Best Coffee Maker

Ask 10 different coffee drinkers what brand of coffee maker they use at home, and you're likely to get 10 different answers. The fact is that coffee drinkers, besides having a fierce loyalty to their brand and roast of coffee bean, often have an affinity for a certain coffee maker as well. But is one brand really better than the other?

To find out, we put five popular coffee maker brands to a head-to-head comparison. If you haven't found your own favorite yet, this information might aid your decision when it comes time to replace or purchase your own home coffee maker.

Brand #1: Bunn
Founded in 1957, Bunn is the company that first introduced the paper coffee filter to the home-brewing market... and thus revolutionized the coffee industry. Generally known for classic designs and solid performance, Bunn coffee makers produce consistent cups of coffee every time. If you do run into someone with a brand loyalty, chances are good it will be to a Bunn. The machines aren't necessarily high-tech, but they get the job done well. Bunn is best known for their standard drip coffee makers sold under the moniker Pour-o-Matic.

It's also a solid machine that lasts through plenty of use (we wouldn't expect less from Cuisinart). And the coffee? As long as you learn how to use your machine properly and aren't afraid of brewing a few bad cups, you'll eventually get good results. Many consumers say that Cuisinart produces standard coffee but looks better on the kitchen counter than other brands that cost only slightly less. We'll take that as a positive statement.

Brand #4: DeLonghi
Unless you're truly an avid follower of the coffee maker market, you may never have heard of DeLonghi. These machines are extremely simple to use and priced in the low to middle range of comparable coffee makers, which makes them extremely attractive to the average buyer. And indeed, if you're just getting into the wide world of coffee, these coffee makers should suit you just fine.

Brand #5: Krups