What to Consider When You Shop for Drip Coffee Makers

Our choices for drip coffee makers used to be pretty limited. You pretty much had to buy a Mr. Coffee if you wanted a drip coffee maker for your home. While the fundamental way these coffee machines function hasn't changed much over the years, you now have such an enormous variety of brands and styles to choose from that it can be intimidating.

Despite their basic function being roughly the same, you will still find a broad range of quality and types among the different brands of drip coffee makers now available. I will try to break down the key components you need to evaluate when selecting the right coffee machine for your specific needs.

To Grind and Brew or Not to Grind and Brew

First, do you want a grind and brew coffee maker or just the traditional coffee machine that brews from pre-ground coffee beans? If you aren't too picky about flavor, and buying ground coffee beans is okay with you, then you certainly don't want to bother with the expense of a coffee maker which includes a grinder.

But if you care about the fresh, full flavor of your cup of coffee, you probably should at least consider a grind and brew machine. These coffee makers grind the coffee beans then brew your coffee right away, capturing maximum flavor from the fresh ground beans.

Coffee begins to oxidize (just like a fresh cut apple turns brown) and break down as soon as you grind it. So for maximum flavor you want to grind just before brewing. These grind and brew machines take care of that with no effort on your part.

However, some grind and brew coffee machines can be really difficult to clean. They place the grinder right above the brewer, which allows the hot steam into the grinder to create a fine mess for you to clean after each brew. In addition, properly-made grind and brew machines can be quite expensive. So you may ultimately decide to keep a separate coffee mill for grinding and a standard coffee maker for brewing.

Do You Want a Programmable Drip Coffee Maker?

Another choice you need to make is whether or not you want a programmable automatic coffee maker. The answer may seem obvious - why not have the coffee programmed to be ready for you when you awake? But again, if you're picky about coffee flavor, you don't want to leave coffee or coffee beans in a coffee maker overnight to grow stale. You want to keep those beans in an airtight container until the moment right before you brew.

Don't Supersize Your Coffee Maker Unless You Really Need It

You must also consider which size of coffee maker you really need. Some people buy a standard-sized 10 or 12 cup coffee maker because it is just the default size to buy. But honestly... do you and your household really drink that much each day? If not, why not buy a more appropriately-sized coffee maker, or for you single professionals on-the-go, perhaps even a single cup coffee brewer? They cost less, they brew faster and they're less wasteful in the long run.

Keep Your Coffee Fresh and Flavorful with a Thermal Carafe

The final variable I'll discuss is the coffee pot or carafe. You can save money and buy a coffee maker with a basic glass pot, but I encourage you to consider a thermal carafe instead. Thermal carafes retain the coffee's original brewing heat rather than reheating it. They also minimize oxygen exposure to your freshly brewed coffee. These two variables help to keep your coffee much more flavorful and fresh. And it saves energy as your coffee maker doesn't need to power that heating plate for hours.

I hope this helps you better evaluate drip coffee makers as you shop around. They may all seem very similar at first, but as you should know now, a few simple variables can make a big difference between two otherwise similar coffee makers.

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