An under cabinet coffee maker must satisfy two criteria. First it must make good coffee. Second it must save space by fitting neatly under your cabinet. If your counter top space is getting too cluttered to add a new full-size coffee maker, then a space-saving coffee brewer is exactly what you need.
If you’re a coffee lover like me and you don’t want to give up any more of your precious counter space, then this is the best choice for you. Because the unit installs under your cabinet, your counter work space is clear and uncluttered for other purposes such as food preparation or other tasks.
Looking to save space by going with an under cabinet coffee maker? It doesn’t mean you have to save on features or quality! Many brands of space-saving coffee makers come packed with a variety of modern features and conveniences.
Most brewers come standard with a programmable digital display clock and automatic timer – which is almost a necessity for many early morning coffee lovers. You can program your machine to start brewing fresh coffee for you while you are in the middle of your dinner. This way you have fresh coffee waiting for you to enjoy with your dessert – and you didn’t have to get up half way through dinner to start a fresh pot. That earns high ratings in my opinion!
Other modern conveniences to expect in a coffee maker are a removable water reservoir and filter basket as well as a water level indicator window. Auto-shut off is an absolute essential for fire safety – do not purchase any coffee maker without this feature! Some of the nicer machines will come with a stainless steel thermal carafe which keeps your coffee hot for hours. Stainless steel is a great choice for a durable carafe that should last for years.
If you are planning on installing your coffee maker yourself, then another essential is an easy to install machine. Some devices are rather complex to install and require you to hire an installer to do the work for you. Most machines, however, are simple to install, setup and use. Read the instructions before you begin installation.
Most coffee makers that mount under the cabinet sell for about the same price range: about US $65 – 70. With diligent searching you may find them in the upper $50 range. Sometimes you can find a package deal from online retailers that includes an under cabinet coffee maker as well as a toaster oven or automated can opener (both of which can be found categorized as “under cabinet” appliances).
Popular Under Cabinet Coffee Makers
Brewmatic makes a stainless steel 12-cup under the cabinet coffee maker that retails for about US$500. This is the top of the line under cabinet coffee machine built of commercial-grade internal components.
Contoure sells a stainless steel 10-cup “built-in” coffee maker (read, “under the cabinet”) in the US$120 price range.
Perhaps the most popular selling space-saving coffee maker is made by Black & Decker. They have appropriately named the device the Black & Decker Spacemaker. This model comes in many sizes: 8-cup, 10-cup and 12-cup.
You can find consumer reviews of these appliances on sites such as Amazon.com or Epinions.com.
If you need to save counter space, but you aren’t willing to give up fresh brewed coffee, then a space-saving under cabinet coffee maker is exactly what you need!