What makes a great cup of coffee is usually left up to personal preference but unless you are going for cold brew or iced coffee, most people generally prefer to drink their coffee hot. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), coffee should be brewed between 195°F - 205°F (90°C -96°C).
If you prefer your coffee to be on the hotter end of that spectrum, you are probably asking yourself, which coffee maker brews the hottest coffee? You are going to want to look for a coffee maker that consistently brews at 200 degrees or more.
How hot is coffee usually?
Coffee temperatures can vary greatly but generally they range from 160°F – 205°F. This wide range of brewing temperatures can result in inconsistent flavor and sometimes, just bad coffee. So why the broad range of temperatures? Well, it seems that everyone has an opinion on how hot coffee should really be. The National Coffee Association of the USA recommends coffee be served between 180°F-185°F while the National Institutes of Health state that hot beverages like tea, hot chocolate and coffee are frequently served at temperatures between 160°F-185°F.
Starbucks, one of the most widely recognized coffee chains in the world, brews its coffee at 190°F and serves it at 165°F.
When it comes to coffee, there are two temperatures that should be considered, the brewing temperature and the drinking temperature. Coffee brewed at two high temperatures can actually burn the beans causing an acidic and bitter flavor. According the Specialty Coffee Association, coffee makers would ideally brew at around 200°F, which is just under the boiling temperature of 212°F.
What coffee makers brew at 200 degrees?
If you prefer your coffee to be on the hotter side, you are going to want to look for a coffee maker that brews in the 200°F – 205°F range if you want to get your hottest cup without sacrificing flavor.
Redline MK1
The Redline MK1 has a powerful heating element that reaches the optimal brewing temperature of 195°F – 205°F. It not only brews a great pot of coffee, but it can complete a full brew cycle in only six minutes.
This coffee maker comes with a pre-infusion mode which allows your coffee to bloom before brewing. Blooming provokes your coffee beans to emit carbon dioxide, creating more space between grinds and allowing for optimal flavor extraction.
With only a single switch and a single drip lever, brewing coffee with the MK1 is as simple as it gets. Add the water and ground coffee to the brewer, press the brew switch and you will have a piping hot pot of coffee in only six minutes.
In addition to its performance, the Redline MK1 also has an elegant design. It has a wide mouth water reservoir, designed for easy pouring, a slide out filter basket for easy loading and filling, and comes with a brew pause feature that allows you to sneak a cup of coffee before the pot has finished without making a mess.
Technivorm’s Moccamaster
The Moccamaster is a great coffee maker produced by Dutch company Technivorm, and backed by a five year warranty. This brewer is SCAA approved, and made to last.
It has a copper boiling element inside the water reservoir that heats the water to the perfect brewing temperature. It then releases just enough water to allow the grounds to bloom before brewing to ensure optimal flavor extraction.
If you prefer your coffee a little stronger, it comes with a manual toggle on the brew basket that allows you to slow down the brewing speed for a stronger cup, or stop brewing entirely so you can sneak a cup mid cycle without making a mess.
The Moccamaster will shut off on its own after 100 minutes and if you go with a model that has a heating plate instead of a thermal carafe, you can choose the seating on the heat plate to keep the coffee at either 175°F or 185°F (79°C or 85°C). If you want the hottest coffee, you can choose the 185°F setting.
While it is a bit pricey, it is easy to use and clean, and delivers all of the basics a great coffee maker should. The main reason to invest in a Moccamaster is that it is a quality machine that will outlast all of your other kitchen appliances.
BUNN HB Heat N’ Brew
The BUNN Heat N’ Brew is an SCAA certified coffee maker that is great at making extra hot coffee. BUNN, a company widely recognized in the coffee making industry, doesn’t disappoint with this model.
The Heat N’ Brew coffee maker comes with an automatic warming plate that will turn on even before brewing has finished so that it is the same temperature as the coffee pouring into the carafe. This feature means your coffee will stay just as hot as it was at the time of brewing. Once the brewing process stops, the warming plate will continue to keep your coffee hot for two hours before automatically shutting off.
This machine is designed with a lime-tolerant six-stream spray head, which facilitates the complete saturation of your coffee grounds for optimal flavor extraction.
This coffee maker is programmable so you can prepare your coffee grounds and water in advance, and the machine will begin to brew at the programmed time.
BUNN also claims their carafe has the “cleanest pour.” In addition to its drip free pouring, the carafe is also shatter-resistant.
The brewing speed on the Heat N’ Brew is not the fastest we’ve seen. It takes around 10 minutes to brew a full pot of coffee and it doesn’t have a brew pause feature so you will have to wait the full ten minutes before your first sip.
The longer brew time is because it takes the coffee maker six minutes to heat the water to the desired 200°F for optimal brewing. While the wait is an inconvenience, using the programmable feature can eliminate your wat time.
Cuisinart CPO 850
This eight cup Cuisinart coffee maker is one of the best SCAA certified home brewers on the market. Its design will give you the flavor of a manual pour-over with the convenience of a programmable coffee maker.
The CPO 850 keeps your coffee warm for as long as you want. Cuisinart has designed multiple “keep warm” time options before automatically shutting off, adding to the customized programmability of this machine.
Offering 24 hour programmability, a water filter, and a dishwasher safe thermal carafe (you can also get it in the glass version if a thermal carafe is not your thing).
Ir comes with a brew pause option for those mornings that you just can’t wait for the coffee to finish brewing before you pour your first cup and you can even customize the strength of that first cup. The Cuisinart CPO 850 comes with mild, medium, or bold brew options along with an extra hot button to keep your coffee…well, extra hot.
In addition to making great tasting hot coffee, like all Cuisinart coffee makers, the CPO 850 is durable and built to last. The brushed stainless steel body not only provides strength and durability, but also makes for a modern and elegant design.
Cuisinart DCC 3200 Perfect Temp
The Cuisinart Perfect Temp is a great coffee maker that lives up to the Cuisinart standard. It made our list because it brews hotter coffee without burning it, and to keep your coffee hot, Cuisinart has added a warming plate temperature control feature. You get to control how hot your coffee stays after brewing.
Not only does it brew hot coffee, it can brew up to 14 cups of piping hot coffee.
In addition to the extra large capacity, the DCC 3200 comes with a charcoal water filter, a bold brew setting for an extra strong cup, and a clean indicator light that lets you know when it’s time to clean your coffee maker.
The Perfect Temp also comes with a 24 hour programmability option that allows you to wake up to a fresh pot, and even has a 1-4 cup setting for those days you just need to fill up your travel mug and hit the road.
Capresso CoffeeTEAM TS465
The Capresso CoffeeTEAM TS465 is a great coffee maker with a built in grinder. It grinds your coffee beans immediately before brewing up to 10 cups of coffee and the permanent gold tone filter is easy to use and keep clean.
Its large, 6 ounce bean container will hold enough beans for up to 20 cups of brewed coffee before needing a refill, and the grinder comes with five different settings so you can adjust the grind based on coffee roast type.
The beans are brewed in water just over 200℉ and the finished product is a piping hot 180℉.
The coffee temperature is maintained in a 10 cup stainless steel thermal carafe that keeps the coffee hot for hours without the need to reheat.
The charcoal water filter removes up to 82% of impurities from your water prior to brewing, and the machine comes with an automatic safety shutoff. In addition to these features, the Capresso CoffeeTEAM TS465 also comes with an easy to read LCD display, customizable strength settings, 24 programmability, and a brew pause feature for those mornings you just can’t wait for the brewing cycle to finish before having your first cup.
Ninja Hot and Cold Brew
The Ninja Hot and Cold Brew is one of the most versatile machines on our list. It has six different brew sizes, 5 different brew styles, and a built in milk frother, meaning this brewer can make anything from a cup of coffee to a latte or flat white…it even brews tea!
The Ninja brews at around 205 and will brew a half carafe of coffee in only six minutes. It comes with a thermal carafe that will keep your coffee hot for up to three hours. The thermal carafe is perfect for those mornings you want to come back for cup after cup.
It has a separate tea filter that can be used for either tea bags or loose leaf tea. The machine detects which filter you insert into its slot and then allows you to choose between herbal, black, oolong, white, and green tea brewing options.
In addition to regular coffee and tea, it can also be used to make cold brew. You can select from six different sizes ( single serve all the way up to a full carafe) and you can even control the strength of your drink.
This strength control allows you to make specialty drinks. The specialty setting creates a strong and concentrated brew. Add warm, frothed milk to the concentrate to make lattes, cappuccinos, or even flat whites.
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
The Ninja Specialty coffee maker is a versatile dual coffee maker that gives you the option of brewing a single cup of coffee, an entire carafe, and several options in between.
The SCAA certified coffee maker brews coffee at around 200℉ and the thermal carafe keeps it hot for hours.
This is not your standard hot and cold coffee maker, with a few touches of a button, you can have hot coffee, iced coffee, or a specialty coffee. Unlike the Ninja Hot and Cold Brew, the Ninja Specialty does not make cold brew.
It does however brew in a variety of sizes. Using the dial on the machine you can choose between a small (9.5 oz.) cup, a medium (11.5 oz. cup), a 14 or 18 oz. travel mug, and a half or whole carafe.
In addition to its size options, it also comes with several brewing options for hot or cold drinks. The classic brew setting makes traditional drip coffee while the rich brew is better suited for someone who wants their coffee to have a little more kick. The over-ice brew sets the Ninja apart from most other brewers by making iced coffee directly in the carafe. Finally, the specialty brew setting creates a super concentrated coffee that is similar to espresso. This coffee concentrate can be combined with frothed milk to create lattes, cappuccinos, or even flat whites.
Breville Precision Brew
When it comes to strength and temperature customization, it’s hard to beat the Breville Precision Brewer. It comes with six different brewing modes: Fast, Gold, Strong, Over Ice, My Brew, and Cold Brew.
This is one of the newer models on the SCAA approved list, and the Gold cup option is pre-set to the SCAA’s gold cup standard, meaning brewing the coffee between 195℉-205℉ for a set amount of time.
The My Brew takes it a step further and lets you choose your preferred water temperature, bloom time, brew time, strength, etc., so if you want a super hot cup of coffee you can get it. Just remember, going over 205℉ can burn the coffee, resulting in a bitter tasting brew.
Breville also includes a proportional-integral-deritative (PID) digital temperature control with its themo-coil heating and pump system. This means that this brewer has significantly better precision and adjustability than the typical drip brewer.
In addition to its cup customization, the Precision Brewer will brew up to 12 cups of coffee and comes with a dual filter design which lets you choose between a cone or a flat bottom filter basket (both of which are included).
You can get this brewer with either a glass or stainless steel thermal carafe but if you like your coffee to stay extra hot, we recommend going with the thermal carafe.
Which Keurig brews the hottest coffee?
If you prefer single serve coffee makers but still want the hottest coffee you can get, we suggest you look at the Keurig K575 which comes with 5 different temperature settings.
Keurig K575
In addition to the five temperature settings, this pod style coffee maker is loaded with other options. It offers multiple brew size options, including travel mug sizes and carafe sizes, as well as multiple strength control options.
The removable water reservoir makes refilling a breeze, and it comes with a brew timer, large touch screen monitor with wallpapers, and a nightlight.
How hot is too hot?
Well…it really depends on who you ask. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), coffee should be brewed between 195°F – 205°F (90°C -96°C). The National Coffee Association of the USA says coffee should be served around 180°F – 185°F.
Keep in mind that serving temperature and brewing temperature are two different things.
The temperature of the coffee can also affect its flavor. If you prefer the rounded, sweet, and bitter flavor notes, brew between 155°F – 175°F, but if you prefer a brighter, sharper, and more acidic cups, you should drop down to 120°F – 140°F range. Finally, if you care more about the warming sensation of hot coffee rather than the nuance of flavor, stick to the NCA’s range of 180°F – 185°F.
Finally, no matter what flavor you prefer, if you brew your coffee above 205℉ you are at risk of burning your brew. Brewing above this temperature results in a bitter tasting brew.
Benefits of using a coffee maker that brews at 200℉
Brewing at a higher temperature releases the coffee’s natural essential oils and brings out the best flavor notes. The Specialty Coffee Association of America says coffee should be brewed between 195°F – 205°F so having a coffee maker that brews at at least 200℉ will meet the SCAA brewing standards and produce a great tasting cup of coffee.
Hot Plate vs Thermal Carafe
Many of the brewers we reviewed have the option of a traditional glass carafe with warming plate or thermal carafe. The main thing to consider is would you prefer better flavor and more energy efficiency or a lower price point.
Glass carafes tend to be less expensive but the warming plate continues to heat the coffee, over extracting the oils and making it taste bitter. A thermal carafe comes at a slightly higher price point but will keep your coffee at its optimum brewing temperature for 1-2 hours without the over extraction that comes from a hot plate.
We recommend the thermal carafe. It is a little more expensive but in the long run, you will be glad you went for it!
SCAA certification
In order to get SCAA certified, a coffee maker must meet the rigorous requirements set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. Their prestigious “Gold Cup” certification is only given to a premium selection of coffee makers that meet their Golden Cup requirements regarding water temperature, brewing time, and uniformity of extraction. You can view their exact certification criteria in this document.
Finding Coffee Makers That Keep Coffee Hot
Hot brewing temperatures are one thing, but keeping the brew at a piping hot temperature throughout the morning is another matter altogether. Traditionally, coffee makers keep coffee warm using a glass carafe on a warming plate. Unfortunately, the warming plate can cause the coffee to burn over time, resulting in an over extracted, bitter tasting brew.
If the bitterness doesn’t bother you, look for a coffee maker with a temperature adjustable hot plate, but if you prefer a smoother tasting coffee, go with a model that has a thermal carafe. The thermal carafe will maintain the coffee’s brew temperature for 1-2 hours without sacrificing its flavor notes.
So which is the hottest coffee maker?
It’s a tie. While all the coffee makers we looked at brew hot coffee using a brewing temperature of at least 200℉, the Technivorm Moccamaster and the Breville Precision brew win the prize for hottest coffee maker. The Moccamaster is our favorite but the PID thermo-coil and pump system in the Breville bring it in at a close second.