Most Stylish Coffee Makers
You won't mind leaving one of these on your kitchen counter
By Daniel Wroclawski
A great-looking coffee maker can liven up your kitchen—and a stylish coffee maker might even elevate it. But appearances can be deceiving: Polished brewers (which are sometimes pricier, even) don’t necessarily brew coffee well.
So to recommend the most stylish coffee makers, we picked the best-looking models that our engineers rated highly across our usual—and substantial—set of performance tests. We cover how we test each coffee maker and how we test different types in our comprehensive coffee maker buying guide.
Below are the five most stylish coffee makers, grouped by type and in alphabetical order, whose good looks match their solid performance.
Stylish Drip Brewers
Cuisinart DCC-T20 Touchscreen 14-Cup Programmable
CR’s take: A traditional drip coffee maker with a modern twist, the Cuisinart DCC-T20 Touchscreen 14-Cup Programmable offers slick touchscreen controls and makes plenty of java for a full house thanks to its 14-cup glass carafe. This model receives Excellent ratings for brew performance and convenience in our tests, and it’s loaded with bells and whistles, including programming, auto-shutoff, a cleaning indicator, a permanent filter, a water filter, brew-strength control, and a small-batch setting. It’s a bit pricey, but for the investment, you can count on an all-around great coffee maker for both busy mornings and dinner parties.
Mr. Coffee Programmable BVMC-FBX39
CR’s take: The stainless steel Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable BVMC-FBX39 looks at once modern and retro. The glass carafe steals focus, and a seamless, curved stainless steel backdrop brings a high-end feel. This Mr. Coffee also features an auto-shutoff and cleaning indicator, plus a permanent coffee filter. In our tests, it receives strong scores across the board, with a Very Good rating for brew performance.
Oxo Barista Brain 9-Cup 8710100
CR’s take: The Oxo Barista Brain 9-Cup 8710100 features a more unusual design than its comrades. With an exposed water reservoir and heating element on one side and a thermal carafe on the other, it’s a veritable conversation piece for your kitchen. Stainless and black accents might sit nicely with your larger appliances. This Oxo does well in most of our tests (including brew performance) but receives only a middling Good rating for carafe handling, a common finding with thermal carafes, many of which have problems with dribbling during the pour.
Stylish Pod Brewers
Nespresso by DeLonghi Lattissima One Espresso Maker EN500BW/W
CR’s take: For a brighter machine, consider the DeLonghi Nespresso Lattissima One Espresso Maker EN500BW/W. Unapologetically playful (it’s almost all plastic), this chunky coffee maker makes a decent cup for a pod brewer. (Most pod brewers receive middling scores for taste.) Using Nespresso capsules, it brews coffee and espresso, as well as cappuccinos and lattes, with the help of a built-in milk frother. DeLonghi brewers receive an Excellent rating for owner satisfaction in our surveys, so you can expect an enjoyable experience. This machine in particular does well in most of our tests, but it falls a bit short when it comes to brewing range, which judges a machine’s ability to brew coffee of varying strengths. That said, it’s important to note that this model is pricey; you’re paying for its ability to brew more than just a cup of coffee.
Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker in Aluminum EN125S
CR’s take: If you’re looking for a Nespresso pod coffee maker that uses OriginalLine capsules, check out the Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker in Aluminum EN125S. This compact but elegant brewer with aluminum siding is ideal for smaller kitchens. It earns top marks for first-cup speed, repeat-cup speed, and cup-size consistency. It also receives a rating of Very Good for brewing range, which means you have plenty of control over the strength of your coffee. This model has a removable water reservoir, a height-adjustable drip tray, auto-shutoff, and an adjustable brew temperature feature. It’s simple to use and can also brew three types of coffee—lungo (an Italian coffee), espresso, and ristretto (a more concentrated espresso)—depending on the capsules you buy.
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