I just tested the best small drip coffee maker – and it's surprisingly stylish too

A good, small drip coffee maker is a rare find. Traditionally, with filter coffee makers, bigger is better. However, if you're short on space or you only need single-servings of filter coffee, a compact option could be a lifesaver. 

Recently, I re-tested one of the machines in our buying guide for the best drip coffee makers. It was removed from our list because it's small and there isn't a huge appetite for drip coffee makers which have limited capacities. However, I didn't want this model to get lost in the chasm of drip coffee maker reviews out there on the internet, because it is really good.

The Zwilling Enfinigy is accidentally small. It's designed to look sleek and smart, but that means that it's also ended up as a small, streamlined model. There's a smooth, central, digital control button to help navigate the basic, but thorough filter coffee functions. The Zwilling can bloom coffee before brewing, is capable of making a single-serve, and can still cater to crowds when the occasion requires it. 

The best small drip coffee maker

Best small drip coffee maker

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Most drip coffee makers are designed with practicality, rather than prettiness, in mind. That's why the Zwilling Enfinigy Drip Coffee Maker is such a breath of fresh air. Featuring a unique ridged water tank and a streamlined backlit display, this cute and compact machine could elevate any kitchen. 

In spite of its small footprint, this coffee maker can brew up to 12 cups of coffee, as well as single-servings. Whether you choose to batch brew or not, the coffee quality stays consistently delicious. The only thing you need to account for is that the Zwilling brews as much water as you put in the reservoir. Only fill it with what you want, otherwise, you'll end up over-brewing coffee. It's also worth noting that the reservoir is fixed, so you have to fill it from a water pitcher, which is a little frustrating.

The Zwilling also comes with a corrosion-resistant stainless steel boiler, as well as a wide shower head for even coffee moistening during blooming. If you're new to brewing, you might not be familiar with the concept of 'blooming'. It's simpler than it sounds. Blooming is what happens when carbon dioxide combines with coffee grounds. When you allow your beans to bloom, you can enhance the flavors and aromas of your cup. 

I'm a big fan of this coffee maker, but I spotted a few design flaws. The icons, whilst simple, take some learning to make sense of them. Once you've consulted the instruction manual a few times, you'll be fine, but it's worth noting. Also, the so-called 'hot plate' only stays warm for 30 minutes after brewing. If you like to sip the same carafe all day long, you'll have to keep re-brewing. This is primarily so that you're drinking fresh coffee at its fullest flavors, but it's a very short time period for the hot plate to work. 

My final gripe is with the water reservoir. I didn't like the idea of a fill-as-you-use tank, but could adjust to it. However, the tank itself is fixed in the machine, which makes filling it up and cleaning it a lot of extra effort. This can be enough to put some people off, although, if you're short on space, it's a compromise worth making.

You can find more detail in my Zwilling Enfinigy Drip Coffee Maker review.

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An alternative option

Whilst I could gush about the Zwilling all day long, if you can make room for a few more inches of coffee maker in your home, you can get better quality coffee from the OXO. 

Even though the OXO is bigger, it actually has a smaller capacity than the Zwilling. The controls are more basic too, but there's a real beauty in the OXO's simplicity. It makes consistently delicious coffee (the best on test) and it can brew it quickly too. We didn't mind about the footprint, or slightly less appealing aesthetic, because this makes coffee too good to overlook. It's at the top of our best drip coffee makers buying guide and, in spite of some hot competition, has remained unbeaten for a long time. 

It's in the same price bracket as the Zwilling, although at some retailers it's about $50 more. However, we think it's worth the extra squeeze. Again, we can't stress the quality both of this coffee maker and of the coffee it makes. It meets the standards of the SCA's Golden Cup and is a favorite amongst all of our expert testers.

All the places in which we could criticise the OXO, we would also criticise the Zwilling. The water tank isn't removable and it's not programmable. This means that neither are particularly easy to clean. The only difference is that the Zwilling can pre-brew coffee for you when you wake up in the morning, whereas the OXO cannot. 

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Our favorite drip coffee maker also works for small spaces. The OXO is smaller than most drip coffee makers, but it sets a high bar. This makes gold-standard coffee, as is certified by the Speciality Coffee Association. In other words, you're guaranteed a consistently smooth, rich cup of filter coffee when you brew with the OXO, whether you've opted for a quick single-serving or a full carafe.

We tried this out in a few different spots on the countertop and were pleased to find that it can squeeze into small spaces, narrow nooks, and under low wall cupboards. It's designed with functionality in mind, so we have seen much more beautiful filter coffee makers, but we have also seen less attractive options too.

This is at the top spot in our buying guide, so you'll be surprised to hear that it's not even close to being the most technical. It has some BetterBrew technology, which lets you adjust temperature and brew cycles, but you can't schedule your coffee to be made for you, nor can you use an app or voice commands.

When it comes to cleaning, the water tank is fixed. You'll have to take more care over maintenance and, when you re-fill the OXO, you'll need a kettle or pitcher on hand. This gets irritating over time, trust me.

You can find more detail in our OXO 8-Cup Coffee Maker review.

Head to head

The verdict

You can't go wrong with either coffee maker. If you're really squeezed for space, you'll enjoy using the Zwilling. The beauty of it really isn't surface deep: it brews delicious coffee, has more settings (including the pre-brew setting), and is smaller and cheaper than my alternative suggestion, the OXO. 

If you can spare a few more inches in your kitchen, I can't overstate how good the OXO is. It's well-built, simple to use, and brews seriously delicious filter coffee. Either way, you're in safe hands.

How we tested these drip coffee makers

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At Homes & Gardens, we are diligent in the way we test drip coffee makers. We have a team of expert product testers, which includes a trained barista, and they are always researching the drip coffee maker market. When anything new, innovative, or interesting comes into the market, we know about it. We check its credentials and then, if we think it’s a fit for you, we call it in.

Once we have one of these coffee makers secured, our team will take it to the test kitchen, which is our special space for coffee make tests. We’ll put every drip coffee maker we get through a series of standardised tests, brewing single-servings and full carafes of coffee. For every coffee maker we test, we use freshly ground coffee. For these, we'd recommend OXO's grinder (available at Walmart), because it's affordable, delivers consistent grounds, and will help enhance your coffee flavors endlessly.

We always make sure check all the filter coffee maker features: how long a hot plate works for, how quickly a machine brews, and what temperature it reaches. If a machine has a keep hot plate, we taste test the coffee at the end of its slow warming. Some machines burn the coffee, or they make it taste stale and sour. Others keep it close to perfect, so this is important to know. 

More and more machines boast specialist functions, such as blooming, pre-brewing for specific times, and different depths of coffee strength and flavors. Any claims that a company makes get tested by us and put in a section for ‘special features’ which is how you can tell whether these features are genuinely good or a bit of a gimmick.

We’ll also make notes on what it’s like to set up a machine, as well as clean it, maintain it, and store it. Sometimes, drip coffee makers are too tall to clear wall cupboards, which can be a deal breaker. For me, a fixed reservoir is another important feature to know about. If you can detach the water tank, it’s easier to fill and clean. If it’s fixed, it’s just plain irritating. 

Whether it’s praise, criticism, or quirks for the filter coffee maker, we make sure to keep you informed on all of our findings. That way, if you choose to make an investment, you know that they’ll be no surprises when one of these arrives on your doorstep. 

If you’re interested in finding out more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test coffee makers.