Based on 11,518 analyzed reviews
Table of contents
NerdWallet’s scoring of the best four-cup coffee makers is based on our analysis of the opinions of experts and shoppers like you.
There are many things to consider when choosing a coffee maker. Do you need a single-serve brewer or one that makes 12 cups? Do you like your coffee strong, weak or in between?
Helping you make a decision is where we come in. We analyzed the most popular coffee makers on the market to help you purchase the right one for you.
To narrow the field, we looked at expert opinions from review sites such as The Sweethome, CNET and Good Housekeeping. We then analyzed user reviews to get opinions on each coffee maker’s high and low points.
We recognize that consumers look for different qualities in coffee makers, so we created scores based on user observations on a handful of different features, including ease of use, coffee quality and cleaning.
Our analysis
Our final coffee maker scores run from a low of 1 to a high of 10. Here’s how we came up with the numbers:
Overall score: This score shows reviewers’ overall satisfaction with the coffee maker as a whole across 11 criteria, including ease of use, coffee quality, coffee maker design, size and durability.
Coffee quality: This score, which factors into the overall score, reflects reviewers’ satisfaction with the quality of coffee the maker produces. This includes coffee taste, temperature and brewing.
Ease of use: This score, which also factors into the overall score, indicates reviewers’ satisfaction with how easy the maker is to use. This includes aspects such as cleaning, setup, design and features.
These coffee makers are our top picks, ranked in order of overall score.
The coffee makers
1. Keurig K450 Brewing System
The programmable Keurig K450 Brewing System features a color touch display that allows you to customize not only how many cups you want but how strong you’d like the brew to be. It also comes with Keurig 2.0 Brewing Technology, which reads the lid of each K-Cup so you get a perfect cup every time. (This model is still widely available for purchase, but has been discontinued and replaced by model K475.)
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 7.07 | 7.8 | 5.5 |
Buyers Like
- Quick and easy to use
- Brews delicious coffee
Buyers Dislike
- Incompatible with some K-Cups
- Clogs often
- Coffee comes out lukewarm
2. Cuisinart DCC-450BK 4 Cup
The compact Cuisinart DCC-450BK 4 Cup coffee maker features brew pause, so you don’t have to wait for the entire pot to brew before pouring a cup. Its stainless steel carafe has a dripless pour spout that’s supposed to make pouring neat and easy, though users complained that pouring was messy.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 7.04 | 7.9 | 4.7 |
Buyers Like
- Makes great-tasting, hot coffee
- Works fast; easy to clean
- 30-minute automatic shutoff
Buyers Dislike
- Messy when brewing and pouring
- Water reservoir is awkward to fill
- Carafe is not thermal, so coffee cools quickly
Best four-cup coffee makers buying guide
Coffee lovers know that a bad cup of java can pretty much ruin a morning. This is why it makes sense to purchase not just the right brand of coffee but the right machine to prepare it in. Not all coffee makers are created equal, so here are some factors to keep in mind while you’re shopping:
Pods, capsules or ground coffee?
People have strong opinions about what kind of coffee they prefer, so if you’re a K-Cup java junkie, stick with the Keurig K450 Brewing System. Ground coffee can save you some money, and some think it tastes better. In that case, the Cuisinart DCC-450BK 4 Cup coffee maker is the machine for you.
Heat
Some coffee drinkers aren’t happy unless their morning beverage practically scorches their mouth, while others are content to ease into the morning with a cozy, warm cup of joe. And then there’s the matter of it staying warm once it’s brewed. While users said the Keurig’s coffee was delicious, some complained it came out lukewarm. The Cuisinart on our list provided hot coffee, but it didn’t stay hot long after the heating element had turned off.
Ease of programming
If you’d rather drink day-old coffee than read the instruction manual, look for a machine that’s easy to set up, like the Keurig K450, which couldn’t be easier.
Timing
If you want to have a hot cup of coffee waiting for you when you wake up, only the Keurig K450 is programmable. However, the Cuisinart delivers fresh, hot coffee quickly and has a brew pause feature so you can pour your wake-up cup before the entire pot is done brewing.
Neatness counts
The Cuisinart DCC-450BK 4 Cup coffee maker scored low in the clean department; the poorly designed spout caused a mess, and consumers had trouble filling the reservoir.
Footprint
If you have an expansive kitchen with miles of countertop, the size of your coffee maker probably isn’t a concern. Otherwise, it’s smart to take out the tape measure before you buy. Users praised both the Keurig and the Cuisinart for their relatively compact size.
For more coffee maker roundups, check out:
Compare other popular coffee makers here:
Top image via iStock.
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