The best coffee maker in 2024 (2024)

Choosing the best coffee maker is a complex decision. For a start, you'll need to decide on which type of coffee maker you're looking for, be it an espresso machine, drip coffee maker or a single-serve. Then, questions of budget and also design preferences come into play. No matter what you're looking for though, the proof of a good coffee maker is in the end product — a delicious cup of coffee.

We have tested a huge range of coffee makers to compile this guide of our top picks. Of all the machines we tested, only 8 made the cut, so any of the machines featured in this guide come tested and recommended by our expert team. Our number one top pick is the Braun Brew Sense Drip Coffee Maker KF6050, and it has been for some time. Affordable, attractive and high-quality, we simply have yet to find a machine that can beat it. A number of the coffee makers in this guide come close though, including an espresso machine from Breville and a compact, convenient Nespresso Vertuo. We have also included options that also made the cut in our guides to the best espresso machine and the best Keurig coffee maker. No matter your coffee preferences, you'll find the perfect option for you in our best coffee maker guide.

The quick list

Best drip coffee makers

Drip coffee makers are the perfect choice for those who prefer a brighter and more subtle coffee flavor. When brewed correctly, a drip coffee maker can really bring out the character of your beans, and they'll give you enough coffee to see you through the day.

When testing, we considered value for money, the flavor quality we were able to achieve from our beans, how well this flavor was maintained when left on a warmer plate, and the quality of construction.

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Whether you're looking for a budget-oriented machine to fill a gap in your kitchen or you're after a compact machine for a college dorm, the Braun Brew Sense manages to hit a sweet spot between price and quality that secures its top position here.

The Brew Sense KF6050 comes in just under $100 but still manages to brew great tasting coffee with some excellent quality of life features as well. You won't be fiddling around with too many complicated settings here, which may be a blessing if you simply want to make a cup of coffee in the morning. However, you'll still have access to a programmable timer, brew pause settings, and a 1-4 cup setting for smaller brews.

While that compact design certainly looks great, I did find it difficult to access the water tank as it's non-removable — not ideal when I wanted to fill it from the faucet. However, at this price point a little frustration in refilling your machine is an excellent trade-off for performance that beats out the competition.

There are certainly plenty of extra features that I don't usually see in this price bracket; like the charcoal water filter and permanent gold-tone filter. However, it's worth remembering that you won't have access to any strength settings as per that basic, but affordable design ethos. Having said that, the Brew Sense KF6050 is one of the cheaper models in the range, and offers a great performance.

Read our full Braun Brew Sense review.

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The Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select is the company's latest model, first released in late 2019 as the Moccamaster KBG Select in Europe. The new release continues the Moccamaster's highly respected name as the highest quality and most widely praised coffee maker in this list. It’s been engineered for optimal brew temperatures and water dispersal, with innovative features that have earned it recognition from the Specialty Coffee Association. What’s more, it does all of this while operating exceedingly quickly, which I found out when we tried it out for myself.

Handmade in the Netherlands, this pricey coffee maker has a unique industrial aesthetic that some people love and others hate. This, however, is one for the enthusiasts, and lacks a few of the convenience features you might find in cheaper models. The water tank is fixed onto the system, and you won't find any auto-brew features baked in here. However, what it lacks in the amenities that are typical of today' at-home brewers, it makes up for in producing smooth, balanced coffee, which is why it's one of the best coffee makers in my opinion.

There’s technical brilliance under the hood, however. This machine can reach industry standard temperatures (196°F – 205°F) in under a minute and stay there. The water then moves up a glass tube and into a 9-hole spray arm, where it's evenly dispersed over ground coffee in a cone-shaped basket. Not only that, but the KBGV Select can do all of this in four to six minutes, depending on brew size. It comes at a steep cost, but the superior performance and build quality make it worth it for coffee enthusiasts.

Read our full Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select review.

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The Breville Precision Brewer isn't your every day coffee maker. It's a powerful machine capable of brewing your perfect cup of coffee, if you're willing to put the work in and have a tinker with all its impressive controls. I found initial setup to be a little overwhelming during testing, but the easy to follow instructions (and Gold standard presets for everyday use) helped me gather confidence in tweaking individual settings to match the brew flavors I was after.

While I did find a few issues with the volume of the machine, it was nothing compared to the high quality coffee coming out. You'll be able to experiment with brew times and temperatures, but you'll also have access to the flow rate and bloom time. A pour over dripper is also available for additional controls as well.

There's a lot of tech packed in here, and while it may take a little while to figure it all out, it was well worth it in the end of my testing. Nevertheless, this really is one for those who view coffee as a science.

Read our full Breville Precision Brewer review.

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While it's almost twice the price of the Braun Brew Sense Drip Coffee Maker, the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System turns your kitchen into a full-on cafe. Casual drinkers may find it too overwhelming, but coffee and tea lovers will appreciate the flexibility of being able to make their beverages as simple or fancy as they want right from home. Capable of brewing a wide range of coffees, teas and cold brews, temperature and brew times are all automatically adjusted based on your choice of drink (selected from the display panel).

Ninja claims that, using the specialty coffee setting and the included milk frother on the side of the machine, you can make coffee-bar drinks at home. That’s true if you’re not super fussy about the quality of the coffee in your ‘ccinos, as the machine brews strong coffee, but not espresso like the coffee shops.

I was particularly happy with a medium-roast coffee brewed on the Classic setting, yielding a smooth and well balanced cup - though the Rich preset also served my dark roast particularly well.

In my testing I found that, while impressively quick, the cold brew setting didn't offer a particularly smooth taste. However, an XL cup of perfectly fine cold brew was whipped up in just ten minutes, which is a real benefit for anyone seeking extra convenience.

If you’re one of those households with single-serve and multi cup brewers, this appliance can replace both and make a single cup without using coffee pods. However, if you don’t foresee a need for cold brew or tea functionality, you can save money with the cheaper Ninja Specialty further down the page.

Read our full Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System review.

Best single-serve coffee maker

Single-serve coffee makers are popular for their convenience. With self-contained shots of espresso in every pod, all you need to do is insert your pod into your machine.When testing we looked for consistency, ease of use and cleaning, and considered the ongoing cost of these machines.

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See Also

Is it worth buying a home espresso coffee machine? | CHOICE

Pod coffee makers are the ultimate convenience-led machines. However, that doesn’t have to mean they offer an inferior coffee quality — as the Nespresso Vertuo Plus demonstrates. While it’s one of Nespresso’s pricier machines, the Vertuo Plus does bring out the best in easy to brew pod coffee, making it the best Nespresso machine.

Larger pods allow for a wider range of drink types, leading all the way up to 14oz single brews, however the beauty here lies in how the Nespresso treats each pod. The machine will scan the pod before brewing to determine the drink type being produced and automatically set the appropriate brew time and temperatures for the perfect cup every time. That means that while you are inevitably losing out on some personalization options by trading for the convenience of a pod machine, you’re still getting the perfect settings for each coffee type automatically.Keep in mind that these pods are larger versus the original range though, so they take up more room to store.

Espresso is this machine’s strong point. During testing, I found cups came out with a picture-perfect topping of crema, the frothy head that’s the hallmark of a true espresso. We can thank the Vertuo Plus’s centrifusion technology for that — with multiple holes punched into the pod and a rapid spinning process that produces a creamier quality coffee. Pods are also fully sustainable as well. That's why this is the best single-serve coffee and espresso maker.

Read our full Nespresso Vertuo Plus review.

Part coffeemaker, part milk frother, the K-Cafecombines the best of both worlds between pod machines and countertop espresso appliances. During testing, we found the “strong” brew function provided a deeper, richer flavor of K-Cup coffee, while its “shot” feature, which brews a concentrated, espresso-like 2-ounce pour of coffee, is a terrific recreation of tasty espresso. Its milk frother is an added bonus, with the ability to heat and froth dairy and milk alternatives for lattes and cappuccinos at the push of a button, and in less than two minutes.

After brewing three cups of each serving size, we measured the average time it takes for the K-Cafe to brew a cup at 36 seconds, just behind the slightly faster K-Elite and K-Classic. Meanwhile, the frother is a longer process, averaging about one minute and 35 seconds per pitcher. It must be noted that the K-Cafe cannot brew and froth milk at the same time. The frother is also located on the right side of the machine, which could frustrate those who are left-handed during operation.

Though we enjoyed the taste of the K-Cafe’s coffee, we found the temperatures to be a bit lacking. All of the Keurigs we reviewed were unable to brew coffee at hot temperatures. The hottest cup of coffee we measured from the K-Cafe was only 176 degrees Fahrenheit. Those who prefer piping hot coffee may be disappointed by cooler temperatures.

Though it’s quite pricey, this premium Keurig is a superhero for those mornings when you want a barista experience with little time to spare. If you're in search of a Keurig that can replicate that coffeehouse feel at home, or you just want a bolder flavor of K-Cup in the morning, the K-Cafe is your go-to machine. Its incredibly easy-to-use functionality makes it all the better.

Read our full Keurig K-Cafe review.

Best espresso machine

Espresso machines are best for creating either short shots of creamy espresso, or creating lattes or other steamed milk. We have tested a number of leading models over the years, and while our top pick from Breville is a compact option that features smart milk steaming, it doesn't come with an in-built grinder like the Philips.There are a lot of factors to consider when testing an espresso machine, so we make sure to have bonafide coffee experts behind the wheel when taking one for a spin. A good machine should offer a decent amount of pressure, both for optimal extraction and for steaming, and if they have grinders, these should give you an even and clump-free puck that doesn't kick up too much mess.

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The Breville Bambino Plus (known as the Sage Bambino Plus in the UK) is the best espresso machine for anyone who wants both the convenience of an easy to use system and the space to experiment and explore on a more sophisticated level. I found excellent consistency between brews here, and a well balanced shot thanks to the customizable pre-infusion techniques.

I could also make the most of premium beans as the Bambino Plus also offers standard professional grade filter baskets alongside easier to use double-walled filters as well. While that will only be a draw for those with a precise grinder and some tamping practice, it's worth noting that all skill levels are catered for here.Plus, unlike all of the other models mentioned so far, the Breville Bambino Plus comes with a built-in steam wand, which makes it a great choice for milky drinks. Being compact, it is a lightweight design though, which means the portafilter can be fiddly to insert and remove at times.

It only takes three seconds to warm this machine up, an impressive feat considering it can be minutes before a cheaper device is ready to start brewing. While you're certainly paying a little extra for this model than you would an entry level device, aforementioned features like customizable pre-infusion times and the array of baskets included with the machine mean you're actually getting some top tier specs at a great price here. Although there's no built-in grinder, so you will need one of the best coffee grinders for a fresh brew.

Read our full Breville / Sage Bambino Plus review.

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The Philips 3200 Series doesn’t come cheap, but it brings a lot to the table. This espresso machine lets the user create beverages which would usually require barista-level experience at the push of a button. It comes with several settings, including espresso, hot water, cappuccino, coffee, latte macchiato and americano. Plus there’s the option to customize your selection by strength, size and the amount of steamed milk.

When we tried it out for ourselves, we found the coffee it produced tasted good and was not overly bitter. While we were generally pleased with the results, it could have tasted stronger. This was even the case when we adjusted it to its finest grind setting. The quality of the crema was on the thin side too. For this reason, we wouldn’t recommend this machine to anyone who likes their coffee to pack a punch.

We found similar results after steaming milk as well — while it held its form, it wasn’t as dense as it could have been. However, while the overall performance was somewhat average, the operation couldn’t be much more straightforward. And with the attachments being easy to remove and clean (the LatteGo parts can even go in the dishwasher), it’s a nice offering if you value simplicity above all.

Read our full Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ LatteGo review.

How we test the best coffee makers

We test each coffee maker by assessing how intuitive it is to operate and how user-friendly the overall design is. We take into account the number of programs on offer and how customizable the results are — from strength settings to the types of drinks available.

We also consider the brewing time and that all-important flavor of the coffee produced — it should be smooth and rich, with no burnt notes. If it comes with a milk frother, we consider how well that performs as well. We look at the overall value for money on top of this; we have found that the best performers really do range widely in price.

Special functions are assessed, such as smart features and cold brew options. As a result, we can say which machines are worth your consideration with confidence.

Which type of coffee maker should you buy? Check out our guide if you're unsure.

Our testers

Millie Fender

Millie has been reviewing coffee makers for nearly five years and a range of leading review publications including TopTenReviews, Homes&Gardens, Real Homes, Livingetc, and Ideal Home.

Her interest in coffee first started when she worked as a barista at university, but she has since learned all about the art of a good cup of joe through a lot of taste testing and trips to the De'Longhi factory in Treviso, Italy, and a coffee tour of Naples with Sage.

Kevin Cortez

Kevin Cortez has been a culture and product journalist for over nine years. He also has seven years of professional hands-on experience with coffee roasting, tasting, and brewing, as well as hand-crafting espresso drinks, and has tested a wide range of capsule coffee makers for Tom's Guide.

Mike Prospero

Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site, and has a particular interest in home cooking and coffee. Mike has tested a number of espresso machines for Tom's Guide, including models from Philps and De'Longhi.

Coffee maker FAQ

How to clean and care for your coffee maker

Coffee makers are built with more than practicality in mind. The aesthetics are just as important as the performance these days — after all, this machine will be on display in your kitchen for some years. Some feature a timeless brushed steel finish, while others are much more bold with a glossy, painted exterior. Before you choose your favorite, make sure that its size is suitable for your countertop; some are much bigger than they appear.

The latest models come with plenty of useful features. One to look out for is the ability to grind coffee beans and then automatically transfer the grounds to the filter basket. In doing this, you’re getting the freshest coffee possible. Some machines also come with settings that let you control the strength of the brew as well as the temperature of the coffee. Controls such as these are a brilliant addition as you can try out different combinations until you find your favorite setting. Size selection is another important factor; some designs let you choose from a single-serve coffee up to an entire pot, which can save waste.

Coffee makers have come a long way in terms of tech as well. Some feature touchscreens rather than manual controls, while others can connect to your Wi-Fi or use Bluetooth. In doing this, you can control the coffee maker handsfree through your smartphone or even using voice commands via Alexa and Google Assistant.

If you want to perfect your coffee, this $30 gadget may transform your coffee routine.

For the summer, you can also follow our tips on how to make iced coffee in 4 simple steps.