If you’re looking for the best budget coffee makers under $50, you’ve come to the right place.
There are SO many different types of coffee makers out there… so how do you choose?
I’m here to help you find the best CHEAP coffee maker to make a hot cup of coffee on a budget.
Most coffee drinkers, like you and I, aren’t interested in super fancy (and expensive) coffee makers or espresso machines. We just want a great cup of coffee at a good price.
>>>Fresh coffee at the right temperature with the right ingredients! That’s bliss!
This list of coffee makers are the best budget coffee makers I could find.
There are several varieties listed below. The one you decide to go with will depend on your life and what you need. But don’t worry, I’ll help you figure that out.
So let’s find you (and any coffee lovers you know that might be on your gift list this year) a cheap way to make your morning coffee without the extra price tag.
If you like this post, you might like this:
My French Press Review So You Can Make Great Coffee
Best French Press Coffee Reviews On the Web
French Press vs. Drip Method
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase something from a link on this page, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. These affiliate commissions allow me to continue to make free content for you to enjoy.
Please also note that some ingredients may have allergens. Please be careful and make sure you know your own allergic reactions and what you can and can’t have. Nothing on this site should be accepted as advice of any kind. It is your responsibility to know your own health and limitations.
NOTE: The prices of some of these machines may fluctuate. With craziness happening in the world, the supply and demand may change from week to week.
The Most Important Features of a Good Coffee Maker
Before you decide on a coffee maker, you’ll want to consider a few things.
- How much coffee you want to make with your coffee maker
- Your price range
- Ease of use
1. How Much Coffee Will You Be Making?
Is this coffee maker for yourself? Or do you need to make a LOT of coffee?
If you need to make a lot of coffee every day, you’ll want to go with a drip coffee maker. If you are just making coffee for yourself or one other person, you can go with a french press.
My favorite way to make coffee is with a french press. The flavor is much more robust and rich. But if I’m entertaining, I’ll use my drip coffee maker. I have both because both serve a different purpose.
If you go with a french press, you’ll need a few other things as well. (Keep reading for more)
2. Your Coffee Maker Budget
You landed on this post because the price of your coffee maker is important to you. The more you have, the fancier you get.
But you can make an amazing cup of coffee without spending a ton of money.
You can make incredibly delicious coffee with a french press, and a french press is pretty cheap. But you have to factor in that you’ll need to buy filters occasionally. A french press also breaks a little easier (depending on which kind you buy), and you won’t want to buy a french press unless you can buy whole beans that you’ll have to grind yourself. So, you’ll need a grinder, and your beans will be a bit pricier than cheap grocery store coffee.
We’ll get into all of this in a minute. Just keep this in mind for now.
3. Ease of use
Some coffee makers are easier to use than others. The more useful features you get, the higher the price. I tend to look for coffee makers that don’t require a lot of learning to use. We, as humans, have a tendency to overcomplicate things. Most coffee makers have a dripless pour spout, so in terms of actually serving coffee, they are all fairly even.
Lots of coffee makers (especially drip coffee makers) have additional features (like LCD display) that make life easier, but the more features, the higher the price.
Stop overcomplicating your coffee. It’s unnecessary.
I want to help you find the best coffee machine at a reasonable price.
The list of coffee makers here will be either ones I have purchased or ones I would purchase if I needed a new one. In terms of price AND ease of use.
Best Drip Coffee Makers Under $50
Before you decide on a drip coffee maker, there are a few things you’ll want to consider:
- Do you want a traditional drip coffee maker or a fancy one with functions like automotive pause or brew-pause feature)?
- A removable filter basket (or brew basket) will make cleanup much easier
- Do you need a large capacity for making coffee or is a smaller one sufficient (do you host parties often, or do you have a lot of coffee drinkers in the house, OR do you drink a lot of coffee?
Here are the best drip coffee makers under $50:
Mueller 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker
If you’re looking for a simple coffee machine for a great price, this is it! It holds a lot of coffee, keeps it warm, and has everything you need in a drip machine. It’s not fancy, but it’s got the essentials. If you like to make a LOT of coffee, this large-capacity coffee maker is an excellent choice.
This coffee maker is reported by reviewers to be easy to use, lightweight, has a small footprint, and has a water level indicator.
Hamilton Beach Drip Coffee Machine
If you’re looking for something a bit fancier for a good price, this hamilton beach coffee maker has more electronic features than just a power button. It has a programmable brew cycle as well as other features. It even has auto-pause. This programmable coffee maker has a lot of features for the price.
Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mini Brew Switch Coffee Machine
Looking for a drip machine that’s a bit smaller than your standard 12 cup machine? This Mr Coffee machine with glass carafe is perfect for a small apartment, college dorm, or just a single person living alone.
Black & Decker 12-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker
Make up to 12 cups of coffee and travel from room to room with this thermal carafe that will keep your coffee warm while entertaining. This coffee maker has quite a lot of features given the price (under 50 at the time of writing this).
Stainless steel carafes are usually more expensive because they are made with materials that are more expensive (stainless steel vs.glass).
Ditch the regular glass carafe and pick up this stainless steel design. It’s a great deal for the price.
Bonus drip coffee maker tip: If you like to save the coffee you didn’t drink to make iced coffee, you’ll want a drip coffee maker so you can make a little extra. I do this daily in the summer because I like warm coffee in the morning, but I like something cool and refreshing in the afternoon.
Best One Cup Coffee Makers Under $50
One cup coffee makers are nice for when you work in an office and have clients you want to serve, or if you like a variety of flavored coffees. You can make a decent cup of coffee with them, but you’ll have to try out a variety of K-cups or pods before you find one you like.
The only thing I don’t like about one cup coffee makers are that they aren’t always the freshest cup of coffee and they are TERRIBLE for the environment. They aren’t as easy to clean as other coffee makers.
Most single-serve coffee makers have a reusable filter you can buy if you just want to make regular coffee and not use a K-cup pod. It takes a tiny bit of extra work, but you’ll save a ton of money on pods, and you’ll save a lot of single-use
If you’re looking to make just one or two cups at a time, you have a few choices.
Hamilton Flex Brew Single-Serve Coffee Maker
Want to make just one cup of coffee at a time? Try this single-serve coffee maker. Perfect for someone who lives alone, an office or college dorm.
2-in-1 Single Cup Coffee Maker & Travel Mug
Skip a step and get this single serve coffee maker and travel mug together in one simple machine. Perfect for someone on the go.
French Press – My Favorite Way to Make Coffee!
I LOVE my French press. They are very budget friendly and you can make an INCREDIBLY delicious cup of coffee.
Check out this blog post all about how to use a french press.
A French press is a great choice is you:
- Want to make a single cup of coffee (or if you’re like me a REALLY big single cup)
- Are a college student and it’s just you and maybe one other person living with you… and you want GOOD coffee
- Are a single person and want a small coffee maker
- Want strong coffee with a rich, more robust flavor
- Need a compact design
- Don’t have a lot of space (it has a very small footprint and can be tucked away in a cupboard)
- Like the small size of a French press
If you buy a french press, you’re going to need a few other things. You’ll need whole beans and a grinder. See this blog post to learn more.
French presses come in all kinds of different colors and styles.
I’ve broken my fair share of glass french presses, so I’ve only included more durable ones here.
Mueller French Press Double Insulated
If you want a french press that is durable, insulated, and will last a long time while making great coffee, this one is for you. Even if you don’t plan to travel, buy a more durable french press like this one.
Coffee Gator French Press Coffee Maker
This french press is stunning and breaks from the normal glass or stainless steal coloring.
Aeropress Single Cup Coffee Maker
As I mentioned in the last section, I ADORE my French press. But I am completely clumsy. I broke 3 of them as I was travelling to friends houses with them, bringing it to work, and doing the dishes (no idea how that last one happened).
So I bought this Aeropress coffee maker.
It’s similar to a French press, but it’s more durable and takes less time.
This Aeropress is the right choice if you:
- Travel a lot
- Want coffee while camping
- Frequently only want one cup of coffee in less than a minute
- Are impatient
Aeropress Coffee Maker
This is a unique coffee maker I bought because I kept breaking my french press. It’s great for travel, camping, or if you’re just a total clutz like myself. It’s so easy, even my husband doesn’t mind using it (he hates the french press).
It’s a compact design and has an even smaller footprint than the French press. It’s SUPER easy to clean. It’s easier to clean than any other coffee maker I own.
There was a lot of meticulous care that went into designing this coffee maker.
It’s so easy to use, even my husband will use it. He won’t use the French press.
It’s All About the Coffee Beans
The thing about coffee (and finding a good coffee maker) is that good coffee is actually all about the coffee beans and how they are brewed.
My FAVORITE (and most delicious) way to make coffee is to grind my own beans (I love kicking horse coffee) and brew them in a French press.
I don’t know exactly why (science?) but making freshly ground coffee beans in a French press makes the coffee more smooth and almost frothy.
You can control the brew strength easier in a French press by adjusting the brew time, and it just feels more … authentic? Can making coffee feel authentic?
At one with the beans? Okay… I’ve lost it. Let’s just say I really like using my French press.
The price point of a French press is VERY good, and if your budget is under $50, you still have enough left to buy freshly roasted beans.
Besides… Isn’t the taste of the coffee the whole point?
Which is the Best Coffee Maker Under $50?
It depends on what you’re trying to do.
If you want a lot of coffee… the drip coffee machine is for you.
If you want a small amount of incredibly delicious coffee… the french press is the way to go.
If you want a small amount of coffee fast without much thought… the one cup single serve is the right choice.
If you want a durable and portable coffee maker for a small amount of coffee… the Aeropress is your best friend.
