Amazon.com

Though only slightly bigger than a quality four-cup coffeemaker, Braun’s top-of-the-line FlavorSelect is full of high-tech wizardry and able to turn ground beans into a superior pot of drip coffee. Its most desirable feature for many will be the water filter (it needs replacing after about two months of regular use). The water filter removes chlorine, bad taste, and odors from water before brewing. It also reduces calcification so the machine rarely, if ever, needs to be decalcified. But, for others, the digital clock and timer feature will be a big draw. The brewing cycle covers both small and large quantities and mild or strong coffee. There’s even a feature that adjusts the temperature of the hot plate, and another that turns the machine off from zero to four hours after the coffee is brewed. This model comes with a stainless-steel filter screen, which will last years and eliminates the need for paper filters completely. All of these features come in a sleek, simple design that won’t take over the kitchen. It does take about 15 minutes to get through the directions, but once you’ve got them down, this machine might change your mornings. –Maria Dolan

Editor’s Choice: Braun’s FlavorSelect coffeemaker is our choice for the best coffeemaker under $100, and our choice for best drip coffeemaker without a grinder, regardless of price. It has too many quality functions not to be, starting with the flavor selector, which lets you adjust the coffee to personal preference–no more trying to adjust flavor by putting in different amounts of coffee. It’s also very convenient, with both automatic brewing capabilities and automatic hotplate shutoff (meaning that you can tell it to either turn on or turn off when you’re not around), and a hotplate temperature control that ranges from 167 degrees to 187 degrees.