Coffee Maker Reviews

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Written by admin on May 27, 2009 – 10:50 pm -

The following review of coffee makers is synthesized from ConsumerSearch.com. They have taken the results of numerous other reviews from reputable sources and present the following conclusions.

Best Standard Coffee Maker

Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200

The Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 is the best standard coffee maker, according to reviews. Critics say this automatic-drip machine is much better than a basic, low-priced coffee maker, thanks to its durability, excellent coffee and features, which include a small-batch setting, a programmable timer and an adjustable-temperature hot plate. Owners say the nice-looking Cuisinart Brew Central is easy to clean. It also comes with an unusually long three-year warranty. Coffee connoisseurs might want to consider the Newco OCS-8 (*est. $140), which makes exceptional coffee and is one of the small number of home machines that can brew at the optimal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The OCS-8 has a thermal carafe, which does a great job of preserving the temperature and flavor of brewed coffee.

Although the Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 coffee maker is included in a comparison review of about 30 coffee makers at Consumer Reports, we found the most informative reviews for this Cuisinart coffee maker at Amazon.com, where more than 800 people have posted comments about it. We found another hundred reviews at Cooking.com and CoffeeGeek.com, where the Cuisinart DCC-1200 is one of the highest-rated coffee makers in its price class

Basic Coffee Maker

Braun AromaDeluxe KF510

Owners and experts agree that the Braun AromaDeluxe KF510 is a simple, good-quality coffee maker that outperforms others in its price class. In tests at Cook's Illustrated, the Braun coffee maker earns high marks for its solid construction and intuitive design. While it doesn't heat water to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (the temperature recommended by coffee experts), it does brew at 186 degrees (relatively hot for an inexpensive coffee maker). The Braun KF510's well-designed carafe has a comfortable handle, and the machine has a pause-and-serve feature. There's no programmable timer, automatic shutoff, small-batch setting or brew-strength control, however. If you like the look of the Braun KF510, the step-up version, the programmable Braun AromaDeluxe KF590E (*est. $70), does have auto shutoff and a reusable gold-tone filter. The Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 (*est. $80) looks like a better choice if you're looking for more features.

Although it's not included in Consumer Reports' latest roundup of coffee makers, the Braun AromaDeluxe KF510 is tested by an equally reliable source, Cook's Illustrated, which included this budget-priced machine in its April 2007 review of eight coffee makers.

Connoisseur's Coffee Maker

Technivorm KB741

The Technivorm KB741 is one of only two automatic-drip coffee makers that are officially certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) as brewing at the optimal temperature (200 degrees F) for exceptional coffee. Owners and experts are unanimous about the quality of coffee brewed in the Technivorm. Despite its price, the highly rated Technivorm coffee machine is a simple machine, with controls for hotplate temperature and on/off/pause. A related model, the Technivorm Thermo KBT741 (*est. $265), brews directly into a thermal carafe (instead of glass). This Technivorm coffee maker is the consensus choice of coffee connoisseurs. You can save money by opting for the less expensive yet highly regarded Newco OCS-8 (*est. $140).

Although it isn't included in the latest roundup of coffee machines by Consumer Reports, the ten-cup Technivorm Clubline KB741 coffee maker gets a lot of expert attention. It has been evaluated in comparison testing by Cook's Illustrated, Wine Spectator and Food & Wine, and is the subject of numerous postings at coffee-enthusiast sites, including CoffeeGeek.com.

Best Thermal-Carafe Coffee Maker

Newco OCS-8

Owners and experts agree that the Newco OCS-8 is the best value among thermal-carafe coffee makers. Experts say that the Newco OCS-8 does everything right: Coffee brews at the right temperature (200º F) for maximum flavor extraction, and a plastic hotel-style thermal carafe keeps the brew from "cooking" on a hot plate. Aficionados say the Newco OCS-8 makes smooth, flavorful coffee. This coffee maker costs more than most standard models, but not as much as the Technivorm KBT741 (*est. $265), which is its closest rival. Ordering from St. Louis-based Newco is said to be straightforward, but this coffee maker is hard to find outside of specialty stores. The Newco OCS-8 has a utilitarian look, with plastic housing and an eight-cup carafe.

Food writer Sam Gugino has reviewed the Newco OCS-8, but his is the only professional review we found. We also found nine long, thorough owner-written reviews of the Newco OCS-8 at CoffeeGeek.com. A blogger, Al Ruscelli, offers a side-by-side comparison of the Newco OCS-8 and the Technivorm KBT741. Both make exceptional coffee, he concludes.

Budget Thermal-Carafe Coffee Maker

Zojirushi Fresh Brew

During testing at The Wall Street Journal, the Zojirushi Fresh Brew thermal-carafe coffee maker was best at keeping coffee hot and fresh-tasting. Owners say the easy-to-use Fresh Brew is easy to clean and relatively quiet. Many also find it attractive. The Zojirushi Fresh Brew receives a smattering of complaints from owners about the placement of its controls, which are on the side instead of the front. Several owner reviewers also complain that the Fresh Brew's carafe lid is hard to remove and the pour spout is too small. Still the Zojirushi Fresh Brew is a good value in a thermal coffee maker. If you can budget a bit more, reviews say that the Newco OCS-8 (*est. $140) is well designed and makes somewhat better-tasting coffee than the Fresh Brew.

We found the most credible review of the Zojirushi Fresh Brew thermal-carafe coffee maker at The Wall Street Journal, which has a detailed, head-to-head test of five models. This Zojirushi is also tested by Consumer Reports, but editors don't discuss this model in depth, and strangely, editors don't rate coffee makers on the taste of the coffee. We also looked at the consensus of hundreds of owner-written ratings for the Zojirushi Fresh Brew at Amazon.com, Epinions, CoffeeGeek.com, Target.com and Cooking.com.

Coffee Makers Runners Up:

Capresso CoffeeTEC Digital (3 picks by top review sites);

Black & Decker DCM2000 (2 picks);

Compresso MT500 (2 picks);

Cuisinart Grind and Brew (2 picks);

Mr. Coffee FTX25 (2 picks)