphone. You can set the strength, temperature, amount, and even program it without ever touching the coffee maker. In addition, voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can also be used, making this machine the best choice for a smart home.

Best with grinder: Breville Grind Control 

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Why it made the cut: With a built-in grinder with six settings and the option also to use pre-ground coffee, you can always find the perfect consistency.

Specs

• Dimensions: 12.5” x 8.5” x 16.3”
• Weight: 16 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 12 cups
• Carafe: Thermal

Pros

• Built-in grinder with six ground settings
• Programmable
• Can also use pre-ground coffee

Cons

• Looks rather plain compared to some coffee makers

If you take your coffee seriously, the brushed stainless steel Breville Grind Control puts you in control. It has a built-in grinder with a stainless-steel burr and six grind settings. This lets you select the optimized grind for various coffee beans, including Brazilian, Colombian, and Sumatran. It can also grind and brew directly into your stainless steel thermal carafe.

However, this coffee maker can also grind and brew from one to 12 cups so that you can brew into a coffee cup or travel mug, and the bean hopper can hold half a pound of coffee beans. The LCD display on top lets you see your selections, such as grind settings, grind time, and quantity. The programmable coffee maker includes a gold-tone filter and cleaning brush.

Best splurge: Wolf Gourmet Coffee Maker  

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Why it made the cut: The built-in scale weighs the coffee grounds to ensure the perfect result based on the strength and volume selected.

Specs

• Dimensions: 10.5” x 11.5” x 14.5”
• Weight: 13.8 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 10 cups
• Carafe: Thermal

Pros

• Built-in scale
• Programmable
• Adjustable brew strength
• Removable water reservoir

Cons

• Costs a pretty penny

The Wolf Gourmet Coffee Maker is just one of the famous Wolf Gourmet kitchen appliances—a line that includes countertop ovens, cutlery, cookware, blenders and toasters, mixers, griddles, and even multi-function cookers. All of the items are known for superior workmanship and precision control, and the appliances are known for their iconic red buttons. The Wolf Gourmet Coffee Maker is constructed of the same high-quality materials and will likely be an heirloom item.

It has an Accu-Brew setting with an integrated scale that weighs coffee grounds when you put them into the brew basket. Based on the number of cups selected and the brew strength selected (on a range from mild to bold), the scale indicates that the amount of coffee added is correct, not enough, or too much. However, for more control, coffee can also be brewed in manual mode. The coffee maker is also programmable, and the time can be set in 12-hour or 24-hour (military time) formats. Other convenient features include a completely removable water reservoir and front-load coffee drawer. Anyone with space concerns will appreciate not bumping into the back wall or the upper cabinets when making coffee.

Best design: OXO Brew 9 Cup  

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Why it made the cut: The sleek, minimalist design looks good without taking up much space, and it’s ridiculously easy to use.

Specs

• Dimensions: 15 x 8.3 x 17.2
• Weight: 10.5 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 9 cups
• Carafe: Thermal

Pros

• Minimalist design
• Programmable
• SGA Gold Cup standard certification
• Silicone mixing tube

Cons

• Can’t adjust brew settings

Although I love the boxy design of the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker, the slim, round shape of the OXO Brew 9-Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker (also known as the “Barista Brain”) still gets my vote for best design. It’s lightweight (10.5 pounds) and achieves just the right balance between stainless steel, glass, and black. Just watching the water draining out of the reservoir is a therapeutic experience similar to watching rain fall (but in reverse).

The coffee maker is also quite easy to use. There’s only one button. One. Merely press it to turn the coffee maker on and off, then turn it to select the clock, timer, and brew quantity. Selections are viewed on the intuitive LED interface. The stainless steel thermal carafe also includes a silicone mixing tube. As coffee is being brewed into the pot, the mixing tube thoroughly blends it to ensure the best taste.

Best for pods and grounds: Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker     

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Why it made the cut: With the ability to use either pods or grounds and choose various brew sizes, this coffee maker can adapt to various users.

Specs

• Dimensions: 13.07 x 5.51 x 13.31
• Weight: 7.83 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 24 ounces
• Carafe: N/A

Pros

• Uses pods and grounds
• Built-in milk frother
• Four brew styles and various quantities
• Removable water reservoir

Cons

• Doesn’t support a carafe

Sometimes you may want the convenience of pods, and other times, you may prefer the economy of using ground coffee. The Ninja BP051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker can handle both. It’s programmable and has a generous 56-ounce water reservoir. The coffee maker can brew classic, rich, over ice, or specialty coffees. In addition, you can create lattes, cappuccinos, lattes, and macchiatos using the built-in milk frother, which can be used for hot or cold milk. It also folds out of the way when not in use.

When using pods, brew sizes are 6, 8, 10, or 12 ounces. When using grounds, you can brew all of the aforementioned sizes and also brew 18- and 24-ounce sizes. You can even brew into an 8-inch travel mug. Plus, the compact design of the coffee maker also makes it easy to store on your countertop.

Best single-serve and carafe: Keurig K Duo Plus  

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Why it made the cut: A Keurig with a thermal carafe? Yes, please, especially when you can still use coffee cups and mugs.

Specs

• Dimensions: 14.19” x 8.2” x 15.88”
• Weight: 15.97 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 12 ounces
• Carafe: Thermal

Pros

• Uses ground coffee or K Cup pods
• Multiple-position water tank
• Four brew sizes
• Programmable

Cons

• Lack of customizable features

If you like to use K cups and pods, and you’d like a thermal carafe to keep coffee hot, consider the Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve & Carafe Coffee Maker. It has a generous 60-ounce water reservoir that’s removable and can be positioned on the left side, right side, or even on the back of the machine, providing more versatility when dealing with space limitations. The stainless-steel thermal coffee keeps coffee warm for 2 hours and is also durable.

When brewing coffee, you can brew 6, 8, 10, or 12 ounces into the carafe. However, when using the K cups, you can brew 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-ounce mug sizes as well.  There’s also an option to make the coffee stronger and more intense.  In addition, the gold-tone mesh filter eliminates the need for using disposable filters.

Best combination coffee/espresso maker: Cuisinart Coffee Center Barista Bar 4-in-1 Coffeemaker   

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Why it made the cut: This fancy-schmancy coffee and espresso maker rivals your local coffee shop.

Specs

• Dimensions: 11.88” x 12.88” x 16.85”
• Weight: 21.44
• Brewing capacity: 12 cups
• Carafe: Glass carafe

Pros

• Makes coffee and espresso
• Uses coffee grounds and capsules
• Programmable
• Milk frother

Cons

• Glass carafe

If you’re ready to splurge on a dual coffee maker/espresso maker, consider the Cuisinart Coffee Center Barista Bar 4-in-1 Coffeemaker. Besides offerings from Ninja and Keurig, there aren’t a lot of coffee makers that do a good job of also making espresso. I chose this one over the other few competitors because it doesn’t have as many plastic body parts and doesn’t look or feel as cheap. In fact, it has a sturdy and elegant look. The Barista Bar also has a brew strength control feature and adjustable temperatures, is programmable, plus the adjustable keep-warm and auto-shutoff can be adjusted. The coffee maker can also brew up to 12 cups of coffee.

In addition, the machine is compatible with any brand of single-cup pod, including Keurig K-Cup pods. And when you want espresso, it is compatible with Nespresso OriginalLine-style capsules and can make single or double espresso shots. The machine also has a steam wand that can be used to make lattes, cappuccinos, and other drinks. The wand can also be used to provide hot water for tea, soup, hot chocolate, and other hot drinks and meals.

Best color choices: Technivorm Moccamaster 53941 KBGV  

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Why it made the cut: You can match (or mix) your kitchen décor with this high-quality coffee machine that comes in over two-dozen colors.

Specs

• Dimensions: 6.25” x 12.75” x 14”
• Weight: 6.25 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 10 cups
• Carafe: Glass

Pros

• SGA Gold Cup standard certification
• Auto pause function
• Numerous color choices

Cons

• No thermal carafe option
• Water tank lid doesn’t attach

The SCA Certified Technivorm MoccaMaster is a popular coffee maker, especially among my PopSci colleagues. It can brew water to the best temperature for full coffee flavor—between 196 and 205 degrees—and is smart enough to shut off when it detects the absence of water in the water reservoir. It doesn’t have a thermal carafe, but the glass carafe sits on a hot plate that shuts off after 100 minutes. It also uses an auto-pause feature that stops coffee from flowing when the carafe has been removed.

The controls are simple to use. There’s an on/off button and a selector switch for half or full carafe, which controls the brewing speed, quantity, and hotplate temperature (between 175 and 185 degrees F). The cone-shaped brew basket steeps for 4-6 minutes, extracting all the grinds’ nuances, and an automatic drip-step makes sure there’s no mess when it’s time to pour the redolent elixir. Some of the color choices include polished silver, beetroot, black, brushed brass, butter yellow, candy apple red, juniper, midnight blue, turquoise, rose gold, pistachio, orange, and merlot red.

Best budget: Krups Simply Brew 

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Why it made the cut: The economically priced coffee maker, which keeps coffee warm for an hour using the plate, is a good value for the money.

Specs

• Dimensions: 8.27” x 6.65” x 12.83”
• Weight: 4.06 pounds
• Brewing capacity: 10 cups
• Carafe: Glass

Pros

• Economically priced
• Permanent filter
• Easy to use

Cons

• Not programmable

Proof that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a coffee maker, the Krups Simply Brew is a simple machine that handles all of the basics. With the touch of a button, it starts brewing, so there are no fancy instructions to figure out—and not even a digital display clock to set (but you probably have one on your oven and your microwave, anyway). The reusable permanent filter helps you save on purchasing and throwing away disposable filters.  

When kept on the warming plate, the glass carafe can keep coffee warm for up to an hour. Then it shuts off as a safety measure. The coffee maker is a good choice for someone who just wants the best small drip machine to make a basic pot of coffee without all of the bells and whistles.   

Things to consider when buying drip coffee makers

Temperature

According to Sean Stewart, founder and director of Good Citizen Coffee in Nashville, Tenn., a high temperature is the most important feature. “When looking at a home coffee maker, I am looking first and foremost at whether or not it can brew at a high enough water temperature,” he says. Stewart says he wants it to reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit and above at the brew head and maintain above 190 degrees F for the entire brew.

Heather Perry, CEO at Klatch Coffee, also cites a high temperature as something to look for. “Get a brewer that brews hot water, and many brewers won’t get to 185 degrees F—which is really the minimum to brew a good cup of coffee.” You may be wondering why the temperature needs to be so high. “Below 185 F, and the water isn’t hot enough to extract all of the delicious flavor in the coffee, so you end up with an underwhelming cup.” Perry recommends a Technivorn MoccaMaster as a drip coffee maker that reaches high temperatures. 

In fact, Greg Dawson, director of coffee at Bellwether Coffee, recommends selecting a drip coffee maker with adjustable temperature controls. “This will allow you to manipulate the water temperature, which significantly impacts the flavor of your coffee,” he explains.

The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SPCA) has a Golden Cup Standard, in which the water temperature is 200 degrees F (plus or minus 5 degrees) when it comes in contact with coffee. We’ve noted which coffee makers on our list have this designation.

Carafe 

Drip coffee makers come with either glass or thermal carafes—also, some companies made identical models so that you can select the glass carafe model or the thermal carafe model. 

Perry recommends a brewer that brews into a thermal carafe instead of one that brews into a glass carafe that sits on a heated plate. “It will cost more, but your morning coffee will taste better throughout the morning,” she says. However, if you can’t avoid this, Perry recommends transferring it to a thermos after your coffee has finished brewing.

Filter basket 

Surely, your filter basket would be large enough to hold your coffee grounds, no? Well, no, according to Perry. “This one is hard to tell just by looking, but essentially many brew baskets don’t hold enough grounds, so you end up brewing a weak pot of coffee.” If you’ve never noticed, it could be that you don’t brew a full pot of coffee (for example, I tend only to brew 4 cups), or Perry says your coffee may be too weak. She recommends 2 tablespoons for every 6-8 oz of water as a great starting point. “If you are making a full pot of coffee and notice your brew basket is full to the brim with grounds, you need to make fewer cups at a time,” Perry says.  

In addition, Stewart recommends a removable brew basket—and trust us, it’s a lot easier to clean the basket if you can remove it. Disposable filters also make clean-up a breeze. However, Dawson says reusable filters can help to minimize the waste of throwing away paper filters each time.

Programmability and other features

Another feature that Stewart, Perry, and Dawson all recommend is a programmable coffee maker so you can wake up to fresh coffee each morning.

And after you’ve covered all of the basics, Perry says you can start looking for other features that can make the brewing process more enjoyable. “From programming start times or changing how the water flows to various types of coffee like gold, strong, over ice, or cold brew, the Breville Precision Brewer is quite versatile.”

Grinder

Whether you’re considering a coffee maker with a built-in grinder or a separate grinder, Dawson says freshly ground coffee will yield a more flavorful experience. This means keeping whole beans in an airtight container, such as the Planetary Design Airscape Stainless Steel Coffee Canister, until it’s time to grind them. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best drip coffee makers

• Best overall: Breville Precision Brewer   
• Best smart: Café Specialty Drip   
• Best with grinder: Breville Grind Control  
• Best splurge: Wolf Gourmet Coffee Maker  
• Best design: OXO Brew 9 Cup  
• Best for pods and grounds: Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker     
• Best single-serve and carafe: Keurig K Duo Plus  
• Best combination coffee/espresso: Cuisinart Coffee Center Barista Bar 4-in-1 Coffeemaker  
• Best color choices: Technivorm Moccamaster 53941 KBGV  
• Best budget: Krups Simply Brew  

“Drip coffee makers come in many different price points—some are no-frills, while others have many features that allow users to customize their coffee experience,” Dawson says. “Drip coffee makers also tend to come in a range of sizes, offering people the ability to brew the amount they need, whether it’s for their morning cup or for a larger group.” Indeed, the drip coffee maker is the machine that introduces most people to home-brewed coffee, and our recommendations will introduce you to the right appliance for your tastes.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.