Based on 11,518 analyzed reviews
Table of contents
NerdWallet’s scoring of the best grind and brew 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 their 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 of 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, among others.
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. Krups KM7000 10-cup Coffee Maker
With five different levels of grind to choose from, three brew strengths, and the option of making anywhere from two to 10 cups, the programmable Krups KM7000 10-Cup coffee maker makes delicious coffee, though users were unhappy with the machine’s durability.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 8.14 | 8.9 | 8.0 |
Buyers Like
- Produces excellent flavor, adjusts to the strength chosen
- Easy to set up, use and clean
- Brews quickly
Buyers Dislike
- Machine drips, splatters and leaks
- Poor carafe design
- Tends to break down
2. Cuisinart DGB 700BC
The programmable Cuisinart DGB 700BC’s built-in burr grinder automatically grinds beans to your specifications and allows you to select the intensity of the brew. The machine includes a charcoal water filter and permanent gold-tone coffee filter.
| Overall score | Coffee quality | Ease of use |
| 7.59 | 9.1 | 7.4 |
Buyers Like
- Brews rich, delicious coffee
- Easy to use, program, clean and set up
Buyers Dislike
- Carafe sometimes drips
- Chute between the grinder and filter tends to clog
- Grind basket easily falls off
- Bulky
Best grind and brew coffee makers buying guide
A bad cup of java can sour a morning. This is why it makes sense to purchase the right brand of coffee and the right machine to prepare it in — because how you brew is just as crucial as what you brew. Here are some factors to keep in mind while you’re shopping:
Heat
Some coffee drinkers want their beverage to practically scorch their mouth, while others are content to ease into the morning with a warm cup. And then there’s the matter of the coffee staying warm once it’s brewed. Both of these machines have warming trays that will keep coffee hot for two hours, but if that’s not long enough, an insulated carafe for the Cuisinart DGB 700BC is available for purchase.
Ease of use
If you’re the type of person who’d rather drink day-old coffee than read the instruction manual, look for a machine with intuitive programming. Both of these machines received kudos for easy setup and use, but the Krups machine came out on top: Some users complained that they needed a flashlight to read the buttons on the Cuisinart.
Quantity
How much coffee do you drink? If you’re the sole coffee drinker in the house, high-volume machines like these might be overkill, though you can adjust either to make as little as two cups. The Krups tops off at 10 cups, and the Cuisinart goes all the way up to 12.
Timing
Both of these machines are fully programmable to grind and brew. So whether you want a last-minute cup, or to wake up to a full pot, you’re good to go.
Cleanliness
Cleanup was not a problem with either of these machines, but users complained that making and pouring coffee with Krups KM7000 10-Cup Coffee Maker left coffee spatters and drips everywhere.
Size
If your kitchen has miles of countertop, the size of your coffee maker probably isn’t a concern. If not, figure out where the machine is going and bust out the tape measure before you buy. Because the coffee makers in our roundup grind and brew, these machines take up lots of space. Both machines are also quite tall, making them poorly suited for people who want to tuck them under an overhead cabinet.
For more coffee maker roundups, check out:
Compare other popular coffee makers here:
Top image via iStock.
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