Newco OCS-8

Owners and experts agree that the Newco OCS-8 is the best value among thermal-carafe coffee makers, if you can find one; currently Newco does not have a U.S. distributor, so you'll have to order it from overseas. That said, experts say that the Newco OCS-8 does everything right: Coffee brews at the right temperature (200 degrees F) for maximum flavor extraction, and a plastic hotel-style thermal carafe keeps the brew from "cooking" on a hot plate. Aficionados say the Newco OCS-8 makes smooth, flavorful coffee. This coffee maker costs more than most standard models, but not as much as the Technivorm KBT741 (*Est. $265), which is its closest rival. The Newco OCS-8 has a utilitarian look, with plastic housing and an eight-cup carafe.

Food writer Sam Gugino has reviewed the Newco OCS-8, but his is the only professional review we found. We also found nine long, thorough owner-written reviews of the Newco OCS-8 at CoffeeGeek.com. A blogger, Al Ruscelli, offers a side-by-side comparison of the Newco OCS-8 and the Technivorm KBT741. Both make exceptional coffee, he concludes.