You can find coffee makers for $15, but many people report lots of issues with them (think very cheap Chinese products). Which maybe perfectly okay for some uses, but this article is focusing on the best coffee maker based on quality, functionality, and durability.
For example, the Black & Decker 4-in-1 5 cup coffee maker (model CM075) doesn’t have a plate heater for the coffee pot. It was available a few stores we visited, but not having the ability to heat the coffee pot was a deal breaker.
Then there was the Mr. Coffee 4-Cup Switch Coffee Maker (model DR5-NP). It is great if you have limited space and budget, but if you drink more than 2 12-oz cups then this is not the right one for you. The product felt extremely cheap. When we did further research we learned that buyers complained the lid breaks off easily. Which we could clearly see would be an issue.
Other coffee makers didn’t warm coffee hot enough, leaked, or coffee tasted plasticky. Although you may feel that saving a few dollars and getting the bear minimum coffee maker is your best bet, please consider that you’re more than likely going to have issues. Hold on to those receipts!
Lastly, most coffee makers on this list contain BPA. When you purchase a cheap coffee maker there is no avoiding it. If the coffee maker is BPA-Free then it will be listed.