Coffee making is a time-honored tradition. Did you know it has its roots as an Arabic drink? It started off as a bar-type drink that people drank in shots. The drink offered one flavor, no sugar, no creamer or other additives and was often mixed with alcohol. It was terribly bitter, but that is what made it attractive to drink. Downing shots were a display of masculinity.
Since then, coffee has always been on the rise of global domination. It is by far one of the world’s most popular drinks. People have engineered several different ways to brew coffee, but in general, the idea is the same.
In recent years, many big names have popped up in the realm of kitchen appliances. Big names in coffee making are among them ~ after all, a coffee maker is a kitchen appliance. What makes them such big names? Some of these names have existed for decades; they have a long line of coffee makers to their names.
However, this can make things a bit confusing when you’re starting to shop – so we’ve compiled our list of Top-Rated 10-cup Coffee Makers. When you are in the market for a new coffee maker, consider these. These stick out as the best of the best.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000FFRYYK” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″ popups=”n”]BUNN Velocity Brew[/easyazon_link]
BUNN is a highly coveted commercial brand. BUNN coffee makers are used in large offices, fine restaurants, and the local diner. Keurig may have them beat in the single-serve market, but BUNN dominates in the commercial market. This coffee maker is black with stainless steel accents. The design may seem basic, but it has some features that make it shine. It is simple. It appears that almost every coffee maker is so overloaded with bells and whistles that it makes people want to scream. Sometimes—most times—people simply need a cup of coffee. The simplicity of this design answers the call.
The carafe is thermal, not glass. It creates a vacuum within the carafe which keeps the coffee fresher longer. This is not your $10 WalMart® bargain brand coffee maker. This is a multi-part sophisticated machine. Treat it like one, and it will last several years.
The stainless steel water tank heats the water internally before you brew the coffee. It brews a mean cup of coffee and fast. Once you are finished, you have some hot water left over for tea. It has an auto-off feature, so there’s no worry that your teenager or college student will “forget” to turn it off. Holding fast at $123.40, the features are well worth the price.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0037ZG3DS” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″ popups=”n”]Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew[/easyazon_link]
Mr. Coffee is another one of those ‘big names’ I mentioned earlier. A brilliantly deceptive design, this machine features the stainless steel thermal carafe. It keeps a freshly brewed coffee flavor for over two hours. Those who enjoy leisurely sips of coffee often find themselves with half a cup of cold coffee half an hour later. Why not top it off with coffee brewed in a vacuum chamber that not only retains its heat, but retains its flavor as well?
The thermal feature is not the only element of convenience. How about a removable water reservoir? That means you can take it to the sink to fill it up without popping the lid and pouring water into the tank.
For those kitchen cupboards that sit a little too low to fill the coffee maker from above the machine, this features a side-loading drawer for the filter and coffee. Furthermore, the filter ensures great tasting coffee every time. The filter has a little red tab on it—move it to the month it needs to be changed (usually every 30 days), and you’ll never guess when to change your filter again.
The LCD features a timer that tells you when the coffee you brewed has cooled down. It does take several hours—some have reported fresh coffee taste five hours later. It is simple, sleek, thermal with the auto-off feature, and affordable! This coffee maker is under $100 at $69.99.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B001R4LK1Q” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″ popups=”n”]Hamilton Beach Programmable BrewStation[/easyazon_link]
FINALLY! Someone got smart and combined the convenience of a Keurig machine with the time-tested traditional coffee makers! Black with stainless steel accents, the first thing you’ll notice is the lack of a carafe. No carafe means no hotplate, no burnt coffee, no spills, and no drips. Instead, you place your cup under the dispensing spout and press the button. There is no “preset” on the dispensing button—more coffee comes out the longer you hold the button.
This Hamilton Beach coffee maker will shut off its internal heater before you ever get a “burnt coffee” taste, which is about two hours. One of the beautiful things about this “no carafe” design is the fact that no air touches the coffee until it is in your cup. Every time your coffee is exposed to air, it cools down that much faster. The digital clock is programmable. The shut-off feature is perfect for those who forget to turn off the maker. One of the “under $50” gifts can be yours for $34.92.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000TQEDE4″ locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″ popups=”n”]Cuisinart Classic Thermal Programmable Coffeemaker[/easyazon_link]
Cuisinart is a name in quality cooking. I should know—I own a Cuisinart bread maker and a Cuisinart food processor—the processor is from the 1980’s and still going strong. I would expect nothing less from a Cuisinart coffee maker.
The double-wall, stainless steel thermal carafe will keep your coffee tasting fresh for hours.
The clock is in the top front—perfect for letting me know how late I am running to work in the mornings. It has a 24-hour programming feature, so if you get in the habit of preparing coffee ahead of time, you can really wake up to that “fresh coffee aroma” advertised in all the coffee commercials.
If you want great tasting coffee, you need to start with quality water. Cuisinart recognized that and included a water filter to make sure you get quality coffee. If you brew coffee in the morning before work and find you made a bad batch due to poor quality water, you may end up going to work without coffee because you don’t have time to brew two pots. Your experience will be different with this coffeemaker.
It includes a permanent gold-tone filter basket—no more paper filters. Paper filters are not expensive, but they do present extra work. Rinse out the basket and you are good to go. This machine sits under $100 at $89.95.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00EI7DPTY” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″ popups=”n”]Melitta Coffee Maker with Vacuum Stainless Thermal Carafe[/easyazon_link]
Melitta not only makes coffee makers, but they make the coffee too! I can only imagine them testing their various blends of coffee with this coffee maker. It only makes sense, right?
A beautiful stainless-steel design with a backlit LCD works perfectly in my kitchen, where natural daylight can be scarce, and the light is not always on. It uses a cone filter rather than the usual flat-bottom baskets we are so accustomed to seeing. People say cone filters are better than basket-style filters because of gravity—all the water concentrates around a single point in the bottom center.
This coffee maker brews into a vacuum-sealed chamber with a slick red stripe. That stripe was an excellent design decision—it really makes the coffee maker pop out in your kitchen.
The brewer has customizable settings for regular, bold, and robust settings. My preference for coffee makers with customizing settings is this: make it easy to use. Otherwise, you are wasting my time. If you are like most people, you do not have time or energy to waste in the morning by fiddling with settings. Melitta answers this call by making it possible with a single button. By pressing this one button, you can toggle the strength of your coffee.
This sits at an affordable price of $52.96. The features, aesthetics, and benefits weighed against cost make this a valuable coffee maker.
Conclusion
Not every coffee maker deserves to make it on this list. Our personal experiences have tipped in favor of thermal carafes, simplicity, and price. These coffee makers will not disappoint in any area. Next time you are in the market for a good coffee maker, don’t go with bargain brands. These are often just as expensive as these without the features or style. Every single one of these will compliment your kitchen and make people ask, “Is that YOUR coffee maker?” Answer them with confidence, “Yes. Yes, it is.”
