Drip coffee makers offer many features such as a warming plate, water reservoir, filter holder, and heat-retaining, vacuum insulated, brushed, stainless steel carafe or carafe stand. You can brew coffee directly into a thermal carafe, coffee pot or into travel mugs. Other features include:

• Single cup, 2 cup, 4 cup, 6 cup, 8 cup, 10 cup, 12 cup and even 14 cup
• 24-hour programmable clock/timer
• 1-4 cup setting
• Automatic cleaning cycle
• Advanced water filtration that eliminates chlorine and bacteria
• Audible tone to signal completion of the brew cycle
• Brew-pause feature
• Built-in coffee grinder
• Aroma button
• Removable cone filter basket
• Adjust the strength of the brew
• Front access door for pouring water or adding coffee grounds
• Removable drip tray
• Removable water reservoir
• Pressure safety valve
• Built-in espresso maker / cappuccino maker

Some popular manufacturers are:

• DeLonghi
• Hamilton Beach
• Cuisinart
• Toastmaster
• Mr. Coffee
• Sunbeam
• Black & Decker
• Braun
• Keurig
• Farberware
• Capresso
• Bunn
• Zojirushi
• Melitta
• Bodum
• Chemex

You should decide what size of drip coffee maker you need. We know that 6 cup automatic drip coffee makers are popular for people who just want to make a few cups of coffee in the morning but other people like the 14 cup size if it’s being used by several people and if it’s being used more frequently.

You will want to find a drip coffee maker that’s easy to clean. Some brands (like Mr. Coffee for instance) need to be cleaned fairly often, which can be a chore. Other brands will need to be cleaned less often. To clean a coffee maker, run a light mixture of vinegar and water through a brewing cycle and then run a cycle of water before you run a regular coffee brewing cycle.

Another important feature is the programming. You want one that’s easy to program (use a timer) without a lot of complicated menus or one that will give you confusing error messages or require you to leave it alone for 5 minutes before you can try changing a setting again. Yes, this happened to my mom with a Krups coffee maker and she took it back.

Drip coffee makers are probably the most inexpensive of all coffee makers and they are the single most popular small kitchen appliance in the US. Find the best prices in our Drip Coffee Makers Store.

You have a few options. You can get a drip coffee maker that makes many cups or a pod coffee maker that makes just one or very few cups. You get really great tasting coffee with the single cup coffee maker.

Drip coffee makers may be what you’re looking for if you prefer the usual type of brewed coffee, which is a medium grind. It’s important to first establish your standards around the type of coffee you want, how much you want at a time, and other additional features that your coffee maker needs to provide. The last thing you want is for making coffee to be a hassle.

Automatic drip coffee makers are a great choice. They consist of a power base, filter, warming plate (or carafe), timers, automatic shut off, aroma buttons, pause buttons and other great features. Other great features to look for are water filtration and built-in coffee grinders to really make that perfect cup of coffee.

The size of your drip coffee maker is also important. One cup brewing is becoming very popular but you can get coffee makers that can produce up to 14 cups of coffee. The serving size, of course, will depend on how much coffee you need or prefer to make at a time.

You should also look at the different brands of drip coffee makers. Choose a brand that has a good reputation and that has been on the market for years. Avoid newcomers. Be sure to also see how long of a warranty your new coffee maker has.

Another popular feature mentioned above is the carafe. Well insulated coffee carafes keep your coffee warm even up to 6 hours or more. The more you pay for the carafe, generally the better it is. You want to look for good stainless steel construction. Carafes keep your coffee warm and tasting great since there is no warming plate, which can often warm the coffee too much until it burns.

You can spend anywhere from $20 to $200 or more on a good drip coffee maker. Cheap coffee makers may not always be efficient. Decide what features you need and which features will make it easiest for you to make that great cup of coffee without all the hassle.