Let's face it. Most New Yorkers don't get their first coffee of the day at a store - who can wait that long? Maybe that's why automatic drip coffee makers are the top-selling small kitchen appliance, with annual sales in excess of $500 million, according to Home Furnishings News.
But for coffee lovers, there's no point in buying a machine that delivers a less than tasty cup. To find out which model brews the best results, we asked java expert Jonathan Rubinstein, a coffee fanatic and owner of the New York City coffeehouse chain Joe, to test seven brand-name machines.
"The No. 1 question that I am asked by my customers is which machine makes the best coffee," says Rubinstein. "There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a great coffee maker." And so he measured, scooped and poured, then sipped and sampled his way through enough cups of joe to keep an amateur up for two nights straight.
For our road test, Rubinstein used two slightly heaping tablespoons of Joe's Vienna Roast standard-grind, drip medium- coarse coffee. For his tasting, he drank it straight up, with no cream or sugar, and rated machines on a scale of 1-5. Read on to see what he's buzzing about.
WHAT TO KNOW FOR GOOD JOE
Rubinstein recommends looking for the following when buying an automatic drip coffee maker.
- A thermal carafe (it helps the coffee stay flavorful and aromatic; especially good if you often go back for a second cup)
- A pause-and-brew feature (so you can pour a cup before the whole batch is ready)
- Auto shutoff (compensates for forgetful humans)
- Preprogrammed time (if you like your coffee brewed and ready to go when your alarm goes off)
BRAUN IMPRESSIONS 10-CUP COFFEE MAKER, MODEL KF600
5 Stars
$79.95
Taste: Excellent, and just the right temperature.
Ease of use: Very simple. Thanks to a permanent filter, there's no need for the paper variety. The on-off switch is easy to see and use.
Design: Comes with an insulated thermal carafe and a Brita water filter. The water filter must be presoaked, however, and the machine takes a bit longer to brew than some models. Still, the thermal carafe is the real plus: The coffee is in an airtight insulated container so it maintains freshness and quality.
Where to buy: Cooking.com and Broadway Panhandler (65 E. Eighth St.; 212-966-3434.)
BLACK & DECKER 12-CUP SMARTBREW PLUS, MODEL DCM2500B
4 Stars
$24.99-$29.99
Taste: Good flavor and full bodied.
Ease of use: Very easy to use, and the coffee brews quickly, too - in under 3 minutes. A great machine for the price.
Design: Digital clock/timer and automatic shut-off feature, but not as many bells and whistles as some units. "The unit should have a larger heating mechanism so the water could get hotter," Rubinstein says. The glass carafe is a negative.
Where to buy: EBA Wholesale Corporation (2361 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn; 718-253-4700) and all P.C. Richard stores (pcrichard.com, 1-877-PCR-1909).
CUISINART BREW CENTRAL 12-CUP PROGRAMMABLE COFFEE MAKER,
MODEL DC 1200
3 Stars
$79.97
Taste: "Good," says Rubinstein. "Though a little bit on the weak side."
Ease of use: The Cuisinart has more bells and whistles than some of the others. It has a gold filter, which means you don't have to change a filter with each use. It's a bit more complicated to operate, so plan to spend some time getting accustomed before you brew your first batch.
Design: Comes with 24-hour advance brew start, programmable auto shutoff and a Brew Pause feature. It also has a terrific self- cleaning feature, and you can control the temperature of the coffee. "A beautiful machine," Rubinstein says. "But there is more room for error in how someone wants their cup of coffee." The glass carafe is a drawback, because the coffee can acquire a burned taste as it sits on the unit.
Where to buy: A Cook's Companion (197 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn; 718-852-6901), all P.C. Richard stores (pcrichard.com, 1-877-PCR- 1909) and Best Buy (bestbuy.com, 1-888-227-8289).
ZOJIRUSHI FRESH BREW THERMAL CARAFE COFFEE MAKER, MODEL EC-BD15
2 Stars
$69.99
Taste: Less flavorful than the others.
Ease of use: Brews much more quickly than some of the other units.
Design: Has automatic shutoff, a thermal carafe and a preset function on the timer clock module. Air ("coffee's enemy," according to Rubinstein) is kept out thanks to this super airtight carafe. The filters are an unusual size and might be hard to find, he says.
Where to buy: J & R Music World (23 Park Row; 212-238-9000).
KRUPS 12-CUP PROGRAMMABLE COFFEE MAKER, MODEL FME2
3 Stars
$75
Taste: Good taste; the hottest of all the coffees.
Ease of use: Very simple to use; clear markings make it a snap to measure both coffee and water.
Design: Comes with a programmable clock and automatic shutoff feature. It has a glass carafe, which is not as desirable as a thermal carafe.
Where to buy: Crate and Barrel (crateandbarrel.com, 1-800-967- 6696); Macy's (macys.com, 151 W. 34th St.); Bed Bath and Beyond (bedbathandbeyond.com, 1-800-GO-BEYOND).
MR. COFFEE CLASSIC, MODEL MRX35
2 Stars
$89.99
Taste: On the weak and watery side, but this can be solved by using an extra scoop of coffee.
Ease of use: Fairly easy. You can choose water temperature and coffee strength, though the display system is "very arbitrary," says Rubinstein. A few practice runs and you'll be used to it. The water level is easy to read, so you can see when you've added enough liquid.
Design: Looks like an old-fashioned coffee maker. "Kind of big and clunky," Rubinstein says.
Where to buy: Target (target.com; 139 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn; 88- 01 Queens Blvd.)
SAECO VENUS 6-CUP DIGITAL DRIP COFFEE MAKER
1 Star
$129.95 ($149.95 in April)
Taste: On the bitter side, though once you learn to adjust proportions you can probably customize your java by adding more or less ground coffee.
Ease of use: The ceramic carafe is very heavy and makes it difficult to see how much water you're adding.
Design: Programmable control panel, automatic shutoff, thermal insulated ceramic carafe. The unit also comes with a stainless steel filter.
Where to buy: Starbucks stores (starbucks.com)