Consumer Reports puts coffee makers to the taste test

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Whether you like a latte, energize with an espresso or kick start with a cappuccino you want a coffee maker that can deliver. That's why Consumer Reports testers assess brew time, convenience, and even owner satisfaction on dozens of single-serve, and drip coffee makers.

"It's my reason for getting out of bed," said one coffee drinker.

"That's how I know it's time to get up. My coffee grinder goes off at 7 AM everyday," said another.

An eye opener in the morning or a pick me up in the afternoon - we all love our coffee.

"It's just a nice way to start the day," admitted one person.

The experts at Consumer Reports run coffee makers through brewing performance, timing, and, convenience tests and say the good news is with a great coffeemaker you can get the caffeine you crave at home and for less money per cup.

For coffee connoisseurs you will want to consider a drip coffee maker over single serve or pod machines. And that's where the brew performance test comes in.

"To get the most out of your coffee beans, you want a drip coffee maker that can heat the water between 195 and 205 degrees and hold it there for five minutes or more," said Sara Morrow-Harcourt, Consumer Reports. "If a coffee maker can't do that, chances are good you're not going to get the best tasting cup of coffee."

A $100 Cuisinart, shown in the video above, consistently tops Consumer Reports' ratings, and for good reason! "In our most recent survey, Cuisinart earned Consumer Reports' top rating for owner satisfaction," said Morrow-Harcourt.

For less money you can get comparable brew performance from the $25 Hamilton Beach coffee maker.

If getting that coffee fix fast is your first order of business then a single serve or pod coffee maker might be a better option.

Consumer Reports evaluates single serve coffee makers for temperature and size consistency on individual cups of coffee and most important - how long it takes to deliver that first cup, then how long for that a second cup. And while there's no brew performance test for pod coffee makers, Consumer Reports' expert taste testers weigh in on taste.

"Of the nearly 40 single serve coffee makers Consumer Reports tested none earns better than a good rating for taste which is only mediocre," Morrow-Harcourt.

Instead, Consumer Reports says to consider which brand of coffee pods you want to drink.

Looking for all the bells and whistles? It might cost you. The $380 Delonghi makes espressos and has a built-in milk frother.

"It's great for a crowd of coffee lovers because it delivers not only the first cup especially fast but subsequent cups were speedy, too," Morrow-Harcourt.

It uses Nespresso's coffee capsules.

Think espresso delivers the most caffeine? Consumer Reports says it depends. An ounce - or one shot of espresso contains 63 milligrams of caffeine. Regular coffee has 12 milligrams of caffeine per ounce. So yes, espresso does have more caffeine... except most of us drink at least 8 ounces of regular coffee in a serving, and that would add up to 96 milligrams of caffeine.

Take a look at all of 7 On Your Side's stories with Consumer Reports here.

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