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The best coffee makers of 2026, approved by experts and coffee enthusiasts
Experts share how to make the best coffee at home and explain what to look for in a quality machine.
How I picked the best coffee makers
Generally, it’s best to choose a coffee maker that fits your routine and won’t end up in a pile collecting dust. The experts I spoke to recommend first consulting the Specialty Coffee Association Certified (SCA) Home Brewer Program, which tests a range of coffee makers based on requirements like brewing temperature and brewing time.
When shopping for a coffee maker, my experts recommend keeping the following factors in mind:
- Type: There are four main types of coffee makers: automatic drip, single-cup, programmable and manual (think pour-over). I go more in depth about each type of coffee maker below.
- Capacity: Depending on the type of coffee maker you have, you can brew as little as a few ounces of coffee to over 40 ounces in one go. It’s good to be mindful of how much coffee you consume so you don’t end up pouring leftovers down the drain. “If you’re going to be the only one drinking coffee, you don’t necessarily need a full 12-cup coffee maker,” says Laura Hughes, business manager at the SCA who oversees its Certified Home Brewer Program.
- Brewing temperature: Temperature can affect the taste and overall quality of your coffee. “Good brewers are able to maintain the ideal temperature of 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Hughes.
- Brewing time: How long water is in contact with your coffee grounds (called the brewing time) will affect the flavor of your coffee. This is important if you tend to take your coffee on the go and don’t have a programmable coffee maker to start brewing at a certain time. Ideally, with a good coffee maker, the water should be in contact with the coffee grounds for at least four minutes but less than eight minutes.
- Carafe: The type of carafe (either glass or thermal) on automatic and programmable coffee makers can have an impact on the quality of your coffee. A glass carafe is the most common type and fits on a warming plate, while a thermal carafe is usually made of stainless steel and doesn’t need an outside heating element.
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The best coffee makers of 2026
The following coffee makers all come recommended by experts and/or NBC Select editors. Unless otherwise noted, all of the automatic and programmable brewers are certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCA).
Best drip coffee makers
looking for larger capacity brewers. “A consistent 12-cup brew is perfect for larger groups and offices who are looking for a more specialty cup,” she says. It has a double-wall carafe that ensures your coffee stays hot for longer, too, says Jessica Easto, author of “How to Taste Coffee and “Craft Coffee: A Manual.” The machine has a single-serve function that doesn’t require a pod, making it a great option if you want to brew coffee for one.
Our NBC Select editors love this Breville machine because it cuts down on the time it takes to brew your coffee in the morning. It has six preset modes, including an option that automatically adjusts water temperature and brew times to meet the standards set by the SCA, according to the brand. The coffee maker’s steep-and-release valve can automatically brew small cups without the carafe in place, according to the brand.
Bonavita’s automatic coffee maker can brew eight cups of coffee in about six minutes. “The Bonavita brewer does a great job retaining a steady temperature during the entire brew cycle, [and] its shower head evenly distributes water on the whole bed of coffee grounds,” says Marco Suarez, co-owner of Methodical Coffee in Greenville, South Carolina. The carafe lid and filter basket are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup, too.
I tested the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select for months, and it’s one of the best coffee makers I’ve ever tried. The taste of the coffee is fantastic, and it’s extremely beginner-friendly and easy to use. It has a glass carafe and comes with a hot plate (which automatically switches off after 100 minutes), so it keeps coffee warm for hours. I love the glass carafe specifically because I can see exactly how much coffee I have left, plus it’s easy to clean. The coffee maker brews up to 10 cups of coffee, depending on how much water you put into the tank, and has an automatic drip-stop brew method, meaning the brew basket automatically stops the flow of coffee when you remove the carafe, so it won’t keep dripping onto the hot plate or table (and prevents a mess).
This smart coffee maker can brew up to 10 cups of coffee and has a water filter feature, which can save you the extra step of using a Brita, for example, says Easto. You can connect the coffee maker to the SmartHQ app, Amazon Alexa and Google Home using Wi-Fi, which allows you to schedule it to brew at your preferred time, adjust the brew strength and more. You can also set the temperature anywhere between 185 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Though the Ninja brewer is not SCA-certified, I think it’s worth considering due to its high ratings (it has a 4.4-star average rating from over 8,400 reviews on Amazon) and its customizable features. You can choose from five custom brew styles — classic, rich, over ice, cold brew or specialty — and you can brew both hot coffee and iced coffee. It also comes with a thermal carafe and a fold-away milk frother to heat your milk.
Another SCA-certified recommendation from Hughes, this drip coffee maker has a stainless steel thermal carafe that maintains the temperature of your brew while the exterior stays cool to the touch, according to the brand. If you’re looking for a larger capacity with a glass carafe instead, the brand also has an SCA-certified 12-cup version.
Best single-serve coffee makers
The Keurig K-Mini can brew anywhere between 6 to 12 ounces of coffee. NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin says she bought the K-Mini because of its affordable price point and its compact size. The brewer measures less than 5 inches wide, which is helpful if you have limited counter space. It comes with a removable drip tray, so you can fit travel mugs up to 7 inches tall, according to the brand. The coffee maker also automatically turns off 90 seconds after your last brew, according to Keurig.
machine, the Nespresso Vertuo Plus is the best option to buy. It can automatically adjust the amount of coffee, temperature, pressure and brewing time after reading the barcode on the inserted Nespresso capsule. I use this machine on mornings when I’m in a hurry because it brews shots of espresso in seconds. It also doesn’t take up too much counter space in my small apartment’s kitchen. It comes with a built-in capsule storage container (where used capsules automatically fall in) and it automatically shuts off after nine minutes of inactivity. It can make either 5- or 8-ounce cups of coffee, and the removable water reservoir can store up to 40 ounces of water at one time.
This Instant coffee maker has dual slots for pods: one for K-Cup pods and one for Nespresso capsules, so you have a wide variety of coffee types and flavors to choose from. One of Malin’s favorites, the coffee maker can brew six different sizes and includes a 68-ounce water reservoir. You can also select the “bold” option if you want to brew a stronger cup, according to the brand. Instant’s coffee maker comes with a removable drip tray that allows you to fit travel mugs up to 7 inches tall, and it has a smaller drip tray that flips out to hold espresso or tea cups.
Best manual coffee makers
This is a good starter set for those who want to try pour-over brewing at home, according to my experts. The home brewing kit comes with a six-cup carafe, a pour-over cylinder, a coffee scoop and five coffee filters. Although you may need to invest in an electric kettle to regulate your water temperature, this is one of the more affordable options on this list for those who are serious about brewing their coffee at home.
The Chemex has always been a solid choice for brewing pour-over coffee, says Easto. The top of the Chemex is shaped like a cone, which works like a pour-over dripper, which is a device that directly drips coffee into a carafe after you wet the grounds, so you don’t need to purchase a separate one, says Easto. The wood collar and leather tie serve as an insulated handle that you can remove when you put the container in the dishwasher. Chemex suggests pairing the brewer with its branded filters, which are 20-30% thicker than the standard kind, according to the brand.
The Hario V60 is one of Easto’s favorite pour-over coffee brewers because it brews consistent cups at a budget-friendly price point. The silicone band, which you can easily remove for cleaning, wraps around the pot to keep it cool to the touch. The coffee decanter comes with a glass pot, a dripper and a 40-count of filters.
When it comes to French press models, Easto recommends this option from Bodum. She likes that she can see everything that’s happening as she uses it. “When looking for a French press, I look for one that is made of metal and glass rather than plastic,” she says. “In my experience, metal parts, particularly in the plunger and filter mechanism, are more durable and easier to clean over the long term than plastic.” It comes with a stain- and heat-resistant borosilicate glass carafe and a stainless steel plunger, frame and lid. This French press is dishwasher-safe, too.
Stanley is known for its popular reusable water bottles, but the brand also makes this versatile French press mug, which it sent to the NBC Select offices to try. You can use it to prepare your coffee as you would with a traditional French press, but you can also drink directly from it. All you have to do is add ground coffee and hot water. The press on the inside pushes the grounds downward and pushes freshly brewed coffee upward. “This is the all in one package for a coffee lover on the go,” says NBC Select video producer Josh Rios. “All you need is some hot water and ground coffee to make a solid 16 ounces of hot coffee in one container.”
Aeropress’ multipurpose coffee and espresso maker brings together three functions — immersion, pressure and aeration — to make a flavorful cup of coffee, according to the brand. Add coffee grounds to the container on top, pour hot water through it and then use the stirrer and plunger (included with the maker) to help press the brewed coffee through the paper micro-filter. The coffee drains through the device and into your coffee mug.
Rios likes how easy it is to make a perfectly portioned cup of coffee. “The Aeropress is a godsend when you don’t want to make just a single cup of coffee whenever you want,” he says. “Oftentimes you need so much equipment to make more coffee than you need.” While the device comes with multiple paper filters, Rios recommends getting the reusable metal filter if you plan on using it consistently.
What are the different types of coffee makers?
Coffee makers come in many shapes and sizes. They also vary widely in price, you can find a basic automatic brewer for less than $20, while smart, programmable ones can go for upwards of $300. Generally, there are four main types of coffee makers: automatic, single-cup, programmable and manual.
Automatic drip coffee makers
Automatic drip coffee makers are one of the most common types of machines. They heat water and disperse it evenly across a basket of coffee grounds at the touch of a button. They also come with a coffee pot (or carafe) that coffee drips directly into. This type of brewer can be great for making several cups of coffee at a time (usually as much as 8 to 12 cups), experts say.
Single-serve coffee makers
As its name suggests, single-serve coffee makers let you brew a single cup at a time, usually in seconds, using pods or reusable filter baskets. These are convenient and designed for single-cup drinkers that may be new to coffee or those who might be intimidated by the manual brewing process, says Suarez. However, the limited coffee options and overall wastefulness of pods are some of the downsides, though there are several reusable options on the market that are more sustainable, he says.
Since the brewing time is so quick, these machines usually have a hard time reaching the appropriate brew temperature that’s essential for a good extraction, says Hughes. That means the coffee might taste weaker compared to other types of coffee makers, she says.
Programmable coffee makers
Programmable coffee makers are a type of automatic drip coffee maker that’s equipped with several smart features, including the ability to schedule your coffee maker to start at a certain time and customize the strength and temperature of the brewed coffee.
Manual coffee makers
Manual coffee makers give you a more personalized brewing experience by requiring you to physically steep or pour water over your coffee grounds. How you brew the coffee depends on which machine you buy: Some require you to steep and then strain your coffee grounds, while others rely on a vertical system that mimics a drip coffee maker except you pour the hot water over the coffee grounds yourself.
“If you’re someone who enjoys the process of making your own cup and being able to control different variables to personalize your coffee profile, a manual brewer might be a better choice,” says Kaleena Teoh, director of education at Coffee Project NY. “It’s usually a little cheaper, too.”
One popular style is the pour-over, which gives you more of a hands-on experience. “Most pour-over devices are shaped like cones, which are set over a cup or carafe,” says Easto. “You add a filter and the coffee, and then pour water over it — hence the name.”
Pour-over coffee makers require a bit more technique and work best with gooseneck kettles, which have a longer spout to help control the water when saturating your coffee grounds, according to Easto. If you enjoy the ritual of making coffee and have some time to spare, a pour-over brewer can be a great choice.
People who drink both coffee and tea will be more familiar with the full immersion style of manual brewing. “Full immersion devices let the coffee steep in the water for the whole brew cycle, like tea,” says Easto. The most popular example of this technique is the French press. “It’s super easy, and you don’t really need special equipment to use it, so I always recommend it to people trying to dip their toe into manual coffee,” she says.
Frequently asked questions
Automatic and programmable coffee makers will usually come with a carafe that collects the freshly brewed coffee. These are either glass, which fits on a warming plate, or thermal, which is typically made from stainless steel and can maintain its temperature without an outside heating element.
Choosing between glass and thermal carafes depends on personal preference: Glass carafes are typically the less expensive option if you don’t mind a warming plate, and thermal carafes will be more effective at retaining the heat of brewed coffee, according to Hughes. The experts we spoke to say they prefer a thermal carafe to best maintain the quality and taste of the coffee.
“Yummy flavor compounds are quickly destroyed over a hot plate,” says Easto. “To retain the taste of larger batches of coffee, it’s better to never let the coffee cool in the first place.”
You don’t have to be a barista to make a good cup of coffee. A great-tasting cup of coffee should be flavorful, bold and non-astringent (meaning not dry on the tongue), says Scott Rao, a coffee consultant and author of “ The Coffee Roasters Companion.” There are four main factors that impact the quality of your final brew, according to Rao:
- The quality of the raw coffee beans
- The coffee beans’ grind quality
- Their roast quality
- And, finally, the coffee maker’s brew quality
“As for coffee beans, like any food product, there is a range of quality out there,” says Easto. Beans can directly impact your coffee even if you have the best coffee maker. “Since coffee is only made of two ingredients (coffee and water), the ‘quality in’ is directly related to the ‘quality out,’” she says. Even a skilled brewer can’t fix bad beans. Coffee is graded on a scale of 100, and specialty coffee beans, which Easto suggests buying, must score an 80 or above on a quality scale set forth by the SCA .
The level of roast of those beans, on the other hand, comes down to personal preference. “With darker roasts, you are tasting more of the process of roasting coffee — those dark, smoky flavors associated with cooking,” says Easto.
But you may be trading strength of flavor for complexity. Lighter roast profiles actually allow the unique flavors of the bean itself to shine, says Easto. Choosing a lighter roast could open up your cup with a wider variety of flavors, which include fruit flavors, nutty flavors and chocolate flavors commonly served at craft coffee shops, according to Easto.
“Don’t pigeonhole yourself,” she says. “After a while, you’ll get to know what you like.”
It depends. Since many people have different preferences when it comes to their coffee, a good cup of coffee, whether hot or iced, is subjective. That said, aside from buying quality coffee beans that are your preferred roast and using an efficient coffee grinder, experts recommend buying the appliance that brings out the most flavor from the coffee without diluting it. All of the machines on this list do this, but to somewhat different extents.
Making a good cup of coffee also involves using a quality coffee grinder, according to Rao. “You may be surprised, but I would recommend investing more in a quality coffee grinder than a brewer,” he says. “A great brewer can’t fix a bad quality grind.”
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Meet the experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Marco Suarez is the co-owner of Methodical Coffee in Greenville, South Carolina.
- Jessica Easto is the author of “Craft Coffee: A Manual” and “How to Taste Coffee.”
- Laura Hughes is a sales executive at the nonprofit Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCA).
- Kaleena Teoh is director of education at Coffee Project NY‘s Academy.
- Scott Rao is a coffee consultant and author of “The Coffee Roasters Companion.”
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m an updates editor at NBC Select who has covered coffee topics for the past five years. For this article, I spoke to five experts about how to shop for the best coffee maker and rounded up their picks for the best options to buy.
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