Most coffee drinkers have heard of Bunn coffee makers and probably recognize it as one of the industry’s top brands. Many commercial facilities use Bunn products to brew large volumes of quality coffee. However, the company also makes some incredible systems for personal use that utilize many of the key features from their commercial line.
If you’re a serious coffee drinker who relies on that precious bean water to set the day off on the right foot, you might want to consider a Bunn coffee maker for your home. This list highlights Bunn’s best coffee makers and what sets them apart from the crowd.
Why Choose a Bunn Coffee Maker?
Before considering any of these coffee makers, you might wonder what makes Bunn unique. Bunn may be one of the industry leaders in commercial coffee brewing, but the brand delivers on the homefront as well. The company attributes its success to five factors.
In short, Bunn essentially took all of the best features from their commercial coffee makers and put them into compact units to fit on a kitchen counter. In addition, Bunn’s headquarters are in Springfield, Illinois, and many products get assembled in the United States.
The Best Bunn Coffee Makers for Personal Use
Bunn Coffee Makers represent some of the best coffee makers in the industry, but we still have our favorites. No matter how you enjoy your coffee, there’s something for everyone on this list, including a large capacity and a single-serve maker.
Bunn CSB2B Speed Brew Elite
Best Overall
Bunn labels the CSB2B as Elite, and there’s little question that this pot lives up to that standard. There are few things to fault this chic, high-performing automatic drip coffee maker. It even features dishwasher-safe components to make cleaning easier.
The Bunn Speed Brew gets the edge over the GRB thanks to a few design elements. First, the spray heads and funnel depth are different, meaning the water spends more time with the grounds for better flavor extraction. It only takes four minutes to brew a pot, but it brews as little as 20 ounces, or enough to fill a large travel mug.
Another crucial point for the Bunn Speed Brew is the lime-resistant coating that protects against mineral build-up that can affect your coffee and cause problems with your machine.
The only drawback of this coffee maker is that there’s no automatic shut-off. You have to pay attention and remember to turn it off.
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Bunn GRB Velocity Brew
Runner Up
The GRB is similar to the CSB2B but doesn’t have quite as many features. You still get a quick brew time and a sleek, minimalist design.
This coffee maker can brew between four and ten cups at a time, and a full pot only takes three minutes. It’s so easy to use that anybody can do it; the only button to operate is the on and off switch.
Bunn’s minimalist design includes thoughtful features that yield a quality cup of coffee despite the short brew time. The unit has a multi-head spray system that spreads water forcefully and evenly over the ground coffee to deliver ultimate flavor. Additionally, Bunn created a no-drip glass carafe to help you pour a cleaner cup of coffee.
The only drawback is the lack of a timer and programming options. Some people enjoy the convenience of brewing their coffee at a set time.
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Bunn CSB3T Speed Brew Coffee Maker
Best Splurge
Brewing coffee at the perfect temperature is one thing, but keeping it there is another issue altogether. The CSB3T aims to solve that problem with a thermal carafe that keeps your coffee toasty for around two hours.
The brewing system is similar to the GRB in almost every way, including the spray heads and internal water reservoir. You can expect a full pot of coffee in three to four minutes. The CSB3T features some design differences, including a mirrored backsplash. However, the carafe is the main difference between the two coffee makers.
Instead of a glass carafe and warming plate to keep your coffee hot, the CSB3T features a double-wall, vacuum-sealed, stainless steel carafe. Once your coffee brews, you can take your carafe anywhere, like a home office. It’s convenient and safer than worrying about shutting off a warming plate.
Make sure you account for the additional height on this system because it’s a little taller than your typical automatic drip coffee maker. The CSB3T also has a taller brew basket that requires taller filters, specifically, the Bunn size 10. This coffee maker also lacks programmable features.
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Bunn Heat N Brew Coffee Maker
Best Programmable
If you’re looking for a sleeker, high-tech coffee maker, you might want to take a peek at this one. While the other units on this list exclude clocks and programmable features, the Heat N Brew steps up.
The unique, low-profile design skips the backsplash and adds a modern aesthetic with some tech upgrades. A small, functional digital clock sits at the bottom, making it easy to set the time and program a start time for your brew cycle. Of course, if you forget to set the timer in advance, you can hit the brew button to start it yourself.
The carafe is another interesting design choice for this unit. It’s made from shatter-resistant glass and features a drip-free spout to avoid spills. While it looks cool and doesn’t leak, the design makes it tough to get every last drop of coffee out of the carafe.
Unlike other coffee makers, this one also features an automatic shut-off for the warming plate.
The downside to this machine is the longer brew time, up to ten minutes for a full 10-cup pot. It also seems to take more coffee grounds to get the desired strength.
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Bunn My Cafe Single Cup Coffee Maker
Best Single Serve
What happens if you live alone and only have one cup of coffee daily? Maybe you have a household with several coffee drinkers who can’t decide on one blend. The My Cafe lets you brew coffee by the cup and still get that famous Bunn quality.
You get a lot of the key features that set Bunn products apart, like the preheated water reservoir. However, the My Cafe has a few unique features that allow for a more customized brew experience.
Even though this machine brews one cup at a time, there is some variability in the sizing. You can select anywhere from four to 14 ounces, so it can accommodate nearly any coffee cup.
Additionally, you have four different brewing configurations. To make coffee, you can drop in a K-cup or use ground coffee, but you can also make tea. The My Cafe maker can handle tea bags or loose-leaf varieties. In case you’re wondering, it also dispenses plain hot water.
Just note that you might have to purchase a few accessories to get the most out of your unit. It also comes with a two-year warranty instead of the standard three-year.
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Bunn VPR Pour-Over Commercial Coffee Maker
Best Large Quantity
It might seem odd that a commercial coffee maker made this list, but Bunn crafted this one to be more versatile. Since the VPR doesn’t require a plumbing connection, you can take it almost anywhere. Plus, you get two warmers, one on top of the system and the other beneath the drip, meaning you never run out.
The VPR is a sturdy unit with a chic, classic Bunn design that can brew up to 3.8 gallons per hour. It’s easy to operate; you just add water and coffee grounds, then flick a button to start the brew cycle.
This commercial coffee maker is a complete system for large households and small businesses. It’s also a solid option for people who frequently host parties and need to serve several people.
Make sure you have enough space to accommodate this monster unit. Even though Bunn notes it’s portable, the machine is 15.9 inches deep and over 20 inches high.
Additionally, there’s no switch to turn this unit on or off. Once you plug it in, the coffee maker runs until you unplug it.
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Best Bunn Coffee Maker- The Verdict
Choosing a coffee maker is often challenging because there are so many available and they all claim to brew the best cup. The Bunn brand is well-established, and its coffee makers are known for their ease of use and quick brew cycles.
While all of the coffee makers on our list can deliver a quality cup of coffee, the Bunn Speed Brew is the best overall option. Casual coffee drinkers might prefer the My Cafe Single-Cup Brewer, which allows you to make one cup at a time. Large households, small businesses, and those who frequently entertain large groups might take advantage of the larger capacity VPR Pour-Over Commercial Brewer to accommodate the volume.
Tips for Choosing a Bunn Coffee Maker
Are you struggling to decide which Bunn coffee maker is right for you? It helps to consider some significant factors, like how many cups of coffee you make per day and how much space you have. We created a short guide to help you narrow down your choices.
Usage
One cup or ten? Determining how much coffee you like to drink each day can help you narrow down the list. Even if your household consumes more than one or two cups of coffee per day, you might prefer making different types of coffee.
Taking things a step further, if you entertain frequently or have a large household, you might want to go bigger. The commercial coffee maker with two warming plates to keep coffee hot may fit your needs better overall. Think about the option to make four to eight cups of two different kinds. Plus, the commercial unit is small enough to be portable for transport to different venues.
Size
Where do you like to keep your coffee maker? Make sure you measure the space before choosing a Bunn coffee maker. Many of these coffee makers are larger than your average unit, but a few, like the single-serve and Heat N Brew, have lower profiles.
The commercial unit might serve a lot of coffee, making it ideal for avid coffee drinkers and entertainers. However, it also takes up a lot of space and might overpower a lot of counters.
Don’t forget to consider the unit’s height. For example, if you’re torn between the thermal carafe and the traditional Velocity, consider their height difference.
Water Source
Coffee makers can come with either a water reservoir or be plumbed in– knowing the difference is crucial. Reservoir coffee machines feature internal water tanks you fill as needed, while plumbed in coffee makers connect to plumbing to maintain the water stream. There are benefits and drawbacks to both styles.
Plumbed-in machines are typically more expensive but maintain water levels for you. They require a connection to a water source, which might limit where you can place them. If for some reason, the water line isn’t accessible, you can fill them manually.
All of the Bunn coffee makers on our list have water reservoirs and are designed to be portable. The style usually works better for smaller quantities, but you must be careful not to overfill the reservoir.
Price and Warranty
Avid coffee drinkers can tell you that finding the right brewer constitutes an investment in your habit. Heavy coffee drinkers might want to invest more in a sturdy, durable machine with a warranty to be safe. Occasional coffee brewers might be alright with a cheaper machine that just gets by.
Bunn machines are investments, so they might not be the best choice for everyone. Though they come with higher price tags, Bunn coffee makers typically come with three-year warranties, longer than the industry average.
Additional Features
Each of the coffee makers on this list has unique features that set it apart from others in its class and each other. Warming plates and thermal carafes might make one machine more desirable than another, but here are a few other features to consider.
Hot Water Dispensers
Since Bunn coffee makers keep water warm in the reservoir, having a built-in hot water dispenser makes a machine more versatile. Make instant oatmeal much faster or fill a mug for other hot drinks, like tea and hot cocoa, without waiting for hot water in boil in a kettle.
Customization
What if your coffee needs to change daily? The option to vary the amount of coffee you brew can make a difference. Many of the units on our list allow you to choose between four and ten cups for each brew cycle. If you’re comparing Bunn machines to other brands, ensure you consider the option to brew different volumes.
As a side note for single-serve machines, not all coffee makers in the class have adjustable volumes. The Bunn My Cafe lets you select different single-serve volumes to work with your mug size. It also lets you choose how to brew, like K-cups or coffee grounds.
Programmability
Having a simple on-and-off switch is easy, but being able to program a brewing time is convenient. Do you need to walk into your kitchen to find hot coffee waiting for you? On the other hand, three or four minutes isn’t long to wait for a fresh cup.
