Based on 11,518 analyzed reviews
Table of contents
NerdWallet’s scoring of the best drip 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 at a time? 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 down 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 about a handful of different features, including ease of use, coffee quality and ease of 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 level with the coffee maker 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 how the brewing process affects these aspects.
Ease of use: This score, which also factors into the overall score, indicates reviewers’ satisfaction with how easy the coffee 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. Cuisinart DCC-3200
The fully automatic Cuisinart DCC-3200 is intuitive and easy to program. It gives you the choice of waking up to regular or bold coffee, and it has a self-cleaning mode, auto shutoff, and an adjustable keep-warm temperature control.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.73 | 8.9 | 8.1 |
Buyers Like
- Coffee temperature
- Coffee taste
- Ease of programming
Buyers Dislike
- Brewing pace
- Messy cleaning and filling
2. Hamilton Beach 12-cup digital coffee maker, stainless steel
Whether they programmed it to brew a full pot in the morning or made a quick afternoon cup, users loved the Hamilton Beach 12-cup digital coffee maker’s flavorful coffee and ease of programming, brewing and cleaning.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.47 | 8.2 | 8.9 |
Buyers Like
- Ease of brewing and cleaning
- Ease of programming
- Coffee temperature
- Coffee taste
Buyers Dislike
- Durability
- Brewing pace
3. Cuisinart DCC-2600
The Cuisinart DCC-2600 brews hot, tasty coffee in an easy-to-clean glass carafe. Its heater plate keeps java warm for hours, and it has an automatic shut-off mode so you don’t have to worry about walking away.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.43 | 9.2 | 8.1 |
Buyers Like
- Keeps coffee warm without burning
- Coffee taste
- Ease of cleaning; no drips
Buyers Dislike
- Inadequate customer support
- Difficult-to-fill water reservoir
4. Ninja Coffee Bar Brewer
The Ninja Coffee Bar brewer promises to bring the coffee bar to your kitchen, letting you customize your cup size, brew strength and drink type with the push of a button. Users had a few complaints, though, including that its design made cleanup a bit messy.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.43 | 7.4 | 8.2 |
Buyers Like
- Customizable brewing settings, including size options
- Easy setup
Buyers Dislike
- Coffee temperature
- Messy
5. Hamilton Beach Summit Ultra
Unlike the other coffee makers in this roundup, the 12-cup programmable Hamilton Beach Summit Ultra doesn’t have a carafe. Instead, it has a dispensing bar that serves up bold, regular or even iced coffee when you push a cup against it.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.33 | 9.1 | 7.7 |
Buyers Like
- Coffee taste
- Coffee temperature
- Long-lasting freshness
Buyers Dislike
- Spillage, because of design flaws
- Awkward to fill with water and clean
- Height: too tall for many countertops
6. Bunn BT Velocity Brew
Because the water in the Bunn BT Velocity Brew stays hot, it can brew four to 10 cups of tasty coffee in three minutes. The insulated thermal carafe keeps coffee warm for up to two hours.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.32 | 9.1 | 5.8 |
Buyers Like
- Brewing pace
- Coffee temperature
- Coffee taste
- Ease of cleaning
Buyers Dislike
- Poorly design carafe causes spills
- Durability
7. Bunn BXB Velocity Brew
Its stainless steel internal hot water tank keeps water hot at all times, so it takes just three minutes to get four to 10 hot cups of rich, flavorful coffee out of the Bunn BXB Velocity Brew. But some users complained that the glass carafe made a clean pour difficult.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.32 | 9.1 | 5.8 |
Buyers Like
- Coffee temperature
- Coffee taste
- Brewing taste
- Low maintenance, easy setup
Buyers Dislike
- Messy operation
- Carafe makes a clean pour difficult
8. Bonavita 1900TS
The compact Bonavita 1900TS brews eight delicious cups of coffee at a time. But its stainless-steel-lined thermal carafe doesn’t always keep java warm, according to some reviewers.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.2 | 8.3 | 6.5 |
Buyers Like
- Coffee taste
- Easy setup
Buyers Dislike
- Difficult pouring and cleanup
- Some felt carafe didn’t keep coffee hot long enough
9. Hamilton Beach 12-cup coffee maker with digital clock
The programmable Hamilton Beach 12-cup coffee maker with digital clock can wake you up with up to 12 cups of delicious coffee that stay warm even if you hit the snooze bar a couple times. But don’t sleep too late; the machine doesn’t have an automatic shut-off.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.1 | 8.9 | 6.9 |
Buyers Like
- Coffee taste
- Coffee temperature for up to two hours
- Fast, easy setup
Buyers Dislike
- Hinged lid on carafe causes pouring problems
- Lack of automatic shut-off
10. Bonavita BV1800SS 8-cup original coffee brewer
With its one-touch brew mode, the Bonavita BV1800SS 8-cup original coffee brewer maintains an optimal brew temperature of 195-205 degrees, ensuring a delicious, fast and hot cup (or pot) of coffee every time. The stainless-steel-lined thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.08 | 9.2 | 6.9 |
Buyers Like
- Easy-to-fill, compact maker
- Brewing pace
- Coffee temperature
- Coffee taste
Buyers Dislike
- Difficult-to-clean carafe
- Removing filter to pour is inconvenient
Best drip 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 drip coffee makers are created equal. Here are some factors to keep in mind while you’re shopping:
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. And then there’s the matter of it staying warm once it’s brewed. If you’re the type to nurse a pot of coffee all morning long, consider a machine with a heat-sealing stainless-steel-lined carafe, like the Bonavita BV1800SS 8-cup original coffee brewer. Otherwise, a machine with a glass carafe and heating element, like the Cuisinart DCC-2600, is a good choice.
Ease of Programming
If you’d rather drink day-old coffee than read the instruction manual, look for a machine with intuitive programming, such as the Hamilton Beach 12-cup digital coffee maker.
Quantity
If you’re the sole coffee drinker in the house, a high-volume machine might be overkill, though you can program the Hamilton Beach Summit Ultra to make you two cups or 12, if you’re having guests over. Or you can opt for a single-serving coffee maker.
Timing
Both Bunn coffee makers profiled here keep their water reservoir heated, so they can deliver a pot of coffee in a mind-boggling three minutes. But if you’re not in a rush, the Cuisinart DCC-3200 scored higher overall.
Neatness counts
Even a great brew might not be worth a big mess. The Bunn BT Velocity Brew was rated easy to clean, but users complained that pouring the coffee was often a messy endeavor.
Footprint
If you have a kitchen with miles of countertop, the size of your coffee maker probably isn’t a concern. If not, figure out where you’re going to put it, and bust out a tape measure before you buy. While users were enthusiastic about the Hamilton Beach Summit Ultra’s coffee-making ability, its height makes it difficult to tuck it under overhead cabinets. Both Bonnavita models, on the other hand, were lauded for their compact size.
For more coffee maker roundups, check out:
- The Best Coffee Makers
- The Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers
- The Best Grind and Brew Coffee Makers
- The Best 4-Cup Coffee Makers
- The Best Keurig Coffee Makers
- The Best 12-Cup Coffee Makers
Compare other popular coffee makers here:
Top image via iStock.
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