If you’re shopping for a new coffee maker, you’ll be happy to know that home brewing technology keeps getting better and better. But there’s no shortage of brewing techniques, which could leave you wondering, What’s the best drip coffee maker? How about the best single-serve coffee maker? And what about espresso?
To help us find the best coffee maker 2025 has to offer in each category, we turned to 2017 US Barista Champion Kyle Ramage, founder and director of Black & White Coffee Roasters.
Before you start shopping, pick your style. Do you see coffee as an art form worthy of much time and effort…or are you just looking to get that morning pour as painlessly as possible? The best home coffee maker for you is going to be the one that fits your style…
Pod machines
If you like the convenience of brewing straight into your mug, with no pot to wash or grounds to deal with, capsule-style machines are the way to go. Using pressurized, high-temperature water, they’re essentially streamlined espresso machines. The Morning Mini ($400, DrinkMorning.com) lets you enter the specific brew recipes for the capsules you’re using to ensure that what’s in your mug tastes exactly as their roasters intended.
Drip machines
In the past, the problem with filtering coffee through paper was that drip machines didn’t get the water hot enough. But the Bona Vita Connoisseur 8-Cup Coffee Maker ($190, BonaVitaBrand.co) is the first in its price range to hit the sweet spot of around 205°F. For more hardcore enthusiasts, the Aiden Precision Coffeemaker ($400, FellowProducts.com) comes with an app that lets you find and share recipes, and features an attractive, modern aesthetic.
Espresso machines
Home espresso is a tricky thing. If you enjoy espresso and fantasize about being able to brew it at home, you might be in for a disappointment unless you’re willing to shell out a lot of money and put in a lot of time and fuss trying to achieve the results you’re looking for. It’s usually cheaper to go to your favorite café and order from a professional who has commercial equipment. The Breville Barista Express ($700, Breville.com) is the cheapest machine that produces café-quality espresso. That may seem expensive, but it’s a fraction of the price of what’s considered the gold standard for this category, the La Marzocco Linea Micra ($4,200, LaMarzoccoUSA.com).
Pour-over machines
A skilled barista heats water to the perfect temperature, “blooms” the grounds (wets them with a small amount of hot water) to release carbon dioxide, then pours the water in a controlled and consistent way to produce a fine cup of coffee. The xbloom Studio ($600, xbloom.com) automates these processes, delivering a barista-level pour every morning without effort.
