REASONS TO BUY
Simple brew process
12-cup capacity
REASONS TO AVOID
Inconsistent water temperature
Poor water distribution
Braun BrewSense Review
This middling appliance is easy to use and has great brewing features
Credit: Braun
RELATED: Best Coffee Makers of 2023
Our Verdict
The Braun BrewSense is a great option for those who want to brew large batches without much hassle. The brewer's interface is easy to use, with options like a 24-hour timer, automated shut-off, and a cleaning indicator. This brewer is also easy to clean as most parts are dishwasher-safe. Our concerns lie with the brewing quality. Its uneven water distribution and lower water temperature output left much to be desired. However, this is still a decent option for those who are looking for a programmable coffee maker with intuitive features.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Braun BrewSense | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | | |||
| Price | $110 List $107.00 at Amazon | $75 List $69.99 at Amazon | $100 List $99.95 at Amazon | $40 List $34.99 at Amazon | $40 List $30.37 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Simple brew process, 12-cup capacity | Easy cleaning, simple design, can use pods | Large brew capacity range, good water distribution, coffee filter included | Inexpensive, automatic brew feature | Simplistic interface, easy to clean |
| Cons | Inconsistent water temperature, poor water distribution | Small water tank opening, fill to brew volume | Bulky, confusing interface | Hard to fill, bulky | Poor brew quality, no automatic shut off, short carafe handle |
| Bottom Line | This middling appliance is easy to use and has great brewing features | The combination of features and affordability make this a great budget option | A great option for coffee drinkers looking to brew larger batches of coffee | The most affordable and straightforward coffee maker that consistently brews decent coffee | A decent budget option if you like the simplicity of a single-button brewer |
| Rating Categories | Braun BrewSense | Hamilton Beach 2-Way | Cuisinart 14-Cup Pr... | Black+Decker 12-Cup... | Mr. Simple Brew 12-... |
| Brew Quality (35%) | |||||
| User Friendliness (30%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (20%) | |||||
| Consistency (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Braun BrewSense | Hamilton Beach 2-Way | Cuisinart 14-Cup Pr... | Black+Decker 12-Cup... | Mr. Simple Brew 12-... |
| Cup Capacity | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 |
| Single Serve | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Automatic Brewing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Brew Temp | 170 °F | 166 °F | 177 °F | 162 °F | 160 °F |
| Preinfusion | No | No | No | No | No |
| Filter Shape | Cone | Flat | Cone | Flat | Flat |
| Energy Usage | 1000 watts | 950 watts | 1050 watts | 975 watts | 975 watts |
| Measured Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.25" x 8" x 8" | 13.9" x 12.2" x 11.1" | 14" x 8" x 9" | 8.2" x 12.2" x 11" | 12.3" x 9.3" x 13.8" |
| Measured Weight | 7.0 lbs | 5.0 lbs | 9.5 lbs | 4.8 lbs | 2.8 lbs |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Braun BrewSense has many great features, including automatic brewing, auto-off, a one to four-cup option, and more. We also appreciate how easy this brewer is to use. The design is straightforward and intuitive, with separate buttons for each function. This coffee maker is a decent option for those looking to quickly brew large batches of coffee. However, the brew quality was lacking, with inconsistent water temperatures.
Performance Comparison
The BrewSense is easy to use with great features like sneak-a-cup and a 24-hour timer.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Brew Quality
To score the brew quality, our team tested each coffee maker, assessing the water temperature, water distribution, and brew features. The BrewSense scored below average in this test with coffee that tasted somewhat watered down.
The water output temperature in our testing was much lower than the industry standard. Without the hotter temperatures, the coffee will often taste sour. After brewing, the grounds receded along the edges, with a large divot in the middle. This suggests the middle of the grounds was over-extracted, resulting in uneven water distribution. With the lack of evenly saturated grounds and the water temperature being too low, we were left with a poor-tasting cup of coffee.
This brewer isn't the best when it comes to water distribution, shaping a volcano-like divot in the grounds.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
User Friendliness
The BrewSense scored well in our user friendliness test with a simple and intuitive design. The brewer has many customizable features, including a 24-hour timer, auto-off, and a one to four-cup option. Our testers appreciated the auto-off feature with shutoff options that range from 15 minutes to five hours. We were also pleased to see the sneak-a-cup feature included in this design.
The BrewSense is easy to use, with clearly labeled buttons and a separate power button.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The BrewSense was among the fastest we tested, with a brew time of just under six minutes. It brews up to 12 cups into a non-insulated carafe that rests on a heating plate. The carafe design allows for larger pours without needing to angle the pot in an unnatural way. However, the flippable lid was a little too far from the handle, requiring our judges to readjust their grip while pouring the last bits of coffee.
The carafe is easy to pour from and provides a smooth flow of coffee.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Cleaning
The BrewSense excelled in our cleaning test, finishing at the top of the bunch. Cleaning was pretty straightforward as all the removable pieces are dishwasher safe. The carafe is large enough to fit a hand in and wipe the walls without trouble. We appreciate the clean button as it indicates when descaling is needed, so you don't have to keep track of this yourself.
Unfortunately, this brewer lost points since touching the metallic parts of the machine left highly visible fingerprints. Unfortunately, the fingerprints didn't easily wipe off either, requiring a decent amount of effort to remove them.
Though the carafe is dishwasher safe, it is also very easy to wash by hand given its large opening.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Consistency
We tested five pots of coffee to determine the consistency of water temperature, brew time, and flavor retention after two hours. The Braun BrewSense performed just about average in this test. This machine did an excellent job maintaining a consistent brew time of about six minutes. However, the brew temperature was inconsistent and the coffee was noticeably more acidic after two hours.
We tested the coffee temperature of each brew and assessed the consistency. The Braun BrewSense was average in this, with varying temperatures each round.
Credit: Jessica Riconscente
Should you buy the Braun BrewSense?
The Braun BrewSense is a good option for those who are interested in features like a 24-hour timer and auto-off. This brewer is easy to use and simple to clean. However, it produces an average-tasting cup of coffee. If you're pickier about your coffee, we recommend looking at other brewers with better water temperature and distribution.
The BrewSense is intuitive and easy to use. Each feature has its own button, which is clearly labeled.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
What other coffee makers should you consider?
Another excellent option in the same price range is the BUNN Heat N' Brew Programmable. This coffee maker consistently brewed high-quality coffee in our tests and was easy to clean. For the best of the best, check out the Breville Precision Brewer. Though this machine is on the pricier side, it has all the bells and whistles and brews an excellent cup of coffee.
—
Jessica Riconscente and Becca Glades
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