Drip or drip coffee machines have always been the most popular for domestic use, mainly because they offer the possibility of preparing a large quantity of coffee (between one and one and a half litres) at once. They are ideal for making Americano filter coffee. But this operation has a disadvantage, and that is that the coffee machine takes several minutes to heat the water and to produce the coffee drop by drop.
For this reason, many users are looking for a drip coffee machine with a timer, or what is the same, whose start can be programmed at the time that most interests us. Our Latin American readers will also know them as timer coffee machines.
How does a programmable drip coffee machine work?
The timers allow us to program the programmable drip coffee maker at the time we want, generally up to 24 hours in advance.
Programmable drip coffee machines usually have a digital screen, where we can see the time or the time remaining until the programming is activated, and two buttons to configure it: one that serves to define the hours, and another that serves to define the minutes.
To set your timer coffee maker, press the hours and minutes button as many times as you need until the exact time you want your coffee maker to start is shown on display. Be careful: make sure you have a full water tank and coffee already brewed in the filter before activating the programming!
The truth is that the coffee machine timer is a common element in most models of filter coffee machines of medium and high range (not so much in the economic ranges, as you can see here). For example, Oster’s programmable filter coffee machine for American coffee is very popular.
For this reason, and because there are dozens of programmable drip coffee machines on the market, we have decided to make a selection and show you in this ranking only those that we have considered, for various reasons, to be the most relevant.
We have divided these programmable coffee machines into two groups, those with a built-in grinder and those without.
The best programmable drip coffee machines 2023
The following compilation includes several models of programmable filter coffee machines that we think are worth considering if you are thinking of buying a programmable coffee machine with these features. We find them interesting for their performance, for their adjusted price, or a successful combination of both factors.
Later on, we will talk about drip coffee makers that, in addition to the timer, also have a grinder since they are more expensive than these and we consider that they should be evaluated separately. Let’s start:
- Melitta Aroma Elegance Deluxe, 1012-03, Filter Coffee Machine with Glass Jug
- Russell Hobbs Chester Grind and Brew Coffee Machine 22000
Russell Hobbs Cottage
The Russell Hobbs Cottage is on this list primarily because of its great value for money. It is the most economical of all the programmable drip coffee machines you can find on our list, but it doesn’t give up any of the features you’d expect from a mid-range drip coffee machine. If you want more information, you can read its analysis here.
Cecotec Coffee 66 Smart
Cecotec offers two filter coffee machines in its catalogue, one is the Heat, and the other is this Smart version, which has a timer. It is a 1.5-litre capacity machine with a glass jug and an excellent quality-price ratio.
Melitta Look Timer
The Melitta Look is a drip coffee maker with multiple versions and variations. Of all of them, the Look Timer (or Look IV Timer) is the one with the option of programming its operation. It has a 1.25-litre water tank and an impressive stainless steel finish on the top.
Gastroback 42704
A true marvel of German engineering that stands out for its huge 1.8-litre tank and for the options for customising the coffee strength. Not to mention its unbeatable appearance, modern and very, very clean.
AEG KF7700
This AEG KF7700 is a drip coffee machine that, in addition to being on a timer, is one of the largest on the market. Up to 1.7 litres of capacity for making a lot of cups in one go. As you can see, it is also notable for its stainless steel coating, and there is also a top model with a thermal carafe to maintain the temperature better than traditional glass carafes.
Clatronic KA-3482
This Clatronic KA3482 is one of the cheapest and highest capacity programmable drip coffee machines we include in this ranking. It has a massive 1.7-litre capacity tank and can be found for less than 50 pounds. Hard to ask for more for less. Its timer is set similarly to the rest.
Siemens TC80104
The Siemens TC80104 model is perhaps the most high-end of the coffee machines shown here, the one with the most attractive design and the one with the greatest number of features.
Finally, and although we have briefly mentioned some models, we have to make a special mention to the programmable coffee makers of two Chinese brands: Aicok and Aicook.
Both manufacturers burst onto the Hispanic market with force in 2017 and consolidated their position as top sellers in 2018. A large part of their success lies in their unbeatable value for money: a virtue that is maintained in the various models of programmable filter coffee machines they offer in their catalogues.
Programmable drip coffee machines with integrated grinder
Within the drip coffee machines with timer, there is a more advanced subset which are the coffee makers with grinders. These machines, which allow us to program them up to 24 hours in advance, also have a grinder with which we can enjoy the aroma of freshly ground coffee.
Logically, they are also more expensive than the previous ones: they are usually between 150 and 200 £ in the fork. They are mostly at the top of the range in the drip coffee machine segment.
The timer on this type of coffee machine is set the same as that on drip coffee machines without a grinder. The only particularity is that some of them have an option to activate or deactivate the grinder so that we can program the grinding of the coffee or only its preparation through the filter.
The final combination is irresistible: a coffee maker that can be programmed at the time you want and that also gives you freshly ground coffee.
Among the programmable drip coffee machines with a grinder, we can highlight the following models:
Philips HD7769 Grind & Brew
The grinder of this Philips Grind&Brew model has two compartments for storing two different types of coffee beans, allowing us to make our own blends or to serve users with different tastes. It is also quite simple to operate, allowing you to enjoy freshly brewed coffee by simply pressing a button and waiting a few minutes.
In the end, you get an experience similar to having one of the popular superautomatic coffee machines but with filter coffee.
Russell Hobbs Grind & Brew
Another top-of-the-range option is this Russell Hobbs Grind & Brew, with similar characteristics to the previous Philips model but which stands out above all for its completely digital control panel, without buttons, and with a fairly clear layout of the controls. Its price is also very competitive compared to other coffee machines in the same range.
Beem Fresh Aroma Perfect
Beem is a classic among espresso and drip coffee brands. The German firm could not miss this appointment with one of its most prestigious creations: the Fresh Aroma Perfect. It has absolutely everything and, if it fits your budget, it is a 100% safe bet to invest in a programmable drip coffee maker of the highest quality. It’s very similar to the Philips HD7767. You choose according to the offer you have at the moment or the trust each brand places in you.
AEG KAM 300
Perfect looking coffee maker, with stainless steel front, but noticeably cheaper than other models of its competition. The grinder of the AEG KAM 300 has nine different degrees of grinding and the capacity to store up to a quarter of a kilo of coffee beans in its tank.
Philips HD7753
This review of programmable coffee machines would not be complete without the Philips HD7753, a programmable drip coffee machine with a grinder also of a very high level and with similar features to the HD7762 model we have presented in this same ranking. It is a great option, but a little more expensive. You can learn more about its differences by reading the review we did at the time here: a review of the Philips HD7753.
Tristar CM-1235
We ended up with the Tristar CM-1235, the cheapest programmable drip coffee maker of all those included in this analysis. It has a somewhat limited capacity (0.75 litres, for a maximum of 7-8 cups). Still, its attractive price makes it an excellent option to take into account for those sectors of the public that are looking for functionality and practicality at a low cost.
Do you know of any of these programmable drip coffee machine models? Do you have any of these programmable drip coffee machines in your home? Do you think we’ve overlooked other programmable drip coffee machine models that deserve to be highlighted here?
