In a previous post I wrote about the importance of water temperature when brewing coffee and how the perfect temperature ranges between 195 ℉ and 205 ℉.

Knowing this is a great help because you can use this information when you are looking for your next coffee maker or for when you are boiling water for your next pot of french press coffee.

In this post I want to look at the best coffee makers that have temperature control.

Off the bat, let me say that these are not coffee makers that have thermal carafes or coffee makers that have warming plates that can be set to operate at different temperatures.

Those machines only allow you to control the temperature that any coffee is stored at..

Coffee makers that have temperature control are machines that allow you to control the temperature that your coffee is brewed at.

They are super-human by comparison.

Which is the kind of control that any home barista worth their salt really desires.

If you want to refresh your memory about the importance of temperature on the coffee brewing process, then read this.

As you can imagine, there is a massive body of research related to coffee brewing and temperature how different temperatures affects flavor.  

So let me just provide an overview of that.

The hotter the brewing temperature, the more full bodied and sweet your coffee will taste. Other ways of describing this flavor is chocolate-like and earthy.

If this sounds like heaven then remember that hotter brews carry a greater risk of over extraction- which is when the sweetness turns bitter.

Cooler brewing temperatures emphasise more of an acidic or fruity taste in a coffee.

The danger with temperatures that are too cool is that coffee will be under extracted and the coffee with just taste sour…

Now before we look at individual products, I want to look at some of the killer features that you will find in these machines.

The features that I highlight below are stand out and special features.

They aren’t available on every coffee maker in my comparison and the section isn’t another dull explanation of coffee pods and ground coffee.

#1. Temperature control

I am guessing that this is a feature that you are most interested in.

Before you press start the brewing process, you can select the precise temperature between 187 ℉ and 210 ℉.

The exact range varies depending on each coffee maker.

Some machines in my comparison allow you to set the temperature to the nearest degree(link) others have a few presets (link) to choose from,

And an indicator of how important the correct brewing temperature is, it is part of the SCAA certification.

#2. Flow Rate

The speed with which water is added to coffee grounds is can be important in terms of creating the right flavor for your cup of coffee.

And this model allows you to choose between one of three different rates.

#3. Blooming

Blooming is the process that describes the initial release of C0² from the coffee grounds when water is poured onto them.

Blooming is considered by some baristas to be an important part of getting the best flavor out of your grinds.

This machine (link) has a pre soaking feature that allows you to do just that.

#4. Lightning Fast.

Every now and again, we all just run of time.

What we wanted to get done just doesn’t happen.

If you are feeling rushed then this machine has a solution.

At the press of a button it will make your coffee 25% faster than other similar machines.

#5. Not in the mood

Even the biggest coffee lover, doesn’t feel like drinking it all the time.

For those moments when you just fancy something else, use the hot water function on this machine (link) to make a cup of tea or hot chocolate.

Keurig K-Elite

Details

Features

This little bad-boy is a busy, control freaks dream!

It brews single-serve pod-style coffee hot, efficiently and allows you to adjust the brew temperature with the touch – or 3 touches – of a button.

Just click the Settings button 3-times and then select your temperature between 187 – 192 degrees Fahrenheit.

Also, it can brew a cup of coffee from a standard k-cup pod in under a minute!

Its sleek and stylish design at an affordable price make it perfect for the office, at home or for your business.

The versatility of temperature control on this quick-brewing pod-style coffee machine is rare and nice to see.

In addition, you can choose between hot or iced-coffee and it comes with a hot-water system that purely dispenses hot water.

This machine has been well received by consumers, with the only downside being its less than ‘piping hot’ brew temperature.

Although the machine brews coffee very fast and the temperature is controllable, some would rather wait a little longer for coffee that brews hotter.

The counter to this criticism… this is not what the K-Elite is all about!

What it is about is elite speed and control within a simple design.

Like what you see? Buy from Amazon

Breville BDC450

Details

Features

Precision by name, precise by nature.

The Breville BDC450 Precision Brewer is all about brewing perfect coffee the right way.

This means, drip coffee brewed and bloomed at the perfect temperature. Even though it will automatically adjust to the perfect temperature of 195 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit while brewing coffee, and is recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), its capabilities go even further.

Using a digital temperature control, you can select exactly what temperature you want your coffee to be brewed at and choose between 3 different flow rates as well.

Even the time in which coffee is in contact with hot water can be personalized to your liking.

‘Precision Brewer’ is an entirely accurate way of describing this machine, and it is made for real coffee enthusiasts.

Vary your drip coffees brew-strength depending on the type of roast you use and keep it warm for hours in the stainless-steel thermal carafe it comes with.

This all stainless-steel machine, with matching stainless-steel body, carafe and filter doesn’t come cheap but is not over-priced in the slightest.

It is definitely worth the money and is in the mid-high price range; very reasonable for such a precise and customizable machine.

Some find the specific controls overwhelming, especially if you don’t vary your coffee options much, and don’t like to having to wait as long as you do for properly extracted coffee.

All in all, feedback has been majorly positive. For those who appreciate a job well done, and the time it takes to produce great coffee, the Breville Precision Brewer offers just that, perfectly brewed, perfectly hot and completely customizable coffee!

Like what you see? Buy from Amazon

Keurig K575

Details

Features

The name of the game for the Keurig K575 single-serve, pod-style coffee-maker is its selection of options.

Options for brew-strength, temperature, brew size and even a hot-water-on-demand option as well.

This compact machine with a stylish, modern aesthetic and large digital colour touch-screen is perfect for large households, businesses or offices.

Being able to select from 5 different temperature options means anyone, with any style of k-cup coffee pod, on any given day can have exactly the type of coffee they want.

This form of customization is really nice to see in a pod-style machine.

It goes to show that Keurig not only cares about convenience, but offers customization to their customers as well.

That being said, we need to be realistic and understand that coffee stored in, and brewed from, a plastic pod is not the same as freshly ground drip or pour-over coffee.

And even though after thousands of reviews, the general feedback is positive on this machine, there are always those critics that expect it to produce coffee tasting as such.

The Keurig K575 is a respectable machine at a respectable price.

It is perfect for any grab-and-go coffee drinker who wants more customization out of their single-serve k-cup machine.

Like what you see? Buy from Amazon

Behmor 5393 Brazen Coffee Maker

Details

Features

If fully extracted flavour and consistency from your coffee beans is why you are interested in temperature control, then you will be very happy with this machine.

Using a precise digital scale, you are able to select any brewing temperature between 195 – 210 degrees Fahrenheit.

This means that you can not only brew piping hot coffee, but this SCAA approved machine allows you to adjust the brewing process to fit your specific coffee needs.

If, for example, you like a light or ‘blonde’ roast, crank up the heat. If a darker coffee is your preference, then maybe scale it back a few degrees. “Any way you like it (your coffee that is), that’s the way you got it!”

Everything, including the pre-soak feature, is customizable.

You can choose to let your coffee grounds bloom from 15 seconds all the way up to 4 minutes!… but the features for perfect coffee don’t end there.

A stainless-steel water reservoir, thermal-carafe and exterior accents help this machine to not only look clean, but by ensuring coffee-taste purity as well.

It does this by brewing your coffee without any direct contact to plastic during the entire process; from storage, to the brew to post-brew storage and all the way to your mug!

This is truly a knowledgeable coffee connoisseur’s dream machine.

If you know precisely what you’re looking for, in terms of great coffee, this is a great choice… just be careful when brewing your piping hot coffee as steam has been known to build up in the water reservoir and can burn you!

Like what you see? Buy from Amazon

Cuisinart DCC-3650 Elite 12-Cup

Details

Features

What you get besides a conventional drip-style coffee machine with the Cuisinart DCC-3650 is adjustable brewing.

Your 3 options are: Regular, Hot and X-Hot.

It has a few other features as well, such as brew strength and 24-hour programmability.

It’s ‘Extreme Brew’ feature, brews coffee up to 25% faster than machines like it, in its class.

Customizable, with cool color options such as: Metallic Red, Copper, Black Stainless-steel and others, the main feature people like about this machine is its price.

It is very affordable and comes with temperature control. Simple.

Using a glass 12-cup carafe, this machine is for someone that wants a coffee-maker with control over their brew temperature without needing much else.

It rates well overall with consumers (mainly for its affordable price) but is not something an avid coffee drinker, lover or connoisseur would go for.

If what you need is a machine to brew coffee, at a great price, with a few features such as temperature control, the Cuisinart Elite 12-Cup drip coffee-maker will definitely get the job done!

Like what you see? Buy from Amazon

Do you work in an office where you current coffee maker just doesn’t cut it?

Are you constantly filling the water reservoir in order to keep up with demand?

Are your colleagues about to revolt?

Perhaps you need a coffee maker with a water line.

Although I review 5 coffee makers with water lines, for those of you in a rush, here is my favorite.

What is a coffee maker with water line?

A coffee maker with a water line is a coffee maker that has a direct connection to a cold water feed in much the same way that refrigerators, that have water and ice dispensers, are.

These coffee makers are also called self filling coffee makers and directly plumbed coffee makers.

It means that you will never have to fill a water reservoir ever again.

Who needs them?

Direct plumbed coffee maker are for high volume users.

Situations in which so much  coffee will be drank that it would be a full time job for a member of staff to keep the water reservoir topped up!

I think that the most obvious need for a self filling coffee maker are work places where the machine could be used on an almost continual basis and where it just wouldn’t make sense for a water reservoir to be continually filled.

But it is easy to see that there are other circumstances in which a coffee maker with water line would make a great deal of sense.

Sticking with the workplace theme, a directly plumbed coffee maker would also make perfect sense in a food service setting, such as a staff restaurant or canteen.

For instance, one of these machines could be installed in a house if the homeowner drinks lots of coffee and could has the necessary plumbing skills to connect the machine to the water feed.

Or how about in an Airbnb rental? Wouldn’t a directly plumbed coffee maker make perfect sense?

Buying Guide

The coffee makers in my guide are suitable for any size of business- small, medium or large.

What You Will Get

The following features are some of the most common features to be found in the coffee makers within my comparison.

Water line

Enough said!

Variety

Coffee is a very popular drink in an office but not everyone will want to drink coffee. You need a coffee maker that will make other hot drinks as well such as tea or hot chocolate.

All of the coffee makers in my comparison have this flexibility.

The Keurigs can make a variety of hot drinks because they use K Cups- a range of coffee capsules that number in their hundreds.

The Brew Express machines can provide you with hot water on demand- with which you can make a lovely cup of tea or a tasty cup of hot chocolate.

K Cups

All three Keurig machines are K Cup compatible.

Loose Coffee Grounds

The Brew Express machines use loose ground coffee and not any coffee capsules, such as K Cups.

What You Won’t Get

None of the coffee makers in my comparison have some of the features that you would find in coffee makers with a larger capacity.

These include a place for spent cartridges, or used loose coffee grounds, or a reservoir for milk.

The Link between coffee and happy offices

In this section, I want to look at the benefits that coffee can bring to a workplace.

A survey by Staples in 2016 showed that 25% of respondents would choose coffee over their smartphones and one in three of them would run down a street naked than give up their cup of coffee.

Other benefits that coffee has include its ability to boost your productivity and it has been shown to add to a supportive workplace.

Water Line DIY Hacks

All of the coffee machines in my comparison have official kits that can be purchased separately but they all cost quite a bit of money.

However, if you can’t afford to buy one of these kits, then there are other options.

And the video above shows a DIY hack that will add a water line to a Keurig.

Just remember that there are risks involved in these “unofficial” hacks.

Pros and Cons of Coffee Makers with Water Lines

In this section, I want to look at the advantages and disadvantages of coffee makers with a water line.

To kick off, let’s start with the advantages.

Pros of self filling coffee makers

The most important pro is that the water reservoir will need to be manually filled again.

This saves waiting times and it saves staff time because there is no need to manually fill the reservoir.

Cons of self filling coffee makers

I think that a directly plumbed coffee maker has three possible disadvantages.

Firstly, there is a water quality issue.

Your machine will have unfiltered water going into it.

How good is your local water? You might need to add a water filter to your setup.

Secondly, connecting a water line to your machine restricts the position of the machine because it can only be sited close to a water pipe (and an electrical socket.)

And the final con is that you might need to pay for a plumber to connect the water line to your coffee machine.

Keurig K150 vs K150P vs K155

The first three coffee makers in my comparison are all made by Keurig and they are all almost identical.

Because the way in which these three brewers are different is most important, let’s have a look at their differences.

Differences K150 vs K150P vs K155

Coffee Maker	K150	K150P	k155
Water Line	Kit purchased separately	Kit included	Kit purchased separately
Brew Sizes	4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12	4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12	4 | 6 | 8 | 10
Color	Black Brewhead	Black Brewhead	Silver Brewhead
	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

Water Line Connection

Most importantly, all three of these Keurig models can be directly connected to a water line but only one of these models comes with the necessary kit ready to go out of the box.

And that is the K150P.

The K150 and the K155 need a kit to be purchased separately.

This kit includes almost all of the pieces, including a water purifier.

On top of that, you will need to buy a new water reservoir.

Just check that the 15” inches of water line are long enough to go between your water line and where you have located your Keurig.

And unless you are very confident and experienced in plumbing skills, call a local plumber to come and connect if for you.

Brew Sizes

The K150 and the K150P brew five different sizes of coffee- 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 oz. servings.

The K155 only brews four sizes- 4, 6, 8 and 10 oz.

Color

These models are almost identical in colors and design.

In fact the K150 and the K150P are identical.

And the K155 has a silver brewhead and not a black brewhead.

Now, that we have looked at the ways in which these three Keurigs are different, let’s now switch our focus to the ways in which these machines are identical.

Similarities
K150 vs K150P vs K155

Coffee Maker	K150	K150P	k155
Dimensions	13.9”H x 14.0”D x 10.4”W
Reservoir	90 oz.
Controls	Full Color Touchscreen
NSF Certification	Yes
Auto On/ Off	Yes
Energy Saving	Yes
Brew Temperature	Adjust +/- 5°F(188-199 °F)	Adjust +/- 5°F(188-199 °F)	Adjust +/- 5°F(188-199 °F)
Languages	English | Spanish | French
	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

Dimensions

All three of these machines have the same dimensions- 13.9 inches high,  14 inches deep and 10.4” wide.

Size of Reservoir

Although the main focus of these reviews is the ability of these Keurigs to connect to a water line, the water reservoirs that are built into them are large- 90 oz.

This is just over 2.5 liters.

The reservoirs are removable and have a lid on top of the reservoir that opens up so that water can be poured in from above.

Full Color Touchscreen

All of these coffee makers have a full color touchscreen.

Unfortunately, I cannot find the exact dimensions of this color touchscreen anywhere!

NSF Certificate

NSF or National Sanitation Foundation makes sure that food, water and consumer products meet strict safety standards.

If a product has an NSF certificate, it has passed and exceeded those standards.

Auto On/ Off

The K150, K150P and K155 all have this feature.

Auto on and off means that a coffee can be programmed to turn on and turn off at set times of the day or night.

For instance, if it is used in an office you might want to program your brewer to turn on at 8 am, when people first start to arrive and turn off at 5.15pm when everyone has left.

This feature is not the same as “energy saver”.

Energy Saver

This is another feature that all the Keurigs have.

Energy saver is a function that can be toggled on or off.

It enables the coffee maker to turn off when it is not being used.

Brew Temperature

The brew temperature on these Keurigs can be changed.

All of them are preset to brew at 193 °F but this temperature can be altered between 188 °F to 199 °F.

So, how hot do you like your coffee?

Language

These three coffee makers are capable of using one of three languages; English, French and Spanish.

Now that we have looked at the K150, K150P and K155 let’s move on and look at two coffee machines from a different manufacturer.

Brew Express Coffee Makers with Water Lines

There are two coffee makers from Brew Express which I want to review next.

Brew Express are a much smaller company than Keurig, but they have manufactured two self filling coffee makers; a countertop coffee maker (BEC-110-BS) and a recessed coffee maker ( BE-110-BS).

These two coffee makers are exactly the same in every way apart from the dimensions and the price.

Differences BEC 110 BS vs BE 110 BS

The recessed coffee maker has a much smaller “depth” because most of it is “buried” in a wall but it is also thinner and shorter than the countertop model.

Firstly, the countertop model is much cheaper than the built in model.

And now, the dimensions.

Let’s take a look.

Countertop 13.5” H x 12.25” W x 7.5” D

Recessed 11 ¾“ H x 9 ⅞” W x 2.5” D (with a further 3 ⅞” buried in the wall.) 

Similarities BEC 110 BS vs BE 110 BS

Water Line

Both of these models can be connected directly to the water line.

And unlike the Keurig coffee machines, the Brew Express comes with a complete plumbing kit, with everything that you could possibly need to connect your coffee maker to your refrigerator’s water supply line or via the main water supply (which is probably located under the sink.)

This kit is so simple that most people should be able to install it themselves, without using a plumber.

And if you want to check out the video for yourself, look below.

What are some of the other stand out features?

SCAA Certified

Firstly, this coffee maker is SCAA (Specialist Coffee Association of America) certified.

And that certification is the real deal.

SCAA does not hand out these certificates willy nilly.

In order to be successful, a coffee maker must pass several rigorous tests.

And one of the most important is about how consistent the brewing temperature is.

Adjustable Cup Selector

This Brew Express model allows you to fill 2 cups (8 oz.)  half carafe (5 cups or 23 oz) or a full carafe (10 cups, 50 oz. )

It is up to you.

Accent Lighting

This is a blue night light that is controlled by an on/ off switch.

Pause and Brew Sensor

Do you want a cup of coffee NOW and you don’t want to wait?

This machine has an infrared sensor that means that you can take the carafe out without spilling coffee everywhere.

Time Saver

This coffee maker brews coffee fast.

It will brew a full carafe in a touch under 6 minutes and two cups in just over a minute.

Now, that’s not too bad…

Auto On and Off

You can program the coffee maker to turn on or off at any time of day.

Brew Express Built In 4 Cup

This is an article about the relationship between coffee and temperature.

Did you know that over 700 people tried to sue McDonalds between 1982 and 1992 after being scalded by coffee?

Or that if your coffee is too hot, one of the first injuries is a burnt tongue?

Your tongue will burn at around 116 °F (or 47 °C)

Fortunately, because the tongue has such a good blood supply, it is one of the fastest healing parts of the body.

Now that we have looked at how serving coffee at the wrong temperature can be a costly mistake for some of our favorite brands to make, let’s get serious.

In the next section, I will explore if there is a perfect temperature to brew coffee at.

What is the optimal temperature to brew coffee at?

The NCA recommends that coffee is brewed at a temperature between 195 °F and 205 °F which is slightly less than the boiling point of water which is 212 °F.

The brewed temperature is different from the served temperature of coffee.

The temperature that coffee is served at is a very personal thing.

Some people like their coffee piping hot, others prefer to drink it when it has cooled a bit.

I am in the second group.

I hate very hot drinks because I haven’t got the patience to wait for them to cool down!

And unless you drink your coffee black, adding any kind of milk, cream, creamer or syrups will automatically cool your coffee a bit.

What is the science behind this?

It is between 195 °F and 205 °F that the best flavor compounds in the coffee grounds are most easily dissolvable.

If your water is hotter than this then you will dissolve the delicious flavor compounds and some other less desirable compounds.

If your water is colder than this, the flavor compounds in the coffee grounds won’t be dissolved enough to be released into the hot water and the coffee will lack flavor.

Importantly, these are the ideal temperatures for brewing coffee no matter what brewing method you use.

Well the exception is cold brew coffee…

Are you a pour over devotee?

Then make sure that your coffee is brewed when the water is between 195 and 205.

Or is it the French Press that floats your coffee boat?

Once again, in order to hit that coffee sweet spot, make sure that your water is between 185 and 195.

Unfortunately, making great coffee is not a one trick pony.

It relies on more than just a perfect temperature…

Once you have mastered the art of the perfect temperature, the next factor to look at is the size of the coffee grinds. 

[1] BUNN HB Heat N Brew Programmable Coffee Maker, 10 Cup

Details

Features

The Bunn Heat N Brew is a modern and stylish looking coffee-maker that brews coffee at a temperature no cooler than 197.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

This statement, referring to a very specific temperature, can be made because the machine uses a digital thermometer to monitor the water temperature once the brewing process has begun.

A valve opens up only when this ideal temperature is reached. This means no coffee is brewed until the ideal temperature is reached!

The Heat N Brew is for those who prioritize perfectly hot coffee and don’t mind spending a little extra for it. Backed with a 3-year Warranty, the Heat N Brew is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and is definitely worth the price because to be certified by the SCAA, a coffee-maker must meet stringent requirements including brew temperature.

Although general feedback on this machine has been overwhelmingly positive, one draw-back is that it takes 10 minutes to brew 10-cups of coffee.

This is a little bit slow for those who love their coffee brewed hot and quick.

Other features include a glass, shatter-resistant and drip-free carafe and auto warmer plate.

For coffee brewed at the ideal temperature, the Heat N Brew definitely delivers.

Interested? Buy from Amazon

[2] Cuisinart CPO-850 Pour Over Coffee Brewer Thermal Carafe

Details

Features

This machine is all about hot coffee!

From its brew method to method of storage, the Cuisinart CPO-850 delivers perfectly hot coffee in every aspect.

Being SCAA Certified, this machine ensures that coffee is brewed at approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit (plus or minus 5 degrees).

This ideal temperature range is combined with precision brewing that pre-wets coffee grinds, letting them bloom and extracting the best flavour.

It comes complete with an all stainless-steel exterior with black accents, as well as a stainless-steel filter and carafe to match.

The stainless-steel carafe will keep your perfectly bloomed and extracted coffee hot for longer!

Other features include flavour / temperature control and a brew-pause function.

This mid to high-priced machine flaunts a beautiful design, and produces even more beautifully brewed coffee.

At the ideal temperature, water passes through a charcoal water filter and eventually into a stainless-steel thermal carafe.

It is perfect for those who love great coffee brewed at the correct temperature… although if you refer to yourself – or are referred to by others – as a coffee snob, it is important to note that the water’s brew temperature is brought up as the coffee brews.

This saves time, but is unlike machines that pre-heat their water.

Interested? Buy from Amazon

[3] Breville BDC450 Precision Brewer Coffee Maker

Details

Features

The story of the Breville Precision Brewer is quite literally precision brewing.

Starting with precise temperature (adjustable with a digital control) and brewing time, this machine meets all the standards of the SCAA and is the world’s first 60 oz. drip coffee maker.

You can choose between 6 unique brewing modes and it even holds a patent pending on its innovative automatic ‘Steep and Release’ valve.

This valve is used for brewing small amounts of coffee when the carafe is not in place.

In addition, you can control and customize such parameters as your coffees bloom time, flow rate and you have the choice of flat bottom or cone filter brew baskets… Breville even includes them both for you!

This, all-stainless beauty is definitely a high-end machine for high-end coffee drinkers and has an appealing aesthetic to match.

All-stainless refers to not only the machine itself but the option for a stainless-steel thermal carafe as well as opposed to glass.

This is often found with higher-end coffee-makers that know the importance of maintaining hot coffee once it has been brewed.

The Breville Precision Brewer is all about – again – precision, and getting the most out of your coffee, no matter what type you buy!

For some, the complexity of options with this machine can be daunting and they prefer something a bit simpler.

But if you are someone that knows coffee, and likes having options for even the fine details involved in brewing it, this machine is precisely what you are looking for.

Interested? Buy from Amazon

[4] Behmor 5393 Brazen Coffee Maker

Details

Features

The Behmor Brazen promises to brew great coffee using even the most ‘brazen’ of coffee beans.

With features like temperature control between 190 – 210 degrees Fahrenheit, this 8-cup brewer gives you a wide enough temperature selection for any type of coffee you choose.

So wide even, that it exceeds the requirements needed to be certified by the SCAA (which it is).

Your coffee grinds are sure to be fully saturated because they are first being pre-soaked and then showered with an oversized showerhead using a pulse flow; having the water stop and start intermittently as coffee brews.

This prevents water from standing still at any point during the brewing process and makes sure your coffee grinds are fully saturated with water.

The machine is black with stainless-steel exterior accents and is on the higher end of the price spectrum… for good reason.

Combined with great brewing techniques and technology, the Behmor Brazen includes a stainless-steel water reservoir and thermal carafe, thus making sure your coffee is not only brewed at the optimal temperature for taste, but without any plastic coming into contact with it.

If you love coffee that is brewed right and also love being able to choose from a variety of easy-to-use features, then you are the ideal customer for this machine.

One warning is that because this machine can brew coffee hotter than most, make sure the lid is on the water reservoir.

If you are not careful, you could get burned! But if you are brazened enough to try it, you can be sure to enjoy perfectly hot coffee at home, everyday!

Interested? Buy from Amazon

[5] Bonavita 8-Cup Coffee Maker (BV1900 TS)

Details

Features

The Bonavita 8-cup One Touch Coffee-maker uses a 1500-watt heater to maintain the perfect brewing temperature of 195 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its small, uncomplicated design matches that of its one-touch operation and is very affordable.

It is perfect for those who love great coffee brewed fast, and without a lot of fuss.

Complete with a durable stainless-steel thermal carafe, this machine makes brewing great coffee easy and any plastic used on it is completely BPA-Free.

It uses a pre-infusion mode that wets your coffee grinds prior to brewing to allow them to de-gas and improve their flavour quality.

Once pre-infused, a showerhead water flow is used to saturate coffee grinds with water in a flat-bottomed brew basket.

All of these simple design features makes it possible to brew coffee easily and efficiently.

On the flip side, its ease-of-use comes at the cost of lack of programmability and additional brewing methods.

With this machine, ‘One Touch’ means, one way. And although coffee is brewed correctly and at the optimal temperature, you may want a few extra options.

The Bonavita One-Touch has been recognized by the SCAA as a Certified Home Brewer and with such an easy-to-use system, this great one touch machine may also become certified as your day-to-day home brewer!

Interested? Buy from Amazon

Are you on the hunt for a new coffee maker?

One with a stainless steel reservoir?

Is it because you are concerned about the harmful effects of plastic or just that you are fed up with your coffee tasting of plastic?

The good news is that coffee makers with stainless steel reservoirs are available.

The bad news is that they are few and far between.

In this review, I have five alternatives for you.

And for those of you in a hurry, here is my overall winner.

Sale

BUNN BT Velocity Brew 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Home Coffee Brewer, Black

*10 Cup stainless steel water tank
*Coffee made in 3 minutes
*Water heated to 200 °F
*Vacuum insulated carafe

from $135.76

Buy on Amazon

And the selection is so small that I have included two coffee makers that use a glass reservoir instead of a steel one!

But before I start looking at these products in any more detail, I want to think about stainless steel and plastic.

Life in Plastic?

Like it or loathe it, plastic is here to stay.

It is cheap, lightweight and very ugly.

Every modern gadget or machine contains it- even coffee makers.

But for many coffee lovers, the real concern about the plastic centers on plastic water reservoirs.

And whether over time the plastic starts breaking down resulting in harmful chemicals dissolving in the water.

The roots of the concern can be found in the BPA crisis.

BPA or Bisphenol A is a synthetic chemical which was an important part of polycarbonate- a tougher and more durable form of plastic.

What is BPA?

First used commercially in the 1950s nowadays over 3.6 billion tons of it are made every year.

Which makes it one of the biggest chemicals in the world.

The trouble with BPA is that can be absorbed by into the body and this has been linked to infertility in men, impaired kidney function and even type 2 diabetes.

It was banned from being used in baby bottles by the FDA in 2012.

It is no wonder that consumers are looking for alternatives.  

If you are one of those consumers then hold tight because in the next section I will look in more detail at stainless steel.

Plastic Tasting Coffee

But before I do, I want to help other coffee nuts who have concerns about plastic.

That their coffee tastes of the frickin’ stuff!

Some of the best advice that I have found, involve “deep” cleaning your coffee machine with various different solutions.

These solutions include a;

* vinegar and water mix

* baking soda and water

* lemon juice

These solutions are placed in the water reservoir and then just press the start or brew button on your machine and the solution works its way around your coffee maker.

Just remember to not use any ground coffee when you do this.

More details on all of these tips can be found here.

But now, it is the turn of stainless steel.

Stainless Steel

Although stainless steel is heavier and more expensive to make than plastic, it is has been used in the food and drinks industry since 1913, when it was “invented” by Harry Brearley.

It has stood the test of time and it is known to resist corrosion, heat damage and chemical damage.

It is perfectly safe when used with water- just think about your cutlery or your sink unit (if you have a stainless steel one.)

It does not contain any BPA and like plastic, it lasts forever.

Now that we have looked in detail at stainless steel and plastic water reservoirs, let me describe to you some of the other features that you can expect to find in coffee makers with stainless steel reservoirs.

So what kind of features can you expect to find?

Not all of these features are available on all of the coffee makers in my comparison but the most common features are discussed first.

Large Capacity

Many of the coffee makers are large capacity- they can make up to 8 cups or over in one brewing. The maker with the smallest capacity is the Gourmia GCM 9400, which can make between 2-4 cups.

Pause and Brew

Related to capacity, pause and brew means that at the touch of a button the brewing process can be paused and then re started.

This feature comes into its own when a whole pot of coffee is being brewed but before the whole pot has been made, you want to drink a single cup.

The brewing process can be paused and restarted.

Programmable

If a coffee maker is programmable, this normally means that it can be set to turn on and start brewing at a specified time of day.

I use this feature on my coffee maker to start brewing just as I am getting out of bed in the morning

Temperature Control Brewing

Temperature controlled brewing allows the user to choose the temperature that their coffee is brewed at from a choice of different set temperatures.

Experts believe that coffee should be brewed using water which is between 195 °F (91 °C) and 205 °F (96 °C) and the set temperatures are within this range.

Shower Head

Shower head describes how the hot water is poured over the coffee grounds.

Older coffee makers tended to just have a spout- water came out as it would from a faucet.

The obvious issue with that is that there is a flow of water that is only “hitting” the coffee grounds in one place.

A water spout that has a shower head as opposed to a faucet head, allows the water to be more evenly spread across all the coffee grounds and the spray of water is gentler which will also disturb the coffee grounds less.

The Bunn, Redline and Oxo coffee makers in this comparison all have a showerhead.

The Behmor uses a pulsed water technique which aims to saturate all the coffee grounds as efficiently as possible.

The Gourmia, as a pour over coffee maker, uses a circular technique in order to soak the coffee grinds in water.

Lightning Fast Coffee

This needs very little explanation.

Standard drip coffee coffee makers tend to take about 5 minutes to brew a 10 or 12 cup carafe.

The Bunn coffee maker in my comparison only takes about 3 minutes.

SCAA Coffee Makers

A coffee maker that has a SCAA certification is a coffee maker that is guaranteed to make an almost perfect cup of coffee.

SCAA is the Speciality Coffee Association of America.

It is the organisation that represents thousands of coffee professionals (from producers to baristas) and so they are the expert in defining what makes a great cup of coffee.

In order to gain SCAA certification, a coffee maker must pass a rigorous testing process with about nine different criteria.

Oxo and Behmor

Beautiful Coffee Makers

Beauty is a very subjective term.

What is beautiful for one person is butt ugly to another.

However, I think that my comparison contains three coffee makers that might be considered beautiful.

Oxo, Gourmia and Redline.

Perhaps the Behmor might be considered a real beauty if you are a keen fan of plastic?!

One Touch Brewing

Instead of having to press a series of buttons and wade through menus, a cup of coffee can be had at the press (of one) button.

It is the ultimate in convenience.

Amazon Alexa

This is the future!

This is the ability to connect a coffee maker to Amazon’s smart speaker such as the Echo.

And then you can start and stop your machine with your voice.

There is one coffee maker in my comparison that can be connected to the Amazon smart speaker and that is the Behmor machine.

What kind of features do you miss out on?

As well as highlighting some of the features that the coffee makers in my comparison have, in this section I will quickly mention some features that these coffee makers don’t have.

Just to be clear, these missing features are ones that you might find on all sorts of good quality coffee makers but not on any coffee makers that have stainless steel reservoirs.

Color Touch Screen

Beans to cup

Pod compatibility

Espresso maker

Removable water reservoir

#1. Bunn BT Velocity 10 Cup

Ideal for buyer who wants high quality coffee made in a flash…

Details

Features

The Bunn Velocity Brew is all about speed and performance.

And like most other Bunn coffee makers, it has a stainless steel water reservoir. 

The reservoir has a 1.4 liter (50 oz.) capacity. 

So much so, that you will notice its incredibly simple and efficient one-button design.

This modern looking black and steel machine literally has one button – an on / off switch – to brew your coffee.

Coffee is brewed in a stainless-steel water tank and drips down into a very cool looking black carafe.

The stainless-steel water tank is not only free of harmful carcinogens that can be found in plastic containers, but can bring water up to temperature quickly so you can enjoy your coffee in no-time.

Without being slowed down by any additional features that could possibly take away from its efficiency, the Bunn Velocity Brew can brew a 10-cup pot of coffee in just 3-minutes!

This machine, priced in the mid-range area, comes with a 3-year warranty and is perfect for someone that is after one thing and one thing only. Speed!

The lack of control or options for – well – anything except brewing coffee fast definitely makes this a specialist’s machine.

But if you want your coffee brewed fresh and fast, you can’t expect it to have a bunch of extra features that will slow it down.

That would be like the pot calling the kettle – or carafe – black!

Interested? Buy from Amazon

#2. Behmor Connected

Ideal for a coffee drinker who lives in a smart home

The Behmor Connected is another machine that is all about technology and this is immediately apparent when looking at it.

It comes with a stainless steel water reservoir that has a capacity of 1.2 liters or 40 oz. 

At first glance, this moderately high-priced machine offers a simple yet futuristic looking one-button design, surrounded by LED lighting.

But on further investigation, there is really nothing simple about this machine.

With features such as temperature control (via a smartphone-based app), integrability with your at-home Alexa device and Amazon Dash this “Certified Smart Brewer” truly is the future!

As named such, by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), this machine offers state-of-the-art technology and superior capabilities to that of almost any coffee-maker in its class.

You can use such features as Alexa to brew coffee from anywhere in the house and select from a list of saved ‘brew profiles’ from your smartphones library.

Its integrability with Amazon Dash will make sure you never run out of coffee again by automatically ordering coffee beans for you when you run out!

Besides these ‘techy’ features, the Behmor Connected brews coffee correctly at the optimal temperature of 190 – 210 degrees Fahrenheit, uses a pulse-flow brew method to make sure all of your coffee is saturated with water and uses a stainless-steel water reservoir for clean and pure water.

Plus, it’s backed with a 1-year warranty!

This is perfect for the tech-loving and tech-savvy but may not be the best option for someone who likes to keep things simple.

If state-of-the-art, space-aged or anything ‘smart’ excites you, then the Behmor Connected is a great option for you!

Interested? Buy from Amazon

#3. Redline Mk 1

Ideal for the coffee lover who wants a coffee maker that looks the part

Details

Features

The Redline MK1 screams minimalism in every way possible.

This coffee maker has a BPA free plastic water reservoir where you pour the cold water into. It is then fed into the stainless steel chamber below where it is heated.

Its elegant, uncomplicated design offers a single brew-start switch, spill-free pouring and a wide-mouthed water reservoir.

The manufactures of this machine wanted to keep the design simple and focus on spreading the great joy of coffee around the world.

To go along with this vision, they passed on such additions as LED screens or large numbers of buttons / brew options.

Instead they focused on designing a vintage-like machine modelled after vintage cars.

In terms of features it only has what is absolutely necessary in order to brew great coffee.

These features include a ‘pre-infusion’ mode; allowing your coffee to bloom better by allowing coffee to de-gas, and a ‘parking brake’ in which you can pause your brew.

Coffee is also brewed at the optimal temperature of 195 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

Redline believes in world class coffee for everyone and that is why this machine is so reasonably priced and backed with a 2-year warranty.

If you are a minimalist, love a few key features and believe that the focus should always be on amazing coffee, then the Redline MK1 may just get your engine revving!

Interested? Buy on Amazon

#4. OXO On Barista Brain 12 Cup Coffee Maker with Removable Kettle

Details

Features

The Barista Brain is a high-end, highly scientific and precise machine.

There is no steel water reservoir but instead there is a glass kettle with a capacity of 1.8 liters or 60 oz.  

If purity is something you value along with great quality, you’ll love the BPA-Free glass kettle.

A glass kettle means no harmful chemicals from plastic leeching into your coffees water and no chemical taste!

The combination of intuitive design and precision features make it an obvious choice for anyone that values the quality of their coffee.

On the higher end of the pricing scale, it brews coffee at the ideal temperature of 197 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is also equipped with an ‘Intelligent Microprocessor’ and internal scale that is able to monitor your coffee throughout the entire brewing process for temperature and consistency; giving you the taste and quality of perfectly hand-crafted coffee at home!

The aesthetic of this machine matches that of its high-end features, but just like with anything that has a lot of high-end, fancy features, sometimes the more there is to go wrong…the more that goes wrong!

This has been one criticism among buyers; issues with the microprocessor.

Although this machine is beloved for its scientific approach to perfection when it comes to brewing coffee, its seeming lack of consistency when compared to other machines of its price range have left some customers wanting more.

If you are scientifically minded, technologically savvy and love great, tried-and-true coffee, then – it’s a no brainer – the Barista Brain 12 Cup coffee-maker is the right choice for you!

#5. Gourmia GCM 4900

Ideal for a lover of pour over coffee

Details

Features

This is a very neat and funky looking machine for those who love a good old-fashioned pour-over coffee.

Hidden out of sight at the back of the machine is a 1.8 liter (60 oz.) glass water reservoir. 

It’s a sleek, minimalists dream that offers hand-crafted pour-over coffee from a machine… confused?

The fully automatic machine, gently saturates coffee grinds with water using a circular motion, pausing intermittently to let the coffee bloom and extract the best flavour.

This perfectly mimics that of an authentic hand-pour.

The water then drips through a stainless-steel water filter and down into a neat looking carafe – thus completing that of a perfectly authentic, hand-made pour-over coffee.

Although an old-fashioned technique, the pour-over is all the rage right now and has been re-adopted by many trendy coffee shops and baristas alike.

The stainless-steel coffee filter and glass water reservoir of this machine fit its sleek aesthetic and keep the taste of your coffee pure.

The machine follows a simple ‘One-Touch’ brew method and is ‘ETL Certified’ – so you can be assured of its safety and quality.

The machine is very small and affordable.

On the flip side, some buyers have expressed its lack of durability when compared to that of more expensive machines in its class.

Others noted the fragility of the glass carafe.

All in all, if you love the idea hand-crafted, pour-over coffee and love the idea of it being brewed automatically, then this machine is the way to go.

Interested? Buy from Amazon