What are the best coffee makers you can buy? The short answer is that the best coffee maker is that particular one that most reliably and easily gives you the best cup of coffee to suit your own personal coffee tastes.

The longer answer is more complicated, because there are hundreds of different coffee maker brands and models available. You can find coffee makers to suit not only every coffee taste and preferred coffee brewing method but also every coffee lover’s budget and lifestyle. (See also Buying Espresso Machines.)

That said, certain makes and models seem to come up again and again when consumer experts and coffee lovers alike offer their opinions on the best coffee makers. Here’s the latest news on what they’re saying

Best Drip Coffee Makers. Some of the highest rated drip coffee makers available at under $50 include those from Braun, Black & Decker, and Hamilton Beach; these generally cannot be programmed in advance for brewing, and come with glass carafes. Programmable models cost more than $50, and you may prefer the one from Hamilton Beach because it includes a thermos carafe rather than a glass carafe. Coffee machines from Salton also get good marks in both lower-priced and higher-priced models.

Best Vacuum Coffee Makers. You can still find beautiful old-fashioned glass vacuum coffee makers that you heat yourself. Looking like fantastic laboratory equipment, these can be expensive, and you’ll likely incur even more expense due to their breakability. However, Bodum now manufactures an automatic vacuum coffee maker made of highly durable polycarbonate plastic that gets high praise from coffee lovers, not least for its beautiful design. You’ll find it in both a 12-cup size priced at around $160 or less and 6-cup model for $100 or less. The vacuum coffee maker from Black & Decker, priced at around $70, also gets good marks.

Best Coffee Pod Coffee Makers. In this relatively new category, coffee lovers have received several coffee machines enthusiastically. Top coffee maker brands including Senseo (from Philips) , Melitta, Nespresso, and Black & Decker have all been received enthusiastically for their convenience, compact and attractive design, and prices well below $100.

Best Automatic Coffee Makers. Coffee lovers show high enthusiasm for the durable, efficient, and beautiful automatic coffee makers from Capresso and Saeco, with prices ranging from around $200 to more than $1,000. These fully automated machines are capable of grinding coffee beans and tamping them down perfectly before brewing a cup of coffee to match your preferences to perfection.