Best 5 Cup Coffee Maker For Easy Brewing

How much coffee is too much? Asking for a friend …

But seriously, most of us need multiple cups to get going, but no one wants to waste any precious liquid gold.

Even as an ex-barista, I can easily get lost in the mix with so many options. 

I’ve scoured the Internet to find the best 5 cup coffee maker for both you and me. Yup. My 4-5 cup daily addiction warrants therapy…I know.

So keep reading for the details, or check out my favorite 5 cup coffee makers directly below:

Best 5 Cup Coffee Maker Review 2024

1. Bonavita BV1500TS

The Good

The Bonavita BV1500TS brews a bonafide beautiful batch of bean juice. It brews at a consistent 91-96 degrees C (195-205 F), perfect for brewing and is SCAA certified.

This coffee maker has your typical one-button start feature, a must for anyone who can barely get out of bed long enough to press that button first thing in the morning. It also has an auto-off feature, so no worries about wasted electricity and higher bills.

There’s even a pre-infusion mode (all you have to do is hold down the start button), which soaks the coffee grounds in water before brewing. 

This distributes water better through your grounds and prevents pockets of under- or over-extracted coffee. Perfecting the brewing process.

That is, pre-infusion makes your coffee better. With the Bonavita, it can keep your brewing time to under 5 minutes.

The thermal carafe keeps coffee warm for a long time without ruining the flavor.

Most parts are dishwasher safe and easy to clean!

The Bad

The Bonavita brews 5 cups of coffee — at 5 ounces per cup. 

This is true of almost every 5 cup machine, but it’s worth understanding now that 5 cups really means about 25 ounces of coffee.

The carafe design isn’t ideal, and its shape can make it tough to pour well, but with the lid put on properly it’s manageable.

The Bonavita BV1500TS doesn’t have a hot plate, but the thermal carafe will keep your batch warmer longer.

This coffee maker is short on extra features like timers or programmed brew times.

Best For: Anyone who wants a few cups of truly great coffee but who doesn’t need a full 5-cup coffee maker or many extras.

2. Black + Decker 5-Cup Coffeemaker

This Black + Decker 5 cup coffee maker is a simple, compact choice with a few key features that go far. It’s affordable, reliable, and surprisingly convenient.

The Good

Who doesn’t love a few frills? This Black + Decker 5 cup coffee maker comes with extras, like the “sneak-a-cup” (a brew-pause) feature, which lets you pause brewing to fill your mug. 

Because who’s got time to wait for that ultra-fresh, piping hot coffee?

There’s even a lighted on/off switch and a water window to help you gauge how full the reservoir is.

The permanent, a.k.a. reusable, filter — hello money saved! — is also machine washable. 

That’s another convenience. But if you want to use paper filters anyway, your typical basket-shaped variety will work just fine.

The overall design of this coffee maker is petite, too, which makes it a great fit for small kitchens or dorms when you still need to be able to brew several cups at once.

The Bad

The biggest drawback here again is the loose definition of 5 cups.

Like the Bonavita model above, this Black + Decker coffee maker assumes a cup is 5 ounces (not a full 8 oz), which means it makes about 25 ounces of brewed coffee. Although, Black + Decker says the precise amount will vary by brew method.

This coffee maker would still be almost perfect if it were programmable, but alas, it’s not. Nonetheless, this Black + Decker coffee pot is easy to use but still needs to be started manually.

As a final note: forgetful types should be careful with this coffee maker. The burner is NOT an auto-off type.

Best For: Students, studio renters, and anyone with little kitchen space. You’ll still get plenty of delicious coffee for a good price, but it’s gonna take a couple of pots to satisfy a full house.

3. Zojirushi EC-DAC50 5 Cup Drip Coffee Maker

The Zojirushi Zutto line 5 cup drip maker is a unique little machine perfect for pour-over and drip lovers alike.

The Good

This Zojirushi coffee machine has a removable water reservoir, meaning you can take it out to fill up at the sink. That beats having to make two trips if you gauge your water needs wrong.

Measuring lines are still visible on the water window, though. So you can still fill it up in place should you want to.

The Zutto 5 cup comes with a charcoal water filter which should last two years under “normal use.” It’s replaceable when it finally needs retiring.

In fact “zutto” means “always” in Japanese, and this coffee maker is designed to be used just as long. The Zutto line of products are meant to be both beautiful and long-lasting.

This pretty face is also built taller than it is squat, making it a space saver, too.

The carafe is also made of glass — as pretty as it is functional and durable. Zojirushi started in glass bottles for vacuums and thermal carafes, so the carafe on this coffee brewer should be high quality.

This machine comes with a measuring spoon, helping you get more consistent results.

The Bad

Here’s the thing about this Zutto 5 cup maker: it’s more of an automatic pour over machine than a drip coffee maker.

This could be the best thing ever — how many pour-over lovers wish they could automate the process while getting ready in the morning? But it’s a bummer if you like regular ol’ drip coffee.

This also means you will have better results if your ground coffee is finer than typical drip grounds.

Like a pour over you will also need to use cone-shaped paper filters.

Some users find hacks for this, but there doesn’t seem to be any official reusable filter for this model. So you’d have to try filters for other coffee makers at your own risk.

As is standard, we’re still talking a 5-ounce cup size here, not the full 8 ounces you may be expecting when you think of the best 5 cup coffee makers.

Best For: Pour over lovers who want something between drip and pour over with little effort.

4. Krups Simply Brew Compact 5 Cup Coffee Brewer

This coffee brewer from Krups is a simple, but reliable machine with no frills or fuss.

The Good

This Krups coffee maker is well made. It’s downright pretty with its black and stainless steel exterior and glass pot — which by the way, is dishwasher safe.

The water window is clear on the side of the machine, and the opening on top where you fill the water reservoir is wide enough to keep you from spilling.

It has a keep-warm function and brew-pause feature, too!

Like the Black + Decker model, this Krups coffee pot also has a reusable filter, which is convenient and more cost-effective.

Also like the Black + Decker maker, the Krups 5 cup maker uses a charcoal water filter, which is supposed to purify water better.

The Bad

The biggest drawback of this Krups brewer is that sometimes a few grounds will leak through. This seems to happen with both the reusable and paper coffee filters.

It doesn’t seem to happen often enough to be a big problem, but it’s something to be aware of.

A minor con is the lack of programmable brewing process (no matter what online listings say), or an auto-off feature.

But of course, we’re still talking about drip makers, which are pretty darn easy to work with.

Best For: Coffee lovers who want a simple go-to coffee maker in the morning from a trusted brand.

5. Holstein Housewares 5 Cup Compact Coffee Maker

This Holstein coffee machine is perfect for anyone who just needs a simple, affordable coffee maker at home.

The Good

This Holstein coffee maker is simply cute. The carafe is made out of durable and eye-pleasing glass and the body of the machine comes in four bright colors: teal, blue mint, red, and yellow.

This coffee machine comes with a measuring scoop and reusable cone filter.

This Holstein maker has an auto brew pause feature. Just remove the carafe mid-brew and the machine will automatically stop brewing coffee until you put it back.

It also has a nonstick hot plate to keep coffee warm.

Other features like the side view water window and compact design are also great bonuses to this 25-ounce (five 5-ounce cups) maker.

The Bad

This is a fairly cheap coffee maker, which means it was made with cheap materials. 

It seems to hold up pretty well and is worth it for many who just want a simple cup of coffee in the morning, but it’s no stainless steel, top-of-the-line model, either.

You’re also stuck with this permanent filter. If you prefer a paper filter or just don’t like the way this filter works with your coffee, you’re out of luck. This filter is not a regular cone shape and will be tough to swap out.

If you aren’t picky about how your coffee comes out, you may be able to use a smaller paper filter, but home baristas won’t want to take the risk.

That auto brew-pause function is also imperfect. Expect a few drops to hit the hot plate before the brew cycle comes to a full stop.

Finally, you’ll have to turn this machine off manually.

Best For: Anyone who just wants a pot of coffee that will stay hot and doesn’t care about cafe-quality brews at home.

6. AmazonBasics 5-Cup Coffeemaker

Alexa, start the coffee! This AmazonBasics coffee maker is simple, “smart,” and affordable.

The Good

Finally, a 5 cup machine with an auto-off feature! The built-in sensor for this AmazonBasics coffee maker will automatically shut off if the carafe (which is glass) gets too hot.

It’s not a regular programmable coffee maker, but it can function like one if you have a Smart Switch. It works with Alexa, too.

It comes with a reusable coffee filter, which some users have found works better than average metal coffee filters. No grit in this cup!

It has your typical visible water window, too.

The Bad

This AmazonBasics drip maker is a great little find … until it isn’t. Like a lot of Amazon products, some models are great, and some really aren’t.

Some users find their maker works well for a short period of time, but stops working well, or at all, within a year. Others notice issues with the carafe spout shape or brew sensor.

You’ll also need to hand wash the carafe and filter for this one.

Best For: Those who want to sync their coffee pot with Alexa or Smart products at a low cost.

7. Mr. Coffee 5 Cup Programmable Coffee Brewer

Sometimes you need something that’s programmable, like Mr. Coffee here! He’s the same brand you know and love, so it’s no surprise he’s on our list.

The Good

Last but not least, we have a programmable coffee maker!

This Mr. Coffee brewer can be set to a timer, so hot coffee is waiting for you by the time you’re dressed. Or before. Who’s judging?

It also has a brew-pause feature, so you can grab it without thinking or waiting when you’re still in your bunny slippers.

Mr. Coffee also comes with a nylon filter — a great alternative for those who don’t love the taste of coffee brewed with metal filters, but who don’t want the extra expense or waste.

It also comes with a water filtration disc to add over the filter. The filter basket is easy to remove and clean, too. And it’s dishwasher safe!

The carafe is designed to be ergonomic. The machine will shut off automatically after a while, too.

The Bad

Although not a bad drip machine, you may find Mr. Coffee isn’t the same coffee-making machine he used to be. Longtime users often say this model isn’t what it used to be.

You may notice a little leaking when pouring, inconsistencies with the brew-pause feature, and other small issues.

A bigger issue is that the grounds basket can overflow if you tend to use more coffee (or make stronger pots). 

Not everyone will run into this, but if you know you need stomach-rotting coffee, consider upping to an 8 cup model.

Best For: Anyone who wants convenient, good coffee they don’t need to lift a finger for in the morning.

Things To Think About

Carafe Type

Glass carafes are most common in 5 cup coffee brewers. They’re high quality, fairly cheap, and don’t retain old flavors. They pair well with a hot plate, too, since they don’t retain their heat for long.

A thermal carafe is harder to find, but worth the search. With two walls, coffee is kept nice and hot without a hot plate — which can burn the coffee and make it bitter if left on too long.

Programmability

Another feature to scout for in coffee makers is an auto brew or brew cycle timer function. 

This lets you program the machine to start brewing at a specific time or to program how much coffee you want to make at once.

You can set the machine to match your alarm clock and have a hot pot of coffee waiting for you by the time you stumble into the kitchen (and pour yourself a cup of ambition …).

Other Features

Drip makers tend to be simple, but there are a few features that are pretty common and worth looking out for.

• Brew pause feature — lets you pause brewing to fill a cup before the pot is filled.
• Auto off — machine automatically shuts off after a certain time to keep coffee from overheating.
• Hot plates — keep coffee warm longer.
• Reusable filters — save you from having to constantly buy single-use paper filters.

Coffee Equipment Durability

Ideally, your coffee brewer will last as long as possible. 

Opt for coffee machines with a stainless steel carafe or other parts, choose glass over plastic pots, etc. 

Cleaning

Most drip coffee makers are easy to clean, but it’s always worth checking reviews to make sure the model you’re looking at is up to snuff.

Some coffee makers are prone to spills and drips, which means more wipe-downs throughout the week. Just make sure there’s no hot plate when you take a towel to it!

Removable water reservoirs are also good because they are easy to take out and clean.

You can also look for carafes, filter baskets, and any reusable dishwasher-safe filters for convenient cleaning.

The Final Verdict

Overall, the best 5-cup coffee maker is the Bonavita BV1500TS (the best premium brewer).

But, if you’re on a tighter budget, check out the Black + Decker model (the ideal budget solution).

For those of you after something a little different, take a look at the Zojirushi Zutto, which hovers between an automatic drip and a pour-over.