The Best Drip Coffee Maker
A hand-built, SCAA-certified brewer that nails water temperature and lasts for decades — the closest a machine gets to pour-over quality with a button. · Updated June 27, 2026
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT
$214Buy on Amazon
★star.shop pickWirecutter pickReddit favoriter/BuyItForLife favorite
Pros
- SCAA-certified brewing: nails the ideal water temperature, distribution, and contact time for excellent extraction
- Tank-like build quality — owners report 15-19 years of daily use, with several saying 'they will outlive us all'
- Every part is available online, so it's genuinely repairable (switches, elements, carafe) rather than disposable
- Thermal carafe on the KBT keeps coffee hot without a scorching hot plate
- Fast, quiet, and compact for the volume it brews; easy to dial in with a simple coffee-to-water ratio
- Consistently draws compliments from guests, and old vs. new units 'taste the same' — a sign of durable, repeatable quality
Cons
- Expensive — roughly double the price of the OXO and far more than a decent $40-50 maker
- Thermal carafe lets coffee cool noticeably after the first cup; some long-term owners wish they'd bought the hot-plate (KB) version
- No programmable timer or built-in grinder — it's a deliberately simple machine
Minor nitpicks
- Lid and carafe interior need a quick rinse after each brew or grounds can collect inside
- Switches may need replacing once over a decade of heavy use (parts are cheap and user-replaceable)
The other picks
- WirecutterOXO Brew 9-Cup Coffee Maker — Also SCAA-certified and makes a great cup for much less; nice presoak, shower nozzle, and programmable timer, though build feels more like an appliance
- RedditBonavita 8-Cup Exceptional Brew — One of only four SCAA-certified makers; long-time owners call it their go-to for quality plus ease at a lower price