 This Product Black+Decker 5-Cup | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Bang for Your Buck | Best Drip Coffee Machine on a Tight Budget | |||
| Price | $33 List $24.99 at Amazon | $70 List $69.99 at Amazon | $40 List $36.99 at Amazon | $25 List $24.01 at Amazon | $40 List $40.04 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This brewer is a small and straightforward, inexpensive, and an all-around average drip coffee maker | This inexpensive machine gives you a few key features without breaking the bank | An inexpensive brewer that makes decent coffee with programmable functions | While we think this machine gives a mediocre cup of coffee, it is convenient to use and affordable | An affordable option with consistent brew times and temperatures |
| Rating Categories | Black+Decker 5-Cup | Hamilton Beach 2-Way | Black+Decker 12-Cup... | Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mi... | Mr. Simple Brew 12-... |
| Brew Quality (35%) | |||||
| User Friendliness (30%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (20%) | |||||
| Consistency (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Black+Decker 5-Cup | Hamilton Beach 2-Way | Black+Decker 12-Cup... | Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mi... | Mr. Simple Brew 12-... |
| Average Brew Temperature | 199.6 °F | 191.9 °F | 192.2 °F | 194.1 °F | 194.8 °F |
| Average Time to Brew 6 Cups of Coffee (minutes) | 8.95 | 7.9 | 7.88 | 8.09 | 8.85 |
| Scheduled Brewing | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Preinfusion | No | No | No | No | No |
| Footprint Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.8" x 7.4" x 8.3" | 13.9" x 12.2" x 11.1" | 8.2" x 12.2" x 11.0" | 10.0" x 6.5" x 8.0" | 12.3" x 9.3" x 13.8" |
| Cup Capacity | 1 - 5 cups | 1 - 12 cups | 2 - 12 cups | 1 - 5 cups | 2 - 12 cups |
| Single Serve | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Filter Shape | Flat | Flat | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Power Draw | 650 watts | 950 watts | 975 watts | 650 watts | 975 watts |
The Black+Decker 5-Cup is an acceptable machine, affordable and reliable for the average consumer. The simple interface and included nylon mesh reusable filter basket are what we think make it stand out the most. Unless you're specifically in the market for a very small coffee machine, there are plenty of other options in our best drip coffee maker review that do a better job.
To determine brew quality, our coffee connoisseurs tested the brewing temperature in the basket, checked the water distribution after brewing, noted brewing and temperature features, then poured themselves a hot cup and had a taste. The Black+Decker did an alright job for a lower-end drip coffee machine. While you can't adjust or change your water temperature, the Black+Decker maintained an average brew temperature of 199.6°F, which is within the ideal range suggested by the SCA for optimal flavor extraction (195°F to 205°F). There is no pre-infusion option, and the manufacturer's recommended measurement of coffee grounds is just under half our standard ratio, but it didn't have a problem handling our preferred amount.
As far as features go, this machine is limited. There is simply an on/off switch, giving you no control over your coffee experience other than when it happens. The included reusable basket is plastic, but it does have nylon mesh, which helps protect the flavor better than the metal mesh most reusable baskets employ. The basket is mini but will fit standard filter paper if you shove it in there just right. As far as taste, the Black+Decker gave us coffee that doesn't stand out as particularly horrible but a bit underwhelming. The flavor would be acceptable for folks who just want their caffeine or intend to put their favorite creamer in it and run.
The Black+Decker is pretty user-friendly if you're looking for a machine that isn't complicated. There are no programmable features to learn, which also means the machine is not going to offer you a hot cup of joe first thing in the morning as it lacks an automatic brew feature. It is also important to note that the machine made a bit of a mess. We did have to clean the shower head after we were finished, and there was a lot of splatter while brewing. We had to wipe the counter down and do some cleanup when we were through.
It takes quite a while for that last bit of water to drip through the grounds, but with the sneak-a-cup feature, you can pour a cup if you just can't wait for the thing to finish brewing. Be sure to replace the carafe within 30 seconds, or the brew basket will overflow.
The water reservoir lives on the machine's left side and has a pretty small opening, though we did appreciate the semi-transparent window with measurement markings. You get what you put in with the Black+Decker, so it's important to see how much water you're using. With a very cute glass carafe (reminiscent of a science beaker), the Black+Decker, on average, gave us a piping hot 178°F pot of coffee. After sitting on the hot plate for an hour, the coffee hit 182°F, which is not ideal for flavor retention but is far from the worst offender we tested when it comes to heating up already-brewed coffee. That increase in temperature makes the coffee oxidize faster, tasting burnt and more acidic.
We like that the Black+Decker has a top rack dishwasher-safe carafe, but we did not enjoy the mess and splash around the machine that we had to clean up after brewing. There was quite a substantial amount of splatter on the counter, and the showerhead was a bit of a mess. The Black+Decker does not include a descaling liquid and instead recommends using vinegar. After the vinegar, the manufacturer vaguely states that you “may want to” run water through several times until the vinegar smell and taste are gone. It took us four additional rinse cycles to get the vinegar smell and taste out. It wasn't the most convenient of tasks, but it could have been worse.
To gather our temperature data, our testers hauled the Black+Decker to sea level and got to work. After five measurements taken in the carafe, the average temperature was found to be about 179.4°F, though it did vary a bit widely from one batch to another. The Black+Decker did manage to stay in a range of 198.8°F to 200.7°F in the brew basket during brewing, right in that sweet spot that results in optimal flavor extraction from your grounds. The average brewing time was fairly consistent, sitting at 8 minutes 57 seconds. This is on the high side of average — even higher when considering that most machines took less time to brew six cups, while the Black+Decker maxes out at five cups.
While the Black+Decker is certainly not one of the fanciest models on the market, it would be a good buy for someone who lives in a smaller space and just needs a standard cup of coffee in the morning. Its simple interface is pretty foolproof — if potentially hazardous without an auto shut-off. If you don't need a lot of coffee and aren't too picky about dialing in an in-depth brewing process, this may be the machine for you.
For those on a really tight budget, the Mr. Coffee might be an option, though it does brew a less impressive pot than the Black+Decker 5-Cup. If you can afford to spend more, we really liked the Ninja 12-Cup — it gave a far more enjoyable brewing experience and well-rounded flavor in every cup.
