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Best Thermal Coffee Maker Reviews 2023

Enjoying a hot cup of coffee is one of the true joys in life. But leaving a pot of coffee on the hotplate all day is going to result in a burnt, bitter, and dare we say joyless brew.

If you like to take your time sipping your coffee, you might want to consider a coffee maker with a thermal carafe. Here’s what you need to know, and a few of our best thermal coffee maker picks.

 

At A Glance:

10 Best Thermal Carafe Coffee Makers (Unbiased Reviews)

Drink coffee while it’s fresh and keep it hot through insulation, not reheating!

Now, let’s see what’s out there.

Product Details Button
Best Overall oxo barista OXO On Barista Brain 9 Cup
  • Dimensions: 8.3 x 15 x 17.2 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 9 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
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Budget Pick Melitta 10 Cup Melitta 10 Cup
  • Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 10.15 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: No
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Best Value Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10 Cup Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10 Cup
  • Dimensions: 8.7 x 13.1 x 14.3 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
amazon-logo SEE ON AMAZON
Best Programmable Cuisinart Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker Cuisinart Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker
  • Dimensions: 9 x 7.8 x 14.3 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
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Best Carafe Design Zojirushi Fresh Brew Plus Zojirushi Fresh Brew Plus
  • Dimensions: 8 x 10.6 x 14.8 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
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Easiest to use Bonavita 8 Cup BV1900TS Bonavita 8 Cup BV1900TS
  • Dimensions: 12.4 x 6.8 x 12.2 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 8 cups
  • Programmable: No
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Best with Grinder Cuisinart Grind And Brew DGB-900 Cuisinart Grind And Brew DGB-900
  • Dimensions: 13.1 x 10 x 18.1 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
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Most Versatile ninja coffee bar Ninja Coffee Bar Brewer CF085Z
  • Dimensions: 11.8 x 10 x 15 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
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Best Single Serve 31zH37OkRQL Keurig K-Duo Plus Coffee Maker
  • Dimensions: 15.9 x 7.7 x 14.9 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
amazon-logo SEE ON AMAZON
Best High-End Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup
  • Dimensions: 11.5 x 6.8 x 15.3 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: No
amazon-logo SEE ON AMAZON
OXO On Barista Brain 9 Cup
Best Overall oxo barista
  • Dimensions: 8.3 x 15 x 17.2 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 9 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
Melitta 10 Cup
Budget Pick Melitta 10 Cup
  • Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 10.15 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: No
Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10 Cup
Best Value Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10 Cup
  • Dimensions: 8.7 x 13.1 x 14.3 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
Cuisinart Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker
Best Programmable Cuisinart Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker
  • Dimensions: 9 x 7.8 x 14.3 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
Zojirushi Fresh Brew Plus
Best Carafe Design Zojirushi Fresh Brew Plus
  • Dimensions: 8 x 10.6 x 14.8 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
Bonavita 8 Cup BV1900TS
Easiest to use Bonavita 8 Cup BV1900TS
  • Dimensions: 12.4 x 6.8 x 12.2 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 8 cups
  • Programmable: No
Cuisinart Grind And Brew DGB-900
Best with Grinder Cuisinart Grind And Brew DGB-900
  • Dimensions: 13.1 x 10 x 18.1 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
Ninja Coffee Bar Brewer CF085Z
Most Versatile ninja coffee bar
  • Dimensions: 11.8 x 10 x 15 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
Keurig K-Duo Plus Coffee Maker
Best Single Serve 31zH37OkRQL
  • Dimensions: 15.9 x 7.7 x 14.9 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes
Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup
Best High-End Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup
  • Dimensions: 11.5 x 6.8 x 15.3 inches
  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: No

1. OXO On Barista Brain 9 Cup – Best Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

OXO BREW 9 Cup Coffee Maker

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 8.3 x 15 x 17.2 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 9 cups
  • Programmable: Yes

When they use the word “Barista” in the name, you know things are about to get serious.

This is a machine that can emulate brewing process of a top-notch barista’s pour-over technique – at the press of a button.

The shower head does a great job of saturating the coffee. so there’s no need to give the coffee grounds a stir halfway through. And the machine gets the consistency right every single time. It’s like having your personal barista in the kitchen.

I also love that the unit is capable of brewing 9 cups, but has a single serve (10 oz) option as well. And if 9 cups isn’t enough, you have the option of purchasing a replacement 12-cup thermal carafe.

I would have preferred if the steam from the brew didn’t fill the fresh water tank with condensate, but that’s just nitpicking. It might be a little pricey, but the OXO On Barista Brain 9 Cup Coffee Maker is the closest you can get to having your personal barista serving you coffee.

2.  Melitta 10 Cup – Budget Pick

Melitta Pour-Over Coffee Brewer

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 10.15 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: No

If you’re a bit of a purist (or a control freak) then this 10-cup coffee maker from Melitta may be the best bet for you.

Unlike most of the thermal carafe coffee makers in this list, the Melitta is essentially a pour-over brewer and its stylish thermal coffee carafe keeps coffee hot for a few hours.

It’s a completely manual system so you need to know exactly what you’re if you want the best result. That said, once you get your timing and process sorted it will reward you with a better cup than you can get from something with a lot of dials and buttons.

The carafe has a glass lining, though. So treat it gently when you have to clean it. As long as you don’t pour boiling water into the carafe, drop it, or go camping with it, it’ll last ages.

3. Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10 Cup – Best Value

Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 8.7 x 13.1 x 14.3 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes

They say that all good things come to those who wait.

The guys at Mr. Coffee obviously don’t share this point of view. They have made a 10-cup coffee maker that brews a full pot in just 7 minutes. They claim it’s as much as 26% faster than most other machines. And if you’re really impatient, then just hit pause and pour a cup mid-brew before letting it get back to brewing the rest. If you need your cup of joe asap, then this is probably the best coffee brewer for you.

I also liked the fully automatic experience with the ability to set the timer to get a brew going just before you wake up, as well as the indicator that tells me when it’s time to clean it.

This machine means business when it comes to making good coffee really fast. And it won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

4. Cuisinart Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker – Best Programmable

Cuisinart Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 9 x 7.8 x 14.3 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes

With a thermal carafe coffee maker, the most important thing is of course the fact that it will keep your coffee hot without burning it. So having a few user-friendly features is a nice bonus. This coffee maker from Cuisinart includes a list of benefits that will help you brew your ideal coffee exactly how and when you need it.

A full carafe of coffee is great for a crowd or a long day, but sometimes it’s nice to have some flexibility. The Cuisinart Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker features a setting for brewing 1-4 cups, which maintains the brew quality with a smaller batch. You also have the option to pause mid-brew to pour yourself a single cup. 

The shower head ensures even extraction, and you can opt for an extra strong brew at the touch of a button.

The carafe itself is double-walled and insulated to keep your coffee hot for hours. Combined with the ability to program the machine to start at any time, this is a great coffee maker for anyone who struggles with early mornings.

5. Zojirushi Fresh Brew Plus – Best Carafe Design

Zojirushi Fresh Brew

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 8 x 10.6 x 14.8 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes

A lot of coffee carafes are great at keeping drinks hot, but terrible when it comes to pouring.

This 10-cup thermal carafe coffee maker does a great job of making coffee, but it’s the carafe design that’s one of the standout features. The thumb-activated pouring and well-designed spout means your coffee goes in the cup and not around it. The removable water tank makes refilling the tank hassle-free and removes the risk of spilling water over your coffee machine.

It’s not to say that the Zojirushi won’t keep your drinks hot. The 200 degree brewing temp and vacuum insulated carafe will have you sipping hot coffee for hours.

There’s not much in the way of brewing options, but you can program the Fresh Brew to make your first coffee of the morning. Another handy feature is the separate water line for iced coffee. This is designed to make a concentrated brew that stands up to being diluted, but also works for those who like an extra strong cup of joe.

6. Bonavita 8 Cup BV1900TS – Easiest to use

Bonavita BV1900TS

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 12.4 x 6.8 x 12.2 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 8 cups
  • Programmable: No

If you want a simple coffee machine that gives you consistently good coffee then the Bonavita BV1900 Coffee Maker is best balance of price and performance.

No gauges, no dials, no menus, just one button. Push button, brew coffee. Perfect.

I’m a big fan of the pour-over method, so I liked that this machine gives you the option to wet the grounds for degassing before starting the brewing stage. All you need to do is press the power button for a few seconds to switch between this and the brew-only functions.

The flat-bottomed brew basket also gives you get better saturation and extraction than you would get from a traditional cone-shaped brew basket.

The quality of coffee that this machine produces makes it unsurprising that it has been listed on the Certified Home Brewer Program of the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

7. Cuisinart Grind And Brew DGB-900 – Best with Grinder

Cuisinart DGB-900BC

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 13.1 x 10 x 18.1 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes

If you’re the kind of person that likes a different style of brew depending on the time of the day or your mood, then this machine will satisfy your needs. The best part is that even though you can tweak your grind and brew strength, the machine gives you the option of one button brewing.

And even though there is a built-in grinder, you have the option to turn it off and use ground coffee instead.

At first, the plethora of buttons and settings may seem a little intimidating, but it’s fairly easy to use after a quick flip through the user manual. Cleaning the individual bits can get a bit fiddly, though. If you’re in the market for a machine that can do it all, this is the one for you.

8. Ninja Coffee Bar Brewer CF085Z – Most Versatile

Ninja Coffee Bar CF085Z

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 11.8 x 10 x 15 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: Yes

Ninja is known for its incredibly versatile coffee machines, and the Hot and Cold Brewed System is no exception. It’s a little pricier than other on this list, but hards to beat in terms of features.

This coffee maker would be an excellent choice for large households where everyone wants a different coffee, but no one wants to learn the intricacies of brewing. A simple dial will let you choose between four cups sizes, and half or full carafes of coffee. 

Below you’ll find a choice of five brew styles for coffee including a cold brew option, and the “specialty”, which is used as a base for milk drinks. Fold out the side-mounted milk frother and you can make yourself a latte or cappuccino. 

Tea drinkers haven’t been left out, with temperature settings for different types of tea. Included is a separate brew basket so that you don’t get a coffee flavor, and the machine will automatically recognise which one you’ve placed in the holder.
Ninja claims its thermal carafe will keep coffee hot for two hours, but independent testing has shown it’s closer to 3.5 hours (1). That makes a nice change from brands that promise and don’t deliver.

9. Keurig K-Duo Plus Coffee Maker – Best Single Serve

Keurig K-Duo Plus Coffee Maker

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 15.9 x 7.7 x 14.9 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 12 cups
  • Programmable: Yes

Carafe machines are great for brewing a full pot, but it’s not every day you need that much coffee. If you wantt the option to brew the occasional quick cup without losing time or quality, the K-Duo Plus is the coffee maker for you.

The single serve brewing is done with K-Cups, with the choice of cup sizes ranging from 6-10 ounces. Although Keurig does make K-Cups for carafe-sized drinks, this machine uses ground coffee in a traditional filter basket when you want to brew a pot. This will allow you to brew anything from 6 to 12 cups and keep it warn for up to two hours.

What we love about this machine, however, is the slimline design. By default, the water reservoir sits at the back for narrow spaces, but depending on the set up of your kitchen counter, you can switch it to sit on either side of the coffee maker.

10. Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 10-Cup – Best High-End

Technivorm Moccamaster

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 11.5 x 6.8 x 15.3 inches

  • Carafe capacity: 10 cups
  • Programmable: No

I love the fact that Technivorm makes only coffee machines. That’s it.

Their focus has obviously paid off because this is one mean coffee maker. It’s not exactly small, so you’ll need a bit of space on your counter. But if you love coffee as much as I do, you’ll agree that it’s a small price to pay.

The brewing cycle is carefully controlled to allow for pre-infusion and then pulsed water release at a consistent 196-205 degrees. And it’s really fast too. It’ll brew a ½ carafe in 4 minutes, and only takes only 6 minutes to fill up the carafe to its 10 cup capacity.

If the high-quality metal construction and the 5-year warranty are anything to go by, you’ll probably be leaving this kids to your kids in your will. Plus its copper heating element makes sure that the water that touches your grounds are in the optimal brewing temperature.

How to Choose a Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

While choosing the best coffee maker with a thermal carafe may not be a matter of life or death, I think it comes pretty close. Poorly brewed coffee is big no-no, but even good coffee that goes cold too quickly can ruin your day. Each of these thermal carafe coffee makers I’ve reviewed above is great in its own right. The features, or the lack thereof, will appeal to different people for different reasons.

At it’s simplest, a manual pour-over, cold brewer, or a French press is going to give you great coffee at the best price. Some portable coffee makers are also simple to use. But if you want your cups of coffee rich and strong, a Moka Pot may be a good choice. That is if you’re into DIY-coffee, but not if you want your coffee at a press a button or even have a phone-operated machine do it for you.

the best thermal carafe coffee machine

When choosing among our recommended thermal carafe coffee makers above, please consider the following:

Thermal Carafes vs Glass Carafes

With a glass coffee carafe (like the one you get with the USA-made Bunn Velocity Brew 10 Cup brewer), it’s only the heating plate that keeps the coffee hot. There’s hardly any thermal insulation. It’s not a problem if you drink the coffee straight after brewing. However, come back for a cup an hour later and you’ll be drinking, burnt, bitter coffee.

The insulated design of a thermal carafe solves this problem. The coffee goes in hot and stays hot. There’s no need for reheating. All thermal carafes offer temperature retention characteristics plus most of them do not have plastic parts, which means these thermal carafe coffee makers are very likely to be free from BPA.

However, there are other factors to consider before you decide which one is best for you.

thermal carafe vs glass carafe

Durability

Most insulated thermal carafes are made from double volume stainless steel. They’re easy-cleaning and can take a beating.

But some people claim that the steel affects the taste of the coffee and insist on a glass lining. That’s all fine and dandy until the day you knock over your carafe (don’t fret, it happens to the best of us). But, bye-bye glass. Not to mention that you’ll have to clean up shards of broken glass along with the spilled brew and wet grinds. Ugh!

The bottom line is, thermal carafe coffee makers with a stainless steel lining will last you a lot longer.

Brew Temperature

thermometer showing heat on a thermal carafe coffee maker

The quality and taste of your brew has a lot to do with the temperature of your water.

The ideal brewing temperature (2) range is 195 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit. So you want to be aiming for 200 deg  F (or 95C) as the temperature will drop a little as soon as it hits the coffee and the brewer. Make sure the thermal carafe you end up choosing can reach, and maintain this temperature range consistently.

Remember, even the best thermal carafe coffee maker can not keep your coffee hot when it can’t even get the water to its optimum temperature.​

Carafe Capacity of the Thermal Carafe

Thermal coffee machines normally state their capacity in number of cups. It’s an indication of how many cups of coffee the brewer can make in one go.

But don’t automatically assume that bigger is better. Consider how many cups you brew every time. If you’re brewing a whole pot of coffee (because you chug black coffee to get you through the day), choose a 6, 8, or even 12-cup thermal brewer. However, if you’re just looking to make a single serve of joe for yourself, consider single serve coffee makers are your best bet. I suggest this one.

Control Versus Convenience?

Even the best thermal carafe coffee machine, with half-a-dozen buttons and multiple functions, is of no use if don’t know how to use it.

If you’re the kind of person who wakes up excited to dial in your perfect kind of brew and selecting the style of coffee to best suit your mood, then get a machine with loads of adjustable features.

But if you’re anything like me, you can barely string together words in the morning. That’s why I prefer a machine with a single button press to get the brew going: like the Bonavita BV1800 (review here) and some Keurig models.

Or even better, get a programmable coffeemaker that will have your coffee waiting for you when you wake up.

Grinder – Built-In Or Separate?

The quality of your grinder will have a significant impact on your coffee. The convenience of having a coffee machine with a built-in grinder is great but only if the grinder does a good job.

If you intend using the programmable auto-on function to get coffee brewing before you wake up then it’s a good idea to get a machine with a built-in grinder.

Leaving ground coffee in the machine overnight is not going to give you the best results.

The downside is that this kind of a machine will require additional effort to clean up. Also, if you’re particular about controlling the grind-size then you’re  better off with a separate grinder.

Brewing Method

Coffee aficionados will tell you (loudly sometimes) that the coffee you can make from the pour over drippers has better taste compared to what you can get from a simple drip coffee machine.

But only if you get it right.

Pour-over gives you more control and allows you to wet the grounds for the coffee to bloom and degas before brewing with periodic addition of water.

chemex manual coffee maker

The top-end coffee makers will have clever electronic control built-in that reproduces this process for you. If you’re the kind of person that measures brewing time on your stopwatch or if the words “dissolution” and “diffusion” (3) mean anything to you then make sure you get one of these bad boys.

Keep an eye out for some cheaper machines that just end up sprinkling water over the grounds that isn’t hot enough and you end up with weak coffee due to under extraction.

SCAA Certification

The Specialty Coffee Association of America (4) sounds like an elitist club of coffee snobs because, well, it is. They know their coffee, though, and if a drip machine makes it onto their Certified Home Brewer Program (5) then you know it’s going to give you a decent cup of coffee. Look out for this certification if you’re happy to spend more money to get something really good.

The SCAA tagline is: “Because great coffee doesn’t just happen”. If you subscribe to that way of thinking then take a look at coffee machines that I’ve reviewed below. If you like the sound this, check out our guide to SCAA certified coffee makers.

The Verdict

Making the step up from a glass carafe to a thermal carafe is a smart move for anyone that enjoys a batch brew. We’ve picked the OXO on Barista Brain for its good programmability, temperature control, and the way it emulates a pour over style brew. 

However, if you prefer to stick with a classic drip style, there are plenty of machines here that will keep your coffee warm for hours.

FAQs

The ideal temperature for serving coffee depends on the flavor notes you wish to enjoy. Coffee served at 140-150F will be more roasty and intense, while coffee served at 120-140F will have more pronounced acidity and sweetness (6).

Drip coffee is not the same as pour over, though there are some similarities. The two methods share the same basic concept, of pouring hot water through coffee grounds, but differences in variables such as flow rate and brew time create very different end products.

Technically you can reheat coffee in the microwave, but we wouldn’t recommend it. The biggest issue is that a microwave doesn’t heat evenly, and you will end up with some spots that are overheated, resulting in a burnt, bitter taste. You’re better off ditching the cold coffee and making a fresh cup.

References
  1. Bennett, B. (2019, May 3). Ninja’s super versatile coffee maker tackles all your cafe needs. CNET. Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/reviews/ninja-hot-and-cold-brewed-system-review/2/
  2. (n.d.) How to Brew Coffee, National Coffee Association of U.S.A. Retrieved from https://www.ncausa.org/About-Coffee/How-to-Brew-Coffee
  3. Ask Emma: What is hydrolysis? (2015, March 30). Retrieved from https://scanews.coffee/2015/03/30/ask-emma-what-is-hydrolysis/
  4. Specialty Coffee Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sca.coffee/ (n.d.) SCA Certified Home Brewer Program. Retrieved from https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer
  5. Grant, T. (2021, April 6). How temperature can impact your experience of coffee. Perfect Daily Grind. Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2019/11/how-temperature-can-impact-your-experience-of-coffee/
thomas

Coffee expert and industry insider, I’ve dedicated years to mastering the art and science of coffee making. From scrutinizing particle fineness to evaluating burr shapes, I delve into the minutiae that elevate coffee from good to exceptional. Whether it’s a complex pour-over or a robust espresso, my insights cater to those who don’t just drink coffee, but experience it.

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