Being a mom, wife and business owner…coffee is literally my life!  I look forward to that first sip every morning and want nothing less than the perfect cup daily.  As a former barista, I know a thing or two about coffee and every coffee machine definitely isn’t created equal.

I’ve done lot of research to find the best of the best for several different brewing methods – all different but each one makes one heck of a cup of coffee.  Much like red wine…coffee (especially rich bold coffee) is an acquired taste and everyone has their own preference.

After a LOT of research and watching several online reviews and side by side machine comparisons, here are my top choices (and a few runners-up) plus a look at my other favorite brewing methods!

The Best of Drip Brewing Machines

The Moccamaster Technivorm  (KBT 741) was my top pick for drip coffee.  This Technivorm, while technically a drip machine…sort of mimics a pour over style coffee.  With this machine you have a manual option to control the bloom time of your coffee which you don’t have with most drip coffee machines.  I liked that I’m getting the best of both worlds – fully developed flavor (like a pour over) and LOTS of coffee in a thermal carafe (like a traditional drip coffee pot).

**What does “blooming” coffee mean –  wetting the grinds and allowing hot water to sit over top for 30-45 seconds to push the remaining CO2 out of the beans.  The water can then fully penetrate the grinds to get the full flavor from the coffee.  

Here are my top 5 reasons for selecting the Technivorm:

1. 5 year manufacture warranty (basically unheard of these days). So while this is one of the most expensive drip machines on that market, it will LAST!
2. Replacement parts/accessories are available to keep the machine working for years to come – furthering my investment in this pot.

3. No computer component which some see as a con because you can’t preset the pot to brew but I see it as a pro because the computer element failing has typically been what caused my previous drip pots to stop working. 4. The manufacturer has been in business for over 50 years and solely makes coffee machines which are make and tested by hand. 5. Overwhelming positive reviews across the board and multiple awards with an SCA seal of approval!  (SCA is the Specialty Coffee Association)

My Favorite Runners Up!

These are two other machines similar to the Moccamaster and also with excellent reviews (and highly recommended by many of my IG followers as well!). My two cents…the Breville machine has a ton of different capabilities.  You can brew great drip coffee and cold brew using this system.  You can also set a timer and alter the taste to your exact liking. There are definitely some great advantages to this machine.  If I didn’t already have a cold brew system I LOVE (and totally trust), I like would have considered this machine more heavily. The Bonavita also had great views and a much lower price point.  In functionality it’s the most similar to the Technivorm.  It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the Breville model – it’s a simple on/off type machine. For the full list of SCA approved home brewers click HERE!

My Favorite Pour Over System

For a relaxing “weekend” cup of hot coffee…this is absolutely delicous.  When I chatted about favorite hot brewing methods on Instagram, so many suggested the Chemex.  While it’s definitely more time consuming to brew, it’s WORTH IT!  This is a brewing method where freshly ground beans are a MUST! The Mocca is still my most used for ease, speed and VOLUME of delicous coffee brewed.  However, on a slow weekend morning…a cup of pour over while making breakfast and listening to French jazz…it’s simply magic!  Gotta give it a try! TIP: Many said they love the pour over but that it doesn’t stay hot long enough in the glass.  After I pour myself a cup straight from the Chemex, I pour the remaining into my stainless Moccamaster carafe and it stays perfectly hot!

My Favorite Cold Brew System

Cold brew coffee is hands down my favorite way to drink coffee.  In the warmer months, my drip coffee pot doesn’t see any action.  Even during the cool months, there’s ALWAYS cold brew in my fridge. I’ve been drinking cold brew LONG before it was popular (and before Starbucks served it!)  One thing I can tell you….all cold brew is NOT created equate and some of it is just plain TERRIBLE!  If you’ve had a bad cold brew experience like that stay tuned.  I have lots more to come on this front. My favorite thing about this system, it’s SO simple.  I’ve been using this $40 method for over 6 years and each and EVERY brew is always perfect.  Smooth, rich, not acidic tasting AT ALL and you don’t need a drop of milk.  If you have any type of acid reflux issue…this method is 100% for you!

Percolator Brewing

The percolator…the favored method in brewing coffee until the drip coffee machine took over in the 70s!  I personally never had percolated coffee until just a few weeks ago but as soon as I started to perc a pot…the aroma was amazing and it was a seriously HOT cup of coffee!!  I quickly understood what so many raved about. I did lots of reading up on percolator pots as well and while this Farberware pot may not have been the most favored on Amazon, it was one of FEW pots still solely constructed from stainless steel.  The water is almost boiling inside a percolator pot and it travels over the grinds many times, so not having plastic or aluminum inside the pot was important to me. This $50 pot made a good cup of STRONG coffee.  Not too bitter, very hot and super rich.  Sometimes percolated coffee can have a bitter taste because it goes over the grinds several times that the result can be over extracted coffee, but I didn’t experience that with this pot (your beans definitely play a role in that too).  This is definitely an oldie but a goodie and one I will enjoy on a super cold San Diego day!  If you haven’t perc’d a cup of coffee you need to give it a try!

French Press Coffee

I’ll never forget the first time I tested French press coffee.  My husband and I were in Vegas at a fancy smancy restaurant and I felt so grown up.  It was a BOLD cup of coffee but I feel like that tasting was such a turning point for me in developing a taste for rich coffee. There’s not much to the French press machine and there are many different options on the market but this design is a classic.  I have an almost identical model from a lesser known brand and it’s great.  For special occasions or a quiet weekend at home, there’s nothing like making a fresh pot of French press!

Coffee Accessories

Here are a few of my favorite coffee accessories.  The milk frother is one of my favorite ways to fancy up a cup of hot or cold coffee.  For anyone that really enjoys a HOT cup of coffee, heating the creamer you add is key to not losing heat too quickly. I’ve personally used (and own) both of these frothers and they’re both great!  The Nespresso definitely comes with a higher price tag and after testing this against the less expensive Miroco…I don’t see much if any difference in frother quality.  In fact the Miroco might be better! And second, a good burr coffee grinder.  Especially when you’re making a pot of French press, grinding your beans just before brewing is a great way to get the most flavor from every drop.

Since I so often liken loving my coffee as much as I do my red wine…can you name what movie this move is from?!?!  I can tell ya they aren’t drinking coffee 🙂 Anyways, that’s my two cents from the crazy caffeinated world I happily live in.  If you notice one theme in all the machines I have in my home, they’re all pretty basic with almost no frills.  I make these machines hard and I want them to last. Happy Caffeinating! xoxo