Best filter coffee machines: bean-to-cup, pour-over and drip makers for perfect at-home brews

From bleary-eyed caffeine addicts to craft coffee enthusiasts, a filter coffee machine is the go-to gadget for a great-tasting morning brew.

Easier to operate than a barista-style machine, and more environmentally friendly than a pod coffee maker, filter coffee machines allow hot water to drip through your ground coffee, providing a more delicate taste than espresso.

There are loads of filter coffee machines out there, from fancy pour-over models to basic drip filters. We’ve done the research for you. And as ever Mumsnetters are on hand to recommend the best machines to deliver your daily caffeine fix.

Here are the best filter coffee machines to buy.

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1. Best overall filter coffee machine: Melitta Aroma Elegance Deluxe Filter

Price: £90 | Buy now from Amazon

"I have a Melitta DeLuxe Filter as well, it's brilliant. It's the cheapest machine approved by the European Coffee Brewing Centre, and the coffee is delicious. Basically everyone who has a coffee at my house goes out and buys one, which is handy for me as I don't have to drink any more crap pod coffee from overcomplex machines on my return visits. And when you read studies about coffee being good for you, they always mean filter coffee" - recommended by Mumsnet user, MsMinky

Inventors of the paper filter bag in 1908, Melitta makes some of the best filter coffee machines over 100 years later. The Aroma Elegance Deluxe is Mumsnet’s choice for the best filter coffee machine thanks to its simplicity of use, great quality and affordability. The machine boasts stylish brushed steel curves and makes up to 10 large cups of coffee. Its dual element technology means the pot never overheats, and if you want to make a smaller amount, there’s a setting for 2-5 cups.

Key specs

• Features: Hotplate, programmable timer

• Maximum number of cups: 10-15

2. Best budget filter coffee machine: Russell Hobbs Inspire Filter Coffee Machine

Price: £34 | Buy now from Amazon

"Our Russell Hobbs perc is perfect and only about £30 - and you can put it on timer!" - recommended by Mumsnet user, gettingolderbutcooler

"I use a filter coffee machine - much more environmentally friendly than pods and you get a full mug, the pods only seem to give you a half a cup" - tried and tested by Mumsnet user, JuergenSchwarzwald

For a basic, reliable machine that will brew a perfect cup of joe before your alarm goes off in the morning, check out the Russell Hobbs Inspire. It can make up to 10 mugs of coffee, and has a programmable timer you can set the night before, so there’s no fiddling with buttons before you’re properly awake. If you’ve forgotten to set the timer and can’t wait for the whole pot to brew, there’s a clever “pause & pour” feature to grab a quick cup.

Key specs

• Features: Permanent filter, 24-hour timer

• Maximum number of cups: 10

3. Best pour-over filter coffee machine: Melittaa EPOS

Price: £300 | Buy now from Amazon

For filter coffee aficionados, the Melitta EPOS is the ultimate in micromanaging your brew. This bean-to-cup machine grinds your coffee beans, then takes the ground coffee through a tailored pre-brewing, temperature and water flow system that gives you an artisanal cup of coffee. Designed to mimic brewing by hand, the machine slows down the process of making a cup of coffee, and produces a delicious smell while it’s at it.

Key specs

• Features: Bean grinder, decalcification notification, programmable brewing settings

• Maximum number of cups: 8

4. Best small filter coffee machine: Salter Personal Filter Machine

Price: £29 | Buy now from Amazon

"It takes about two minutes to brew a cup and is very easy to use and clean, the travel cup keeps coffee warm but it is not leak proof at all" - recommended by Mumsnet user, AlCalavicci

If you’re the only coffee drinker in your house - or you want a little bit of luxury that’s just for you - the Salter Personal Filter Machine will make you one travel mug of delicious filter coffee. Taking just four minutes to brew the perfect amount, it’s quicker than stopping at a coffee shop to get your morning caffeine fix. You get two travel mugs with the machine, so you won’t be coffee-less if one’s in the washing up bowl.

Key specs

• Features: 24 hour timer, two travel mugs

• Maximum number of cups: One

5. Best stylish filter coffee machine: Technivorm Moccamaster

Price: £225 | Buy now from Bella Barista

"I recommend the Technivorm Moccamaster. I was a coffee snob and wanted the ideal machine for great coffee, but did not want the ritual to eat up my time. After months of research I bought mine almost 20 years ago based on reviews by professionals. It is reliable, highly regarded, easy to operate and to clean. The only thing I have had to replace was the glass carafe (with stainless steel) and a reusable gold foil filter instead of disposable paper" - recommended by Mumsnet user, DextrousCT

"It looks like a cute Tonka truck! I bought it for DHs birthday and he really rates it" - tried and tested by Mumsnet user, myrtleWilson

Hello, sunshine. This beauty is the Moccamaster by Technivorm and we’re a bit in love with it. Brewing the coffee at a temperature of 92-96C, it makes a delicious, aromatic cup of java. The hotplate keeps your jug of coffee at 85C for 40 minutes, with an automatic shut-off. This machine isn’t just a pretty face - it features a drip brew mechanism, wets your coffee grounds to perfection for improved flavour and the jug’s mixing tube gives you uniform taste.

Key specs

• Features: Full or half jug settings, hotplate

• Maximum number of cups: 10

6. Best filter coffee machine for families: Kitchenaid Drip Coffee Maker

Price: £125 | Buy now from Amazon

"Unintended benefit is the lack of noise (bean to cup are very noisy - esp when you’re stood there making multiple cups). Now just a gentle bubbling away" - recommended by Mumsnet user, ChateauMyself

If you have a house full of coffee fiends, the Kitchenaid Drip Coffee Maker is here to rescue your mornings. It has tons of family-friendly features - a 24-hour programmable timer, easily washable parts, capacity for 12 cups - fewer if you like a large mug - plus a display telling you when the coffee was last brewed. What’s more, it’s easy to clean, quiet and a fetching shade of pillarbox red.

Key specs

• Features: 24-hour timer, hotplate

• Maximum number of cups: 12

7. Best filter coffee machine that keeps coffee hot: Cuisinart Grind & Brew Automatic

Price: £125 | Buy now from Amazon

"We have a Cuisinart one which grinds the beans too, you can set the timer for freshly ground coffee in the morning, no more hassle than a cafetiere to clean and we always drink it fresh, though it keeps warm for a fair while" - recommended by Mumsnet user, duckyfuzz

Super compact for a bean-to-cup model, this Cuisinart coffee maker will do all the legwork to bring you fresh coffee in the morning, all that’s left for you to do is pour and enjoy. It’s got a 1-4 cup setting for making a smaller amount without compromising on taste, and can be used with pre-ground coffee as well as beans. Using charcoal to improve water quality and a reusable gold-tone filter, it’s a low-maintenance machine that’s easy to clean and produces minimal waste.

Key specs

• Features: Reusable filter, coffee grinder, programmable timer

• Maximum number of cups: 10

8. Best programmable filter coffee machine: Morphy Richards Verve

Price: £60 | Buy now from Amazon

"Filter coffee machine with a timer....absolute bliss having a hot coffee ready at 6am when I get up for some peace and quiet before little one wakes!" - recommended by Mumsnet user, MaMaD1990

"We've just bought a filter coffee maker. I cannot believe we didn't get one years ago it's amazing. You set the timer and it's ready when you want it in the morning" - tried and tested by Mumsnet user, Notgoingonholiday

With its pour-over, shower head style water flow and cupcake shaped reusable filter, the Morphy Richards Verve makes a full-flavoured pot of coffee. We also love it for its programmable timer, which lets you set not just the time but the strength too - a brilliant way to kickstart your day.

Key specs

• Features: Reusable filter, programmable timer, hotplate

• Maximum number of cups: 12

9. Best luxury filter coffee machine: Sage Precision Brewer Thermal

Price: £259 | Buy now from Amazon

"I have a Sage filter, I love it" - recommended by Mumsnet user, H0kieC0kie

"It’s definitely not the cheapest but makes delicious coffee and I love it! We get beans direct from a local coffee roaster and it really makes a difference" - tried and tested by Mumsnet user, Bananajam

With six unique brewing modes - including iced coffee and cold brew - the Sage Precision Brewer allows you to customise your coffee to perfection. If you’re a coffee snob, this is the machine for you. Boasting a "My Brew" setting with adjustable bloom time (the moment when hot water hits ground coffee), temperature and flow rate, plus a thermal stainless steel carafe that keeps hot coffee hot and iced coffee cold, this really is a playground for the coffee enthusiast.

Key specs

• Features: Thermal jug, programmable settings

• Maximum number of cups: 12

How to buy the best filter coffee machine

The key features to look out for when choosing a filter coffee machine are:

• Does it have a timer?

• Does it have a built-in grinder (bean-to-cup)?

• How many cups can it make?

• Does it have a reusable filter, or will you need paper filters?

What kind of coffee goes into a filter coffee machine?

Most filter coffee machines take only ground coffee. If you go for a bean-to-cup model, you’ll have the option of using coffee beans or ground coffee.

What is the best filter coffee machine to buy?

As the most affordable filter coffee machine approved by the European Coffee Brewing Centre, we think the Melitta Aroma Elegance is the best filter coffee machine to buy.

How we chose our recommendations

Because we know that there’s nothing like a real recommendation from a real coffee drinker, we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which filter coffee machines were rated by Mumsnet users. We compiled a list of the best machines based on ease of use, taste and value for money.

We then did some research across the wider web, looking at which filter coffee machines were recommended by expert review sites - and what customer reviews said about them too.

Having collated all that information, we picked the best filter coffee machines that we thought would make the best buys.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.