The 10 Best Drip Coffee Makers to Start Your Morning Right

Best Overall

Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

4.8

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This coffee maker does everything you need, and just a little bit more. It can make up to 14 cups of coffee for a crowd or just one cup for those mornings when that’s all you need. You can also select regular or bold coffee without changing the amount of grounds used. The front panel has a straightforward list of five easy-to-use settings: self-cleaning, bold flavor, brew now/auto-shutoff, programmed brew, and brewing 1-4 cups.

After testing the Cuisinart 14-Cup Coffee Maker, our reviewer praised its versatility and multiple features. The 24-hour programmable timer lets you "wake up to the delicious aroma of brewed coffee," and the 1-4 cup setting is especially handy for those who drink less coffee because "the machine will alter the brew process to make sure your coffee is the proper strength."

The keep-warm temperature is adjustable, so you won’t come back to overcooked coffee or something that’s not warm enough, and the tone to indicate that coffee is done can be turned on or off. When it’s time to clean the machine, a light will let you know.

Price at time of publish: $100

Capacity: 14 cups (70 ounces) | Dimensions: 7.75 x 9 x 14 inches | Warranty: 3-year limited | Wattage: 1,050 | Voltage: 120

Best for Specialty Drinks

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker

4.7

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Specialty coffee drinks differ from drip coffee, as the former typically contains espresso. This is your lattes, your cappuccinos. The drinks found on coffeehouse menus. We love the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker because it offers the best of both worlds: a 10-cup carafe for drip coffee, plus all the tools you need for specialty drinks, complete in one machine.

You can purchase the item with a glass carafe (CM401) or, for a slightly higher price, a thermal one (CM407). Aside from that, both options are identical, equipped with a fold-away milk frother, a removable water reservoir, and capable of brewing six different drink sizes, from a single cup to a full carafe.

Depending on your taste, one potential drawback is that this machine produces coffee concentrate, not true espresso. Most customers hardly notice a difference, saying the coffee concentrate is a terrific substitute and, in fact, more convenient than manually pulling espresso shots.

Price at time of publish: $170

Capacity: Single serve or 10-cup carafe (50 ounces) | Dimensions: 12 x 15 x 8.8 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,500 | Voltage: 120

Best for a Quick Cup

Bunn GRB Velocity Brew 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer

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The Bunn name might seem familiar since Bunn coffee makers have been gracing diners, restaurants, and commercial kitchens for decades. This home brewer uses the technology of commercial machines and brings it to the home kitchen, where this speedy coffee maker can brew a full 10-cup pot of coffee in about three minutes. You’ll barely have time to find your favorite coffee mug.

Part of the speed is accomplished by having an ever-ready internal hot water supply waiting to brew your coffee when you want it, so you never have to wait for ​the water to heat before it brews. If you won’t need coffee for a few days, you can use the vacation switch to turn off the heater.​​​

Rather than a cone-shaped filter, this has a large flat bottom filter for more contact between the water and grounds during brewing, while a multi-stream spray sends hot water over the top of the grounds to saturate them completely.

For messy pourers, the carafe was designed to arc the coffee neatly into your mug and then wick the drips back into the carafe, so you won’t be cleaning up coffee drips each time you pour. If you don’t want a full pot of coffee, this can brew as few as four cups.

Price at time of publish: $120

Capacity: 10 cups (50 ounces) | Dimensions: 13.8 x 7.1 x 14.3 inches | Warranty: 3 years | Wattage: 900 | Voltage: 120

Best Budget

Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker

4.8

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When your coffee-making needs are modest, this is the machine for you. The Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker is an affordable, low-commitment purchase. There is just a simple on/off switch that turns the machine on to start brewing with an indicator light that shows when it’s on, so you’ll remember to turn off the warming plate when you pour the last cup of coffee. It has a pretty large capacity at 12 cups, so there's enough coffee to last throughout the day, even for families.

The warming plate is easy to wipe clean and the filter basket is removable so you can empty it quickly and wash it for the next use. A pause feature lets you remove the carafe if you want to grab the first cup before brewing is done, then you simply replace the carafe to continue brewing.

Price at time of publish: $35

Capacity: 12 cups (60 ounces) | Dimensions: 8.4 x 11.76 x 12.5 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 900 | Voltage: 120

Best with Grinder

Breville The Grind Control Coffee Maker

4.8

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If grinding coffee beans feels like an arduous step every morning, then Breville's the Grind Control is a machine worth considering. It can be programmed to grind and brew in advance, saving time and effort and letting coffee lovers start the day off right. There are other coffee makers with this feature too, some that cost significantly less, but after testing the Grind Control ourselves we think it stands out from the rest and justifies its high price.

Users have a lot of control over their coffee thanks to six grind settings (granted, many separate coffee grinders offer more settings than this) and eight strength settings. We found the burr grinder consistent and surprisingly easy to clean. A notification pops up on the LCD screen to indicate when the coffee chute needs to be cleaned, and Breville throws in a cleaning brush to help with the process.

We found that the 12-cup insulated carafe keeps coffee warm for around five hours. Many coffee experts prefer insulated carafes to glass ones because the latter usually have hot plates underneath that alter the taste of the coffee over time. So the Grind Control not only brews strong, tasty coffee, it also keeps it fresh for awhile. Not to mention there's a unique setting to brew a single cup of coffee.

Price at time of publication: $330 

Capacity: 12 cups (60 ounces) | Dimensions: 8.5 x 12.5 x 16.3 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,100 | Voltage: 110-120

Best Programmable

Braun BrewSense 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker KF7000BK

4.3

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The Braun BrewSense Drip Coffee Maker has several convenient features to make your day a little easier, starting with its ability to be programmed up to 24 hours in advance. You can set it up at night and have fresh coffee waiting for you first thing in the morning. There's also a 1-4 cup setting when you want a smaller portion. Another handy touch is a self-cleaning function with an indicator light that turns on when the machine needs to be descaled.

We tested this model firsthand and found the coffee consistently strong. The brewer comes at a reasonable price too, so you get a lot of quality in return for the cost. We were also pleased with the item's slim design. Measuring 7.9 inches wide, it doesn't take up much counter space. One downside is that there's no window on the machine to see how much water you've added, so users have to fill up the carafe to the exact amount before pouring.

If this model is close to ideal for you but doesn't quite make the cut, Braun manufactures a higher-tier version, the KF7150, which has a couple extra touches, like multiple brew strengths and hot-plate adjustment.

Price at time of publish: $100

Capacity: 12 cups | Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.9 x 14.2 inches | Warranty: 3 years | Wattage: 1,000 | Voltage: 110

Best High-End

Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select 10-Cup Coffee Maker

4.5

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Some people take their coffee seriously. Very seriously. This machine is handmade in the Netherlands and looks like something you’d see in a futuristic sci-fi kitchen. Unfortunately, a robot maid is not included.

The item brews up to 40 ounces of coffee in just six minutes, and if you’re too impatient to wait that long, the drip-stop feature will let you remove the carafe during brewing without creating a puddle of coffee on the counter.

The Moccamaster's hot plate may be its most unique feature, since it is engineered to roll the heat into the coffee in a way that won’t scorch or overcook it, while keeping it at your choice of an even 175 or 185 degrees. After one hour and 40 minutes, the hot plate will turn off, so you won’t come home to a burned carafe.

Price at time of publish: $349

Capacity: 10 cups (40 ounces) | Dimensions: 12.75 x 6.5 x 14 inches | Warranty: 5 years | Wattage: 1,475 | Voltage: 120

Best Thermal

OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker

4.8

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From a simple interface to a thorough and consistent spray head, many details illustrate why the OXO 8-Cup Coffee Maker is a top-grade pick up. Perhaps the most telling detail, however, is that it is one of the few coffee makers certified by the Specialty Coffee Association to meet their Golden Cup Standard. This means the OXO 8-Cup is guaranteed to heat your water to the ideal brewing temperature (between 195 and 205 degrees) and whip up a whole pot within four to six minutes. It's delicious coffee made quickly.

Another key area in the Golden Cup Standard is how long a machine can maintain coffee temperature once brewing is complete. The OXO 8-Cup has exceptional heat retention thanks to its thermal stainless steel carafe. The item also has single-serve capabilities, making it a great option for those switching from pod-based coffee makers. The only downsides are its small capacity and that it is not programmable.

Price at time of publish: $200

Capacity: 8 cups (40 ounces) | Dimensions: 10.5 x 7 x 13.5 inches | Warranty: 2-year limited | Wattage: 1,400 | Voltage: 110 to 120

Best Adjustable

Wilfa Performance Coffee Maker

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In designing the Performance Coffee Maker, Norwegian-brand Wilfa pared away many of the features we associate with drip coffee makers and, instead, primarily focused on the quality of the coffee. The machine is not programmable and there's no automatic strength control, but it's easy to use and makes excellent coffee. Its standout component is an adjustable flow controller, located beneath the filter basket, that users turn by hand so that the coffee brews at the optimal flow rate for the size of the batch. It ensures strong yet balanced flavor whether you want a couple servings or a full 8-cup pot.

We received the Wilfa Performance Coffee Maker for testing purposes from its U.S. and Canada retailer, Lardera Coffee Roasters. One of our writers has used it consistently for more than six months and noted that the removable water reservoir and filter basket are extremely convenient and easy to fill. The water reservoir is also labeled with the recommended amount of coffee to add depending on the number of cups you're making, which eliminates a lot of frustrating guesswork.

The Wilfa Performance Coffee Maker is more expensive than most drip coffee makers, but the price isn't outrageous. Your buying decision might come down to what features you can or can't live without. If you don't mind a simple, minimalist machine, you can trust this coffee maker to deliver a delicious cup of joe.

Price at time of publish: $249

Capacity: 42 ounces | Dimensions: 13.5 x 6.5 x 13.5 Inches | Warranty: 2 years | Wattage: 1,800 | Voltage: 120