10 of the best drip coffee makers to get your caffeine fix at home

This coffee machine is so multifunctional, it'll do everything except wash your cups. It has six preset modes: Gold, Fast, Strong, Iced, Cold Brew and My Brew, the latter of which you can customize to a high level of specificity with precise temperature, flow rate, and time settings. 

Plus, the emphasis on high-quality coffee includes features like a Thermo Coil Heating System that carries water purer than the standard aluminum does. You can choose from the flat bottom or cone filter baskets according to how strong you like your coffee. If you'd rather not bother with any adjustments and just want a cup of craft filter coffee, then the Gold Cup preset will produce a cup that meets Specialty Coffee Association best practices standards with just the push of a button.

Splurging on an expensive coffee maker is pretty much the same idea as splurging on a "good" cup of coffee. Do you need to do it? No. Will you notice the difference if you do? Hopefully. That definitely seems to be the case with the Technivorm Moccamaster 59163 KBG Coffee Brewer.

Just check out how extra this thing looks.

Despite the hefty price tag, the Moccamaster doesn't come with all the fancy bells and whistles of other, less expensive coffee machines. There's no auto start, no option to adjust brew strength, or really any of the other cushy features one might expect. There are literally just two switches; one to turn it on and off, and the other to control the temperature of the hot plate. However, if buyer reviews are to be believed, the Moccamaster is a perfect example of "less is more." 

The Moccamaster features a glass carafe, an automatic drip-stop brew-basket, and will brew a 40-ounce pot of coffee in six minutes, keeping the hotplate at a temperature of either 175° or 185°, so you can keep your coffee hot without worrying about it burning. The automatic brew-basket even allows you to pull the carafe away and pour a cup without dripping from the brew basket. (Win!)

The design of the machine is cool and modern looking, plus it comes in a whopping 17 colors, so you can really get creative if you want. (If you're dropping $300+ on a coffee machine, might as well get it in your favorite color, amirite?) 

But the real price justification here definitely lies in the quality of the coffee it brews and the actual machine itself. 

The Chemex Classic Series Coffee Maker isn't your typical drip coffee maker, as it's non-electric and utilizes a simple pour-over method; no fancy buttons or switches — you literally just pour hot water over the grounds in the coffee filter. It goes without saying that brewing coffee with the Chemex will take a bit longer than with an electronic coffee maker when you have to factor in the time to boil water on your own. But as Chemex says, "like all good things, full flavor takes time — and your own special touch." 

The Chemex Coffeemaker claims to deliver "only the elements essential to rich coffee flavor." Its simple but elegant design is made of non-porous borosilicate glass (which won't absorb odors or chemical residues) and is super easy to use. It even allows coffee to be covered and refrigerated for reheating without losing any flavor. 

Instant-coffee machines are convenient, but any self-proclaimed coffee snob will tell you they rarely deliver the same caliber of flavor as a drip-coffee machine. When you're a chronic rusher (some call it poor time management, I call it life), every second, especially in the morning, is crucial. That said, knocking a few minutes off of your morning coffee routine can be a real game-changer, especially if you don't have to compromise by using coffee pods. So thank you to the Bunn NHS Velocity Coffee Brewer, AKA the closest thing you'll get to an "instant-coffee maker" in the form of a drip coffee machine.

The Bunn NHS Velocity claims to be the "fastest 10-cup home coffee maker," brewing a full pot in a mere three minutes (which is seriously impressive for a drip coffee maker.)

It features an always-hot stainless steel hot water tank, so all you have to do is keep it plugged in and when you're ready for your coffee, it can brew a full pot without taking the extra time to heat up the water (hence the 3-minute process.)

The Bunn also comes with a drip-free carafe with a proprietary lid and spout design that arcs to prevent escaped droplets, so no need to worry about a mess on the counter. 

When it comes to "best value," the Cuinsinart DCC-3200 PerfecTemp Programmable Coffee Maker takes the cake, considering all of the sweet features it includes while still remaining at a reasonable price. 

The Cuisinart really makes it possible to have your coffee how you want it and when you want it. Its large glass carafe can hold up to 14 cups, or a small batch of one to four cups, basically making it perfect for any occasion whether you're hosting company or just want to make a small pot for yourself in the morning. 

One of the most convenient features of the Cuisinart is that it also comes with a 24-hour brew timer, so you can schedule your coffee to start brewing any time within 24 hours. That means you can set your timer for 10 minutes before your alarm the next morning and literally wake up to the smell of a fresh pot of coffee. 

It comes with two brew strength control settings (regular and bold), is self-cleaning, and has an auto-off setting that you can set anywhere between zero and four hours. 

It also has adjustable keep-warm temperature control, so you can set the warmth of the hot plate to keep your freshly brewed coffee at whatever temperature you like. 

It's simple, affordable, and packed with great features, leaving you with a straightforward cup of coffee.

The size of your coffee maker is a big thing to consider, because what good is a big, fancy coffee maker if you literally don't have the space for it? For those looking for the best machine with a small footprint to accommodate a lack of counter space in your apartment, dorm, or office, look no further than the Black+Decker 5-Cup Coffee Maker. 

It doesn't get simpler in terms of use: the Black+Decker model has just one simple start/stop button for brewing. But its 25-ounce carafe with measurement markings, easy-grip handle, and removable filter basket make use and cleanup a breeze. It also has a keep-hot carafe plate that will keep coffee warm for an hour after brewing is complete. 

This petite little machine is just under three and a half pounds, and is about the size of one of those mini coffee makers you'd see in a hotel room. 

As it turns out, it's completely possible to brew coffee on the go, and the Coffee Gator Personal Coffee Brewing Travel Mug is making it possible to take even the drip coffee experience with you.

This convenient coffee mug (which will fit in most cupholders) comes with a military-grade stainless steel coating and mesh filter, which isn't only convenient (say goodbye to constantly buying new coffee filters), it also makes it environmentally friendly and super easy to clean. When you're ready to brew, just add coffee grounds to the filter and pour over the hot water to make drip coffee directly into the portable cup. The cup is vacuum-layered and has a copper lining, trapping heat inside to keep your coffee hot for a longer time. 

The Coffee Gator Personal Brewer probably won't replace your counter coffee maker (unless you never plan on brewing more than a cup), but for less than 30 bucks it makes a great addition to your kitchen or an awesome gift.

For a machine that makes a standard pot of coffee, this KRUPS drip coffee maker doesn't take much room on your kitchen counter. It's a straightforward model with an on-off switch, so all you have to do in the pre-caffeinated morning is blearily find that button through sleep-muddled eyes.

If you'd rather not wait for the full five cups to finish drip-dripping, you can use Pause & Brew to interrupt the process to get your caffeine fix ASAP before allowing it to continue. It's a definite minus that there are no size or temperature options, but for a solid coffee maker that'll get the job done, this unit won't fall short.

Leave it to Mr. Coffee to know how to give the people exactly what they need in a coffee maker and nothing more. 

The Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker keeps it super simple: just set it up, turn it on, and watch it brew. The one-button machine is hardly extravagant, but if you're looking for a straightforward coffee maker from a trusted brand that's at the top of its game for its price range, this is it. This no-frills gem does come with one nice little perk, which is the Grab-A-Cup Auto Pause button, AKA the button that lets you pause mid-brew to steal a cup instead of having to wait until the entire 12-cup brew is done. (This is a true blessing for impatient coffee-guzzlers everywhere.) 

This coffee maker comes with a dual water window (which allows visibility as you fill to avoid overflows), a lift-and-clean filter basket for easy cleanup, and easy cord storage so you don't have stray wires cluttering up your counter space. The Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker is pretty foolproof to use.

Make way for the new generation of coffee makers: this 2021 model is as well-designed functionally as it is aesthetically. Not only does it come in three complementary colorways to suit any kitchen, it's equipped with a number of features that make getting your morning caffeine fix a breeze. 

You can program it to have a steaming mug ready for you in the morning, and customize your brew down to strength, temperature, and number of cups. Its four brewing modes include a preset that meets SCA Gold standards (like the Breville model on our list) if you'd rather not bother with specifics. 

Keep in mind though, that there's no mechanism to keep the carafe warm which means that if you're opting for the glass option, your second cup might be cold by the time you get to it. It's not the biggest deal (especially with a machine that brews a fresh cup so easily and quickly), but for a coffee maker that costs this much, it's a bit of a detractor. Still, if you're looking for an impressive machine that will garner compliments from guests, this 2021 model could be just that.