For many people, picking the best coffee maker for their home is an important purchase. After all, the type of coffee you enjoy, and the way you like to make it, is highly personal, and thankfully there are now lots of brilliant coffee machines to help you. Thanks to Nespresso in particular, many of us can now enjoy gorgeous frothy coffees with hot milk whenever we want, while other coffee makers have smart functions so that you can program them to brew your coffee as soon as you wake up. (Is there anything better than waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee?)
So the best coffee maker for you could be one that comes with a milk frother, or it might be a machine capable of whipping up an array of drinks, including powerful espresso shots. That said, if you only drink the hard stuff, you might be better off choosing one of the best espresso machines instead. For brilliant all-rounder coffee makers though, we have you covered right here, with machines of different sizes (capacities) and different programs. If you live in a big, busy household with lots of coffee drinkers, opt for a large coffee maker with a range of presets (drink types). We’d recommend a 12-cup machine with a decent warming plate, so you can make a big batch and come back for refills as needed.
Enjoying grinding your own coffee beans? Then naturally the best coffee maker for you is one with a built-in grinder. If you’re looking for ways to recycle the mess left behind, read our feature on five ways to reuse coffee grounds. Other coffee makers are designed for use with pods, and some machines, like the Nespresso range, come with free coffee pods to get you started. Finally, if you’re wondering how much a good coffee maker costs, they vary quite a bit. You can find perfectly decent machines for under $100, while the barista-style makers can easily reach over $300 and counting.
1. Mr Coffee Maker: The best coffee maker overall
The Mr Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker is our top pick for the best coffee maker overall as it's excellent value for money, and not as basic as you might think. Admittedly, it won’t be able to make fancy lattes, however it tops our best coffee makers guide because it has well thought-out features such as an Auto Pause function, which enables you to enjoy a quick cup of coffee while the machine brews the rest.
Other handy features include the Lift and Clean filter basket, making for easy maintenance. The Delay Brew function is also great and, to make sure your coffee suits your taste, you can adjust the strength with the Brew Strength Selector.
With a built-in warming plate, the Mr Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker can keep coffee hot for up to two hours, after that time the auto shut-off will kick in. What’s more, there’s an audible signal when your coffee is ready to drink, making this coffee machine ideal for brewing large quantities of coffee, especially during busy mornings at home.
2. Hamilton Beach The Scoop: Best single-serve coffee machine
If you want hot, tasty coffee and you want it fast, Hamilton Beach The Scoop is a great choice. This single-cup coffee maker can brew an 8-ounce cup of coffee in 90 seconds, and it takes less than three minutes for the machine to fill a 14-ounce travel mug. You also can save money with this coffee maker since you don’t use prepackaged pods.
Instead, you use a scoop filter to measure ground coffee into the Hamilton Beach coffee maker's brewing basket. The scoop has measuring lines for specific amounts. In addition, you can adjust the coffee’s strength by using the Regular or Bold settings.
Regular works nicely with standard grocery-store coffee, while bold is better suited to finer grinds and gourmet coffees. The regular setting releases hot water quickly since that works best for coarse ground coffee. The bold setting allows more time for the hot water to flow through finer coffee grounds to brew the finished product.
- Read our Hamilton Beach The Scoop review
3. De'Longhi 10-Cup Coffee Maker and Espresso Maker: Best coffee maker for pros
The De'Longhi 10-Cup Coffee Maker and Espresso Maker comes out on top as the best professional-style coffee maker, with a sophisticated feel and stylish look. Complete with a steam arm for making a frothy cappuccino, the coffee maker has one of the biggest capacities in our guide.
Compatible with pods and ground coffee, this model can also create drip coffee and has a handy hot plate to keep it warm too. Ideal for creating espresso, the De'Longhi 10-Cup Coffee Maker provides a great crema on top of your drink. Other finer details that make a difference to the final coffee are a water filtration system, cup warmer and auto shut off after a couple of hours to prevent you wasting energy.
4. Black + Decker Stainless Steel Drip: Best coffee maker with grinder
Ideal for grinding beans and making coffee, this Black + Decker coffee maker is a great value option. Making up to 12 cups and with the functionality to keep coffee warm for up to two hours, this coffee maker is an ideal option for busy homes and families.
With a reusable coffee filter, this machine means there’s no need to buy and throw away paper filters. Even better, this model also has a programmable timer so that you can wake up to delicious coffee already brewing.
5. Keurig K-Select: Best coffee maker for pod drinkers
If it’s an effortless coffee you’re after, then capsule machines are ideal. This Keurig coffee maker is great for making a single coffee and there’s a vast range of capsule pods that are compatible with it.
Handy features include the auto shut off, as well as the removable drip tray so that you can place a travel mug inside ready to be filled with fresh coffee to take on the go. The average brew time is less than a minute, making it one of the speedier options in our round up. The large water reservoir also means that you can make up to five cups of coffee before having to refill.
How much do the best coffee makers cost?
Good quality home coffee makers run the gamut from $20 to more than $200, but price alone does not guarantee exceptional quality. Even modestly priced coffee makers intended for home use can produce excellent coffee and offer enough features to satisfy the most discerning coffee aficionado.
It's worth thinking about costs when choosing between a pod machine and one that uses ground coffee. Pods can be quite pricey over time and buying them becomes an ongoing purchase, so it all mounts up.