If you’re hunting down the best automatic pour-over coffee maker, check out these factors first: brew capacity, temperature, carafe and hotplate, and programmability. I searched far and wide for the market’s best of the best right now. With this guide in mind, I have my current favorites listed and reviewed below.
I am an avid coffee drinker. From the moment I wake up to the last moments before I go to sleep, I always have a cup of coffee in my hand. I also like going to different cafes and coffee bars for the sake of trying out and enjoying different brews and flavors.
Having tasted so much coffee all my life – from late nights to leisure – I developed my own personal taste for coffee. Add to this research, both theoretical and practical, and I was able to figure out how to make and brew coffee just how I like it.
As all my family and I are big coffee drinkers, we have our own coffee nook right at home. The area is complete with different kinds of coffee grounds, machines, and additional flavorings to up our coffee game.
We’ve been looking into adding an automatic pour-over coffee maker. This has all the pour-over coffee taste and flavor without all the work!
Automatic Pour-Over Coffee Maker 101
What is pour-over coffee?
Pour-over coffee gives you complete control over the brewing process. It’s a longer brewing process but many love it because of the intricate flavor and the more involved process to make yourself a cup of coffee.
Pour-over coffee is typically done with a glass carafe. This is done manually as opposed to by electric coffee makers. This means you have complete control over how coffee is brewed.
With the pour-over method, one can control the temperature of the water, the speed of the pour, and the amount of time the coffee grounds bloom and saturate.
Once water is poured over the coffee grounds, gravity does its job to saturate and pass through your coffee and onto your cup.
Many love this method as it gives them control on how the coffee will taste, its texture, and the strength of the brew. The method allows you to control the extraction process to get the exact flavor you want.
What is drip coffee?
Drip coffee has almost the same principles as pour-over coffee, the difference lies in all the little details.
In the way that pour-over coffee means absolute and total control over the brewing process, drip coffee is automated. This means there is very little to no control over the brewing process.
With a drip coffee machine, all you would need is to fill in the water reservoir, put in your filter, and your choice of coffee. Press the switch and you’ll have coffee in no time.
It gained popularity because it takes little effort and doesn’t require you to watch over it, perfect for those with 9-5 jobs.
So, pour-over coffee maker?
With a pour-over coffee maker, you get the convenience and ease of an automated drip coffee machine but with the intricate details and flavor of pour-over coffee – simply the best of both worlds!
Our Top Picks for the Best Automatic Pour-Over Coffee Makers
Product Image | Product Name | Price | |
Best Overall | Moccamaster KBGV Select Coffee Maker | Check Price | |
Best Programmability | KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Maker | Check Price | |
Runner Up | Cuisinart PurePrecision Pour-Over Coffee Brewer | Check Price | |
OXO 9-Cup Coffee Maker | Check Price | ||
Bonavita One-Touch Pour-Over Coffee Maker | Check Price |
The Best Automatic Pour-Over Coffee Maker
1. Moccamaster KBGV Select Coffee Maker – Best Overall!
Our number one pick for the best automatic pour-over coffee maker is Moccamaster KBGV Select Coffee Maker!
This has been engineered with a copper boiling element that rapidly heats water to an optimal brewing temperature of 196°F to 205°F.
The now-boiled water then travels to the glass tube, through the outlet arm, and over the brew basket to bloom and saturate your choice of ground coffee. The machine steeps the ground coffee in the cone-shaped brew basket for four to six minutes. This pre-immerses and extracts the coffee’s intricate, complex, and full flavors, as you would achieve with the pour-over method.
With a brew-volume selector switch, this easily allows you to choose between brewing a full or half carafe. The smart technology also automatically adjusts optimal brewing temperature and brewing speed according to the amount of coffee you’re brewing.
This is certified to brew both a half and full carafe according to the Specialty Coffee Association’s golden cup standard.
One thing to keep in mind is the coffee maker will brew 100% of the water you put in the water reservoir. This means you can’t fill it up and just brew half of the water in it. It will only stop brewing once the water reservoir is empty. For this reason, make sure you fill it in according to how much coffee you’re making, to ensure the best-tasting cup.
This has a hotplate to keep coffee hot and warm, well after it finishes brewing. The brew-volume selector switch also automatically adjusts the hotplate temperature between 175° to 185°F. For a half-carafe setting, it will use a cooler temperature while a warmer setting for a full pot of coffee.
This has an automatic shut off function that shuts off the power switch and hotplate after 100 minutes. This also boasts of a quiet operation and will not disturb anyone sleeping even if you brew very early in the morning.
For added convenience, this has an automatic drip-stop function that automatically stops the flow of coffee when the carafe is removed. This allows you to drink a fresh cup of coffee even before the machine finishes brewing.
This is very easy to operate, clean, and never compromises taste, even if you brew a half pot only.
One other thing to keep in mind, as mentioned by other users, is the glass carafe seems to be thin. Make sure to handle it with care, especially when cleaning and washing.
There also isn’t much programming and timer functions, which some would look for.
Pros:
- Optimal brewing temperature of 196°F to 205°F
- Saturates and extracts full flavors
- Automatically optimizes brewing and hotplate temperature
- 100-minute auto shut off
- Drip-stop function
- Brew-volume selector switch
Cons:
- Thin glass carafe
- No programming or timer functions
2. KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Maker – Best Programmability!
If you prioritize programmability features above all else, make sure to check out KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Maker!
With a convenient 24-hour programmability function, this allows you to easily set the time the machine will brew, the type of roast, and the number of cups you want it to make. These settings will stay until you change it. This function means you can have warm and ready-to-drink coffee even before you wake up!
With the cup selector, you can choose to make two to eight cups worth of coffee and have consistent taste and flavor throughout. There is also a roast selector function that lets you choose light, medium, or dark roast brewing settings. And according to your selection, it will automatically optimize the brewing process.
Just like the manual pour-over method, this gives you absolute and complete control over the entire brewing process without all the manual and time-consuming work.
This works to heat the water at an optimal brewing range of 198°F to 204°F. Unlike most coffee maker models, this heats water right on top of the brewer, eliminating having the water transfer and travel. This technology ensures there is minimal heat loss so your coffee brews and blooms at just the right temperature.
This machine proudly meets the golden cup standards of the Specialty Coffee Association. Its unique technology also uses calibrated time and release of the hot water to saturate and extract the ground coffee for even and rich flavors.
After the water reaches the optimal temperature range for brewing, this works to pre-wet the ground coffee to start extracting the flavors. And just like the intricate pour-over method, this pours the hot water and pauses it over the ground coffee with carefully-calibrated time to saturate and extract all the rich flavors of the coffee of your choice.
This has an easy-to-read digital display progress bar to show you all the steps of the brewing process. From heating the water to pouring it on the ground coffee and to steeping, it will show you the step it’s on.
There is a hotplate to keep your coffee warm after the brewing process. It also has an automatic shut off function that turns itself off after an hour.
Because there is a lot of prep and pre-meditation process to this machine for that precise brewing process, this takes longer to make coffee, compared to other coffee maker machines. Many also notice that the marking on the buttons can easily rub off after some long-term use.
Pros:
- 24-hour programmability
- Cup and roast selector functions
- 198°F to 204°F optimal brewing temperature
- Calibrated time to bloom and extract flavor
- Digital display and progress bar
- Minimal heat loss
Cons:
- Takes longer to brew
- Button markings rub off
3. Cuisinart PurePrecision Pour-Over Coffee Brewer – Runner Up!
Closing in our top three favorite automatic pour-over coffee makers is Cuisinart PurePrecision Pour-Over Coffee Brewer!
This has a 24-hour programmability and allows you to set up a time and your coffee preferences so you can have coffee hot and ready for you to drink.
Much like the manual pour-over method, this allows you to have full and complete control over the entire brewing process. This has a variety of temperature settings – from hot to extra hot – so you can have your coffee just how you like it. The machine also has strength control options – mild, medium, and bold- so you can control the flavors of your cup of coffee.
On the hotplate itself, you also have variable heat settings to choose from so you can keep your already brewed coffee at your preferred temperature at all times. This has a self-clean function as well to let you easily and conveniently clean your unit without much hassle on your part.
This has an automatic and adjustable shut off function you can program entirely according to your needs, choosing from zero to four hours. You can also adjust and set the auto shut off function on the hotplate itself. You can also set it to automatically switch to a just warm temperature after some time.
With the brand’s Brew Pause technology, the brewing process automatically pauses itself when you take the carafe. This feature lets you enjoy a fresh cup of brewed coffee even before the machine finishes the brewing process.
This promises superior flavor extracting and brewing features you thought you can only achieve with the intricate and manual process of pour-over coffee. This is able to brew up to eight cups of coffee and it does so in line with the standards of the Specialty Coffee Association.
And much like the pour-over method, the technology on this includes a pre-wetting feature or stage. This saturates and blooms your choice of ground coffee and extracts the rich and intricate flavors of the ground coffee.
This comes with a permanent laser-etched stainless steel coffee filter and a built-in charcoal water filter. The combination of these two quality parts ensures the freshest of coffee flavors flow through the machine and into your cup.
The one downside to this as shared by other users is there is a bit of a learning curve with this machine. The manual in the package also doesn’t offer much specifications on the varying brew settings so you would need to figure it out yourself for your preferred coffee flavor.
Pros:
- 24-hour programmability
- Adjustable heat settings and temperature
- Automatic and adjustable shut off
- Pre-wets coffee grounds to bloom
- Brew Pause technology
- Self-cleaning function
Cons:
- A bit of a learning curve
4. OXO 9-Cup Coffee Maker
The next item to make it into our list of the best automatic pour-over coffee makers is OXO 9-Cup Coffee Maker!
Much like the manual pour-over method, this gives you control over the temperature and brewing cycle of your coffee. You can have full adjustable access and control over the temperature, how much you’re going to make, and the brewing time for that perfect cup.
Once the water in your water reservoir is heated and ready, the machine works to maintain it at optimal brewing temperature of 197.6°F to 204.8°F.
Using the coffee maker’s RainMaker showerhead, this evenly disperses and distributes water over your choice of ground coffee for even and uniform saturation. This ensures that the machine is able to extract the full flavors of the ground coffee.
And with the internal mixing tube engineering, this makes sure to thoroughly blend the ground coffee as it is brewed into the carafe. By doing so, you are ensured the same delicious last drop as the first.
With the brand’s Better Brew Precision Brewing technology, this automatically optimizes water temperature and brew cycles for the perfect-tasting cup of coffee. You can easily set the number of cups you’re making with an easy dial control. You can choose from making two cups or a full pot worth of coffee.
And with the 24-hour start timer, now, you can program and set this to start brewing coffee even before the time you wake up the next day!
Thanks to its rich, intricate, and explosion of flavors, this is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association for the gold standard of home brewing.
This has a full LED interface to display the brewing status. The screen shows a freshness indicator so you know how fresh the brewed coffee is in your pot.
This coffee maker also features a pause and pour function. This intuitive feature lest you pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee even before the brewing process is complete.
This also features a double-wall stainless steel thermal carafe. This carafe keeps your freshly-brewed coffee fresh much longer. Though the carafe is loved by many as it does indeed keep coffee warmer for longer, it does come with one common drawback as shared by many.
The top lid of the carafe is screwed shot. Because of the design, many found it pouring coffee slowly. This would also entail that you have to unscrew and screw it back to clean it. And if you’re one to use it to fill in the water reservoir, this can be bothersome.
Pros:
- 197.6°F to 204.8°F optimal brewing temperature
- Optimized water temperature and brewing cycle
- 24-hour start timer
- LED screen and freshness indicator
- Pause-pour function
- Same tasting first and last drop
Cons:
- Screwed shut carafe top
5. Bonavita One-Touch Pour-Over Coffee Maker
And our last favorite automatic pour-over coffee maker is Bonavita One-Touch Pour-Over Coffee Maker!
With the optional pre-infusion mode, this coffee maker mimics the intricate process of the manual pour-over method. This technology allows your choice of ground coffee to bloom before brewing and pouring down to the carafe. This pauses water flow and gives the coffee enough time to saturate so that the flavors are extracted for that perfect cup of coffee.
This has an optimal brewing temperature of 198°F to 205°F. The machine is able to quickly reach said temperature but also maintains it as it brews. This ensures an explosion of flavor and a quick brewing process. With only a single touch and as little as six minutes, you’re sure to have a pot full of coffee ready to drink.
With a large showerhead and an enhanced flat-bottomed filter basket, this evenly saturates the ground coffee for a uniform flavor extraction and end results.
This is proudly certified by the Specialty Coffee Association and is in line with their golden cup standard for home brewing.
This has an automatic shut-off function. Even the warming plate on this coffee maker will automatically shut off after about 40 minutes. You’re not only achieving the perfect cup of coffee but also doing so with safety as a top priority.
This comes with a durable double-walled stainless steel thermal carafe to keep your freshly-brewed coffee at optimal temperature. Many would agree that this carafe is able to keep coffee at an acceptable temperature for longer.
This promises to give you consistent brew results each time. And with the optional mode for slower and better coffee ground infusion, you’re sure to achieve near pour-over quality for a fraction of the manual effort.
Because this is more of a one-touch coffee maker and brewer, this does lack programmability and all those bells and whistles other machines come with.
It’s a very simple, basic, and straightforward coffee machine but does make coffee really quick. Even if you can’t program it to make coffee even before you wake up, the speed and time in which it finishes its brewing process make up for it.
Pros:
- Optional pre-infusion mode
- Optimal brewing temperature is 198°F to 205°F
- Automatic shut-off feature
- Even saturation of preferred flavor and strength
- Very quick brewing process
- Durable double-walled stainless steel thermal carafe
Cons:
- Lacks programmability, more on the very basic functions
How to Choose the Best Automatic Pour-Over Coffee Maker
Brew capacity
When shopping for the best coffee makers in the market, one of the first things to look at is the machine’s brewing capacity. This means how many cups of coffee it can brew. Generally, this ranges from about eight to 12 cups. Depending on how a coffee maker’s been engineered and designed, the brewing capacity can go lower or higher than that.
The brewing capacity you should choose would depend on how many people you’re making coffee for. Is it just for you or does your entire household consume coffee on a daily basis? Also ask yourself if you’re fine with consuming coffee that’s been sitting on a pot or do you prefer to drink your coffee as you brew it, without it sitting on a pot?
There are also coffee machines that let you choose different amounts of brewed coffee, from only two cups to a full pot worth of coffee.
Remember, the bigger the brewing capacity is, the bigger the machine is as a whole.
Temperature
The temperature of your hot water that saturates and passes through your choice of ground coffee plays a huge role in pour-over coffee, manual or automated.
As set forth by the Specialty Coffee Association, 195°F to 205°F is the ideal temperature for optimal flavor extraction. You want your coffee machine to reach this optimal brewing temperature and to actually maintain that temperature. This will ensure that you get as close to the gold standard as a traditional pour-over coffee.
The best automated pour-over coffee makers will automatically optimize temperature settings according to your choice blend and roast, and even according to how much coffee you’re brewing.
Whether you’re going for light, medium, or dark and two cups or a full pot, it will use the perfect brewing temperature for that perfect cup.
Carafe and hotplate
If you like brewing in large amounts and have the rest of the coffee sitting in a pot, a thermal carafe is a good feature to factor in. This is able to keep your coffee hot and warm, ready for you to drink any time of the day.
But, not all coffee makers come with thermal carafes. Some come with glass carafes. So, how do they keep leftover coffee from going stale and cold? The answer – is hotplates. These are warm plates under the carafe that operate at a certain and optimal temperature range as well. They also work to keep coffee acceptably warm to drink.
The debate on whether a thermal or glass carafe is better is up to personal preference. Generally, many prefer a thermal carafe over a glass carafe, but they can also be priced higher.
Programmability
Some coffee makers allow for easy one-touch brewing processes. This is good if you don’t want to think much about other settings and program options.
But some coffee makers offer a wide array of programmability. Some units offer you versatility in terms of how much you’re making, the brewing process time, and even the blend or roast (light, medium, or dark) of your coffee.
There are also units equipped with 24-hour timers. This function allows you to set a specific time in which it starts brewing. If you want your machine to start brewing so you have coffee ready as you wake up, this is a good function to look into.
Conclusion
The pour-over method is a preferred coffee-making method by many coffee enthusiasts. Through it, coffee drinkers can experience the intricate and rich flavors of coffee. It is, however, a manual and time-consuming method.
Luckily, there are now automated coffee makers able to achieve pour-over coffee quality – without all the work!
Our number one pick for the best automatic pour-over coffee maker is Moccamaster KBGV Select Coffee Maker! This has an optimal brewing temperature of 196°F to 205°F for maximum flavor extraction. This optimizes the brewing and hotplate temperature according to how much coffee you’re making. It also has an auto shut off function for added safety.
If you want maximum programmability, check out KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Maker! This easily lets you configure the type of roast you’re brewing, how much you’re brewing, and when it will operate. It has a brewing temperature of 198°F to 204°F for the best flavors. There is also a convenient digital display and progress bar.
And coming to a hot third place is Cuisinart PurePrecision Pour-Over Coffee Brewer! This also has 24-hour programmability and lets you set up a time and other brewing configurations. You can set it to brew a mild, medium, or bold roast. This pre-wets coffee grounds to maximize flavor saturation and extraction.
And that has been our favorite automatic pour-over coffee maker picks! Happy coffee drinking!