Tired of burnt coffee? A thermal coffee maker will make sure your pot of coffee stays hot for longer without the bitterness.
In this article, we will be reviewing the best thermal coffee maker of 2020. Features that you should consider that will help you find the best one that suits your needs.
Top 5 Best Thermal Coffee Makers
1. Breville BDC450 Precision Brewer – Best Customizability
Features:
Capacity: 8 Cups
Material: Stainless Steel / Plastic
Dimensions (L x W x H): 9.5 x 14.5 x 13.75 inches
Warranty: 2 Years
PROS
CONS
The Breville BDC450 is a versatile coffee maker with an insulated carafe. It is convenient and brews with a precision that mimics manual brewing methods. There are 6 distinctive preset modes: My Brew, Fast, Strong, Iced, Cold Brew, and Gold. You will be able to customize your cup of coffee to match any occasion.
With My Brew mode, you can adjust every aspect of brewing including bloom time, water temperature, and flow rate. In this mode, you can also select Pour Over. This option brews pour over coffee with the convenience of the automatic dripper.
Note: Pour Over mode requires the Breville Pour Over attachment (sold separately).
If tinkering with brewing parameters sounds complicated. You will appreciate the convenience of the Gold Cup preset mode. This preset is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association and will automatically adjust water temperature and brew time.
This machine includes both flat and cone filter baskets to accommodate both preferences. From our test, the thermal pot holds up to 12 cups and can keep your brew hot up to 5 hours.
If you enjoy experimenting and perfecting brewing parameters as a part of your coffee ritual. The Breville Precision Brewer will accommodate all your needs and then some. At this price point, it is hard to find another machine that provides this much customizability.
2. Cuisinart DCC-3400P1 – Best Value
Features:
Capacity: 12 Cups
Material: Stainless Steel / Glass / Plastic
Dimensions (L x W x H): 7.75 x 9 x 14 inches
Warranty: 3 Years
PROS
CONS
The Cuisinart DCC-3400P1 is a budget-friendly thermal carafe coffee maker. It offers basic brewing functions like brew strength. You can choose between regular or bold depending on your preference. We enjoy the bold setting, it brews a little slower but provides a more flavourful cup of coffee.
With the 24-hour auto-brew feature, you can set your machine to brew the moment you wake up. There is also a handy optional feature that alerts you when your brew is complete. The auto-off function is handy if you often forget to turn off your appliances. This machine is versatile and can brew 1-4 or 12 cups and keeps coffee piping hot for up to 3 hours. The pause brew feature allows you to sneak a cup of coffee mid-brew. It takes approximately 11 minutes to brew 12 cups, so the pause brew feature is nice to have if you do not want to wait.
This coffee machine provides everything you need to start brewing right away. A charcoal water filter and gold-tone reusable filter is also included in the box. Our only complaint is the water reservoir lid should open a tad wider. The current design is a little awkward when filling with the coffee pot.
The Cuisinart DCC3400P1 would be a great choice. This machine is feature-rich, reliable, and offers impressive value at this price point.
3. Bonavita BV1900TS – Best For Small Spaces
Features:
Capacity: 8 Cups
Material: Stainless Steel / Plastic
Dimensions (L x W x H): 12.40 x 6.80 x 12.20 inches
Warranty: 2 Years
PROS
CONS
The Bonavita BV1900TS is an affordable thermal carafe coffee maker that offers simple and attractive functionalities. This machine is part of the SCA Certified Home Brewer Program. Meaning it meets tight brewing standards set out by coffee experts.
This machine offers One-Touch brewing. Simplifying setup time and the need to adjust settings. The only setting available is the optional Pre-Infusion mode (aka coffee blooming). This setting pauses water flow to let coffee grounds bloom before brewing. This emulates pour-over brewing and creates a flavorful and well-balanced pot of coffee.
The Bonavita’s 1500 watt heater is powerful and precise. It maintains and heats water to the optimal coffee brewing temperature of 195°-205°F (91°-96°C). It has a large showerhead dripper that evenly saturates and provides uniform extraction. The machine is well built and the carafe is cool to touch even when filled with hot coffee. By pre-heating the pot with hot water, it will keep coffee hot up to 5 hours.
This machine is minimalistic and does not include programmable features. It is engineered down to the essential elements of brewing quality coffee. It is a simple machine that brews great coffee. The one criticism I have is that you have to remove the pot’s lid to brew coffee and then screw it back on before serving. In no way does this affect the quality of the brew, but it is a quirk that could have been designed better.
This machine does not have the bells and whistles that many other machines do. The appeal of the Bonavita is in its simplicity to brew great coffee all the time. If you like to flip a switch to brew quality coffee every time with minimal effort. The Bonavita BV1900TS would be a solid choice.
4. Ninja CM407 – Most Versatile
Features:
Capacity: 1-10 Cups
Material: Stainless Steel / Plastic
Dimensions (L x W x H): 11.99 x 8.75 x 15.04 inches
Warranty: 1 Year
PROS
CONS
The Ninja CM407 is the Swiss Army Knife of coffee machines. This machine offers diverse functionality and has 6 different brew sizes. The Flavor Extraction Technology ensures even coffee saturation, blooming, and consistent temperature. These aren’t just some marketing buzzwords. In fact, this machine has earned the SCA Home Brewer Certification and is part of a prestigious list of home coffee makers.
CHART (2)
This machine has the ability to brew anything from a single cup, travel size, to a half pot or full pot. The thermal pot can hold up to 10 cups and will keep coffee hot for up to 2 hours. If you fancy a single cup, you can simply remove the pot and lower the stand, place your mug, and select cup brew. The Ninja’s multi-serve dial allows you to switch between the 6 brew sizes. There are also 4 brew modes, Classic, Rich, Iced, and Specialty.
The most unique feature is the fold-away milk frother. This enables you to create specialty drinks like lattes, macchiatos, and cappuccinos. The only caveat is this frother does not heat up the milk. You will need to heat up your milk separately before frothing. Also included are features like auto-brew, pause brew, and intelligent clean. At this price point, it is hard to find another thermal coffee maker that can do what the Ninja CM407 can do.
The Ninja CM407 is versatile and will accommodate different brew modes and sizes. If variety is your spice of life and you are looking to buy a thermal coffee maker that can make specialty drinks. The Ninja CM407 is certainly worth a look.
5. Technivorm Moccamaster KBT – Best Thermal Coffee Maker
Features:
Capacity: 10 Cups
Material: Stainless Steel / Plastic
Dimensions (L x W x H): 11.5 x 6.75 x 15.25 inches
Warranty: 5 Years
PROS
CONS
The Technivorm Moccamaster is one of the most recognized brands in the industry. Handmade and individually tested in the Netherlands since 1968 (3). The Moccamaster has earned the Seal of Approval from the European Coffee Brewing Center and also certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (4).
This machine is optimized to bloom and brew 10 cups of coffee in 6 minutes. Thanks to Technivorm’s unique copper coil boiling element. Water is rapidly heated to optimal brewing temperature (195ºF to 205ºF). The water outlet arm ensures the force of water evenly agitates and saturates coffee grounds. This gives you a consistent brew every time. From our tests, the thermal carafe can hold coffee hot up to a few hours and more if you use the provided travel lid.
The Moccamaster does not have any fancy functions like automatic timer and brew modes. It is well built and designed with an emphasis on simplicity and quality. The machine turns off when a brew cycle completes. You have the option to manually adjust the brew basket for a full brew, slow brew, and pause. The only drawback is the price. This is not a cheap machine. The durable materials and years of engineering that went into designing this machine are reflected in the price tag.
This is not a next-generation coffee machine with fancy modes and functions. The Moccamaster KBT is built on decades of experience and research. It is a well-engineered thermal coffee maker that meets tight coffee standards and back by a 5-year warranty. If you are looking for the best of the best, this could be the one.
Thermal Coffee Maker Features to Consider:
There are many thermal coffee makers on the market with different bells and whistles. This can make choosing your next coffee maker a daunting task. Don’t fret, we made a list below of features you should consider before you make your purchase.
Advantages of Thermal Coffee Maker (Thermal vs. Glass)
Coffee machines with glass carafes use a heating plate to keep coffee hot. The problem with using a hot plate to keep coffee hot is it will burn your coffee if you leave the pot on it for too long. If you like to drink your coffee throughout the day and leave it on the hot plate, you will end up with burnt coffee. There is a good reason no one wants to drink the last bit of coffee in the pot. Nobody likes burnt and bitter coffee.
Luckily, a thermal carafe coffee maker solves this problem. The insulation properties of a thermal carafe keep your coffee hotter for longer. This allows you to keep a large pot of coffee hot without the need for a heating element. You can enjoy hot coffee throughout your day without worrying it will taste burnt.
Specialty Coffee Association Certified
The SCA Certified Home Brew Program is a list of certified coffee machines that meet strict coffee brewing requirements. These requirements are based on proper water temperature, brew time, and other parameters set out by the SCA (5)
If you are looking for a machine that has been tested and approved by professionals for quality and taste. Look for one that is SCA certified.
Durability
Kitchen appliances should last a long time and survive a few bumps in the kitchen. When it comes to durability and longevity, metal is always much more durable than glass. We’ve broken so many glassware in our office kitchen. Whenever the option is available for stainless steel appliances, the choice is simple.
If your coffee machine is your daily driver like ours. Consider a coffee maker with durable finishing like stainless steel. Avoid glass carafes – unless this is a specific feature you want. The extra incremental cost will pay for itself in the long run.
Brewing Temperature
Water temperature plays an important role in extracting flavor and aroma from coffee. The optimal brewing temperature is between 195℉ to 205℉ or 90℃ to 96℃ (1). Make sure to pick a thermal coffee maker that will brew within the optimal temperature range.
Capacity of Pot
A key feature to consider when choosing your thermal coffee maker is capacity. Generally speaking, this is measured by the number of cups a coffee machine can make at a time. If you have a big family you should consider a machine that can brew 10 to 12 cups. If you are looking to brew 1 cup at a time, consider a single cup coffee maker or a machine that can brew a variety of sizes.
Above all, pick a capacity that suits your needs best.
Programmable Features
Options are a beautiful thing. Consider if you like to tweak and tinker with settings to get your cup of coffee dialed to your preference. Programmable settings available differ from machine to machine. Most machines offer control over settings like brew strength, brew size, and auto shut off.
Generally, the more programmable features offered the more the machine will cost. Determine which programmable feature you like or if at all, and choose based on your needs.
Warranty
Accidents happen and appliance wear and tear are the unavoidable. Some coffee machines are more durable than others, consider the warranty duration.
Our Verdict
When it comes to thermal coffee makers, there is a wide range of brands, models, and functionalities. You can spend a little and get a decent one that will last you a few years and brew great coffee for the money. You can also spend a lot and get one that gives you all the functionalities to brew all the different specialty drinks like your local cafe. When it comes down to it, it all boils down to personal preference and what you are looking for in your next machine.
Out of the 5 thermal coffee makers we reviewed, the best thermal coffee maker in terms of brew quality, machine durability, and ease of use was the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT. In our humble opinion, this machine brews the best cup of coffee consistently with minimal adjustments and setup time.
It is certified by two highly regarded coffee associations in the industry and the thermal carafe holds coffee hot for hours. The generous 5-year warranty and high-quality components, make this a buy-it-for-life kitchen appliance. In our opinion, the Moccamaster’s price tag is justified.
References
- How to Brew Coffee (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncausa.org/About-Coffee/How-to-Brew-Coffee
- CM407 Series – Owner’s Guide. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.ninjakitchen.com/include/pdf/manual-cm407brn.pdf
- About Technivorm. (2019, November 19). Retrieved from https://technivorm.com/products/glass/about/
- Hof, K. (2019, January 22). The Making Of A Master: Inside The Technivorm Factory. Retrieved from https://sprudge.com/the-making-of-a-master-inside-the-technivorm-factory-137235.html
- SCA Certified Home Brewer Program – The Science Behind Delicious Coffee. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer
