If you’re on the hunt to ramp up your morning coffee routine, then you’ve probably scrolled through every Drip Coffee Maker Buying Guide on the Internet, and you’ve narrowed it down to a couple of brands. Behmor and Moccamaster are two exceptional companies that dominate the coffee-making market.
They also produce very different machines. Moccamaster makes a simple coffee maker for coffee drinkers who want a hands-on experience. Behmor excels at technology and accessibility, promising all kinds of incredible features.
| Moccamaster KBTBehmor | Brazen Plus 3.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 15.25” H x 11.5” W x 6.75” D | 15.75” H x 9” W x 9.5” D |
| Weight | 11 lbs | 10 lbs |
| Water Capacity | 1.25 L | 1.2 L |
| # of Brews | 10 cups | 8 cups |
| Drip Flow | Manual Drip-stop | Programmable Features |
| Warranty | 5 Years | 2 Years |
Meet the Moccamaster
Moccamaster is a coffee machine for selective coffee lovers without bells or whistles. They make one thing and one thing only: darned good coffee.
Brief History
The Dutch-based company Technivorm Moccamaster has been making drip coffee makers by hand since 1968. They believe so strongly in their products that they back them up with a 5-year warranty and lifetime repairs.
Moccamaster produces a variety of machines, from the large CDT Grand to the single-serve Cup-One Brewer. My favorite, the KBG Coffee Brewer, includes a hot plate with a timer function that will turn off automatically, as well as a glass carafe.
Why Choose Moccamaster?
If you’re looking for a balanced taste and pleasant coffee without any fuss, a Technivorm Moccamaster will be the perfect addition to your morning routine.
The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) awarded the Golden Cup Standard to Moccamaster for twelve separate models. This certification only comes after rigorous quality control and laboratory testing.
The Golden Cup Standard means that Moccamaster excels at the four T’s of brewing: the precise water temperature, coffee grounds to the water contact time, the turbulence of the pre-ground coffee, and total dissolved solids. In other words, the recipe for fantastic coffee.
No matter which machine you purchase, you’ll know it comes with a quality taste assurance.
See More Behmor
Behmor has a passion for all things coffee. Not only do they make an automatic coffee maker, the Brazen Plus 3.0, but they manufacture two home coffee roasters.
Brief History
Founded in 2007 by Joe Behm, Behmor prides itself on making delicious coffee accessible to everyone. They design home roasters and the world’s first “smart” brewer, the Brazen machine.
This company also believes in giving back, having launched Behmor Inspired in 2015. This humanitarian program brings brewers and roasters right to the farmers in Central America.
Why Choose Behmor Brazen?
Technology drives these products with fully integrated smartphone apps that let consumers control and program remotely, from the temperature of the roast to roast level to the water release temperature. It even enables you to adjust for proper altitude differences.
It also saves your settings for later, so you don’t have to worry that you’ll never find the perfect brew again. And for coffee drinkers that like to find the right strength, the pre-soak function – variable allows you to adjust the contact time for the coffee.
Like the Moccamaster, this coffee machine is also SCAA-certified and meets the rigorous industry standards to be awarded the Golden Cup.
The Showdown
Moccamaster Coffee Maker
Every Technivorm Moccamaster includes several standard features that you’ll love to make a part of your coffee routine.
Copper Heating Element
Every Moccamaster includes a copper element that rapidly heats the water to 196°F – 205°F: the ideal temperature for coffee extraction. The flavors of coffee tend to change based on water temperature, and this water temperature range contributes to the overall coffee quality and taste.
Not only does it reach the right temperature, but this cool feature ensures the right time for the grounds to contact hot water, according to the National Coffee Association. As a result, your entire pot of coffee will be ready in 4-6 minutes.
9-Hole Water Outlet Arm
Coffee brewing requires thorough saturation of the grounds, and the water flow through the outlet arm of a Moccamaster does precisely that. The water dispersal pulses over the grounds so that the coffee blooms and tastes more flavorful.
It also imitates the pour-over quality of fresh coffee that coffee experts love. I think you will too.
5-Year Warranty
Nothing gives me more peace of mind than the 5-year warranty that comes standard with every Moccamaster. Plus, they offer lifetime repairs on all the parts!
This means your machine will work for years. But more importantly, it lets you know that Moccamaster is a company that stands behind its product.
Manual Versus Automatic Drip Stop
The most significant decision about a Moccamaster that you’ll need to make is a manual versus drip-stop brew basket. Moccamaster makes glass carafe and thermal carafe models in one cup, 8-cup, 10-cup, and 15-cup sizes.
The Moccamaster KBT
The KBT coffee brewer is a convenient machine for someone that wants a hands-on experience. The manual drip-stop, cone-shaped brew basket lets you control the flow.
The cone shape also helps funnel the water down the sides and allows for better contact between water and grounds.
I like to open the brew basket during the brewing process and stir up the grounds. And did you know that with this flow control, you can brew single cups of coffee or a half carafe, all with the same machine?
The KBT also includes a 10-cup thermal carafe that will keep coffee fresh for up to an hour and hot all day long with the travel lid.
The Moccamaster KBGT
The Technivorm Moccamaster KBG coffee brewer comes with an automatic brew basket, a 10-cup glass carafe, and 25 different color choices.
The KBGT coffee maker features the automatic drip-stop brew basket and a 10 cup thermal carafe with a travel lid that will keep your coffee hot all day long. In addition, it comes in four gorgeous color choices.
The automatic brew basket is perfect for the coffee drinker that doesn’t want to fuss around in the morning. Of course, you can still stir up the grinds while it brews, but why bother when you know it makes a great pot of coffee.
The Downsides
There are a few downsides to the Moccamaster that might change your mind. First, these machines don’t come with a detachable water tank. In addition, the plastic parts have a cheap feel to them and need to be hand-washed because they don’t contain any harmful chemicals.
But also, you can’t program a Moccamaster. These machines don’t feature any fancy controls because they are easy to use.
Things We Like
- 5-Year Warranty
- Cone Shaped Brew Basket
Things We Don’t
- No Bells and Whistles
- Cheap plastic parts
Behmor Brazen Coffee Brewer
This compact machine hides a lot of awesome features that will transform your morning routine.
Programmable Features
The Brazen Carafe Brew features fancy controls you will never find on other standard-type drip machines.
For example, you can program the start time and level of heat with a few straightforward buttons. And it allows for altitude calibration, so you’ll know precisely the right brew temperature you need.
This machine stores your brew settings to ensure a perfect brew every morning.
Pre Soak Option
Who wants a weak cup of coffee? One of the great features that the Brazen includes are the pre-soak setting. This setting lets you adjust the time that the ground coffee beans are in contact with the water.
Oversized Shower Head
The Brazen’s shower-type saturation feature pulses the water over the grounds to ensure even contact. Like the Moccamaster, this pulsing, showerhead water flow completely saturates the bed of coffee grounds and encourages the coffee to bloom.
Brazen Plus 3.0
This sleek, updated coffee machine, the Brazen Plus 3.0, features all of the incredible functions of Behmor. The large LCD panel lets you program your coffee the way you want it. It also comes with an 8-cup stainless steel first-generation carafe with a brew-through lid to keep coffee hot.
This machine also has a sleep mode to save power and the Behmor 2-year warranty.
The Downsides
The Brazen Plus 3.0 features a square bottomed brew basket, and I find that this doesn’t always funnel the hot water as effectively. You’re also not able to brew anything less than six cups. Like the Moccamaster, the water tank isn’t removable, which can be a bother if you like filling it up at the sink.
Things We Like
- Programmable timer
- Pre-Soak Options
Things We Don’t
- You can’t brew less than 6 cups
- Square brew basket
Wrap Up
Fortunately, there isn’t a bad option in a Technivorm Moccamaster vs. Brazen battle. Combined with a quality home coffee grinder, both brands meet the rigorous SCAA standards and deliver consistently flavorful and delicious coffee with any coffee bean variety.
However, they do come with a hefty price tag. If you want a less expensive machine, I suggest checking out the Best Drip Coffee Maker Reviews and finding one in your price range. I love the OXO 8-cup, which includes the stainless steel carafe and meets the SCAA standards.
If you want a programmable coffee machine, I recommend going with the Behmor Brazen and enjoying every sip. However, I happen to find the coffee that Moccamaster makes incomparable, so they take the lead.
Happy Caffeinating!
