What Is the Best Coffee Maker Under 50 Dollars? - Our Top Picks
If you wish to start brewing coffee at home, there’s no better time for it with the variety of machines one can buy. They vary in price and functions greatly, and you may not want to start with multifunctional tools they have in coffee shops. We suggest starting with simple drip coffee machines and figuring out your next purchase while enjoying a certain degree of automation. Who knows, some people don’t need anything more and are completely happy with these affordable coffee makers.
Right now we’ll be focusing on machines within the $50 price range. Some will cost just that, while others may be obtained for as little as $20. Further on, we’ll direct your attention to things that matter when choosing, as well as suggest our top picks that may suit your needs.
Things Worth Checking When Planning to Buy a Coffee Maker
Heating Plate
It may happen that when answering “What is the best coffee maker under 50 bucks?”, you may not consider a heating plate as a decisive factor. Nevertheless, it’s becoming more and more common for even cheap coffee machines. Its function is clear, it keeps the coffee warm longer, usually for an hour or two, until the machine switches off by itself. A warming plate is also used to preheat cups and mugs.
Brewing Temperature
It seems obvious that a coffee maker should be adjusted to provide you with a brew of optimal temperature, yet many of them fail to do so. And since it usually can’t be regulated, it comes down to choosing the right model. It’s not nice when coffee is too hot, but at least it can cool off a bit. It’s worse when a machine fails to heat it properly. We made sure our top picks are free of those problems.
Brewing Strength
There aren’t that many adjustments with coffee makers of a lower price range, but you can at least look for brewing strength. There may be a couple of options, bold and regular, while with other models you will have to regulate it yourself by the amount of water you pour in.
Capacity & Number of Cups
Before you set out to find the highest customer satisfaction rated drip coffee maker under 50 bucks, you should decide on the capacity that interests you. It can be a single-serve machine or one that can brew 5, 10, 15 servings at once. Obviously, you should look at your consumption rate and the number of people who will be actively using the machine. More isn’t always better, and it may be more beneficial to get a single-cup coffee brewer with extra functions.
Maintenance Cost
The easier cleaning and basic maintenance are, the more durable and cheaper the machine will be in the long run. Some models are cheap, but when it comes to maintenance and repair, you will find out it’s easier to buy a new one. The coffee-brewing models on our list have easily removable parts for improved cleaning and longer service life.
Comparison Chart of our Top 7 Affordable Coffee Brewers
Mueller 10 Ounces Coffee Maker | $39.99 | Standard cups and mugs up to 4 inches fit Brews coffee under 3 minutes |
Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker | From $24.99 | A programmable 24-hour time span Grab-a-Cup feature that pauses brewing |
Black & Decker 5-Cup Percolator | From $24 | Very cheap and conveniently-sized Quiet and easy in operation |
Hamilton Beach Flex Brew | $39.85 | Supports ground coffee beans and coffee pods Two brewing strength options |
Black & Decker Thermal Coffeemaker | $49.87 | A thermal carafe for improved heat retention Allows getting coffee while it’s brewed |
Aicok Stainless Steel | $40 | Compact and durable Easy to take care of |
Chefman 14 Ounces Coffee Maker | From $42 | Super slim and powerful Supports coffee capsules and ground beans |
Our 7 Top Reviewed Candidates for the Best Coffee Maker Under $50
Mueller 10 Ounces Coffee Maker
- Quick brewing
- Turns off on its own
- All single cups should fit it
- Compact design
- Operated with a single-touch switch
- Big coffee mugs may not fit
- Plastic, not the sturdiest material
It's a single-cup brewer, serving 10 oz at a time, so you’ll have to pour water in it for every portion of the dark elixir. The bright side is you’ll always have coffee with fresh water. The machine can be fit easily in many places, however small ones, and you can fit all standard cups and mugs up to 4 inches into it (even up to 4.5 inches if you take out the tray).
A single-button operation and a quick brewing process (it’s only 3 minutes) make it the best choice for many customers and happy owners. It works with the most common single-serve coffee capsules and multiple-serve pods, resulting in a wide variety of tastes you can get.
It is very undemanding in operation and maintenance, and a removable drip tray means easy cleaning. There aren’t many additional features you get with this coffee maker, which is understandable for its small price. You can rely on the auto turn-off function to save you energy instead of hours of idle operation should you forget about after getting your coffee.
Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
- Programmable delay brewing up to 24 hours
- Grabbing a cup while brewing is paused
- An automatic power-off
- Brews coffee in 3 to 5 minutes
- Easy to clean and maintain
- The filter basket removal isn’t intuitive
- Reported lifespan is relatively short
Mr. Coffee is an old and reliable brand, and this model being a best selling coffee maker under 50 proves it. In fact, you can get it for twice as little, and for such a low price, it’s truly a fantastic buy. It’s neat and easy-to-fit if you don’t have much free space for a coffee machine. A glass carafe holds 12 cups, so you won’t run out of freshly brewed coffee that quickly. Well, unless you intend to use it for a really large group of people, so do your count.
The coffee will remain warm for two hours straight until the machine cuts the power. You can see when this will happen after coffee is ready by checking the timer. Getting a programmable version of this machine will also be a smart move if you want to come and have your coffee waiting at a specific time. You can program Mr. Coffee to start making its magic up to 24 hours from now.
Another useful feature is an auto-pause that will let you take and pour some coffee while it’s brewing. With a filter basket that is easy to clean, this classic brand delivers another great and extremely affordable product.
Black & Decker 5-Cup Percolator
- Takes very little space
- Highly affordable
- Provides 5 cups of coffee at once
- Quiet and straightforward
- A carafe is known to be easily broken
- No auto-shutoff
With the price of only around $20, this one is definitely our suggestion for a coffee maker under 50 bucks. As one would expect, it’s really small, meaning you can easily carry it with you if you’re going somewhere for a short time maybe and feel like you will enjoy some drip coffee there. It’s a single-switch machine, so just find a small area for it, plug it in, and start brewing!
In just about 5 minutes, you will have 5 cups of coffee for yourself and even to treat a few other people. Its glass carafe has a comfortable handle made of plastic, just like the rest of the machine. It makes it more lightweight but also less durable. For this price, though, you should be able to afford a new one every couple of years (the duration of its warranty period) or try something from a higher price range. And while you’re choosing your next coffee brewer, enjoy this Black & Decker.
It even offers some useful features like a durable grounds filter that is equipped with a detachable basket. Besides, you don’t have to worry about drinking your coffee right away as a heating plate will keep it warm for another hour.
Hamilton Beach Flex Brew
- Compact and nicely-looking
- Both ground beans and K-cups can be used
- Two brewing strength options
- Durable and easy-to-maintain
- Not programmable
- Single serves only
While you shouldn’t expect to find a decent grind and brew coffee maker under 50 dollars, this model does have a brew pocket for ground coffee, as well as a single-serve pod appliance. It’s a nice-looking small-sized coffee machine for those who will be satisfied by getting a single cup of coffee at a time.
Speaking of time, it takes very little of it to get an 8 oz cup – only about 1.5 minutes, and less than 2.5 minutes to fill a 14 oz travel mug. Setting up or removing a cup-rest will help regulate the height for a specific cup, so that it’s as close to the nozzle as possible.
There are also two options in terms of brewing – regular and bold. A scoop filter allows choosing different grinds, but you should avoid putting in too finely ground coffee to avoid spilling over. It’s better to use a medium ground coffee with the bold option on if you want stronger coffee.
The combination of plastic and stainless steel makes this model more durable and easily maintainable. There’s an automatic power-off feature, and the machine keeps coffee warm for at least an hour.
Black & Decker Thermal Coffeemaker
- A thermal carafe
- A sprout for perfect pour without spillage
- Programmable auto brew options
- Brew strength choices
- Sneak-a-Cup for mess-free coffee retrieval
- Shorter service life than desired
- It loses brewing temperature with time
This could as well be the best coffee maker under 50 dollars, and a single look is enough to make such a conclusion. It combines a number of important functions and qualities which also make it pricier than some of the alternatives we have already mentioned.
This is a 12-cup coffee brewer mostly notable for its thermal carafe. While the machine itself is plastic for the most part, carafe’s main material is stainless steel. This coffee container is also vacuum-sealed and has double walls meant to keep the temperature of the liquid inside for longer. And while that may not be considerably longer than other machines offer, you should be able to treat your guests, friends, or coworkers with pleasantly-warm coffee.
The coffee maker comes with a digital programmable display that will let you select the brewing strength, as well as flavor intensity. The machine also lets you set a delay starting time within 24 hours. The device turns off after some time of idle stay.
Aicok Stainless Steel
- Compact and durable
- Goes off automatically
- A glass carafe with a 10-cups capacity
- A warming plate
- Easily-cleaned elements
- Only brews coffee pods
- No programming
Here’s another single-serve model that is also probably the most durable coffee maker under 50 bucks. It’s not entirely stainless steel, though, but it’s shiny metallic hopper does make an impression. The carafe is made of glass with a plastic handle and lid. Nevertheless, the company offers a 2-year warranty, which has proven to be the minimum age of this coffee maker functioning trouble-free. A good result for such cheap machines.
The coffee is supposed to be brewed in just 3 minutes, which happens successfully. It is compatible with the majority of single cup-pods, but does not support ground coffee. There are also no brewing mods to select as the body of the machine is equipped with a single button for turning it on. Many people prefer it that way when they are looking for a simple-to-operate coffee-brewing unit that is also small.
The machine also shuts off automatically, so that’s one less thing to worry about. Its drip tray and water container are both removable, making them easy to clean.
Chefman 14 Ounces Coffee Maker
- Extremely compact
- Super short brewing time
- Powerful machine providing natural taste
- Supports ground coffee and K-cups
- Not extra features or accessories
- A short warranty period
This narrow coffee maker is the most compact yet on our list, making it even easier to carry with you in places where you would want to plug it in and get 14 ounces of coffee. It’s arguable whether it’s the best tasting coffee maker under 50 dollars, but it’s definitely the fastest. It takes only half a minute from the moment you switch it on using the single button and to the completion of brewing. Impressive, right? Don’t mind its size, it holds the power of 950 watts, making such speed possible.
What else is packed into this slim machine? Apart from a reusable filter, nothing else, really. However, it works equally well with single serve pods and ground coffee. However, you will need your own mug to pour the fresh coffee into as it comes without a carafe or anything like it.
The coffee maker is made from stainless steel along with BPA-free materials, making it safe and reliable. Although the company only provides a 1-year warranty, it easily lasts longer, and it’s easy to take care of.
Conclusion
We tried to provide you with varied enough options so that you could find your perfect coffee maker, as much as this price limit allows. Hopefully, our guide helped you to make the list of features you would like to get or even pointed out a specific model. Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Programmable brewing machine will be a perfect choice for a big company or a family. A single-cup coffee brewer that is easy to carry? Well, that would be Chefman 14 Ounces Coffee Maker or Hamilton Beach Flex Brew. Well, you get the point, it’s up to you to make the final choice. We hope you’ll be happy with your coffee maker!
FAQ
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What is the best coffee maker brand under 50 dollars?
Mr. Coffee, Black & Decker, Mueller, Hamilton Beach are some of the best-known and reputable coffee machine brands. -
What is the best automatic coffee maker under $50?
Above, we have prepared a list of our top picks that will help narrow the search. However, there can be no ultimate answer because of individual preferences, like a single serve vs. a large number of cups, ground coffee vs. coffee capsules, and so on.
Renat Mamatkazin
Founder and owner of Lion Coffee and 3ChampsRoastery, 1st place winner of Ukrainian Barista Championship 2017. Interested in travelling, football and Formula-1 (besides coffee, of course).