Need to perk up your morning routine? It might be time to invest in a new coffee maker. If you’re looking for a simple machine that’ll have a freshly brewed pot waiting for you when you wake up, an automatic drip coffee maker is the way to go. And right now, you can nab one of the best drip coffee makers we’ve ever tested, the Cuisinart 14-Cup, for a hot 30% off, thanks to Black Friday sales.
After reviewing dozens of coffee makers over the past six months, I named this Cuisinart gadget our top budget find. Even at its regular retail price of $100, it’s a good deal: Many high-end drip coffee makers cost $150 or more, and the Cuisinart offers an impressive array of features and accessories in a compact package. This Black Friday sale brings the home brewer down to $70, the lowest price we’ve seen all year.
Read on for why it’s a winner — and if you’re in the mood to save even more, check out our guides to the best Black Friday kitchen sales and the best Black Friday home sales.
Cuisinart
This coffee maker impressed me in my testing with its versatility. Want to simply brew and go? Just set it and forget it. Prefer to get a little nerdy about your java? Experiment with the various functions: You can control brew strength and the temperature of the warming plate.
It comes with lots of accessories, including a coffee scoop, charcoal water filter, paper filters and a reusable gold-tone filter.
Why is it a good Black Friday deal? 💰
Though this coffee maker goes on sale fairly often, it rarely drops below $80, according to our price trackers. So when this Black Friday sale brought the price to $70, it caught our attention. It’s worth mentioning that this machine can brew anywhere from one to 14 cups, so it’s perfect for serving a crowd (attention, all you holiday hosts!).
Why do I need this? 🤔
Anyone who makes daily or near-daily trips to the coffee shop knows how pricey those cuppas are. Having a drip machine at home can save you loads of money in the long run — or in this case, the not-so-long run, as this Cuisinart machine is pretty affordable.
If you already own one of those cheapie drip coffee makers you can buy at the drugstore, consider this the ideal time to treat yourself to an upgrade. The Cuisinart 14-Cup is just as easy to operate but comes with more bells and whistles for customizing your brew. I especially appreciate that it comes with a reusable gold-tone filter, which produces more flavorful coffee — and cuts down on waste.
What reviewers say 💬
If you don’t want to take it from me, consider the 29,000-plus Amazon shoppers who have given this beverage beast a five-star rating.
Pros 👍
“One of the best coffee makers we have ever purchased. The coffee tastes so much better … that I’ve had to reduce the number of scoops of grounds used as the coffee comes out so strong. This makes a cup of coffee equal to a Starbucks coffee (and I don’t even have it set to bold) Love it!!” raved one fan.
Another said they liked this machine so much, it has replaced their single-serve brewer: “I’ve been using a Keurig because it’s the easiest way to make coffee for one. I saw this on Prime Day and thought it would be nice for when I had guests. I made a pot to see how it worked and haven’t used the Keurig since. I’m a coffee junkie and I have several different coffee makers depending on what I was in the mood for. This makes the best coffee of all of them. Keeps the coffee hot for hours without it becoming bitter and the used grounds and filters are biodegradable so nothing goes into landfills. I can also make extra to let cool and pour over ice.”
“We owned the previous model for about 12 years. After a couple simple repairs it gave out. We bought this newer model in satin black. It looks beautiful and works great,” wrote one of the many Cuisinart devotees who mentioned that they got this machine as an upgrade to an older model. “Hope to keep for another 12 years! This company has a solid product for a reasonable price.”
Cons 👎
The lid on the Cuisinart’s glass carafe isn’t hinged, which may seem like a small thing, but in my testing I found that it makes it more prone to spillage — especially if you use the carafe to fill the machine’s water tank. This was a common complaint among mostly happy shoppers:
One wrote, “Dealt with Mr. Coffee makers for years and just wasn’t happy with the coffee. Finally took the plunge and purchased this one and I’m extremely happy with the taste of the coffee … Now for the only negative: I couldn’t give it five stars for one reason. When you go to fill the water reservoir, the lid doesn’t open far enough to use the coffee pot … It is kind of annoying. Hope they can fix that somehow.”
Other reviewers had concerns about the size: “The flavor and temperature are so much better than the old Black&Decker that we retired. The unit does tend to keep condensation under the lid so we prop it open with a couple of paper towels when we are finished with coffee for the day. One caution to note: The unit is quite tall so we need to pull it out to the edge of the cabinet where we store the coffee pot, then turn it sideways to get the lid fully open to remove the brew basket. Kind of a pain,” wrote another.
Amazon
Tall, dark and handsome: Did we mention this machine also comes in black stainless steel? It’s available in copper and cream too (though they’re not currently on sale).
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage here. Shop the best expert-picked Black Friday deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. And find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.