Contents
- SCAA Certified Coffee Makers - Unmissable Buying Guide
- Best SCAA Certified Coffee Makers of 2020 to Brew a Golden Cup [Top 7 Reviews]
- 1. Bonavita Connoisseur - Our Top Pick
- 2. Technivorm Moccamaster KBT741 - Premium Pick
- 3. BUNN Heat N Brew - Best Programmable
- 4. Breville Precision Brewer - Most Precise & Reliable
- 5. Cuisinart CPO-850 - Most Flavor Customizability
- 6. KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Brewer - Most Stylish
- 7. Ninja CM407 Specialty Coffee Maker - Most Versatile
- FAQs
Average coffee is not an option. You want the creme de la creme. Perhaps a barista-worthy cup of joe but obtained quickly and easily thanks to the practicality of automatic brewers?
In that case, look no further than the best SCAA certified coffee makers!
After all, only a handful of models have currently been bestowed this prestigious certification.
To find a SCAA coffee brewer that makes your life easier, check out our buying guide before diving into the reviews.
Let’s get you one step closer to your first Golden Cup!
AT A GLANCE: OUR TOP 3 PICKS
Bonavita Connoisseur
- Simple one-button coffee maker without bells & whistles
- 6-minute carafe
- Premium pour over style features
Moccamaster KBT741
- Unique copper-heating element for impeccable precision
- Always even extraction
- 5-year warranty
(it’s made to last!)
Peet’s Costa Rica
- Programmable
- Pour over style extraction
- Different quantities
SCAA Certified Coffee Makers - Unmissable Buying Guide
Not all coffee makers are the same! Here are the most important features that you should consider, but let’s start with the basics.
What is SCAA Certified?
SCAA certified means that a coffee maker is approved by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and guaranteed to meet their Golden Cup requirements. (1)
Coffee shall exhibit a brew strength, measured in Total Dissolved Solids, of 11.5 to 13.5 grams per liter, corresponding to 1.15 to 1.35 "percent" on the SCA Brewing Control Chart, resulting from a solubles extraction yield of 18 to 22 percent. - Specialty Coffee Association
You don’t have to worry about these complicated numbers, but rather understand what they translate into: a consistent, excellent cup of coffee, that is.
Only the best automatic drippers can meet all these criteria, so one thing’s for sure: when it comes to SCAA certified coffee makers, you really don’t have to worry about quality!
Here are the features that you should look for instead.
Brewing capacity
How many people do you usually brew for?
To give you an idea, 8 cups is one of the most popular options.
However, if you have a large household full of coffee lovers, it might not be enough.
Likewise, if you also want to be able to brew a single cup or fill up your travel mug before heading to work, larger carafes that don’t offer this option will result in a lot of waste.
Figure out what size suits your coffee needs before falling in love with a specific SCAA certified coffee maker.
Customizability & features
If you literally just want a SCAA certified coffee maker that brews a full carafe of excellent joe, there’s no need to pay more money for features that you’re not going to use.
However, you also don’t want to end up with something that doesn’t meet your expectations.
Some features offered by certain SCAA coffee makers are:
- Programmability: the machine wakes up before you do and lets you find a carafe of joe ready to be chugged down (#DreamLife);
- Strength control: for regular or bolder-tasting coffee;
- Pre-infusion: to let your coffee bloom before brewing it, unlocking more flavors just like with manual pour overs;
- Brew pause: so that you can enjoy a cup of coffee without waiting for the entire carafe to be brewed.
PRO TIP: Make a note of what you don’t think you could go without to make sure that your new SCAA certified coffee maker ticks all the boxes.
Carafe: glass or thermal?
Overall, we recommend thermal carafes: made of stainless steel, they do a much better job of keeping your coffee piping hot for longer and, especially, just as tasty as it would be had you drunk it immediately.
Because glass carafes rely on a hot plate, they can end up stewing and over-extracting the coffee, compromising its flavor. Plus, they’re not as durable, so you need to pay more attention when handling them.
However, a glass carafe could work better for you if you’re looking for cheaper options, if you usually drink your coffee immediately and (let’s be honest) if you love seeing it pour down.
Type of filter: paper or reusable?
If you have a soft spot for manual pour overs, you should probably stick to the first type: (2)
Paper filters are still the preference of many who enjoy the light, crisp, bright, and clean experience that paper filters provide. - JavaPresse
They also make cleanup time a breeze.
If you prefer bold-tasting coffee that’s more similar to what you’d brew with a French press, then we recommend choosing a SCAA certified coffee maker with permanent filters.
This is because they don’t retain the coffee oils (keep in mind that, if you use particularly fine grounds, some microscopic ones might fall into your mug, too).
Plus, reusable filters don’t result in an extra cost for you and are nicer to the planet.
Not sure? Some coffee makers let you use both!
Best SCAA Certified Coffee Makers of 2020 to Brew a Golden Cup [Top 7 Reviews]
Let’s start with a handy overview.
Best Pick | Best Pick | Bonavita Connoisseur |
| View on Amazon |
Premium Pick | Premium Pick | Technivorm Moccamaster |
| View on Amazon |
Programmable | Programmable | BUNN Heat N Brew |
| View on Amazon |
Most Precise | Most Precise | Breville Precision Brewer |
| View on Amazon |
 | Cuisinart CPO-850 |
| View on Amazon | |
 | KitchenAid Pour Over |
| View on Amazon | |
Most Versatile  | Most Versatile | Ninja CM407 |
| View on Amazon |
We bet you already have a couple of favorites! Let’s see what each SCAA coffee maker can do for you.
- Capacity: 8 cups
- Carafe: stainless steel
- Filter: paper (or you can purchase the version with a reusable basket)
Best for: coffee that’s high-quality but low-effort
This one-button coffee maker was clearly created for an often forgotten category: those who want the very best coffee but don’t really care about lots of features and customizability.
With its pre-infusion mode and wide showerhead design, the Bonavita Connoisseur ensures even extraction and enhanced flavors.
It only needs 6 minutes to brew an entire carafe and the audible signal will let you know as soon as it’s ready.
Its 8-cup stainless steel carafe features improved heat retention and easier pourability compared to their previous models.
However, if you don’t mind sacrificing a couple of improved features in favor of a larger 10 cup carafe, you can check out their BV1900TS model, which is also a SCAA coffee brewer.
Bottom line: the best SCAA certified coffee makers for a simple carafe of joe.
- Capacity: 5-10 cups
- Carafe: stainless steel
- Filter: paper
Best for: those who want the best of the best
The fact that, at the moment of writing this article, all Moccamaster brewers flaunt a SCAA certification (3) is a guarantee in itself. (4)
The Dutch brand, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014, transformed coffee drinkers’ expectations of what automatic brewers could achieve - Caffeine Magazine
Their secret? Both the water and coffee only ever come in contact with premium metal parts, with a copper-heating element that ensures outstanding precision and consistency in only 4-6 minutes.
It also relies on a showerhead system, pre-infusion and pulse-pouring features.
The Technivorm Moccamaster is handy for households that sometimes need to brew different quantities of coffee: you can opt for a full 10-cup carafe, only half, or even enjoy the first mug before everyone else thanks to the brew pause feature.
Another ace up its sleeve (or carafe) is the special tube that, pushing the new coffee at the bottom, avoids stratification and results in a consistent, evenly brewed pot of joe.
With a 5-year warranty, you really don’t have to worry about durability. Read more about it in our Technivorm Moccamaster 10-Cup review.
Bottom line: one of the most renowned brewers in the coffee industry.
3. BUNN Heat N Brew - Best Programmable
- Capacity: 10 cups
- Carafe: glass
- Filter: paper (or you can purchase the version with a reusable basket)
Best for: those who’d love to wake up to the smell of coffee
If you can’t waste any time in the morning because you always somehow end up being late for work, this coffee maker will save the day.
Its digital clock allows you to program your brew up to 24 hours in advance.
But this practicality doesn’t come at the cost of quality. This Bunn model features a commercial-style sprayhead for even extraction, as well as a drip-free carafe.
While they say it’s shatter-resistant, keep in mind that it’s still glass, so… be gentle!
As for quantities, you can brew as little as a travel mug and as much as a full pot.
Bottom line: a reasonably priced SCAA coffee maker with a practical programmable feature.
4. Breville Precision Brewer - Most Precise & Reliable
- Capacity: 1-12 cups
- Carafe: stainless steel
- Filter: paper
Best for: those who want to combine the perks of automatic and manual drippers
Temperature and consistency are key when it comes to excellent coffee and Golden Cup standards, and those are exactly the Breville Precision’s strongest points.
One of the best coffee makers, its PID water temperature control is fast and impeccable. Plus, it features 6 reliable preset modes, including cold brews, strong and My Brew.
The last one allows you to customize every aspect of your coffee (from pre-infusion time to flow rate and water temperature) and, most importantly, remember them so that they’re always a button away.
The dual filter basket and automatic detection allow you to brew different quantities easily, and you can enjoy your coffee asap with the brew pause feature.
Or, if you miss your usual pour over, you can incorporate it through its handy adaptor, too!
Bottom line: pour over quality for a fraction of the time and effort. Ideal for those who want to craft the perfect brew for their taste buds.
5. Cuisinart CPO-850 - Most Flavor Customizability
- Capacity: 8 cups
- Carafe: stainless steel/glass
- Filter: paper & reusable
Best for: those who love experimenting with different roasts
As well as a pre-infusion mode for more nuanced flavors, this SCAA certified coffee maker goes one step further: from mild to medium and bold, it allows you to customize the taste of your brew.
This can be complemented by the hot or extra hot temperature setting.
For even more practicality, this Cuisinart model is programmable, includes a brew pause feature, and allows you to use its laser-etched permanent filter or paper options.
Both the thermal and glass carafes are SCAA certified!
Bottom line: a practical, programmable model with more flavor and temperature options than most brewers.
6. KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Brewer - Most Stylish
- Capacity: 2-8 cups
- Carafe: glass
- Filter: paper
Best for: those who’re not fans of less glamorous and bulkier coffee makers
With 4 different colors and a modern design, this SCAA certified coffee maker is guaranteed to stand out on your countertop.
It’s also excellent at mimicking the manual pour over process, letting you keep track of it with a user-friendly display.
As well as being programmable, it features a rare medium and dark roast setting to allow you to make the most of the unique characteristics of these roasts.
Bottom line: if anyone tells you that you can’t have a coffee maker that’s both stylish and makes high-quality coffee, show them this KitchenAid model.
7. Ninja CM407 Specialty Coffee Maker - Most Versatile
- Capacity: 1-10 cups
- Carafe: stainless steel/glass
- Filter: permanent
Best for: wannabe baristas
Full carafes, single-serve drip, lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, iced coffee, specialty brew. With this Ninja coffee maker, you could literally have a different type of coffee every day of the week!
It gives you the flexibility of 6 brew sizes and 4 brew styles.
Thanks to a stronger espresso-like 4 oz shot and a handy fold-away milk frother, you can unleash your inner barista and create café-style drinks.
It also relies on the pre-infusion feature and is fully programmable.
We prefer this stainless steel carafe, but it’s available as a glass option, too. Find out more about this brand in our Ninja Coffee Bar review.
Bottom line: not everyone likes to stick to black coffee. If it sounds like you, this is the best possible coffee maker you can find.
FAQs
1. What does SCA stand for in coffee?
In coffee, SCA stands for Specialty Coffee Association, a non-profit organization representing different types of coffee professionals and a world leader in coffee knowledge development. They are famous for certifying the brewers that meet their strict Golden Cup standards.
2. What is the best coffee maker with a thermal carafe?
The best coffee maker with a thermal carafe is the Bonavita Connoisseur. Its stainless steel model guarantees enhanced heat retention, keeping your perfectly brewed coffee piping hot for longer without compromising on quality.
3. Which drip coffee maker makes the best tasting coffee?
The drip coffee maker that makes the best tasting coffee is, in our opinion, the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT741. As well as being a SCAA certified coffee maker, it relies on unmatched precision and guarantees an incredibly consistent extraction.
References
1. (n.d.). Coffee Standards. Retrieved from https://sca.coffee/research/coffee-standards
Oden, G. (n.d.). The Differences Between Paper, Cloth, And Metal Coffee Filters. Retrieved from https://www.javapresse.com/blogs/enjoying-coffee/paper-cloth-metal-coffee-filters
2. (n.d.). Moccamaster Coffeemakers. Retrieved from https://www.moccamaster.eu/
3. (n.d.). (2017, March 31). Automatic for the people. Retrieved from https://caffeinemag.com/automatic-for-the-people/
