Drip Coffee Makers

Luxury: OXO Brew 12 Cup Coffee Maker & OXO Brew 8 Cup

The perfect coffee maker should have a metal carafe, intuitive controls, have the ability to brew an entire pot and a single cup, and be SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) approved. To achieve approval coffee makers are evaluated on factors like water temperature, brewing time, extraction consistency, and overall brew quality. The OXO Brew is approved and meets the SCA "Golden Cup Standard." Its carafe is metal and keeps coffee fresh for hours and its 2 to 4 cup setting allows for brewing a single cup at a time, negating any argument for owning a Keurig. The single serving option is a necessity as it removes any guilt about brewing yourself an afternoon cup of coffee. If the 12 cup machine is overkill, get the 8 cup model. It has the same functionality and costs $100 less.

Essential: Zojirushi Zutto 5-Cup

At $70, compromises must be made. No metal carafe and no SCA approval for this machine but it is consistently in the optimal brewing temperature range. It is well made, compact, and comes apart for easy cleaning. Additionally, it brews in small enough batches that it qualifies as a valid Keurig replacement. If you have limited counter space or cash, consider this efficient machine.