This is your full guide to choosing the best coffee maker. Should you buy Chemex? A pot for a moka? Or a drip coffee maker that works every time? A great drip coffee maker is the best way to get great flavor without having to work too hard. You can get pour-over quality with just one push of a button. We will also look closely at the carafe, which is the most important part of your coffee maker.
Why should you pick a drip coffee maker?
Our teams have tried almost every way to make coffee over the years. A drip brewer always makes the best coffee with the best flavor and the easiest way to make it. It does the work for you, so you can enjoy a great cup of coffee without having to pour it over. A drip coffee maker is for you if you want convenience without giving up flavor.
Best Choice for Features and Ease of Use
It has a timer that brews coffee automatically. This lets you wake up to a pot of coffee that has just been made. This reliable drip coffee maker is also a great choice if you need your coffee to stay hot for hours.
Why We Love It
It has a programmable start time, so your coffee will be ready when you are. It also has a cycle for automatic pre-infusion. This step quickly moistens the coffee grounds before brewing. This easy step makes the flavor extraction much better.
The coffee from the OXO was always good in our tests. It tasted a lot better than coffee made with other machines. The design is nice, and it looks great on any counter. It comes with a thermal stainless steel carafe that is well-made. This carafe is easy to pour from and keeps your coffee hot for hours.
- 40 ounces of space
- Time to brew: less than 7 minutes
Problems but Not Dealbreakers
There are some strange things about the OXO model. We have also seen something in tests that lasts a long time. The lid on the OXO carafe can hold on to some old coffee.
Its height is also very important. The OXO model is 17.2 inches tall. It may not fit under every kitchen cabinet. You also need an extra 5 inches of space to open the lids on the water tank and the coffee grounds basket all the way.
Lastly, if taste is the most important thing to you, keep reading.
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT & KB
The Technivorm Moccamaster KBT and KB are new additions to our guide. They quickly became our favorite choice for coffee lovers. These machines are for people who want a simple but very dependable drip brewer that makes a great cup of coffee.
Why We Like It
There is a reason why the Moccamaster is a legend in the coffee world.
What It Doesn’t Have
The Moccamaster is only for making coffee. It doesn’t have OXO’s easy-to-use features. There is no timer that you can program or any other automated features. You’ll have to make your coffee if you want to wake up to it. The Technivorm Moccamaster is the clear winner if taste is your top priority.
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The Carafe: Your Coffee’s Best Friend
The carafe is an important part of your coffee maker. It keeps your tasty brew safe. So, what is a carafe? Let’s look at everything you need to know about it, from what it is to how to use it.
What is a carafe?
A carafe is a container for serving drinks. There are no handles on it. It usually has a narrow neck and a wide bottom. There are glass and stainless steel carafes. A coffee maker pot is a great example of a carafe. People also use a carafe for wine or water.
How do you say “carafe”?
A lot of people ask this! How to say “carafe” “kuh-RAF” is how you say it. The second syllable is the most important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a carafe a type of bottle?
How much is a full carafe?
What is a carafe for the night?
What do you call a whiskey carafe?
Can a vase be a carafe?
What color is coffee?
How to Clean Your Coffee Carafe
- You need to take care of your carafe every day. It holds every pot of fresh carafe coffee, so it should be spotless.
- Mix baking soda and a little water to make a paste for tough coffee stains that have burned on. Gently scrub the stains off.
- For a thermal stainless steel carafe, soap and water work great too.
- Use a special coffee pot cleaning powder or tablet to clean it. These are made to break down oily residue.
- After that, rinse it well.
Cleaning the Scale Off Your Coffee Maker
Descaling gets rid of mineral buildup on the inside parts of your machine. You should do this every one to three months, depending on how hard your water is.
- Fill the Reservoir: Put the vinegar-water mix into the water tank of your coffee maker.
- Place your empty carafe under the brew basket and start a brew cycle. Use the cleaning solution to run a full brew cycle.
- Run Rinse Cycles: Run two or three more full brew cycles with just plain water. This will get rid of any vinegar that is still there.
Which one is better, a glass or a thermal carafe?
It changes the taste, temperature, and how long it lasts. There are two main types: glass and thermal stainless steel.
The Glass Carafe
The classic choice is a glass carafe. You can tell exactly how much coffee is left.
- Pros: They are simple to clean. You can see the coffee being made. They usually cost less.
- Cons: A glass carafe sits on a hot plate to keep the coffee warm, which is a bad thing.
The Thermal Carafe
A thermal carafe, such as the OXO and Technivorm KBT models, is similar to a thermos. It has two walls and is insulated with a vacuum.
- Pros: It keeps your coffee carafe hot for hours without needing a hot plate. This keeps the flavor of the original, freshly brewed coffee. You won’t have to worry about burning the coffee. The carafe conducts heat well.
- Cons: You can’t see how much coffee is left inside because they are opaque. If coffee oils build up, they can also be harder to clean.
We strongly recommend a thermal carafe for the best-tasting coffee that stays hot. One big benefit of a glass carafe on a hot plate is that it keeps the taste.
The Grind: The Real Secret to Better Coffee
Whole beans keep the fragile oils and compounds safe inside. Grinding them fresh puts this great flavor right into your brew basket.
It should look like rough sand. A good burr grinder will give you a grind size that is always the same, which is important for a balanced extraction. It’s just as important to buy a good grinder as it is to buy a good coffee maker.
Ways to use your carafe
You can do more with your carafe than you think. It’s not just for coffee in a carafe.
- Making iced tea: Make a strong pot of tea and let it cool. Put it in your carafe, add ice, and serve.
- Make a batch of your favorite party drink, like sangria or party punch. A big glass carafe is a beautiful way to serve food. This works best for a carafe of sangria.
- A Simple Vase: A clean glass carafe can also be a pretty vase for a bouquet of fresh flowers.
- A bedside carafe can be used for more than one thing. It is great for rooms where guests stay. The glass bedside carafe makes sure your guests have everything they need for a good night’s sleep. It seems like a lot more thought went into it than just a bottle of water.
In conclusion, pick the right brewer for you
It all depends on what you want in a coffee maker.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup Coffee Maker is a great choice if you want a machine that has smart features, is easy to use, and can wake you up with a hot carafe of coffee. If you want the best taste and don’t mind doing things by hand, the Technivorm Moccamaster will give you a truly great cup. No matter which one you pick, you’re on your way to making better, tastier coffee at home.
