Coffee Makers for Fresh Coffee at Home
From Single Serving to Twelve Cups, There Are More Choices Than Ever Before
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Choosing Your Coffee Maker
You can get a good cup of coffee from most any coffee maker. The secret to good coffee is in the coffee beans themselves, so the determining factor in what make and model to buy should be based on the number of cups you consume, features you might find useful, convenience factors, prices, etc. For instance, if there's only one coffee drinker in your household and you either drink only one cup a day, or drink your morning cup of coffee then leave for work for the rest of the day, one of the single-serving models will probably work for you. If you love coffee, are home all day, have several in your household who drink coffee, or entertain a lot, one of the larger models will probably be best. Is time of the essence for you in the morning? Consider one with a timer that will turn on before you get out of bed so that it's ready for you when you roll into the kitchen.
Top Coffee Makers
Here are the most populator coffee makers on the market today. We include information on capacity, features and prices to help you decide which is right for you. Prices range from about $20 on up to $200, and even higher if you go for an espresso maker. See our separate article on espresso makers.
- Black & Decker's Cup At A Time DCM7
Basic single serving coffee maker, prices range from $13 to $30. Doesn't have a timer but does have automatic shut-off. Will quickly brew a cup of coffee in a matter of minutes. Rated at 4 1/2 stars at epinions.com - Mr. Coffee TF4 4-Cup model
Mr. Coffee has the distinction of making the first drip coffee maker for home use, and is still a popular and highly rated coffee maker. This model a 4-cup capacity and sells for $18-$25. Features include a cup warmer service and pause and serve features. Gets a 4-star rating from epinions.com
- Braun's AromaDeluxe KF550 10 cup coffee maker
Movin up on the price scale a little, this one sells for $39-60 and has more features for your money. Garnering a 4 1/2 star rating from epinions.com, it features both a timer and pause and serve functions. Gets good user reviews, too. - The Krups Allegro FND111 Espresso Machine & coffee maker
is a single cup coffee maker and espresso machine rolled into one. It sells for $38-$60. While it's not a true espresso maker (see our article on espresso machines), if you love espresso and only need to make one cup at a time, consider this model. - The Cuisenart Brew Central DCC-1200W 12-cup coffee maker
ranges in price from $48-100, gets a 4-star rating, and features a built-in water filter and pause and serve function. If you need to brew a lot of coffee, this one could be for you. - Cuisinart's DGB-500 12-cup coffee maker
is a coffee grinder too. It's 12 cup capacity, grinder, and comes with a timer and c up warmer. If you make a lot of coffee and were considering a coffee grinder, consider this one. Sells for $50-$100.
Of course there are many more makes and models to choose from, we could only select a few of what's available.
A Word About Coffee
The experts say that it doesn't matter what you brew your coffee in, but the coffee itself, that makes a good cup of coffee. While many reviews we read from coffee drinkers like you seemed to disagree, it certainly doesn't hurt to have some good-quality coffee to start with. You can purchase the beans and grind them yourself (see our article on coffee grinders), or purchase coffee already ground, from many sources. Probably the most well-known source for either beans or grounds is Starbucks. They have franchises all over the world where you can buy a cup of specially prepared coffee, lattes and other drinks; or buy the beans or coffee grounds yourself for good-tasting coffee at home. Check their online store locator for one near you. Online sources include Coffeebean.com, SpecialtyJava.com, CoffeeLibrary.com and Brainybean.com. Whatever your taste prefrence, you will find a coffee to suit your taste. With a new coffee maker, you can enjoy great tasting coffee at home and save your money for other things.