A review of automatic drip coffee makers in 3 major price ranges
Walmart stores are almost everywhere. They usually have great deals on a lot of their products and their return policy is great too. Depending on the store, there might be a lot of drip coffee makers or maybe just a few to choose from.
We visited several stores and noticed some of the same models in all the stores. Others were exclusive to that particular store. If you’re looking for a specific coffee machine at Walmart and it’s not available at your local store then you can order it online.
In this article we listed a few coffee makers at 3 price brackets. This article also goes over the features, as well as the pros and cons of the best coffee machines at Walmart.
Either Amazon or Walmart will have a better bargain. We’ve added both links for you to see if there is a deal going on to help you save.
If you’re looking for a specific coffee maker at Walmart and it’s not available at your local store then you can order it online.
Prices maybe more or less.
Click the links below to jump to the coffee machine review.
Mr. Coffee 12 Cup BVMC-KNX23 – $25
Hamilton Beach Easy Access 12 Cup 46300 – $30
Black + Decker 12 Cup Thermal Coffeemaker CM2035B – $50
Hamilton Beach 2 Way Brewer Model 49980Z – $60
Cuisinart DCC-3200 – $100
BUNN GRB Speed Brew 38300.0063 – $100
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Model CM401 – Fold Away Frother – $160
Certified top home brewer from the Specialty Coffee Association. Makes just about any specialty coffee concoction you can think of. Most importantly, it brews coffee to perfection.
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.
This model also comes in red, which wasn’t in any of the stores we visited but online only. There were reports that only red was available in the store. If you’re going to buy online we suggest buying something else for this price.
For many people this worked without a hitch. It’s small, modern looking and gets the job done if you’re a casual coffee drinker.
Features include “Strong Brew” button. The regular strength brews quick, but coffee comes out weak. If you attempt to brew a full pot and try to get a cup of coffee, make sure it is quick or the coffee will overflow in the filter basket. Programming the Mr. Coffee BVMC0KNX23 is very simple and it also beeps when your coffee is ready.
The Mr. Coffee BVMC-KNX23 had multiple negative reviews addressing the same issues.
Users complained that after 3 months the timer stopped working.
Another common complaint was leakage coming from under the machine. Customer service for Mr. Coffee explained that hard water causes buildup and makes the machine malfunction. To keep this from happening you should descale the mac
We like this model more due to the front swivel in the front. You can easily add coffee grounds and is made if you lack height clearance under the cabinets. Although there are few buttons it packs some useful features.
It’s programmable, regular or bold coffee, and an optional clean cycle reminder every 30 uses. It also has a place for a water filter, which is sold separately.
The reason we didn’t make it our #1 choice was because we couldn’t find it in 3 Walmarts in our metropolitan area. This model is being phased out for the 46310 (Amazon link) However, it is available in many other stores. If you find it then we recommend the Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker model 46300 in this price range.
They also make a smart version available of this model. You can check out our review of smart coffee makers here. Being able to make coffee with your phone is pretty cool, so be sure to check out that article to learn about the pros and cons of smart coffee makers.
Hamilton Beach Easy Access 46300 makes bitter coffee. When you “sneak a cup” while brewing, you’re letting the coffee percolate longer. The Despite the drawbacks, if you can find one at the store, then go with the Hamilton Beach Easy Access 12 Cup 46300. Especially if you’re going to add a milk and sugar to your coffee to offset the bitterness.
The Black+Decker CM2035B is another small coffee maker that does what it claims to do. As previously mentioned, we’re stayed away from coffee makers without a warming plate. This doesn’t have a heating plate, but we liked the idea of a thermal carafe keeping the the coffee hot.
This biggest selling point on here is the coffee taste. There are a few features that improve the quality of the coffee. One is the thermal carafe. This prevents the coffee having the burnt, late night diner coffee taste.
The next is the way the coffee is brewed by evenly distributing the water over the bed of coffee grounds in the filter. This allows you to extract the coffee, without waste, and get a strong cup.
The lid breaking was the biggest issue by consumers. Another common complaint was you should be mindful to close the carafe lid when it’s done brewing to keep it warm. Otherwise heat escapes. There isn’t an option for water filters.
There is a little tricky marketing language used in the article. It says 1-4 cups, but as much water as you add, it will brew that entire amount. Unfortunately, you cant add 4 cups of water and brew 1 cup of it. What you put in is what you get out.
If you make the maximum amount of coffee the water percolates for longer than necessary. This over extract the coffee from the grounds, which is going to leave you with a bitter cup of coffee.
If you’re the type that usually brews one cup on the way out, but also need a few more for other members of the household then this coffee maker may prove to be convenient.
Standing 12.5 inches tall and 15 inches wide, it’s not the smallest coffee maker on this list. It is the only coffee maker to make a single cup though. We liked the convenience idea. Use the filter on the single serve as a scoop. Although it says it takes pods, beware, it doesn’t take K-cup pods. Nor does it come with a travel mug shown in pictures.
Programmable brewing time, automatic shutoff, and adjustable single serve cup size are some of the features that stand out at this price range.
We reviewed a similar model (CBC-6800) that is exclusively sold at Costco (it was reviewed as the best coffee maker at Costco).
We contacted a Cuisinart representative and they explained that they made several models that are essentially the same but sold at specific retailer stores. Most of the replacement parts are the same. This specific DCC-3200 is the most popular model selling at the most retail stores.
What makes this coffee maker stand out is the ability to control the temperature. We all know some people enjoy coffee at different temperatures. The DCC-3200 takes care of that with an easy toggle.
The biggest issue with this Cuisinart DCC-3200 was that if the coffee filter isn’t placed firmly in place the water in the coffee filter rises. This causes the loose coffee grounds to rise and clog the water dispenser.
If you’re handy you can figure out how to fix it and there are videos online that show you how (yes, it’s a common issue).
Good thing about this model is since it’s so popular you can easily find replacement parts for the DCC-3200. Below are links for a few.
BUNN is an American coffee machine manufacturer. If you don’t know about the brand, chances are you’ve had coffee out of their commercial machines at any late-night diner or church.
This machine is as straight forward as it gets. No real bells and whistles, just great coffee – really fast. When we say fast, we mean under 3 minutes. It brews very fast because there is a switch on the side that keeps the water reservoir hot.
The coffee tastes better due to the way the water showers the coffee grounds evenly. Also the water tank is made of commercial grade stainless steel. The carafe is specially designed by BUNN, in order not to drip or spill.
You’re paying for an American manufactured product that lasts a long time and backed by 3 year warranty and great customer service. Last year this product was $120, but as of this writing the price has rolled back to $99.
Minimum 4 cups of coffee can be made or it wont work. It’s also a bit larger than most coffee makers in on this list.
To be fair, this machine is better suited for an office or workplace. The water is constantly kept at ~200, which uses a bit of electricity. Unless there is a lot of coffee being consumed then this isn’t the best choice.
These coffee machines have all won awards from the Specialty Coffee Association. These machines have met rigorous quality standards by coffee experts. There are only about 20 machines on the market that qualify for the SCA Golden Cup standards (read about their standards here)
The coffee machines listed below all fit in that category. These some of these models may not be available at your local store, but we did find some models at most of the Walmart stores we checked.
Both coffee makers listed in this price range are BPA-Free.
If you know Ninja kitchen products, it’s probably through their Bullet Blender and not the coffee maker. This Ninja specialty coffee maker is the Swiss-Army Knife of specialty coffee machines.
With 6 brew sizes, 4 different brew types, and a built in milk frother; this machine allows you to make iced lattes, macchiato, cappuccinos and many more coffee drinks very easily.
The main reason why it’s SCA Golden Cup certified is because of the even extraction method used. It allows the coffee grounds to bloom (let the coffee release CO2 before being fully saturated, which releases optimal flavor). All this is done at a carefully consistent temperature for optimal results. The “smart” warming plate gradually reduces the temperature in order not to burn the coffee.
It’s dish water safe for easy cleanup and the water tank is removable. Which is great because you can store it under a cabinet and not have to continuously pull out the entire machine.
The feature the was missing was keeping the coffee pot hot for a long period of time. I feel this coffee maker is for those who spend a lot at Starbucks and want to save money without sacrificing quality or time.
If you love espresso then this is not the machine for you. Ninja states you get a coffee concentrate, but it’s not pressurized, which is necessary for espresso. That being said, you can use the coffee concentrate feature to get a good iced coffee that isn’t watered down or a cappuccino.
Another SCA Gold Certified coffee maker. As of this writing in spring 2020, this machine is new to Walmart.
There are the standard features such as auto shutoff, and removable water reservoir. What sets this machine apart from other lower priced machines is that you can select your cup size and temperature. Fill the water tank to the brim, but selct 1 cup and get 1 cup. Not many machines can do such a simple task.
SCA certified the machine because of the way coffee is allowed to bloom and kept at a consistent temperature throughout the percolating process. This should make coffee snobs rejoice.
In the model shown here there is an internal water spout that allows you to make tea without getting the 2 residual flavors mixed up.
There is a lot of features, which leaves a lot of room for mistakes. If you’re looking for a one-press-start simple coffee machine then this is not your machine. There is a lot of information online about it and work arounds to some flaws.
If you’re not tech savvy then we recommend you try something else. Also, if you love coffee, but not really a coffee snob in terms of understanding body, aroma, and acidity, etc. then this maybe overkill.
So you want to learn more about coffee? Don't want to spend eons in coffee college to get that perfect cup? Check out this article to learn how to easily make great coffee.
Thought about making your life a little easier? Have a look at our no nonsense guide on the best coffee makers for your situation.
Wondering what to get as a gift for that person who LOVES coffee? Check out this short list of the best gifts for coffee lovers.
