5+ Best Coffee Makers Under $50 in 2024

This is a review of the best coffee maker under $50. Continue to read more.

I often want to experiment with different types of coffee brewing. I want a low-cost machine to understand whether I like a specific brewing method. That led me to build this guide.

I chose Black + Decker’s 12-cup Thermal Coffee Maker as the best overall because it includes features like grounds saturation and a thermal carafe. Making it a no-brainer for someone who wants to entertain guests on a budget. While providing great-tasting coffee.

Black + Decker’s 12-cup Thermal: Best Overall

• Price: $$$
• Dimensions: 9 × 9.4 × 13.2 in (D, W, H)
• Water Capacity: 12 cups
• Coffee Maker Type: Drip Coffee Machine
• Material: Plastic
• Carafe Material: Stainless steel
• Warranty: 2 years

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You may not find drip coffee makers desirable. You’ll find other alternatives throughout this guide.

Keep scrolling to find your ideal coffee maker.

Best Coffee Machines Under $50

1. Black + Decker 12-Cup Thermal Programmable Coffee Maker: Top pick
2. Bialetti Moka Pot: Includes thermal carafe
3. AeroPress GO: Best for traveling
4. BELLA 14755: Best programmable machine
5. Hamilton Beach FlexBrew: Best single-serve maker
6. Hario V60: Best manual maker

Top Coffee Makers Under $50

I’ll review the following machines to help you determine whether it’ll meet your intended use. You’ll find each maker’s pros and cons, features, and who it’s best for.

There aren’t any coffee makers under $50 with grinders. Unless they’re from a knock-off brand, which I wouldn’t recommend. As those machines tend to not last long and produce coffee that doesn’t taste the best.

You also won’t find machines from brands like Keurig or Nespresso on this list. Most Keurig makers cost more than $70. And almost all Nespresso makers (Original and Vertuo) cost more than $120.

Let’s check out the first pick.

1. Black + Decker 12-Cup Thermal Programmable Coffee Maker: Best Overall

Price *	$$$
Dimensions	9 × 9.4 × 13.2 in (D, W, H)
Water Capacity	12 cups
Coffee Maker Type	Drip coffee maker
Material	Plastic
Carafe Material	Stainless steel
Warranty	2 years

The Black + Decker 12-cup Thermal Coffee Maker is best for anyone who frequently entertains guests and wants to keep coffee warm for long periods.

A drip coffee maker brews your coffee by heating water in a tank. The heated water then travels through a tube, saturating your coffee grounds. Finally, it drips into your pot, creating your delicious brew.

Ideal for home or office, it caters to those who value consistency, simplicity, and ease of use.

The 12-Cup Thermal Programmable Coffee Maker is worth your money. It offers programmable settings, high capacity, and maintains optimal temperature, ensuring quality coffee every time.

Despite the machine’s low cost, it includes programmable brewing, a strong coffee option, and a mechanism to wet beans before brewing. The first option allows you to set a specific time for coffee to brew (e.g., when waking up).

The second feature will brew coffee slower to extract more flavor. Giving you a stronger-tasting drink. The third perk enhances the strong button by saturating coffee grounds to extract the most flavor possible.

Most of my gripes come from the machine’s design.

The display screen is small and not backlit. Not ideal if you needed to program your coffee maker in a low-light environment.

The 12-cup carafe comes at a cost. It prevents the machine from fitting under any standard kitchen cabinets. This appliance will require around 22” of vertical clearance when opening the lid.

You’re stuck moving the machine when it’s time to refill or placing it in an open area. However, it doesn’t weigh much. Making it much easier to move around.

Black + Decker also made it easy to see the water indication level with a window in the front. Something, for some reason, that most coffee maker manufacturers don’t do.

You may find this machine too large for your space. Consider the next option. It’s also amazing.

2. Bialetti Moka Pot: Best Thermal Coffee Makers Under $50

Price *	$$
Dimensions	3.94 × 5.51 × 6.69 in (D, W, H)
Water Capacity	160 ml = 2 cups
Coffee Maker Type	Stovetop
Material	Aluminum & thermoplastic
Carafe Material	Thermal
Warranty	2 years

Bialetti’s Moka Pot works best for anyone who wants a high-quality espresso-like drink without paying a fortune.

“Espresso-like” means the drink doesn’t use more than 1.5 bars of pressure and doesn’t have crema. Crema is the foam on top of espresso, giving it a bubbly mouthfeel and making it taste better.

A stovetop coffee maker works like this—you fill the base with water, load coffee grounds into a basket, and place it on the stove. As the water heats, it rises through the coffee into the top chamber, ready to serve. 

Ideal for espresso lovers seeking rich flavor.

The Bialetti Moka Pot is worth the investment. It offers unmatched durability, classic design, and concentrated coffee.

Its excellent quality comes with a flaw; it won’t work on induction stovetops. As they require magnetic materials to work, and aluminum isn’t magnetic. You could invest in a stainless steel adapter.

The adapter is a flat metal sheet with a handle that you place under the Moka Pot. The induction heater will heat it, then it transfers heat to the Moka Pot.

The Moka pot has no features, so it won’t automatically power off after its brew. You must monitor it to prevent it from over-extracting your beans. Over-extracting coffee results in a bitter-tasting drink.

Once you get used to using the Moka pot, you won’t need to stress paying attention too much. You’ll know when to stop brewing.

And once you’re finished brewing, you must clean the Moka Pot, but not with a dishwasher. As the detergent could lead to corrosion and rust. Bialetti recommends hand washing the components with hot water.

Perhaps you’re after a coffee maker for traveling. Consider the next pick if that’s the case.

3. AeroPress GO: Best Portable Coffee Maker Under $50

Price *	$
Dimensions	4.75 × 4.75 × 11.75 in (D, W, H)
Water Capacity	10 oz = 1 cup
Coffee Maker Type	AeroPress
Material	Polypropylene plastic
Carafe Material	NA
Warranty	1 year

The AeroPress works best for travelers, campers, RVers, and anyone who needs a portable coffee maker.

AeroPress coffee makers require you to insert coffee and water, then manually exert pressure to force the liquid through a micro-filter. This brew method extracts rich flavor and minimizes acidity.

Ideal for those seeking a hands-on, customizable coffee experience. 

The AeroPress GO? Absolutely worth it. Perfect for coffee aficionados on the go. Portable, user-friendly, and delivers a great-quality brew.

The AeroPress Go is ⅓ the size of the regular AeroPress, making it more portable. However, it still uses the same BPA-free polypropylene plastic. It’s a durable plastic that can withstand other items in your bags crushing it.

Due to this size, the device’s lip won’t fit around larger coffee mugs. The water reservoir also only has enough coffee to serve 1 person. 

Despite the portability, you will also need to haul a bunch of replacement paper filters. However, AeroPress also makes a stainless steel reusable filter. It’ll eliminate the risk of running out of filters while traveling, but it requires more maintenance (due to cleaning).

Super fine grinds could also escape through the filter and into your coffee. Meaning, you’ll have a drink that doesn’t taste as smooth as one made with paper filters.

The filter is compatible with the Original AeroPress and AeroPress Go.

You may want more automation with your coffee making. This next option will fit in RVs and automate brewing.

4. BELLA 14755: Best Programmable Coffee Maker Under $50

Price *	$$
Dimensions	7.16 × 9.72 × 13.62 in (D, W, H)
Water Capacity	12 cups
Coffee Maker Type	Drip coffee maker
Material	Plastic
Carafe Material	Glass
Warranty	1 year

The BELLA 14755 works best for anyone who wants to serve a large group of guests clean-tasting coffee.

That’s thanks to its glass carafe. It doesn’t retain heat well like thermal carafes, but you don’t risk having your coffee give off a metallic taste. However, the 14755 doesn’t include a warming plate like most coffee makers with glass carafes.

A feature that would usually keep your coffee warm for hours.

A drip coffee maker brews coffee using gravity. Water heats in a reservoir before pouring over coffee grounds in a filter. The delicious coffee then drips into a carafe.

Ideal for simplicity lovers, the machine automates the brewing process, and excels at making large quantities.

It’s a budget-friendly investment for daily coffee drinkers.

The reusable metal filter eliminates the recurring paper filter premium at a cost. It requires cleaning after every use and risks having finer grounds escape into your drink.

It’ll also reach 195° to 205° F and stay there for 5 or 6 minutes. That’s the optimal water brewing temperature according to the National Coffee Association [1].

This machine has some of the strangest design choices. It took me several minutes to figure out, to access a bold setting, you must hold down the “Program” button. How would anyone who didn’t watch a YouTube video or read the manual figure that out?

The hidden bold setting brews your coffee slower to extract coffee slower.

Like most machines, the water reservoir is located in the machine’s rear and requires at least 6” of vertical clearance to access. The only way to see your water tank’s level is to check the machine’s side. Impossible to see if you have other appliances surrounding it.

I suppose you have to keep it toward the edge of your counter.

Perhaps you want something that’s easier to use. This next one should meet your criteria.

5. Hamilton Beach FlexBrew: Best Single-Cup Coffee Maker Under $50

Price *	$$$
Dimensions	12.25 × 14.75 × 5.75 in (D, W, H)
Water Capacity	14 fl oz = 2 cups
Coffee Maker Type	Capsule coffee maker
Material	Plastic
Carafe Material	NA
Warranty	1 year

Hamilton Beach’s FlexBrew (49900) works best for anyone who wants a single-serve coffee machine that’ll brew K-Cups and ground coffee.

A capsule coffee maker simplifies the brewing process. You insert a coffee capsule, the machine pierces it, hot water floods the capsule, extracting coffee directly into your cup.

Busy coffee enthusiasts love it for its speed, cleanliness, and consistency. 

How does it brew ground coffee if it’s a capsule coffee maker? You’ll scoop and fill a reusable K-Cup-like thing with coffee grounds and shove it in a pod slot. From there, it’ll brew like a pod machine.

It’s not a drip coffee maker. You won’t have the smooth-tasting coffee that machines with paper filters usually offer. That’s because they offer better filtration.

If you’re more of a strong coffee enjoyer, this machine’s for you. The BOLD button will brew the coffee slower and extract even more flavor. But that’s the only control you have. It would have been nice to include a button like OVER ICE.

The 49900’s reliability, low maintenance, and affordability make it a cost-effective choice.

Despite its value, it doesn’t support many cup/carafe sizes. It’ll support up to 14 oz of cups—a travel mug size. Or a couple 6 fl oz cups. After which, you must refill. The reservoir isn’t huge, so it’ll require frequent refills.

Not ideal for those short on time.

If you place this thing under a cabinet, you’ll have difficulty accessing the water reservoir. It’s in the rear. It also requires a couple of inches of vertical clearance to open the pod slot and water reservoir container.

Meaning, you should place this on a table, desk, or dishwasher.

But it’ll brew quickly, which makes it an excellent choice for anyone who needs a quick cup of coffee once or twice a day. Or if you need to fill a travel mug once a day.

Capsule coffee makers strip control over the brewing process. This next device won’t.

6. Hario V60: Best Manual Pour-Over Coffee Maker Under $50

Price *	$
Dimensions	3.86 × 4.33 × 4.21 in (D, W, H)
Water Capacity	1 cup
Coffee Maker Type	Manual pour-over
Material	Glass, ceramic, or stainless steel
Carafe Material	NA
Warranty	1 year

The Hario V60 is ideal for anyone who wants absolute control over their coffee brewing and has the patience to do so.

A manual pour-over coffee maker lets you handcraft each cup. You pour hot water over coffee grounds in a filter. The water seeps through, extracting flavors into your cup.

It’s ideal for anyone who values precision and control in brewing.

Regarding the Hario V60, it’s a worthy investment. The ceramic design ensures perfect heat retention, elevating your coffee’s flavor.

Hario’s size 01 brews 1–2 cups; 02, up to 4 cups; and 03, up to 6 cups. The lead-free ceramic model offers 01 and 02 sizes. Their plastic model offers all 3 sizes.

What V60 material should you choose?

Let’s compare:

• Ceramic: Retains heat best.
• Plastic: Affordable & durable, but chemicals may leach into coffee.
• Metal & copper: Durable & ideal for traveling, but coffee may have metallic taste.
• Glass: Has the cleanest-tasting coffee, but doesn’t retain heat well.

Other than durability, ceramic balances most of these materials’ pros and cons. And the reason I’d recommend it over other materials, if you don’t take it traveling or camping. Since it isn’t durable.

You must boil water in a kettle and pour it over the V60 to get your coffee. When getting a manual pour-over device, you sacrifice automation and consistency for control. Thus, you’ll need to learn an ideal water temperature and pouring technique to match your taste preferences.

I don’t have any suggestions because I don’t know what taste and temperature you like. You must figure this out.

Otherwise, the flat-bottom design on the V60 allows you to extract more flavors from your beans since it better distributes coffee grounds.

Let’s now guide you to score the best cheap coffee maker.

How to Choose the Best Coffee Maker Under $50

Consider all these factors when shopping for a coffee maker under $50:

Don’t understand the table?

Don’t worry. I’ll cover details on all the above throughout the following sections. From there, leave or take bits of what I’ve written to form your own criteria.

1. Type of Machine

Most of the machines you’ll find under $50 are as follows:

Here’s further clarification on who should consider each coffee maker type:

• Get an AeroPress if: You’re a traveler who craves for rich, full-bodied coffee anywhere.
• Opt for a manual pour-over if: Precision & control over brewing is your obsession.
• Choose a thermal coffee maker if: You demand hot coffee throughout your busy day.
• Grab a stovetop coffee maker if: Old-school methods & bold espresso-like coffee is your preference.

Stovetop coffee makers will give you the best taste, last the longest, and provide an espresso-like beverage. It doesn’t have a bunch of components that are susceptible to damage, and they usually have metal bodies, resulting in a much longer lifespan.

And they produce concentrated coffee, which is technically espresso. But it’s not due to not having crema or bars of pressure blasting water through espresso grounds. But no decent espresso makers cost less than $50, so this is your best bet.

AeroPress devices, manual pour-over coffee makers, and Vietnamese coffee makers (Phins) serve travelers and campers best. They’re durable and compact, which means everything else in your bags won’t break them.

2. Features

Consider these features when shopping for coffee makers under $50:

It’s rare to find a coffee maker in this price range that’ll include many of these features. For the most part, you’ll find cheaper coffee makers that are compact and maybe have drip-free carafes. Otherwise, increase your budget to get more features.

3. Is It Easy to Clean?

A machine under $50 that’s easy to clean saves time and keeps your coffee tasting fresh. Detachable parts, dishwasher safe components, and non-stick surfaces help in cleaning. While many inexpensive coffee makers are easy to clean, not all are. 

4. Drinks It Can Make

Here are many drinks that coffee makers under $50 can produce:

You may find an espresso maker or two that can produce all the espresso-based drinks (e.g., Americano). But it’s rare. And to make all the milk-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, you’ll need a milk frother.

Something almost all espresso machines include. You could technically make these drinks with a percolator or a stovetop espresso maker, though. They’ll taste better than anything produced from espresso makers in this price range.

5. Additional Costs to Consider

In budgeting for a coffee machine, you must include hidden costs. These factors can inflate your spending, making a cheap coffee maker costlier in the long run.

Here are some costs to consider:

• Electricity usage: Brewing daily could spike your energy bill by around $60 a year [2].
• Coffee beans: Depending on your taste, gourmet beans could cost up to $0.27 a cup [3].
• Paper filters: Necessary for some models, adding an extra premium to your monthly expenses.
• Water: Using filtered water increases the cost.
• Machine maintenance: Decalcifying & cleaning kits may add costs.

To curb these costs, consider several strategies.

Opt for a machine with a reusable filter to eliminate paper costs. Brew in bulk and refrigerate for later use, saving electricity. Buy beans in larger quantities to get a discount. Use tap water if it’s of high quality and acceptable taste. Regular cleaning with household products like vinegar can decrease the need for costly maintenance kits [4].

Our Verdict

Here are our top choices:

1. Black + Decker 12-cup Thermal Programmable Coffee Maker: Has few cons & offers a lot of features for its price.
2. Bialetti Moka Pot: Affordable concentrated coffee.
3. AeroPress Go: Robust coffee maker that’ll fit in your bags.

I went with the BLACK + DECKER 12-cup thermal carafe maker because it includes a thermal carafe, programmability, and a means to saturate beans prior to brewing. All features that’ll make your coffee-making experience smoother.

Black + Decker’s 12-cup Thermal: Best Overall

• Price: $$$
• Dimensions: 9 × 9.4 × 13.2 in (D, W, H)
• Water Capacity: 12 cups
• Coffee Maker Type: Drip Coffee Machine
• Material: Plastic
• Carafe Material: Stainless steel
• Warranty: 2 years

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Footnotes:

• * Price will vary by model, manufacturer, and vendor.