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Best Coffee Makers 2024 | Expert-Reviewed

March 6, 2024

From traditional brewers to pod-based machines and artisan pour-overs, the best coffee makers come in a range of styles—but whichever one you end up choosing, you can rest assured that there are few more worthwhile investments. These kitchen workhorses help to break your morning café habit, saving you money and time in the process. After a month of rigorous firsthand testing, our in-house team of editors determined that there’s no better choice for most home users than OXO Brew 9-Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker—but we’ve included more than a dozen other excellent options in our list of the best coffee makers, ahead.

From traditional drip machines to artisan pour-overs, these are the best coffee makers of 2024, … [+] curated by our java-loving editors.

kara cuzzone, anna perling, alex garrett and ashley rodriguez for forbes

Based on insights from several coffee experts and our own tested input, our team was able to determine which coffee machines are worth your while. We considered everything from build quality to method of extraction and heat retention, not to mention the varying needs of different home coffee drinkers. And if you have your heart set on a specific style, we’ve also published articles on drip coffee makers, espresso machines, French presses, cold brew coffee makers and many others.

Amazon

OXO Brew 9-Cup Coffee Maker

OXO’s Brew 9-Cup Coffee Maker is, hands down, our top pick for 2024. As a drip maker, it offers high functionality at a reasonable price, and its ease of use and no-frills display are bound to appeal to most home users. There’s a helpful “brew pause” feature and a freshness timer that can tell you how long the brewed coffee has been sitting in the carafe. It’s also fairly easy to clean with nothing more than dish soap and hot water. The machine notifies users when it needs to be descaled, too. Note that it is on the bigger side; at 15 inches tall and 17 inches wide, this might not be the best option for smaller kitchens. But it’s a solid, durable machine that’s bound to last years.

The OXO 9-Cup, left, includes plenty of programmable features and a conical brew bed, unlike its … [+] cousin on the right, the OXO 8-Cup.

ashley rodriguez for forbes

What our testers say: Editorial director Brinda Ayer, who tested a whopping 10 models for our tested story on drip coffee machines, also wrote a full, stand-alone review on the OXO Brew and says she would confidently recommend it to most buyers. “It’s a super-functional machine with premium features at a moderate price, and I drank a smooth and pleasant cup every time I used it,” she comments. “It’s demure in a good way, with a no-frills black and stainless-steel exterior, a simple digital display and exactly one dial on the front with which to adjust the machine.”

Pros:

Straightforward setup and use
Programmable brew timer with “brew pause” feature
Thermal-insulated carafe keeps coffee piping hot for hours
Very simple cleanup

Cons:

Has a larger footprint than some of the other options on our list
No warming plate (but double insulation holds heat well)

Amazon

Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Brewer

For an automatic machine that makes great coffee, offers just the right number of customizable settings and is supremely easy to use and clean, look no further than the Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Brewer—another one of our tested picks. This affordable machine employs a showerhead-style water dispenser, which can more evenly dispense water across the coffee bed for a smoother brew. It also comes with several handy settings, offering two brew strengths, a 24-hour brewing delay, brew pause, a keep warm function and a small-batch feature. The warming plate stays on for two hours post-brew, and there’s a detachable reservoir that’s easy to fill and clean. If you’re looking for a newer-looking, larger-capacity model with a slimmer profile, we also recommend the Pro XL 14-Cup model by Ninja, which is currently available for just $10 more at Amazon.

We appreciate the Ninja 12-Cup’s shower head-style brewer, which helps evenly dispense water and … [+] makes for a smoother cup.

alexandra garrett for forbes

What our testers say: Ayer also put the Ninja through its paces, a machine that, before testing, she says she “wasn’t expecting to love.” She shares, “It offers numerous handy features and delicious-tasting coffee for a very reasonable price, making it the best budget option I tested.” She also appreciated the shower head-style brewer, which, in her words, “dispenses water in the same fashion and at similar temperatures as a much more expensive machine, and results in a smooth-tasting final product.” For the rest of her findings, read Ayer’s full review.

Pros:

Adjustable warming plate
Programmable with 24-hour delay and mid-brew pause
Small-batch feature
Removable, dishwasher-safe water reservoir

Cons:

Brews more slowly than other options due to pre-infusion cycle
Reservoir may lose its seal over time

Amazon

Cuisinart Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

The Cuisinart Brew Central Stainless Steel Coffee Maker is a reliable drip coffee maker with a large 12-cup carafe, making it a good option for those who drink multiple cups of coffee each day. It’s also certainly not an eyesore on the countertop, with its stainless steel accents and slightly retro coffeepot design. This highly rated pick is also equipped with a variety of useful features, including 24-hour brew programming, adjustable “keep warm” temperature control, adjustable automatic shutoff and a “time to clean” indicator light that tells you when to decalcify the machine.

The glass carafe has an ergonomic handle, dripless spout and knuckle guard, and the machine comes with a gold-tone filter, measuring scoop and paper coffee starter kit. The machine itself also has a built-in charcoal water filter that, combined with the shower-style water dispenser, helps produce a smooth and consistent brew. It might not be the fanciest option out there, but the Cuisinart Brew Central gets consistently positive reviews from buyers who love its adjustable features and say it lasts for many years.

Pros:

Includes an indicator light for cleaning
Adjustable keep warm setting
Built-in charcoal water filter and shower head-style dispenser help produce smooth coffee
Removable parts are dishwasher safe

Cons:

Charcoal filter requires regular cleaning and replacing

Williams Sonoma

Breville Precision Brewer Drip 12-Cup Coffee Maker

Tony “Tonx” Konecny, founder of Yes Plz Coffee, tells us, “The Breville Precision Brewer is one automatic drip coffee machine I like a lot if you want a lot of granular control over your brewing.” This high-end model not only boasts a beautiful stainless steel exterior, but it also includes six brewing modes: Gold Cup, Fast, Strong Brew, Iced Coffee, Cold Brew and My Brew, a custom setting that lets you customize bloom, water temperature, brew time and more. The machine includes both flat-bottom and cone-style filter baskets, and it has a 12-cup stainless steel carafe to keep your java hot until you’re ready to drink it.

The Breville Precision Brewer, one of 10 drip coffee makers that Ayer rigorously tested, stood out … [+] for its precise customization options.

brinda ayer for forbes

What our testers say: Ayer, who also tested the Breville Precision Brewer, says it offered the most precise customizations at every step of brewing. She notes, “The taste of the coffee was good, clear and unmuddied; it also stayed nice and toasty in the carafe, at a temperature of 165 Fahrenheit, for at least four hours post-brew with the lid in a locked position.”

Pros:

Several brewing modes (including cold brew and iced coffee)
Elevates the taste of cheaper coffee beans
Includes a brew delay option and adjustable brew volume
Insulated carafe holds heat well

Cons:

Expensive
Setup is a bit time-consuming
Large footprint isn’t best for small households

Chemex

Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffee Maker (6-Cup)

The Chemex Classic is the perfect combination of design, quality and function—it’s elegantly shaped, made from non-porous, heat-resistant glass and uses thick, unbleached filters that produce clear coffee without any grit. “When I want to have more control, I use a Chemex,” shares James McCarthy, educator at Driftaway Coffee. “It has the thickest paper filter of all pour-over methods, and I really enjoy the super light body it produces because of it,” he says, adding that he is able to taste more nuance and clarity in his coffee when using the gadget.

Senior reviews Anna Perling says her 6-cup Chemex, pictured, has been “an elegant and practical tool … [+] in my kitchen for years.”

anna perling for forbes

What our testers say: Senior reviews editor Anna Perling tells us, “The 6-Cup Chemex has been an elegant and practical tool in my kitchen for years. I appreciate that it can just as easily make a delicious cup of coffee for one person as it can for a crowd. There are a few steps to dial in your brew method with a Chemex. Otherwise, using it is delightfully low-tech and will give you the sensory pleasures of smelling your coffee and watching the grounds foam as they bloom. The Chemex has a timeless design (it’s even in the MoMA) and is made from durable borosilicate glass, which also doesn’t retain odors or tastes. The wooden collar is comfortable to hold while pouring. The Chemex is multifunctional, too: You can use it to decant wine or store flowers in a pinch.”

Pros:

Sleek, iconic design
Yields a clear, full-flavored brew
Glass doesn’t impart any odors or unwanted flavors
Dishwasher safe, though collar needs to be removed

Cons:

Only Chemex-branded bonded filters work with this model
One-year warranty is quite limited and only applies to gadgets purchased from Chemex or authorized sellers
Filters need to be rinsed with hot water before use

Wayfair

Keurig K-Elite Single Serve Coffee Maker

Single-serve coffee makers offer unbeatable convenience, and one of the best coffee machines that uses coffee pods is the Keurig K-Elite. This sleek appliance offers a wide range of settings—including five drink sizes, brew strength adjustment, an iced coffee option and more—and its large, 75-ounce reservoir lets you make up to eight drinks before it needs to be refilled.

The Keurig K-Elite gives you the option to adjust its brewing temperature between 187 and 192 degrees, and it can also dispense hot water on demand for those times you’re making tea, oatmeal or instant soup. Its removable drip tray leaves room for travel mugs up to 7 inches tall, and the machine also alerts you when it needs to be descaled.

Pros:

Option to choose from five drink sizes and adjust brewing temperature
Quite sizable water reservoir
Quieter operation than older Keurig machines

Cons:

Difficult to see water tank level
Some users say warranty isn’t enough for how long the machine lasts

Williams Sonoma

Nespresso VertuoPlus

The Nespresso VertuoPlus was our top pick when we tested all of the best Nespresso machines on the market. (It also won the top spot in our list of the best single-serve coffee machines.) With the press of a button, you’ll be treated to your coffee drink of choice, whether 5 or 8 ounces, espresso or double espresso. (The machine scans the embedded instructions within each capsule and automatically brews from there.) It’s also easy enough to clean—you’ just have to dump out the capsules every once in a while, and wash out the water tank. It also brews several types of coffees, espressos and double espressos.

What our testers say: Tester Ella White, who put a total of eight machines through their paces for our Nespresso story, reports, “I found the VertuoPlus to be simple and intuitive to use. It produced drinks that tasted just like the coffee brewed by the other seven machines, which is to say, consistency was not compromised in any way, by any of its features.” You can read her full review here.

Pros:

Pod-based device that’s straightforward and easy to use
Dozens of high-quality flavors available
Small footprint with adjustable water tank

Cons:

Pods are expensive and not as widely available as Keurig pods

Amazon

AeroPress Clear Coffee Maker

For those that tend to drink one cup at a time, the AeroPress Coffee Maker is budget-friendly, versatile and easy to use. David Yake, director of sales and sustainability at Tony’s Coffee, says he values versatility above all else when making coffee at home. “The AeroPress doesn’t require a fancy kettle, and it can make nearly any coffee shine. With an easy recipe adjustment, you can make everything from a strong, concentrated coffee for your cappuccino, to a clean, crisp cup using your favorite floral Ethiopian coffee.”

This coffee press only takes a minute to use, and its compact form makes it ideal for travel. Its plastic design is BPA and phthalate free, and it comes with paper microfilters that eliminate any grit from your drink and make cleaning up easy. Plus, if you’d like a slightly bigger option with the same compactness and quality brew, the AeroPress XL can make two Americanos or six espresso shots.

The AeroPress’ compact form and versatility make it ideal for travel—or for when you just need a … [+] single serving of quality coffee.

kara cuzzone for forbes

What our testers say: Both senior deals editor Kara Cuzzone and commerce editor Margaret Badore are fans of the AeroPress. Badore tells us, “What sets it apart from other coffee makers, in my opinion, is the speed at which you can brew a great cup. There’s almost no brew time—you’re just waiting for your water to boil. I would recommend paying attention to the grit of your coffee grounds, because if it’s too fine it can make pushing the plunger down a lot harder.”

Pros:

Affordable
Versatile but quick and easy to use
Compact and travel friendly
Coffee turns out smooth and grit free

Cons:

Gasket may wear out over time

Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select

If you want one of the absolute best coffee makers, the Technivorm Moccamaster is well worth your time—even if it’s a bit more expensive than others on our list. Most coffee experts believe the perks are well worth the cost, though. “The Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select heats the brew water to around 200 degrees, which enables the water to pull out more sweetness, body and nuance,” McCarthy says. This futuristic-looking coffee maker is available in a wide range of colors to match any decor, and it can make up to 10 cups of coffee at a time in its glass carafe.

What our testers say: Of the Moccamaster, Ayer says, “This machine is truly excellent and is revered for very good reason. Its design is slim and streamlined, and it produces really great coffee in just 4 to 6 minutes for a full carafe using a unique copper-coil conducting system.” She also appreciates that this particular model uses a glass carafe with a bottom heating element, which keeps the coffee hot for two hours—but never burns it.

Pros:

Retro design and no-frills operation
Can choose either half or full brew volume
Lengthy warranty
Recommended by several coffee pros we spoke with

Cons:

Expensive
Not for those who want advanced features or app connectivity

Crate & Barrel

Breville Grind Control Coffee Maker

Freshly ground coffee beans yield a fresher and more flavorful drink. The Breville Grind Control Coffee Maker, our top pick in our best coffee makers with a grinders story, has a built-in burr grinder that processes beans right before it makes your brew, resulting in the freshest coffee possible. It has six grinder settings, and in addition to brewing into the 12-cup stainless steel carafe, the machine can also dispense a single serving of coffee directly into a travel cup or large mug.

The coffee maker has an LCD display that allows you to choose the grind setting, grind time and number of cups to make. There are eight strength settings, along with the option to use pre-ground coffee for those times you don’t have whole beans on hand.

Pros:

Built-in burr grinder
Single-serving option
Insulated carafe holds heat well
Programmable auto-start

Cons:

Carafe doesn’t pour cleanly
Requires a lot of daily maintenance
Expensive

Best Features

Walmart

Bodum Chambord 8-Cup French Press

There’s a reason the Bodum Chambord is our top Amazon-available pick in our Best French Presses story. Besides its classic glass construction with tasteful stainless steel accents, the press offers plenty of features that make it simple to make a smooth and flavorful brew. First, the construction: It’s made from stain- and heat-resistant borosilicate glass for durability (though it’s not shatterproof). The plunger, filter and filter base are all made from stainless steel, and they make the press quite effective at catching grounds and preventing grittiness; just make sure not to grind your beans too fine. We also like that the lid creates a seal that helps keep those grounds in place while you pour. In terms of brew time, you’ll have drinkable coffee in about 4 minutes, which means it’ll still be hot once you’re take your first sip.

What our testers say: Badore highly recommends the Chambord. She says, “I like that the glass doesn’t impart even the tiniest trace of flavor, and the clear sides let you see how your brew is looking. I love that’s it’s a waste-free way to brew coffee, and you never need to worry about running out of filters or accidentally buying the wrong size. It’s a little fiddly to clean compared with other coffee makers, but it’s well worth this minor inconvenience, in my opinion.”

Pros:

Durable and made with high-quality materials
Beautifully designed and will look good on a counter
Filter is reusable, which eliminates paper filter waste

Cons:

Glass is not shatterproof
Super-fine grounds may sift through

Hario USA

Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Maker

With a sleek-looking glass pitcher, this cold brew maker is as attractive as it is easy to use: Measure out your grounds and place them into the filter basket, which conveniently screws into the lid. Next, fill the pitcher, seal the lid and let the coffee brew for 12 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in the refrigerator. It couldn’t be simpler. What’s more, the mesh filter is removable and the entire thing is dishwasher-safe—though to really make the gadget last, several reviewers advise washing the parts by hand. In terms of the quality of the coffee, java drinkers who value smoothness over flavor in their cold brew will find plenty to appreciate in its acid-free, milder flavor (one user reported that it works great as a mixer for coffee-based cocktails). Finally, the Mizudashi is versatile, with a handful of reviewers saying they use it to make iced tea.

Pros:

Very budget-friendly
Dishwasher safe, but some users advise hand washing
Can also be used for iced tea

Cons:

Tall pitcher might not fit in every fridge
Instructions are not in English (though operation is easy to figure out without them)

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

The Forbes Vetted team has researched and written an enormous number of kitchen stories over the years, including rigorously tested pieces on the best espresso machines and best coffee subscriptions.
The publishing of this article and its iterations is overseen by our team of experienced home editors: deputy editor Rebekah Lowin, senior editor Amanda Arnold and editor Sholeen Damarwala.
Our team regularly reviews this story to ensure that our guidance is as current and accurate as possible. The original version of this story was written by executive strategy editor Lindsay Boyers, a functional nutritionist and cookbook author; it was last updated in February 2024 by updates writer Fran Sales, who has several years of experience covering and testing kitchen products.

The Experts

For this article, we also enlisted the help of the following coffee professionals:

Jessica Easto, writer, editor and author of Craft Coffee: A Manual and How to Taste Coffee
Jiyoon Han, CEO and co-founder of Bean & Bean Coffee Roasters in New York City, and a certified Q grader
Tony “Tonx” Konecny, founder of Yes Plz Coffee
Marko Lazarevic, owner of Craft Coffee Spot and SCA official member
George Lubitz, director of communications at Terra Kaffe
James McCarthy, the director of education and sustainability at Driftaway Coffee
Michael Phillips, the director of content and copy at Blue Bottle Coffee, winner of the 2010 World Barista Champion title
David Yake, co-founder of Forecast Coffee

How We Chose The Best Coffee Makers

Our editors started our search for the best coffee makers by casting a wide net, scoping out the latest and greatest makers from the most-loved brands. These include OXO, Ninja, Chemex, Breville and Technivorm, among others.
We prioritized models that Forbes Vetted staffers have tested firsthand and complemented those picks with recommendations from the coffee experts and educators we consulted.
When making our final selections, we homed in on coffee makers with customization and control features, user-friendly designs and excellent overall value. Our team also focused on each maker’s water-dispensing method, temperature control, heat retention, its potential to impart flavors onto the brew, its long-term maintenance, durability and, of course, the flavor and quality of the resulting coffee.
Last, we noted whether a machine had been certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), a group of coffee science and tasting professionals that employs rigorous standards. (That said, the coffee experts we spoke to mention that while an SCA certification is one helpful quality indicator for shoppers, it’s not the only one you should consider.)

What To Consider When Choosing A Coffee Maker

If you’re looking to upgrade your caffeine routine, here are a few key points to consider.

Method

The biggest difference among the coffee makers we recommend is the level of user involvement required in brewing. Jiyoon Han of Bean & Bean Roasters explains, “Automated methods, like auto drip coffee makers or auto espresso machines, handle various steps automatically, such as water temperature and extraction time. Manual methods, like pour-over or French press, require the user to control these variables, offering more direct control and customization over the brewing process.”

The type of coffee-making method you choose also affects the quality of your brew, explains Terra Kaffe’s George Lubitz. “Espresso and drip coffee are nothing alike in terms of flavor, consistency or even caffeine levels,” he says. “Drip coffee has almost twice as much as a shot of espresso.”

Filtration

A coffee maker’s filter has an effect on the brewing process, though the experts we spoke with advise shoppers not to overthink this factor. “The filter’s material can influence the extraction of flavors, and the number of layers in the filter can impact the filtration of finer grounds,” Han says. Filter material ranges from paper to fine metal mesh to ceramic, but in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. “So long as water can freely pass through the bed of coffee into the cup or reservoir (without that flow being interrupted), you’re in business,” adds Lubitz.

Water Dispensation

Unlike filtration, the way water is dispensed over your coffee grounds is one of the biggest considerations in choosing a home coffee maker. “You want a machine that dispenses water across the surface of the coffee bed,” says Craft Coffee Spot owner Marko Lazarevic, pointing to the Technivorm MoccaMaster and the XBloom as examples. “The problem with [some] drip coffee machines is they have one little hole of super-hot water falling in one spot on the coffee,” he adds. “That area gets totally burned, but the rest is not extracted, resulting in coffee that tastes burnt yet thin.” That’s why manual pour-over methods like the Chemex, which allow you to control how water is dispensed, have become popular. But if you want the convenience of drip machines, focus on a shower head-style dispenser, like in the Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker, to ensure that hot water saturates the coffee evenly.

Manual pour-over methods, like the Chemex (used here for writer Jordan Crosthwaite’s coffee … [+] testing), have become more popular because they allow you to control how water is dispensed.

JORDAN CROSTHWAITE for forbes

Capacity

Some coffee makers brew one cup at a time (see pod coffee makers like the Keurig K-Elite and the Nespresso VertuoPlus), while others brew up to 12 cups. Consider how many cups of coffee your household usually drinks daily, advises Han. “If you live alone and make coffee just for yourself, a single-serve brewer can suffice, while if you are brewing for a family of four every morning, you may need a larger-capacity brewer.”

Temperature Control

How well a machine extracts coffee also hinges heavily on how well it controls and retains temperature. Author and coffee expert Jessica Easto tells us, “Choose a machine that is capable of bringing water to temperature and maintaining that temperature for the length of the brew cycle. Many machines are not capable of doing this, so the extraction of the coffee is not as good as it can be.”

Coffee enthusiasts who want to take more control of home coffee’s quality should consider a coffee machine with adjustable temperature settings, like the Breville Precision Brewer. “These machines allow you to customize your brew, like using higher- or lower-temperature water to accommodate different roast levels or coffee origins and profiles,” Han explains.

SCA Certification

When it comes down to it, coffee making is a science with many variables, including grind size, the quality of the coffee beans and temperature control. So it makes sense that all the experts we spoke with say an SCA Certified Home Brewer sticker on an automatic coffee maker is a convenient starting point and a nice feature for shoppers to consider. Easto says, “SCA-certified machines are required to meet industry standards for reaching and maintaining temperature, as well as other standards that affect the extraction of coffee. Simply put, these standards are backed by decades of research and knowledge about coffee extraction and what results in a high-quality, tasty cup.”

That said, automatic coffee machines with an SCA-certified sticker tend to be more expensive than non-certified ones, and this certification isn’t the end-all-be-all factor in finding a good coffee maker for your needs. Still, if your goal in buying a new machine is high-quality coffee without sacrificing convenience, Easto says this is a good place to start. Two of the best coffee makers on our list, the OXO 9-Cup and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV, are SCA certified.

Cleaning

Properly and regularly cleaning your coffee maker is key for keeping the quality of your brew consistent, as well as for increasing the machine’s longevity. Han suggests, “Having removable parts or self-cleaning functions can simplify maintenance. Certain manual pour-over brewers may be easier to clean than others, as well.”

What Is The Best Coffee Maker For Home Use?

The right model for you depends on your preferences, but for true coffeehouse-quality brews at home, we suggest looking to our favorite, no-frills pick, the OXO Brew 9-Cup. Alternatively, if you’ve got a bigger budget, check out the high-tech, expert-backed Technivorm Moccamaster. You can also go the manual route with a pour-over carafe like the Chemex or a French press like the Bodum Chambord—both vouched for by our java-loving staffers.

Do Coffee Makers Really Make A Difference In Flavor?

The answer is a resounding “yes.” Whether it’s a drip maker or pour-over device, you’re bound to notice that distinct methods of bean extraction result in different flavors. Phillips explains it as follows: “From getting the correct temperature to having a pour that consistently saturates the bed of grounds evenly to even the simple aspects of being easy to keep clean, the coffee maker you pick will definitely change the cup you get.” Bean & Bean Coffee’s Han adds, “Experimenting with various types [of coffee makers] can help you discover your preferred flavor profile.”

But it’s important to keep in mind that the quality and flavor of your brew goes beyond the machine alone. “No machine can make poor-quality coffee taste great,” Easto explains. “And if you aren’t using the proper grind size, your end result will not be optimized for quality, either.”