Best Coffee Makers 2024 | Tested - Forbes Vetted

A good coffee maker is a kitchen workhorse, consistently yielding flavorful, full-bodied cups of joe—and likely saving you coffeeshop money in the long run. Over the past year, we set out to determine the best coffee makers by putting 30-plus models to the test. Based on our findings, we dubbed the OXO Brew 9-Cup as the best coffee maker overall due to its premium features and smooth brew at a reasonable price point. Our best value pick, the under-$100 Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Brewer, also impressed us by offering features and brew quality on par with a more expensive machine.

The best coffee makers of 2024 our editors personally use and recommend include the OXO 9-cup coffee ... [+] maker.

To narrow down our list, we considered coffee makers in several categories, including espresso machines, drip coffee makers and single-serve coffee makers. During testing, we closely evaluated each model’s build quality, methods of extraction, heat retention, the flavor of the resulting brew and more. Ahead, find the 11 best coffee makers on the market, plus top tips from several coffee professionals.

Amazon

Dimensions: 15 x 8.3 x 17.2 inches | Capacity: 9 cups | Brew time: 7 to 8 minutes | Warranty: 2 years

OXO’s 9-Cup Coffee Maker 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 tells 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 the machine is on the bigger side and might not be the best option for smaller kitchens. But it’s a solid, durable machine that’s bound to last years.

What our testers say: Editorial director and tester Brinda Ayer says in her review of the OXO 9-Cup that 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.

The 2024 Forbes Vetted Best Product Awards are here: Explore our 150 top-recommended items across categories after extensive research and testing.

Amazon

Dimensions: 8 x 10 x 14 inches | Capacity: 12 cups | Brew time: 15 minutes | Warranty: 1 year limited

The Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Brewer is an affordable automatic machine that offers just the right number of customizable settings, is supremely easy to use and clean and—most importantly—makes great coffee. The key is in its showerhead-style water dispenser, which evenly distributes water across the coffee bed for a smoother brew. It also comes with several handy settings: two brew strengths, a 24-hour brewing delay, a brew-pause option, a keep-warm function and a small-batch feature. The warming plate stays on for two hours post-brew, and the detachable reservoir is easy to fill and clean.

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

What our testers say: Ayer also put the Ninja through its paces and concluded that its numerous features and delicious brew made it the best value option she tested. She says of the showerhead-style dispenser: “[It] dispenses water in the same fashion and at similar temperatures as a much more expensive machine, and results in a smooth-tasting final product.” (Read Ayer’s full review.)

Williams Sonoma

Dimensions: 6.7 x 12.7 x 15.7 inches | Capacity: 7.5 cups | Brew time: About 10 minutes | Warranty: 1 year

“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,” says Tony “Tonx” Konecny, founder of Yes Plz Coffee. This high-end model not only features a beautiful stainless steel exterior but also 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 (first on left) stood out from the rest for its precise customization ... [+] options.

What our testers say: After testing the Breville Precision Brewer, Ayer 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 degree for at least four hours post-brew with the lid in a locked position.”

Amazon

Dimensions: 8.5 x 12.5 x 16.3 inches | Capacity: 12 cups | Brew time: 5 to 8 minutes | Warranty: 2 year limited

When you brew coffee using uniform, freshly ground coffee beans, your resulting cup of coffee is fresher and more flavorful. Don’t have the countertop real estate for a standalone coffee grinder? Consider a coffee maker with a grinder like Breville’s Grind Control, which has a built-in burr grinder that processes beans right before it brews. It has six grinder settings and can dispense varying amounts of coffee, either in a 12-cup stainless steel carafe or into a travel cup or large mug. The LCD display also allows you to choose grind time, the number of cups you want to make and one of eight strength settings. Plus, you have the option to use pre-ground coffee for those times you don’t have whole beans on hand.

What our testers say: Product tester Margaret Eby put the Breville Grind Control Coffee Maker through its paces over the course of a week. She notes that the machine kept her coffee hot longer than most and that the java it produced was “robust and flavorful.” That said, if you’re finicky about your grinder settings, you might be better off with a standalone coffee maker and separate grinder.

moccamaster

Dimensions: 14 x 12.8 x 6.5 inches | Capacity: 10 cups | Brew time: 4 to 6 minutes | Warranty: 5 years

If you want one of the absolute best coffee makers, hands down, look to the Technivorm Moccamaster. Most coffee experts—including some we interviewed for this story—believe its perks are well worth the cost, even though it is on the pricier end of our list. “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,” says James McCarthy, an educator at Driftaway Coffee. This retro-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—which comes with a bottom heating element to keep coffee hot for two hours without burning it.

What our testers say: “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,” Ayer notes.

Chemex

Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.1 inches | Capacity: 6 cups/oz | Brew time: 5 minutes | Warranty: 1 year limited (Chemex or authorized sellers only)

The Chemex 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,” says 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.

If you’re drawn to pour-over coffee makers like the Chemex, you might also want to invest in a gooseneck kettle, which provides you ultimate control of the flow of your water, though a regular electric kettle will work just fine.

Senior reviews Anna Perling says her 6-cup Chemex (pictured) has been "an elegant and practical tool ... [+] in my kitchen for years."

What our testers say: Eby also tested the Chemex in her home kitchen and found that it yields flavorful, light-bodied coffee. While it’s easy to use, she notes that it comes with a small learning curve. “It's a slower and more hands-on process than other methods,” she says. “You need to stay near the pour-over and slowly add more hot water as the coffee filters through, rather than just brew it and leave it like a French press or drip coffee maker.”

The Home Depot

Dimensions: 5.6 x 3.8 x 9.1 inches | Capacity: 4 cups | Brew time: 4 minutes | Warranty: Limited lifetime

Whereas most French press coffee makers are made from either plastic or glass, the Espro P7 features an insulated, double-walled stainless steel build. It also produces truly sludge-free coffee, thanks to its two micro-mesh filters that are lined with a silicone lip to create a strong seal—effectively blocking grounds from coming through. The removable parts are dishwasher safe, though we recommend hand cleaning all the pieces for longevity. For even smoother, oil-free coffee, Espro P7’s double filters are compatible with the brand’s compostable filters. (If the P7 gives you sticker shock, we’ve used and recommend the more affordable Espro P3, which offers similar functionality but has a plastic frame.)

What our testers say: “The coffee the Espro P7 makes is excellent,” says Eby, adding that the java it yields is “truly grit-free.” She also notes that the P7 could stand up to a finer grind of coffee than her usual French press, concluding, “This is definitely a French press I’d want to hang on to.”

Amazon

Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.2 x 3.8 inches | Capacity: 1 cup (3 espresso shots) | Brew time: 1 minute | Warranty: 1 year

David Yake, co-founder of Forecast Coffee, says he values versatile gadgets like the AeroPress when it comes to 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 takes a minute to use, its compact form is travel-friendly, and the paper microfilters eliminate any grit from your drink. If you don’t want to invest in an espresso machine, the AeroPress is the next best thing.

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 also comes in a shatterproof, clear Tritan construction for about $10 more.

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

What our testers say: While Eby found the AeroPress to be impressively quick and easy to use, it did take her a few tries to find the right coffee ground fineness: “Before I hit on the right setting, I found my coffee was turning out under-extracted and sour,” she says. But once she found the right size—“slightly less fine than espresso”—the resulting brew was “robust, strong and flavorful.” (Both senior deals editor Kara Cuzzone and commerce editor Margaret Badore are also AeroPress users and fans.)

Williams Sonoma

Dimensions: 8.7 x 12.7 x 12.8 inches | Capacity: 1.5 to 8 ounces | Brew time: 2 minutes | Warranty: 1 year limited

The Nespresso VertuoPlus was our top pick when we tested all of the best Nespresso machines on the market, and it’s our favorite single-serve coffee maker overall, too. Our tester found the VertuoPlus simple and intuitive to use: With the press of a button, you can select your coffee drink of choice, whether it’s a shot of espresso, a classic bold coffee or a large iced coffee. 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. (Read our tested review of the Nespresso VertuoPlus for more of our findings.)

What our editors say: Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman has owned a Vertuo for years and shares: “I like how Nespresso offers such a huge variety of delicious pod flavors that taste like something I’d get in a fancy coffee shop.” She also highlights Nespresso’s responsive customer service.

breville

Dimensions: 12.9 x 14.9 x 16.1 inches | Capacity: Single or double shot | Brew time: Under 5 minutes | Warranty: 2-year limited

The Breville’s Barista Express Impress earned top marks in our larger tested review of the best espresso machines for its user-friendly design, intuitive high-tech features, easy cleanup and quality of its espresso. If you’re someone who doesn’t have much experience manually grinding and tamping, this semi-automatic coffee machine produces barista-quality espresso or cappuccino—no barista skills necessary. Setup takes 15 minutes, thanks to the clear instruction manual and a quick setup sheet. It also has an intuitive control panel, and a built-in dosing funnel curbs mess and helps with cleanup. The biggest standout is its intelligent dosing system, which automatically calculates the right “dose” based on your last grind.

Product tester Lindsay Leopold determine that the Breville Express Impress is the best espresso ... [+] machine.

What our testers say: Contributor Lindsay Leopold, who tested the Barista Express Impress alongside nine other top-rated models, reports, “The grinder automatically calculates an accurate dose based on the last grind, with a light-up indicator that tells you whether you need a bit more or a bit less. ... I used a scale to measure the coffee grounds in between shots and was shocked at how accurately the system was able to adjust and replicate great results.”

Amazon

Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 14.7 inches | Capacity: 5 cups | Brew time: 12 to 24 hours | Warranty: Lifetime satisfaction guarantee

The secret behind this model’s bold yet balanced cold brew concentrate is its unique design (which garnered it the top spot on our list of the best cold brew makers). You pour water over the top of the lid, which is perforated, so your coffee grounds end up evenly saturated. The grounds and water sit for 12 to 24 hours, after which you flip a switch that filters and drains the cold brew through a metal mesh filter and into the glass carafe below. This setup is both sturdy and neat—no splattering grounds or liquid—and the amount of concentrate the model produces is a lot of cold brew. Plus, since the brew is so rich, you don’t need a ton of concentrate for a cup, so you likely won’t have to repeat the brewing process frequently.

What our testers say: Everything about this OXO model is easy, from measuring the grounds and water to go in the reservoir to extracting the concentrate, says Eby. “I appreciated that the carafe has volume measures, so you can use that to pour water over grounds rather than getting out a separate measuring cup,” she says. “Once the coffee is done brewing—I left mine overnight on the counter—the switch to drain it into the carafe was easy to use and worked really neatly.”

The Forbes Vetted team has researched and written a wide range of kitchen stories over the years, including rigorously tested pieces on the best espresso machines and best coffee subscriptions.

We also enlisted the help of the following eight coffee experts and professionals for further insight on what to look for while shopping for a coffee maker:

Our editors started by casting a wide net, scoping out the latest and greatest coffee makers from the most trusted brands, including OXO, Breville, Chemex and Technivorm.

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

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.”

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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 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.

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.”

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.

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: “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 go 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.”

According to Lazarevic of Craft Coffee Spot, the price of a coffee machine matters less than having a good grinder and using quality coffee beans. “Get a Baratza Encore and grind whole-bean coffee fresh before brewing. That alone will greatly improve your coffee. A good grinder and cheap machine will always beat pre-ground coffee and an expensive coffee machine,” he says. (Check out our guide to the best coffee grinders for our tested favorites.)

That said, there are times when the price of a machine reflects the inclusion of advanced features, the durability of its materials and its precision of engineering, Han says. “Whether they are worth it depends on your budget and how much you value those additional features. High-quality, well-built machines can enhance your daily coffee experience, but it’s important to balance cost with your specific needs,” she adds.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of coffee makers: automatic and manual, with the latter requiring more user involvement. Han 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.” Your choice depends on how much you prefer to be involved in the actual brewing and extraction.

Note that you won’t taste much of a difference between drip coffee from an automatic versus a manual machine, says Lubitz of Terra Kaffe. “Drip coffee is relatively simple—gravity pulls water down through coffee. Espresso, on the other hand, uses high pressure and finer coffee grounds,” so you might find more of a variance in flavor.