Personally, I know not only is it hard to make coffee on the go, but it’s also hard to find a good cup of coffee when you’re camping or traveling. Most RV parks have only basic amenities, often not including a coffee shop. If you want to minimize dilution, brew the coffee into an empty cup and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before you pour it into an ice-filled glass. Although iced coffee looks nice in a clear glass, don’t use a glass cup or the extreme changes in temperature could cause it to shatter.
This 10 cup coffee machine serves its purpose well if you can care for it properly. With steel parts, it’s also less prone to breakage while handling. While it is more expensive than most of the other brewers on this list, this coffee maker has all the bells and whistles you might want when it comes to automatic pour over brewers.
The blades on the grinder of the Hamilton Beach machine are incredibly sharp and dangerous. It needs to be this sharp since it turns coffee beans into medium ground coffee within seconds. But without well-thought-out safety features, a grinder can be dangerous, especially if there are children in your house. The Cuisinart Grind & Brew 12-Cup Automatic Coffee Maker offers several convenient features. One nice extra is the 24-hour automatic brewing feature, which allows users to set the machine up the night before to brew their coffee automatically the following morning.
Some models we tested had a warming feature that could hold set temperatures, so we checked their accuracy after letting them sit on hold for a period of time. We tested automatic shut-off features and took note of any excessive or annoying beeps while using each kettle. We tasted the water from each model after boiling to see whether it had any off flavors caused by plastic components. Finally, we made pour-over coffee with each of the gooseneck kettles to see how slowly and precisely they distributed water.
With the touch of a button, you can make 4 cup batches or maximize the 12 cup carafe by filling it to the brim. If you want to check out the competition, take a look at our guides to the best Nespresso machines and the best Keurig coffee maker. Or, for something more budget friendly, take a look at the latest cheap coffee maker deals. If you’re not using pre-ground beans, it might also be worth checking Keurig K-Mini out the best coffee grinders available right now. When you’re deciding what size brewer to buy, remember that coffee-maker cups are the equivalent of 5 ounces, or an old-fashioned teacup that isn’t filled to the brim, leaving room for milk. Today, most of us use mugs that hold 8 ounces or more, which means a typical 12-cup coffee maker brews enough coffee for about seven mugs at the most.
According to a Secura representative, the small hole on the interior allows steam to reach the bottom interior of the unit, where the temperature control is located. We found, however, that cleaning in between the walls of the kettle would be impossible, so we dismissed this model. We appreciated the reasonable price, intuitive controls, and clearly labeled temperature settings of the Willow & Everett Electric Gooseneck Kettle.