Capresso MT500 Coffee Maker

Among thermal coffee makers, the Capresso MT500 Coffee Maker gets the most positive feedback. It features a 10-cup capacity, stainless-steel lined water reservoir (so the water isn't in contact with aluminum) and pre-programming abilities. Experts prefer thermal carafes overall, because glass carafes heated by a warming plate tend to produce acidity, which results in bitter-tasting coffee. Reviews say the thermal carafe maintains a temperature of about 160 degrees, about 10 degrees less than the 170 degrees claimed by the manufacturer. However, some reviews note it's important to have the carafe positioned perfectly, or coffee may spill on a countertop during brewing. Most owners are pleased with the eight-minute brewing time and say the Capresso MT500 Coffee Maker produces great-tasting coffee. The Capresso MT500 is on the pricey side; if you're looking for a budget-priced thermal coffee maker, consider the Zojirushi Fresh Brew (*Est. $90) , which also gets good scores for coffee quality but more complaints about durability.

We didn't find any professional testing of the Capresso MT500, but we did find hundreds of owner-written reviews between Amazon.com and Epinions.com. The Capresso MT500 is also recommended in a review of stainless-steel thermal coffee makers on About.com. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)