Best KitchenAid Coffee Makers – 2023 Reviews
KitchenAid is a popular appliance name—perhaps most so for their stand mixers. They make a whole line of gadgets at home in a kitchen, though, including a solid lineup of coffee makers. If you’re looking for a new model, it’s worth taking a look at what KitchenAid has to offer.
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KitchenAid Coffee Makers: Everything you need to know
KitchenAid Coffee Makers run the gamut between pour-over cones to quick brewing single-serve machines that serve an on-the-go lifestyle.
The company was founded in 1919 by the Hobart Manufacturing Company but has since been acquired by the Whirlpool Corporation. Despite changing hands, the KitchenAid quality has been unfailing, with many bakers lauding the stand mixers as the best in the industry.
Throwing their hat into the coffee ring is more recent for KitchenAid, but the brand has continued to prove its dedication to stellar function. The most popular model, the KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Maker (KCM0801ob, the KCM0802’s manual model) was SCAA certified, which, if you’re not familiar with the label, is a pretty big deal in the coffee industry.
The Specialty Coffee Association of America, now just the SCA after merging with the EU branch, certified the KCM0801. For certification, brewers must meet a number of requirements, such as reaching the ideal water temperature and brewing time, as well as meeting the standards of the SCA Golden Cup recommendations.
All that said, let’s take a look at KitchenAid’s lineup and see which one fits you and your lifestyle!
Best KitchenAid coffee makers - Reviewed
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Having total control over the brewing process is a must-have for some coffee brewers, and pour over options are a great way to get that. KitchenAid’s Coffee Cone is made from vitrified ceramic so that it’s resistant from staining, chipping, and cracking.
Fit a standard wedge-shaped cone filter into the 2-cup ceramic cone and pour heated water at your leisure. Once you're done, just pop it in the dishwasher to get it clean.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just any old french press coffee maker, because it’s most definitely not. Made of stainless steel, it’s look isn’t just for chicness — it’s much more practical than alternative glass models.
The practicality doesn’t end there, though. If you take a look at the handle, you’ll notice that it looks beefier than the average handle. There’s a good reason for that, though, because the Precision Press Coffee Maker has an integrated scale and a timer! Talk about a triple threat.
If you’re as dazzled as I am, take a look around before purchasing. The manufacturer’s website has some surprisingly good deals on this beaut!
The KitchenAid 12-cup coffee maker is designed to help keep your morning simple. It has a one-touch brew button to get your caffeine brewing in with only a single tap. You can also program it up to 24 hours in advance so morning-you can get a gift from evening-you.
You can customize the strength of the brew, either regular or bold, as well as brew a full carafe or in small batches. No matter how much coffee you’re brewing, if you can’t wait to get your first sip, this KitchenAid features a Pause and Pour feature so you can start caffeinating right away. The KCM1204ob also has a time-since-brewed tracker on the digital display so you know exactly what you’re about to get the next time you stop at the pot.
Top it all off with a gold-tone reusable coffee filter so that paper ones are a thing of the past, and this machine is a great addition to any kitchen.
If you like your coffee chilled but aren’t a fan of diluting with water (pure sacrilege), cold brew coffee is a great way to get exactly what you want. The KitchenAid Cold Brew coffee maker is thoughtfully made to steep the perfect 28 ounces of brew.
Marked with the appropriate levels for both coffee grounds and water, this Cold Brewer takes the guesswork out of the process. The built-in tap allows you to store the brewer in your fridge and dispense coffee with ease, but, if you do need to relocate it, there’s a convenient handle to carry it with.
Cold brewing is simple, really, and it’s clean and easy when you have the right equipment. Grab the KitchenAid Cold Brewer, check out our full breakdown of making cold brew coffee here on Coffee or Bust, and enjoy!
A solid, simple coffee maker to keep mornings easy can be difficult to find, especially if you still want top-notch taste in your caffeinated beverage. The digital display front and center allows you to customize the strength of the brew, how many cups you want, and 24-hour programmability.
The removable water tank makes it easy to refill and the gold-tone permanent filter means you never have to deal with paper filters. If you just can’t wait until the carafe is full, there’s a Pause and Pour feature so you can get your first cup in as soon as it’s brewed.
It also has a 1-year limited warranty from KitchenAid, which is always a nice perk for any machinery.
The special feature of this model is right in the name—“spiral showerhead.” One of the predominant issues with coffee makers, why many coffee lovers turn to more hands-on methods like pour over or french press, is coffee grind saturation.
This Spiral Showerhead Drip Coffee Maker is KitchenAid’s top-notch effort to assuage that problem. The 29-hole spiral showerhead aims for even saturation for even extraction during the brewing process.
When it comes to ease-of-use, this drip coffee maker has dosage ladders on both the reusable gold-tone filter and the water tank. You can customize the brew strength, the amount of coffee being brewed, and more. Program your machine to warm up and start brewing any time within the next 24 hours. If that isn’t quick enough, there’s a Pause and Pour feature so you can snag a cup at any time.
While the larger control panel is on the side, there’s a brew button on the front, as well, but keep that in mind when figuring out where and how you want to position your maker!
The KCM0402er coffee maker puts new meaning to the words “personal brewer.” Compact and sleek, this model is also designed to be easy to use. It features a removable water tank with a handle, a reusable gold-tone filter, an 18 oz. thermal travel mug for a carafe, and a one-touch brew button. It gives new meaning to an on-the-go worthy machine.
The Personal Coffee Maker is a no-nonsense machine—pour in the water, add the grounds to the basket, There’s also a 1-year hassle-free replacement warranty, which is always a nice plus.
The KitchenAid KCM0802OB Pour-Over Coffee Brewer is the talk of the town—and for good reason. Earning praise from the Specialty Coffee Association of America (now just the SCA after merging with the EU branch), the KCM0802 mimics the manual pour-over process for superb extraction of the coffee grounds.
Water heats to 198-204 degrees Fahrenheit, the perfect temp for brewing coffee, and the unique brewing technology is designed to minimize heat loss during the entire cycle in the name of consistency.
One-touch medium and dark roast buttons adjust the brew cycle to highlight the subtleties of each. Follow the brew cycle on the digital screen, which gives you a progress bar to fill the entire 8-cup carafe, as well as program this beaut up to 24-hour beforehand.
The only downside to this model is that it doesn’t come with a gold-tone, reusable filter, though you can add one to your cart, like this one here.
Adding a bit of magic to your morning doesn’t have to be a pipe dream, the KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer can bring it right to your kitchen counter.
If you’re unfamiliar with siphon brewing, I’ll give you a quick blow-by-blow. Comprised of two chambers, water is brewed in the lower chamber. The water vaporizes into the second chamber, where the coffee grounds are waiting. When all of the water has moved into the upper chamber, the heat slowly lowers until the water has drained back down into the first chamber, effectively separating the fresh coffee from the grounds.
If you want a more in-depth explanation, take a look here.
The KitchenAid model works the same way—constructed of premium glass with steel accents, a magnetic locking seal holds the brew unit and carafe chambers together. The base is rotatable 360 degrees and the machine comes with a reusable stainless steel filter so you don’t have to deal with paper ones. Top it all off with a 1-year hassle-free replacement warranty in case you run into any issues and why shouldn’t you add some fun and fantasy to your mornings?
KitchenAid coffee maker filters
KitchenAid coffee maker water filters are an important part of the coffee process since water impurities can alter the taste of your favorite beans. They’re designed to filter up to 25 gallons of water, or, in other terms, 60 full carafes.
To put a time frame on that, if you’re making one full carafe every day, you’d change your water filter every two months. Two carafes, every month. You can calculate what’s best for your household based on the 60 full carafe quantity pretty easily.
As far as water filter changing goes, many coffee makers these days are asking for theirs to be changed once per month, so the KitchenAid’s usage is pretty conservative in comparison. Swapping the filter out is easy, too, so it doesn’t have to be any sort of big how-to-do.
- 1Soak the new filter for 10 minutes in cool water.
- 2Install the filter in the case and reinsert back into the machine.
- 3Run one full put through with just water. Dump that and you’re ready to go!
How to Clean a KitchenAid Coffee Maker
It’s like the most oft-forgotten aspect of owning a coffee maker, but for all that is good and delicious, please clean out your machine regularly. It doesn’t have to be a big how-to-do and many machines now come with indicator lights to let you know when it’s time to flush out anything bad hanging around in the nooks and crannies.
If your machine doesn’t have an indicator, there are other ways to keep track, too. Scheduling cleaning every hundred cups, or about every two months, is what’s recommended by the manufacturer, and it’s also on par with when the water filter needs to be changed. Two tasks, one reminder.
It doesn’t always work out that well, of course, and cleanings can be required sooner if you put your particular machine through the wringer with your coffee needs, or perhaps less often if you like to grab your caffeinated beverage out. There are a few signs you can watch out for that indicate it’s time to clean, including:
- 1Extended brewing times. If it suddenly seems like it’s taking a super long time to fill the carafe, it’s likely time to clean, or descale, your machine.
- 2Strange gurgling or other odd noises.
Cleaning your KitchenAid is pretty easy. The manufacturer recommends using Affresh coffee maker cleaner to do it, but you can also be accomplished with vinegar and water. The steps are pretty simple:
- 1Empty out your coffee maker entirely — remove any leftover grounds and remove the water filter.
- 2Fill the carafe with either the Affresh coffee maker cleaner and water or with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. (If your machine has an indicator light, repeat this process until the light turns off)
- 3Run the machine twice more containing just water to rinse out the cleaner or vinegar, as well as rinse the coffee filter with hot, soapy water.
- 4Replace the water filter and use it as normal!
Conclusion
KitchenAid has a model for every type of coffee drinker. Like to fill up your travel mug as quickly as possible and hit the road? The KitchenAid KCM0402ER Coffee Maker. Want to add some magic to your mornings? Obviously the Siphon Coffee Maker. For a well-loved machine to attend to all of the coffee drinkers in your household, the SCAA-certified KitchenAid KCM0802OB Pour-Over Coffee Brewer should definitely be under consideration.
KitchenAid makes more than mixing superb mixing machines—they’ve created a line of coffee machines, including well-equipped manual options such as the Precision French Press. Find the one that best suits your needs, add it to your kitchen, and happy brewing!