BEST SMART COFFEE MAKERS: THE FUTURE OF COFFEE AT HOME?
In this review, I’ve rounded up the six best smart coffee makers this year – all guaranteed to make it easier to brew better coffee.
Imagine lying in bed, picking up your phone, and having your coffee maker brew a perfect pot to just your taste. That’s just one scenario that makes a smart coffee maker an appealing addition to your kitchen, and there are many others.
Of course, with every up-and-coming technology, there are bound to be some misfires and false starts. That’s why I bought and tested every smart coffee maker I could find to see which brands have already ironed out the wrinkles. Here are my picks for the six best smart coffee makers in 2024.
The 6 Best Smart Coffee Makers of 2026
A smart coffee maker is equipped with WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity so you can operate it using an app on your phone or, in many cases, with voice commands. “Alexa, make my favorite coffee.”
This technology delivers more than you might expect at first glance. It’s a huge step up from simply setting a programmable timer. You can program your favorite settings, store and share brewing recipes, and interact with other coffee lovers.
The best smart coffee makers help foster a community while making it easier to brew better coffee at home.
| image | product | details | |
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| No products found. | Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker |
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| No products found. | Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker |
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Jura E8 |
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Goat Story Gina |
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Spinn Pro Coffee Maker |
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| No products found. | Keurig K-Supreme Plus Smart |
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1. Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker
Coffee type: Drip coffee
- Connectivity: WiFi
- Carafe: Thermal
- Water capacity: 45 ounces
The Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker was an easy choice for my top pick because it’s the only brewer on this list certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). That means it has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it can brew what global coffee experts agree is the ideal cup of coffee (1).
In fact, it’s the only SCA-certified brewer with WiFi connectivity, making it unique on the market for its combination of technology and coffee quality.
If your taste doesn’t match what the experts dictate, there are also plenty of ways to customize your brew. You can easily adjust the brew temperature and coffee strength using the app or controls on the machine.
I don’t generally shop for coffee gear based on aesthetics, but I’d be remiss not to mention that this is also one of the most beautiful drip coffee machines I’ve encountered. It’s available in stainless steel, matte black, or matte white – all with copper accents – and each is as stunning as the last. This is a machine you’ll be proud to display.
2. Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker
Coffee type: Drip coffee
- Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi
- Carafe: Glass
- Water capacity: 60 oz
The Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Cafe Specialty, both in features and cost. I had low expectations for a smart coffee machine at this price, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it works exactly as advertised. It’s designed for use with Alexa and can be operated via the app or with voice commands.
It doesn’t have many programmable features, but that simplicity has its charm. You can turn it on and off or adjust the coffee strength. The most fun part is using the app to change your command phrases. I set mine to brew every time I said, “Alexa, I demand wake-up juice.” The joy that brought me was well worth this machine’s under-$100 price tag.
I’ll mention one more thing that I loved about this coffee maker unrelated to its connectivity. The water reservoir and brew basket are both accessible from the front. So you don’t have to keep sliding it out from under your cupboards.
3. Jura E8
Coffee type: Espresso
- Connectivity: WiFi
- Carafe: n/a
- Water capacity: 64 oz
Most Jura espresso machines can be WiFi-connected and operated using the J.O.E. app. I chose the E8 for this list because it’s the brand’s best-seller, offering a nice balance between features and price. But you may find another Jura machine makes more sense for your needs.
Jura super-automatic espresso machines are undeniably expensive, but they’re an excellent example of getting what you pay for. Compared to more affordable alternatives, Juras have better drink quality, far more impressive engineering and materials, and an overall more enjoyable user experience.
The Jura E8 features a built-in burr grinder, automatic milk frother, and advanced extraction technology to ensure flavorful espresso with a rich crema. It’s preprogrammed with 17 specialty drinks – everything from an espresso to a flat white – and each can be fully customized using the app or 3.5” color display.
4. Goat Story Gina
Coffee type: Drip coffee, immersion coffee, cold brew
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Carafe: Glass
- Water capacity: n/a
The Gina from Goat Story is unique on this list as the only manual coffee maker. In fact, you might describe it more as a smart scale with a coffee maker attached (2). However, I still think it warrants inclusion based on the user-friendly experience provided by the associated app.
It’s almost like a barista trainer and coffee maker bundled into one. The app walks you through a brewing recipe step by step, helping you weigh the coffee, pour steadily, and nail the extraction time. You can save your favorite brewing profiles and download recipes uploaded by other users.
Did I mention this is a three-in-one brewer? Thanks to a special valve and a slow-drip adaptor, you can make drip coffee, immersion brew, or slow-drip cold brew—with guided tutorials for each brewing style in the app.
Like the Cafe Specialty, this is another coffee maker that deserves a shoutout for its lovely style. Its steel frame has a sculptural, industrial feel that you’ll definitely want to keep on display.
5. Spinn Pro Coffee Maker
Coffee type: Drip coffee, espresso, cold brew
- Connectivity: 2.4 GHz WiFi
- Carafe: n/a
- Water capacity: 40 ounces
Even if you took away its WiFi connection, the Spinn Pro would still be a pretty advanced piece of technology. I was initially disinclined to recommend this machine based on price alone, but after using it for a few weeks and getting a grasp of its functionality, I’ve come to believe it represents good value for money.
It’s an all-in-one coffee maker with a built-in grinder. It uses patented centrifugal technology (hence the Spinn name) to extract coffee, espresso, or even cold brew in one minute flat. It sort of reminds me of a flashier version of the Nespresso Vertuo—except it’s way better thanks to the freshly ground beans.
With all that in mind, it makes sense that it’s priced in the same ballpark as mid-level espresso machines like the Breville Barista Express. The associated app lets you program settings, upload brewing recipes directly from roasters, set up automatic reordering, and operate the brewer with voice commands.
6. Keurig K-Supreme Plus Smart
Coffee type: Drip coffee
- Connectivity: WiFi
- Carafe: Thermal
- Water capacity: 78 oz
Keurig has cornered the market on smart single-serve coffee maker with several WiFi-enabled brewers. My favorite is the K-Supreme Plus Smart. While I’ll never be a big fan of K-Cup coffee, this machine offers enough customizable features to make a satisfying cup. Better yet, it’s compatible with the refillable My K-Cup, so you can make a downright delicious (and environmentally friendly) brew using freshly ground coffee.
Using the Keurig app, you can adjust settings and brew from anywhere, receive custom recommendations, and find detailed brew guides and recipes.
You can also set up scheduled deliveries of K-Cups so you never run out of coffee. This machine also has Brew ID, a smart feature that scans your K-Cup and automatically sets the ideal brewing parameters.
The K-Supreme Plus Smart has the most customizable drink options of any Keurig, with five brew strength settings, six temperatures, five cup sizes, and an iced coffee option.
How To Choose The Best Smart Coffee Maker
There are dozes of amazing coffee makers on the market, but so far, surprisingly few of them are “smart.” What is a smart coffee maker?
“The term “smart” originally comes from the acronym, Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology.”
For the purpose of this article, I’m only considering devices that offer wireless connectivity and a mobile app-based interface (3).
The addition of WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity to a coffee maker shouldn’t impact the coffee quality. Rather, connectivity is all about convenience. Depending on your choice of machine, this can include ease of brewing; creating, saving, and sharing of recipes; maintenance; and ordering.
How Much Control Do You Want?
This is a question worth asking yourself when buying any coffee maker, but it’s particularly important when considering a smart coffee machine. If you don’t care about brewing variables, you can save money by choosing a model with a simple app that turns it on and off and perhaps gives you access to customer service or brewing suggestions.
You might not even need a smart machine, in that case. A basic brewer with a programmable timer might fit the bill. I’m not here to upsell you on technology with no benefit.
Smart coffee makers really shine when it comes to coffee lovers who want endless customization of their beverages. An app is an easy way to offer tons of functionality without burdening the machine with a bunch of buttons and knobs or making the user scroll through a series of menus. With a well-designed app, you can tweak all the variables you want while the machine remains blissfully simple.
On another note, here are some of the best coffee apps.
What Style Of Coffee Do You Drink?
Do you drink coffee, espresso, or both? What about cold brew and iced coffee? Do you have a grinder, or do you buy pre-ground coffee? Do you prefer freshly ground beans, or are you looking for a pod coffee machine? The answers to those questions will quickly limit your options.
Automatic Reordering
A common feature found in many smart coffee maker apps is online ordering. Depending on the type of coffee you drink, this can include things like water filters, descaling fluid, paper filters, coffee beans, or coffee capsules.
Some apps let you set up automatic reordering, which is worth seeking out if you have a hectic lifestyle. For a busy coffee drinker, an app that tracks your habits and ensures you never run out of fresh coffee is a godsend.
Bluetooth Vs WiFi Connectivity
Smart coffee makers use one of two forms of wireless communication, either Bluetooth or WiFi (4). WiFi is more common because it allows you to log into your coffee app anywhere. If you want to start your coffee maker from bed or as you leave the office, it needs a WiFi connection.
Bluetooth range is limited to about 30 feet, so you’ll likely need to be in your kitchen. But it’s more affordable, consumes less energy, and offers faster data transfer. Plus, it still works even if your home WiFi conks out.
Don’t Forget To Check Out The App
A great smart coffee maker with a slow, poorly designed, or otherwise frustrating app might as well be a regular coffee maker. So I definitely recommend downloading the app before you buy. You might not be able to fully experience it without the coffee maker in hand, but you can hopefully assess if it’s user-friendly and has the features you expect.
The Verdict
What’s the best smart coffee maker? That depends on you and your needs. Any of the models on this list could be the right fit.
But if coffee quality is your top priority, you can’t beat the Cafe Specialty Drip Coffee Maker. Certified by the Specialty Coffee Association for its ability to brew the perfect cup, this coffee machine is as wonderful to drink from as it is beautiful to look at. Its WiFi connection and user-friendly app are just the icing on the cake!
FAQs
Yes, if you just want to be able to turn your coffee maker on remotely, adding a smart plug could be an easy solution. Several companies, including Wemo, Leviton, Sylvania, and TP-Link, sell plugs that allow for WiFi-based scheduling. However, this sort of plug will only work with simple drip coffee makers. Most high-end coffee makers require that you interact with the machine directly to start a brew.
There are many possible advantages of a smart coffee maker. Most obviously, they allow you to brew remotely, so you can start making coffee while you’re still in bed or before you leave the office. Additional benefits include easier programming, recipe creation, community interaction, brewing guides, automatic reordering of supplies, and much more.
It is unlikely that anyone will hack your coffee machine, but in theory, anything connected to the internet can be hacked and used for nefarious purposes. Appliances with internet connectivity tend to be vulnerable because users often skip regular updates. The risks are relatively minimal, although botnets have been known to utilize IoT devices to launch denial-of-service attacks (5).
References
- Specialty Coffee Association. (2024). SCA Certified Home Brewer Program. Retrieved from https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer
- Bryman, H. (2016, November 4). Goat Story Herds Another Crowdfunding Success With Bluetooth-Enabled Gina Brewer. Retrieved from https://dailycoffeenews.com/2016/11/04/goat-story-herds-another-crowdfunding-success-with-bluetooth-enabled-gina-brewer/
- Malik, Y. (2017, November 5). Smart, Connected and IoT Based Devices. What’s The Difference? Retrieved from https://yogeshmalik.medium.com/smart-connected-and-iot-based-devices-whats-the-difference-36fc1bdc36b2
- HelloTech. (2020, April 16) What is the Difference Between Bluetooth and WiFi? Retrieved from https://www.hellotech.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-bluetooth-and-wifi
- Fruhlinger, J. (2018, March 9). The Mirai botnet explained: How IoT devices almost brought down the internet. Retrieved from https://www.csoonline.com/article/564711/the-mirai-botnet-explained-how-teen-scammers-and-cctv-cameras-almost-brought-down-the-internet.html
