Equipment Review: The Best Coffee Makers (Automatic Drip)

We tested more than a dozen drip coffee makers to see if they could deliver a great brew without a lot of fuss.

ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America's Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.

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[hammerrox]

Can never get enough of Lisa’s no nonsense pure informational videos. Thank you!

[meowmi]

This is absolutely the best test review I have seen out of the 85 reviews that I went through in the past couple of days. Short and straight to the point and you covered all the gimmicks too! Thank you for the hard work!

[bruceharlick]

A great descaling indicator is using your last coffee filter from the box of 100. That's what I've been doing with my Technivorm and it works well to remind me to decale!

[D-Rex-]

The Zojirushi is a great machine!
Great coffee from a simple machine.
Fast, no mess, and a workhorse! Going strong after about 8 years.

[mrlapageisyourman]

Lisa and the Equipment Review series represent the best of what ATK/CI/CC has to offer. Seriously, she is what hooked me on ATK!

[SchmittySchmitz]

You have no idea how timely this is. More coffee vids please!

[jeffdrew]

We’ve been using THE Zojirushi Zutto 5-cupper daily for about 20 years now! Well designed, compact, easy peasey morning brews! Love it! Fwiw, Some other Zojirushi appliances are clever designs that work well for years, but in midwestern USA, shopping for these clever ideas can be challenging. Happy New Year all!

[stanthomas]

I love coffee and I love Bunn coffee a few fancier ones over the years and always go back to Bunn!

[Dana-gtnf]

Lisa is the best. Seriously. I can’t explain it.

[mollygiovanna]

I’ve been using the zorjirushi for a couple of months now! So excited to see this machine on the review! Coffee comes out great!

[Profmak]

I've owned and loved my Zojirushi machine for ten years. It works beautifully and makes outstanding coffee that competes with just about any pourover a non-pro is likely to make. The glass carafe is not a problem; my coffee never gets scorched. My only gripe is that the machine can only make about 20oz of coffee at a time, which is enough for me but not enough to serve guests. Still, at a small fraction of the Technivorm price, it's a steal.

[CarolC]

I bought a Technivorm MoccaMaster 3 years ago based on your video then ....and use it 1 - 2 times a day and never disappointed.

[johnc]

Just wanted to thank you so much for putting this together! My wife and I watched this and decided to get an Oxo at our local store so we could conduct our own head-to-head competition between our ol' reliable Keurig - nothing as thorough as ATK of course. We used a whole bean medium roast whole bean from our grocery store - private label (nothing special) and ground at home on a medium setting.

Results:

Keurig brewed immediately because it started preheating water as soon as we turned it on (before hitting brew) while the Oxo didn't start heating the water/brewing until we told it to start. While we didn't start a timer, there was a definite edge for Keurig brewing faster and honestly a big convenience factor that we have enjoyed for years!  The Oxo will brew all the water you put in the chamber. While good to control the amount brewed, it is inconvenient to have to measure out and fill it each time.

Aroma of each cup was similar.

Taste is where was a CLEAR WINNER: Keurig was bitter while the Oxo had a very smooth taste. We CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH - it was like a COMPLETELY different cup of coffee!

Result: While there are some big convenience factors going for Keurig, we are keeping the Oxo purely based on the fact that it tastes SO MUCH BETTER. Now we are going to explore some of the pricier coffees because we are going to be able to taste the difference.

[chestersmith]

The timing could not be more perfect. I was looking for a new coffee machine for Christmas!! Thank you Lisa and AmTK

[moremoola]

Only America's Test Kitchen can be trusted for recommended buys.
They truly take testing to a new level.
Thx guys
BTW, I would NEVER spend over $300 for a coffee maker.
But thx anyways for the effort.

[kraigwithak]

This was spot on. A staple in many Norwegian households for many years is the moccamaster. Still brewing excellent coffee after almost 20 years. Veldig

[JonasKFriedChicken]

The moccamaster has been a home staple in Norwegian homes since the 70s. Some of the really old ones are still going in some places, getting some help from the local water being really soft. The Moccamaster is as close you can get to timeless design when it comes to home appliances. The machine has basically looked exactly the same since the 70's, I've grown up seeing these things in so many different kitchens and it has never looked out of place.

[robertnasato]

We have had our Technivorm for just over 10 years and it still makes the best coffee. We love it!

[mikebass]

Bought a Mr. Coffee recently for under $20 with a stainless steel basket and could not be any happier!

[gardnzr]

I've been enjoying these coffee maker review videos for almost a decade now. Great explanations and excellent delivery. Nice job!