Glass vs. Thermal Carafe: Which Is Better at Keeping Coffee Hot?
Consumer Reports' experts weigh in on the pros and cons of these coffee maker carafe types
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If you’re the kind of person who likes to brew a pot of coffee in the morning and go back for a second (or third) cup later in the day, you want a coffee maker whose carafe—be it thermal or glass—can keep your java hot for hours. Sure, you could throw your coffee in the microwave for a warm-up, but doing so can alter the flavor profile of your brew, potentially giving it a bitter or burnt taste.
Fortunately, traditional coffee makers are designed to help in one of two ways: with a hotplate under a glass carafe or in an insulated thermal carafe, which is often more expensive.
“We find that there isn’t a significant difference in temperature loss between the two types,” says Ginny Lui, a test engineer at Consumer Reports. To determine those differences on our coffee maker tests, we measure the temperature of the coffee after 30 minutes and again after 1 hour.
See our reviews of coffee mugs and the best insulated travel mugs.
Best Coffee Makers With a Glass Carafe
If you prefer the ease of handling a glass carafe and the continued heating provided by a hotplate, these are three of the best drip machines with glass carafes. For more options, check out our complete coffee maker ratings.
Best Coffee Makers With a Thermal Carafe
If you prefer to keep your coffee warm for long periods of time and avoid the potential for that burnt coffee taste, these are three of the best drip machines with thermal carafes that you should consider. For more options, see our drip coffee maker ratings and sort by thermal carafe in the More Filters menu.
Editor’s Note: A version of this article also appeared in the November 2019 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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