What is a coffee maker if not the spring from which all other accomplishments begin? If you need an affordable way to jumpstart your day, here’s the answer: budget coffee makers.
While some great coffee makers cost hundreds of dollars, you don’t need to break the bank to find one that gets the job done. And there are better ways to spend your money on brewing good coffee: In our guide to the best coffee makers, Scott Rao, a coffee consultant and author of “The Coffee Roasters Companion,” told us that you should invest more in a grinder than a brewer, because even the best brewer can’t fix poorly ground coffee beans. (And you could be spending around $250 on a reliable coffee grinder.)
So we set out to find some relatively affordable and solid coffee makers. Whether you want a coffee maker that brews a single cup or 14 cups of coffee, there’s a reasonably priced coffee maker here for every preference.
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The best coffee makers under $180
In our guide to the best coffee makers, Jessica Easto, author of “Craft Coffee: A Manual,” told us that the best coffee makers will be able to reach proper brew temperature (generally between 195 degrees and 205 degrees Fahrenheit), sustain that temperature for the length of the brew cycle and ensure the water is in contact with the coffee for the right amount of time. Since that’s probably a lot of research for the average shopper, Easto suggested looking at coffee makers certified by the Specialty Coffee Association, or the SCA.
Below, we rounded up highly rated coffee makers under $180 that are SCA-certified, based on proper water temperature, brewing time and the machine’s ability to brew within the SCA Golden Cup standard. Quality coffee makers can cost hundreds of dollars, so we narrowed down SCA’s options down to those that are most affordable and in stock.
Ninja CM401 Specialty 10-Cup Coffee Maker
With the Ninja CM401 Specialty 10-Cup Coffee Maker, you can customize your coffee’s temperature and sizing however you prefer, according to the brand. The carafe holds about 8 cups, too. It includes a built-in, fold-away frother that froths your milk (or milk alternative). Ninja says the Ninja brewer will shut off after one hour of inactivity.
Brim 8-Cup Pour-Over Coffee Maker
According to Brim, the 8-Cup Pour-Over Coffee Maker heats coffee between 198 degrees and 205 degrees (right in the range Easto mentioned as proper brew temperature) and maintains that temperature throughout the brewing process. Like the Ninja, the Brim holds about 8 cups of coffee. Brim says that the coffee maker ensures the proper amount of contact time between water and coffee, too.
Ninja CP301 Hot and Cold Brewed System with Glass Carafe
As the name implies, the Ninja CP301 Hot and Cold Brewed System with Glass Carafe offers six different temperature options for everything from cold brew to oolong tea. The Ninja also provides individual coffee and tea baskets, so your coffee grounds won’t mix with your loose tea leaves. The system holds about 10 cups of coffee — and like its sibling Ninja, the CM401, it provides a foldaway frother.
Cuisinart PurePrecision 8 Cup Pour-Over Coffee Brewer
Unlike some of the other coffee makers here, the Cuisinart PurePrecision 8 Cup Pour-Over Coffee Brewer doesn’t give you the option to serve your coffee cold — it can, however, make you 8 cups of coffee either hot or extra hot, according to the brand. You can also program it up to 24 hours ahead of time if you want to ensure you have a fresh pot of coffee in the morning.
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Other top-rated coffee makers under $100
Though experts told us that SCA-certified coffee makers and machines with adjustable temperatures are the gold standard, we also know that not everyone can — or wants to — spend hundreds of dollars on a coffee maker. So, although they aren’t SCA-certified, we found some highly rated coffee makers under $100 that have double-walled thermal carafes to help keep the temperature of your coffee hot for hours past its initial brew, which is one of the features experts said to look for in a good coffee maker.
Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10 Cup Coffee Maker
According to Mr. Coffee, the 10 Cup Coffee Maker brews your coffee at up to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. It offers some fun additional features, such as auto-pause — which means the brew will pause when you want to grab a cup of coffee before it’s finished — and a timer that tracks how long it’s been since your pot was initially made.
Black+Decker CM2046S Coffee Maker
The Black+Decker CM2046S Coffee Maker is slightly larger than the Mr. Coffee: According to the brand, it can brew 12 cups of coffee. It doesn’t have an auto-pause feature, though, so you’ll have to wait until it’s finished brewing all 12 cups before you start pouring. You can customize your brew's strength as well as program it up to 24 hours in advance. According to the brand, the machine disperses water via a showerhead design to evenly soak the coffee grounds for a richer extraction.
Hamilton Beach 46391 Programmable Front-Fill Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe
Like the Black+Decker, the Hamilton Beach 46391 Programmable Front-Fill Coffee Maker can brew up to 12 cups of coffee. Hamilton Beach says that the coffee maker will shut off immediately after brewing to conserve energy, and it auto pauses if you want to grab a quick cup before it’s finished.
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