**UPDATED FOR 2017**
An 8-cup coffee maker is perfect for 2 to 3 people, delivering about 40 ounces of coffee at a time (coffee maker cup measurement is 5 ounces, not 8).
There are quite a few models to consider here, and this is an exciting segment featuring no less than three Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)-approved coffee makers. Choosing between these is difficult, and usually comes down to budget constraints as their pricing varies quite a lot.
I have isolated only the best three based on user ratings and customer satisfaction ratios. That means these are the models that do the best job of leaving their buyers happy or satisfied with their purchase.
Contents
In a Rush? Here’s the Winner
You can read the rest of the roundup to get a full idea of all your options, but for those who just want to buy a reliable machine that produces excellent results now, here is our top pick:
OXO On Barista
Check Amazon now for the latest price and discounts on the OXO On Barista.
Here’s why it wins:
- Simple programmability makes your life easier
- Mix of stainless steel and plastic construction oozes quality
- Beautiful design that complements any counter top
- Smart temperature control and spray head for hot coffee that tastes delicious
- Thermal carafe that works as it should, keeping coffee hot for hours
- Overwhelmingly positive user experience (87% customer satisfaction)
Best 8-Cup Coffee Maker for 2017 Roundup
Let’s proceed with the roundup, weighing up the pros and cons of every model while briefly discussing each one.
OXO On Barista 9-Cup Coffee Maker
The OXO On Barista walks away with our best 8-cup coffee maker award. Okay, technically it’s a 9-cup, but there’s no segment for that so it fits in nicely here. It’s not cheap, but offers excellent build quality and great coffee for the price.
Quick Features:
- water consistent at 197 – 204 degrees F
- rainmaker shower head for proper saturation
- LED interface
- single dial control
- programmable wake-up timer
- intelligent microprocessor
The OXO immediately distinguishes itself from the other high-end brands like Bonavita and Technivorm by being dead easy to use.
A wake-up timer is a big help, and the clear water tank with big opening up top makes it easy to fill the water to perfection for between 2-9 cups.
The machine is a mixture of stainless steel and plastic and looks very attractive.
You can expect a brewing time of about 7 minutes for a 9-cup pot. The brewing temperature seems spot on, and you’ll get a really hot, great tasting pot of coffee out of this machine. The carafe holds temperature really well, it looks good and you can just pick up and pour without fiddling with the lid. You can seal the carafe opening with a little sliding cover when you’re done pouring and want to keep the heat inside.
Pouring while brewing is possible thanks to a sealing valve that locks when you remove the carafe. Some grounded coffee do tend to get caught in this valve and keep it open, so some dribbling is not uncommon, which is a shame.
The machine does lack a water filter, which is slightly disappointing at this price point. However, for the rest, it is an excellent brewer worthy of your attention. The see-through water tank also allows you to watch the brewing process taking place, which is quite entertaining (for a while).
Customer satisfaction ratio: 87%
Average User Rating: 4.2 out of 5
Get the latest price and discounts on the OXO On Barista at Amazon.
The Bonavita BV1900TS is not the most expensive 8-cup coffee maker, but it is a fantastic piece of German engineering and one of the few coffee machines certified by the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America). It offers two models, one with a glass carafe and another with a stainless steel thermal carafe.
Quick features:
– 1500W heater controls water temperature
– Shower head designed for complete saturation
– Stainless steel glass-lined thermal carafe
– Auto shut-off
– German engineered
– flat bottom filter basket
– 2 year warranty
* glass carafe model also available
This is a fairly simple and straightforward 8-cup coffee maker, with no programmable features. It is fast, brewing a full carafe in about 5 minutes. The thermal carafe does a good job of keeping your pot of coffee warm for up to 3 hours or so. It is a little difficult to get the last coffee from the carafe, which is not ideal when you’re only brewing small amounts.
The filter basket is not part of the machine, but goes on top of the carafe. So, after brewing you have to remove it. Some find this tedious, but it is really quite simple as the basket has a convenient handle. Then you just twist on the carafe lid and you’re ready to pour.
The coffee it makes is strong, full of flavor and hot. This is probably the coffee maker that makes the best tasting coffee on the market right now. It lacks programming features and other bells and whistles, but it does brew a great cup of coffee.
The machine has an auto-off function (40 minutes), as well as a pre-infusion mode to get better flavor from your fresh grounds.
Apart from a few minor design niggles, this is an excellent 8-cup coffee maker, much cheaper than the OXO and Technivorm models, while delivering coffee just as good. The lack of smart features makes it lose out to the OXO…but only just.
Customer satisfaction ratio: 71%
Average User Rating: 4.0 out of 5
See BV1900TS pricing and discounts on Amazon.
Technivorm Moccamaster KBG-741
The Moccamaster is certainly one of the stranger-looking coffee machines you’re likely to run into. Don’t be fooled by its industrial laboratory looks though: this is an excellent coffee machine, but it comes at a price.
Quick Features:
– 1400W heavy duty copper heating element
– SCAA certified brewing temperature
– compatible with Swiss Gold cone and disposable filters
– 9-hole spray head for thorough brewing
– visible scale indicator
– 5 year warranty
First we need to clear up the cup rating for this machine. It will be sold as a 10-cup, but since it is manufactured in the Netherlands that designation is for European cup sizes. For the US, this will be a good old 40 oz, 8-cup model.
The Technivorm, along with the Bonavita above, are two of the few machines certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. This is a straightforward, no-frills coffee machine built to do one thing well: brew an excellent pot of coffee fast and without fuss.
So, no bells and whistles here, although Technivorm do have a model with an auto-off function as well. Hand-made in the Netherlands, the Technivorm is a quality coffee machine that delivers a quality end result.
There are a few drawbacks. Usually selling at just under $300, this is an expensive machine. Also, while it has a unique look, you won’t really call it attractive. It also takes up a lot of space.
For the money you get a durable copper element, solid construction and delicious coffee brewed properly and at the right temperature. The confident 5-year warranty will also help soothe that uneasy feeling you’ll have spending almost $300 on a drip coffee maker.
Despite its undeniable quality, the Moccamaster is a hard sell at more than $100 more expensive than the excellent Bonavita BV-1900 and the OXO On Barista.
Customer satisfaction ratio: 85%
Average User Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Models available:
– Glass Carafe
– Thermal Carafe (Moccamaster KBTS)
– Auto-off
Click Here for See Technivorm Moccamaster Pricing and Discounts on Amazon.
Conclusion: Best 8-Cup Coffee Machine
What you have here are three excellent coffee machines. Ultimately, the difference in coffee quality and construction is minimal, so as I said at the beginning of this roundup, what you buy eventually comes down to your budget.
The Moccamaster, had it been $100 cheaper, would probably have run away with the award here. It is a wonderful product. The OXO beats the Moccamaster on price, and it beats the cheaper Bonavita BV1900 on extra programming features (I know that is not important at all for some people) and a less troublesome carafe.
Whatever you choose, you are going to get an SCAA certified coffee maker that produces the goods.
If you don’t want to spend more than $100, there are very few decent options available to you. Both Mr Coffee and Black & Decker have 8-cup models in the $40 price range, so for the casual user who is willing to compromise a little, the Mr Coffee JWTX85 has been around a while and is alright for the small price tag. Just don’t expect anything near the construction quality of coffee quality of the top models in this roundup.