The 6 Best Thermal Carafe Coffee Makers for 2023, According to Our Tests

Our Favorite Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

The Café Speciality Drip Coffee Maker is our pick for best overall thanks to its sleek design, reasonable price point, and high-quality brewing capability. 

How We Tested Thermal Carafe Coffee Makers

Over the years, we've tested countless coffee makers to determine our favorites. In general, we pay attention to ease of use, design, performance, ease of cleaning, and durability when determining which ones are superior.

To test drip coffee makers, we first evaluated the design and ease of use and the coffee maker’s performance in brewing freshly ground, medium roast coffee. During the brewing process, we used a stopwatch to record the time the coffee began brewing and recorded the maximum temperature of the mixture of coffee grounds and water in the brew basket. We observed whether any coffee grinds ended up in the carafe and performed a taste test with each pot. We performed this test a few more times, using different water and grounds each time. We then used pre-ground beans to evaluate design, ease of use, and the coffee maker’s performance brewing pre-ground coffee, performing similar tests as the ones mentioned above.

Throughout testing, we always pay attention to design, describing the body of the coffee maker, including the materials and whether the construction seems well-made and sturdy or cheap and flimsy. We also evaluate the carafe, including the lid and the handle. We take note of the coffee maker’s footprint. Is it large and bulky (likely meant to live permanently on a counter) or smaller and more compact (something that can be conveniently taken in and out of a cabinet)?

A coffee maker's ease of use is also important to us, so we pay attention to how helpful the instruction manual and other included materials are and if they include a recommended coffee grind, a coffee-to-water ratio, directions for descaling, etc.

If the coffee maker is particularly difficult to set up, including adding water to the reservoir, we note that as well. While the coffee was hot, we tested how easy it was to use the carafe, including securing the lid and pouring, and whether it got hot to the touch. 

When it comes to tasting the coffee, we look for attributes like if the flavor becomes bitter, astringent, burnt-tasting, or flat after sitting for 30 to 60 minutes. We also look to see if any grinds or sediment end up in the coffee carafe. We then opened up to filter to see if the coffee was fully brewed. Finally, we note how easy the coffee carafe and brew basket were to clean and if the carafe held onto strong coffee odors after washing.

To test French presses, we assessed everything from design and ease of use to brewing quality. We also took note of the insulation, additional special features, and how easy it is to clean. During the testing, each French press was tested for performance and quality of taste.

Factors to Consider

Size and capacity

As with any other small kitchen appliance, you’ll need to be mindful of your available counter space and shop accordingly. Likewise, if you’re caffeinating a crowd, a large-capacity coffee maker will be a more efficient choice than a single-serve machine.

Brew type

Do you prefer to push a button and walk away, or would you rather pull shots of espresso? Do you like the low-tech performance of a French press? Consider how you’d most like to brew your coffee each day as you select your ideal thermal carafe coffee maker.

Settings

If you value nothing more than waking up each more to an already-brewed pot of coffee, you’ll want to be sure to choose a programmable coffee maker. You might also be mindful of a machine’s ability to change brew strengths or pour from a carafe versus a single serving.

Ease of cleaning

Machines with a removable water reservoir are generally easier to clean than those without. Drip trays and automatic flow stoppages are also useful in avoiding coffee-related messes. You'll also want to pay attention to the shape of the carafe. Also, be sure to check the manufacturer's instructions on how best to wash the carafe. Most will recommend you hand-wash it so as not to disrupt the integrity of the insulation. In general, you'll want a carafe and filter that you feel comfortable cleaning day in and day out.

Other Thermal Carafe Coffee Makers We Tested

Strong Contenders

Ratio Six Coffee Maker ($340 at Amazon)
We found this coffee machine easy to set up and use. It also looks beautiful sitting on the countertop. That said, we didn't love the tasting notes of the actual coffee, and at this splurge-y price, it didn't wow us enough to make our list.

Bonavita Enthusiast 8-Cup Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe ($250 at Williams Sonoma)
The carafe is double-walled, insulated, and felt durable while testing. While the setup was easy and left no grinds or sediment behind while brewing, the resulting coffee wasn't as good as its competitors.

What Didn't Make the List

We also tested a few models from Cuisinart and Bonavita Connoisseur. In both models, we weren't thrilled with the taste of the coffee, noting overly burnt and bitter, over-extracted, or muddy flavors. In the case of the Cuisinart, we were also simply underwhelmed with the brewing experience compared to the others.

More Coffee Maker Categories

• Best Coffee Makers
• Best Programmable Coffee Makers
• Best Coffee Makers with Grinders
• Best Pour Over Coffee Makers
• Best Small Coffee Makers
• Best Coffee Station Accessories

Our Expertise

This article was written by Summer Rylander, a food and travel journalist who has written about food, beverage, and cooking products for Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, and The Kitchn. She wrote this piece based on our product tests and conversations with a coffee expert.