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Before you get yourself the best coffee maker, you’ll want to consider whether it’s the quietest coffee maker too. Brewers in this category are generally made of high-quality materials. Some sport an SCAA certification, which ensures you’ll be getting an excellent cup of coffee every time. While you can usually choose between a glass or thermal carafe, we recommend a stainless steel thermal carafe to keep your coffee warm instead of relying on a hot plate that could burn your brew.
The quietest coffee machines will ensure you’re not subject to loud, disturbing noises first thing in the morning. The low decibels will make sure you enjoy a quiet and peaceful coffee preparation experience. It’ll especially help if you typically schedule your machine to brew automatically in the morning but don’t want to disturb the kids too early in the morning.
Curious about the quietest coffee makers and the options available to you? You’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn about the quietest coffee makers, how they work, their differences from other coffee machines, and much more.
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: A delay-start function and auto shut-off timer enable the programming of this coffee maker. This device comes with an extremely large family-friendly jar and a GoldTone filter. It features a self cleaning system.
The Cuisinart PerfecTemp DCC-3200P1 14-cup coffee maker features a mammoth glass carafe that prepares beverages for entire families or workgroups in one batch. This coffee system has flavor settings, allowing users to choose between bold and regular coffee. It features intuitive touch controls with a digital display to enable simple customization. This model has a clean me function that eliminates brewing residues at the touch of a button. However, the carafe has a poor design, which makes emptying difficult.
A fully programmable design allows users to delay the brewing time for convenience and it also has an auto shut off time to help users save power. With a reusable GoldTone filter, this coffee maker purifies the water, delivering excellent coffee flavors. A brew pause function enables coffee enthusiasts to grab a cup from the brewing carafe without halting the brewing process. This coffee maker has advanced heating technology that ensures consistent results.
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: An advanced double-walled metal carafe keeps coffee warm after brewing. This model features an exquisite stainless steel finish and has a delay-start timer for programming brewing time.
The BLACK+DECKER CM2035B 60-oz coffee maker has a silver gray finish that will add visual interest to any countertop. This coffee maker is equipped with a large 12-cup thermal carafe that keeps coffee warm after brewing, and the carafe has a wide mouth to simplify dispensing and cleaning. With a brew strength selector, this coffee machine lets users choose various flavors based on preferences. However, this unit lacks a self cleaning cycle.
A high-quality brew basket on this model is removable and washable for reuse, while an Evenstream showerhead dispenses water evenly over ground coffee to maximize flavor extraction. Equipped with an intuitive control panel, this coffee maker enables changing settings easily. It’s fully programmable, boasting a delay-start time. This model has a freshness indicator and it supports brewing in small quantities for convenience. Sneak-a-cup technology enables dispensing part of the carafe before resuming brewing.
Award: BEST RESERVOIR
WHY WE LIKE IT: A 24-hour delay start time allows users to program brewing, and a warming plate keeps coffee warm. This model has a large removable, graduated water reservoir that supports hassle-free filling and cleaning.
With settings for Classic and Rich coffee, the Ninja CE251 60-oz coffee maker allows users to customize the flavor according to their preferences. This coffee machine has a powerful water boiling system that facilitates maximum flavor extraction. It has a large reservoir, which is transparent and removable, allowing for hassle-free filling and cleaning. With a warming plate, this coffee maker maintains coffee hot for up to 4 hours. However, the carafe on this model is not insulated.
A 24-hour delay start timer allows users to program brewing to start at any time of the day or night. This fine Ninja coffee maker has a pleasantly stainless steel finish that adds a touch of sophistication to any kitchen counter. A large control panel with intuitive buttons supports the convenient operation. This coffee system comes with a scoop and has onboard accessory storage for convenience, and it has a permanent filter that supports hassle-free maintenance. This unit has dishwasher-safe parts that enable hassle-free cleaning.
Award: BEST COFFEE AND WATER FILLING SYSTEM
WHY WE LIKE IT: An innovative front filling accessory and swing-out brew basket simplify adding water and coffee to this machine. It has a delay start timer and automatically shuts off after two hours of inactivity.
Although its water tank is located at the rear, the Hamilton Beach 46310 12-cup coffee maker has an innovative front-filling accessory that will suit people with low-mounted kitchen cabinets. This coffee maker also boasts a swing-out brew basket that can be filled easily without the need to move the machine around. With a programmable design, this machine enables users to delay brewing time as needed. However, this unit doesn’t support dual-cup dispensing.
This coffee maker enables users to brew bold or regular coffee and it supports preparing batches of 1-4 cups if needed. It has an automatic shut-off timer that switches off the warming plate after two hours of inactivity to save power. A brew pause function comes in handy for coffee enthusiasts who want to sample from a boiling pot without completely terminating the brewing process. This coffee maker has a glass carafe with markings to simplify serving.
Award: BEST BREWING SPEED
WHY WE LIKE IT: Equipped with an insulated carafe, this machine keeps coffee warm, enabling serving throughout the day. It has a self-cleaning system that rids the brewing system of residues and it’s programmable for convenience.
This Mr. Coffee BVMC-PSTX91-RB 10-cup coffee maker has an advanced thermal system that keeps coffee warm without the need for a warming plate. It boasts an advanced water boiling system that heats up water to temperatures as high as 205° for maximum flavor extraction and fast brewing. A grab-a-cup auto pause function allows users to pour out a portion of the brewing pot before continuing brewing. However, this unit doesn’t have a warming plate.
A double-walled thermal carafe keeps the coffee warm, so users can serve it throughout the day. An automatic cleaning cycle removes residues, keeping the coffee maker clean. This model comes with a water filtration disk to reduce chlorine and other water impurities. The device has a programmable system that lets users set a brewing starting time in advance. It supports customizing the brewing strength via its user-friendly digital control panel and has a stainless steel finish, blending in with other kitchen appliances.
Award: BEST FOR CAPSULES
WHY WE LIKE IT: This unit works with coffee capsules, brewing into mugs and travel cups without leaving messy residues. It supports customizing the cup size and switches itself off automatically 90 seconds after brewing.
Specially designed to work with Keurig’s K-Cup pods, this Keurig K-Mini Plus 12-oz coffee maker is the device of choice for lovers of single-serve coffee. This model has space for holding 9-Kups, simplifying storage. It has a compact design with a small footprint that will appeal to people with small kitchen countertop spaces. Although it’s compatible with the My K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter that supports using ground coffee, this accessory is not included with this model.
Energy-saving auto power off feature turns off the heating system 90 seconds after the last brew. This brewer has integrated cord storage to keep the countertop clutter free. With the ability to fill 6-oz and 12-oz mugs, this system is quite flexible, and it boils water very fast, delivering excellent coffee in minutes. This coffee machine has a removable water reservoir for hassle-free filling and it can easily be carried and moved around, making it a good choice for camping trips and picnics.
What qualifies as a quiet coffee maker often depends on your preferred brewing method. At its most basic level, this is going to be one that doesn’t make a lot of noise during the coffee preparation process. It could be a manual coffee machine, like a Moka pot or AeroPress, or an electric coffee machine with a pumpless design. Each uses a different brewing process to bring you the best coffee it can as noiselessly as possible.
Whether noisy or quiet, all coffee makers use some standard coffee brewing methods, like steeping, immersion, dripping, and pressure. Among manual and electric coffee makers, it’s the former two that are significantly quieter, and that’s because they don’t grind coffee beans, rely on pumps to move water at high pressure, or have noisy boilers.
Keurig and espresso machines are electric coffee makers that use pressure brew methods to prepare coffee at the touch of a button. They feature pumps and electric grinders and everything else that generates noise during the preparation process. But you will find some electric coffee machines that are less noisy than others, and this is quite true with electric coffee machines that don’t use pumps.
Manual coffee machines, like the French press and Moka pot, require a lot more steps than pushing a button, but they are practically silent. The lack of boilers, grinders, or pumps makes them extremely quiet and portable. This is why manual coffee makers are among the best travel coffee makers.
Although they’re silent, manual coffee machines will make you sacrifice convenience since there is a learning curve associated with them, and they demand your attention to prepare good coffee. Automatic machines and coffee pods will offer convenience but will also be noisy. As you climb the price ladder, you may find automatic coffee machines that are quieter.
How the quietest coffee maker works depends on the type of coffee machine it is, but manual coffee machines are among the quietest. When using these, you’ll hardly hear any noise because they don’t have many moving parts or pumps to move water around at high pressure and eject steam, and they don’t grind coffee beans.
Quiet electric models will still produce some noise during operation, but they rely on quiet brew technology to keep the noise levels down. For example, these machines don’t use pumps or pressure to move water into the filter basket and will have a low decibel rating or programmable nose indicator so you can adjust the alarm volume. The water heater also plays a role in the noise, so a coffee maker that holds the proper water temperature of 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit will be quieter than one that boils the water every time.
If you live in a place that’s already filled with loud ambient noises, such as a city apartment, the last thing you want to deal with first thing in the morning is added noise from your coffee maker. With the quietest coffee maker at home, you can rest assured that your auto-brew function won’t wake you up too early or interrupt your morning meditation.
How long the quietest coffee maker will last depends on the type of machine it is and how well you maintain it. Even an SCAA certified coffee maker will not age well if you don’t look after it.
An AeroPress can last between 3 to 6 years or much more, depending on how well it’s maintained. A part that may need replacement once every 2 to 3 years is the AeroPress Plunger seal since it gets the most wear. Over the years, the seal can get visibly scratched, but that doesn’t equate to a lowered performance.
Moka pots are known for their durability; it’s not surprising to hear of pots that have been in use for a few decades. They can last 5 to 10 years or more with good maintenance, and the stainless steel ones will age better than the aluminum ones. Depending on how often you use the pot, you may have to switch the gasket seal on the stainless models once a year.
On the other hand, Keurig machines last between 3 to 5 years, and they’ll likely last longer than 5 years with excellent maintenance. They last even longer with a supply of the leading reusable Keruig cups. If you’re keen on using the model for a long time, make sure to select a model that’s convenient to clean and has a removable water reservoir.
High-quality coffee, latte, and espresso machines can last between 5 to 15 years, sometimes 20 years. If the device is cleaned regularly and operates manually, it’s going to last long. The tubes on these machines tend to clog first, so make sure to run vinegar through them for cleaning.
When selecting the quietest coffee maker, you’ll obviously want to pick a model that isn’t too noisy. But you’ll want to keep in mind other coffee preparation factors, like how much coffee it prepares at once, how quick you want the coffee prep, and your budget, among other things.
Coffee machines with pumps (like espresso machines and drip coffee makers) will be louder than the ones without. The pumps are used to produce coffee under pressure, so there tends to be more noise than manual coffee makers, like AeroPress or a French Press.
Some coffee maker models use pump-less technology, and you’ll want to pick these if you want an electric coffee maker that’s not too noisy. For minimal noise, the best choice is a manual coffee maker.
Certain coffee machines have a noise indicator that goes off when the brew cycle is done. It can be fairly disturbing if the indicator is too loud, so check how loud the alarm is and whether there’s an option to switch it off or reduce the volume.
How much coffee a coffee machine produces at once is essential, especially if you’re sharing the device with multiple people at home or in an office.
Keurig coffee machines come in standard sizes—6, 8, and 10 ounces. If there are plenty of coffee drinkers, it makes sense to pick up a machine that can brew enough coffee to fill a 32-ounce carafe. With Moka pots, you may need a 6-cup version or higher if you’re sharing it with more than 1 or 2 people.
The bigger the water tank, the longer you can go without refilling it, if it’s a permanent reservoir. If you only drink one or two cups of coffee daily, a tiny water tank will be apt. This also means you’ll get by fine with a great 4-cup coffee maker. But if you share the machine with others at home or work, you’ll want a large tank.
Also, whether you’re using an electric or manual coffee machine, you’ll want to use filtered drinking water for your coffee preparation. The water you use has a significant impact on the taste of your coffee. First, you’ll want to check what type of water you receive, and then find the right filtration system to clean it. You won’t require a high-end filtration system for this; something basic will be enough.
Many electric coffee makers produce coffee swiftly—under 60 seconds sometimes. Some models can take longer or be customized to brew for a longer time (90 to 120 seconds). Manual coffee makers take much more time, between 2.5 to 5 minutes. That said, you’ll want to invest in the fastest coffee maker available for speedier coffee.
If you’re using the coffee machine in an office or any other space with plenty of coffee drinkers, a fast brewing time will be useful. For noise control, you’ll want to avoid machines that are loud and have long brew times.
Most modern electric coffee makers have an automatic shut-off feature that turns the machine off after some inactivity.
But some coffee makers take automatic functions to the next level. To begin with, there’s the Auto-On function that automatically turns the coffee maker on at a fixed time and starts heating. But Auto-Brew goes a few steps ahead of this by letting you schedule your machine to brew a cup for a future time. Again, make sure the machine doesn’t beep too loudly to announce the brewing is done.
Manual coffee makers are lower priced than their electric counterparts. AeroPress coffee makers are available for $30, and you’ll find durable aluminum Moka pots for less than $20, but the price increases as the cup-size increases and the material changes. Electric Moka pots are more expensive, generally $60 or more.
You’ll find low-priced Keurig machines for $70 or sometimes between $50-60 if there’s a sale, and the top-rated Keurig homebrewers can cost around $270. Keurig’s commercial brewers are more expensive and can cost more than $1000.
Latte machines are quite expensive because they’re made of high-quality parts. You can buy a decent latte machine for $500, and as you go up the price ladder, you’ll find more robust and low-maintenance automatic machines. At $1000, you’ll be in the super automatic latte machine range. These machines are heavy on the pocket, but they can last for a few decades.
The better the coffee maker’s craftsmanship, the higher you can expect the price to go, but it also means the machine is designed well to avoid excess noise.
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