If your old faithful coffee maker has puttered out and brewed its last cuppa or you’re just looking to upgrade to something better with more features, you’ll find a plethora of options greeting you.
You’ll find more than a few stars in brands such as Nespresso, Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach.
Which of these brands’ models stand out?
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Nespresso
If you’re looking to take coffee drinking to the next level, Nespresso has more than a few options from which to choose, all of which turn you into a barista at home.
Nespresso coffee makers and coffee system use specialized coffee capsules available in more than 200 varieties for its Original Line machines and over 150 varieties for its VertuoLine coffee makers, which are rated among the best coffee makers on the market.
Nespresso’s Original Line machines include two standouts – the Inissia and the Pixie, both of which make both coffee and espresso with just the touch of a button and can be used alongside Nespresso’s Aeroccino milk frother for creating coffee house-quality lattes and cappuccinos right in your own kitchen (and who wouldn’t love skipping the expense and time it takes to stop at Starbucks for a serving of inspiration each day?)
These intuitive machines feature smart features like 25 second heat up, programmable buttons, and cup-at-a-time dispensing.
The Pixie is Nespresso’s space-saving model, that’s designed for small spaces (think tiny kitchens, dorm rooms, office cubicles) but that packs the same performance punch as the larger Innisia.
The VertuoLine from Nespresso includes the Evoluo and Evoluo Deluxe machines.
Just like the smaller machines in the line, these machines offer both coffee and espresso brewing, fast heat up, and the ability to dispense multiple cup sizes. On-board storage tanks are removable and hold up to 54 ounces with the Deluxe model, so you can brew several cups between refills.
The amazing number of coffee options for these machines is a coffee lover’s dream, with options like Caramelizio, a lightly roasted blend with subtle vanilla and caramelized sugar, and Stormio, a strong Guatemalan Arabica and Nicaraguan blend with a spicy, woody flavor.
Cuisinart
Not to be outdone by other brands, Cuisinart has really ramped up its offerings of coffee makers and coffee systems, and some of the best coffee makers on the market now bear the Cuisinart seal.
Cuisinart is a name that’s synonymous with quality (you may already own some small Cuisinart kitchen electrics, cookware or other products) and that many home cooks rely on with steadfast loyalty. When it comes to coffee makers, Cuisinart offers something for every budget.
One of the best Cuisinart coffee makers on the market is its Extreme Brew 10 cup coffee maker, programmable and thermal coffee maker. This machine has it all, from brew strength controls to let you engineer a customized cup of coffee to a thermal carafe that keeps your coffee hotter for longer.
The tenth cup is just as fresh and piping hot as the first. This impressive automatic coffee machine is a 24 hour fully programmable coffee maker with auto shutoff, brew-pause feature, and grind off function.
If you’re needing something with a slightly larger capacity it’s worth checking out the Cuisinart Grind & Brew coffee maker. This 12 cup machine grinds your favorite coffee beans in its on-board grinder before brewing and dispensing it into a thermal carafe.
Its large control panel makes it easy to use and it’s programmable. With 24 hr fully programmable with auto shutoff you can set the machine to brew and wake up to freshly ground coffee every morning.
Hamilton Beach
You probably know Hamilton Beach for its blenders, food processors, mixers, and can openers. But the truth is that Hamilton Beach also makes innovative coffee makers, all of which are affordable for every budget.
The brand’s lowest-priced coffee maker starts out at a recommended retail of just $19.99 and includes a 10-pot glass carafe with standard brewing functions and the reliability you’ve come to expect from Hamilton Beach. In addition, Hamilton beach offers single-cup coffee makers (complete with their own thermal travel mugs) and coffee urns designed for serving many people at once, such as in an office environment or for entertaining.
One of the brand’s premium machines, the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Flex Brew coffee maker, offers both carafe and travel mug brewing in one machine, and you can use it with single-serve packs of coffee or ground coffee.
The machine is compatible with K-Cups, so you can use your favorites in premeasured formats or brew your favorite ground coffee.
In addition to standard brewers, Hamilton Beach also offers an espresso coffee maker that brews both espresso and cappuccino at home. The brand’s espresso maker offers a 15-bar Italian pump and works with both ground coffee or pre-filled pods.
