What Coffee Maker Should I Buy?

I probably get this question more than any other.  It's time to get a new coffee maker and there are tons out there...which ones should you consider??  First let me say that the most important item to consider before a new coffee maker is the right grinder.  If you are not grinding your own coffee right before you make it, you are missing out.  Invest in the Baratza Encore first, then invest in a coffee maker.

In General, when it comes to drip coffee makers...making a pot of coffee, there are only two brands that I tend to recommend.  Why only two, you ask?  Because in my opinion, these two brands do the best job and they cater to two different customers.

Let me just say upfront that I don't carry either of these machines at this point, and I have no association nor do I receive any compensation from either of these brands.

Moccamaster: https://us.moccamaster.com/

The Moccamaster is the utilitarian choice.  It's gorgeous, handmade in the Netherlands, comes with a 5 year warranty (but will actually last the rest of your life), and does one thing extremely well...it makes great coffee!  This beauty was created in 1968 and has remained pretty much unchanged since then.  It is the standard by which all other coffee makers are measured.   There are several different models to choose from, but I tend to lean towards the KB.  I like this one because it is the least expensive of the bunch, it has a manual brew basket that allows you to select Stop Flow, Half Flow, or Full Flow.  This works well for folks that like to dial in your coffee a bit.

This is my drip coffee maker of choice and I use it every morning.  I'm the only person at my house that drinks coffee so I choose to make a half liter of coffee which is about 16oz.  I use the standard 60g of coffee to 1 liter of water and the Moccamaster makes this easy.  

My Moccamaster Technique: 60g Coffee to 1 liter of Third Wave Water

• Pour your water to the desired number on the water tank...each number corresponds to 250g or 1/4 liter.  In my case I like to make a half liter, so I pour water to the 1/2L--4 mark and use 30g of freshly ground Tod's Coffee.
• I leave the brew basket in the closed setting to start, I leave the warming plate set to 1/2 and turn the machine on.
• Let the coffee bloom for a few seconds with the basket in the Close/No Flow position.  Once you have some water in the brew basket, stir the grounds to make sure they are are all wet.  Let the water run down to the 2L--1/4 mark, then change the brew basket to Half Flow, give the top of the grounds another little stir and let the water run though.  I'll usually give the top of the grounds one more quick stir once the water has been emptied from the water tank. (the goal is to have a flat coffee ground bed when the brew is done.  This ensures an even extraction)
• If I'm going to pour the entire pot into a single cup, I'll usually turn off the machine once the water tank is empty and let it finish brewing.

Pros:

• Hand Made in the Netherlands
• 5 Year Warranty
• Copper Boiler for a lifetime of service and very quick warmup
• Is considered the Gold Standard
• Consistently makes an excellent cup of coffee

Cons:

• Pricy compared to Walmart brands
• No Bells or Whistles
• Can be more hands on than other brands 

Breville:  https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/coffee.html

 The Breville machines don't quite have the accolades of the Moccamaster...but they are VERY close.  I don't own this machine, but my son does and he loves it.  Where the Moccmaster is utilitarian, the Breville is full of bells and whistles.  If you want your coffee to be ready when you get up, if you want to adjust several options to brew, if you want to push a button and forget it...the Breville might be a better option for you. 

I like all the models; however, if it were me, I would stay away from the Grind Control model...not because it makes bad coffee, but because I would rather have a separate, better grinder instead of the built in grinder.  If that doesn't bother you, the Grind Control would be fine.  Also, you have a choice of a thermal carafe of the glass.  Because I don't make much coffee in the morning, I tend to like glass because the coffee actually initially stays hotter because it doesn't have to heat the thermal carafe.  If you coffee is going to sit for a bit, thermal might make more sense.

My son just uses the "Gold Cup Standard" setting and he gets a consistently good cup of coffee.  Use the same 60g coffee to 1 liter of water ratio.

Pros:  

• A lot of Bells and Whistles
• 6 presets including gold cup standard
• Adjustable Brew Time, Brew Temp, and Brew Flow
• Makes an excellent cup of coffee
• Versatile: Drip, Single Cup, Cold Brew, Iced Coffee

Cons:

• Also Pricey compared to Walmart brands
• Although it has a lot of bells and whistles, it may be too complicated for some.
• Might be a little tall at 16"
• Only 2 year warranty
• Not Hand Made

The reason for selecting these two brewers in particular is the build quality and their ability to heat and keep the water at the appropriate brew temp throughout  the brew cycle.  That is what makes for a consistent quality brew...both of these do it very well.

If you're in the market for a new drip coffee maker, you can't go wrong with either one of these.  Enjoy:)

Cheers,

Tod