Noise level might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re shopping for a new coffee maker, but if you’ve owned a loud one before then your opinion might be different. The last thing any of us need first thing in the morning is an unnecessarily loud coffee maker.
In this article, I’ll look at the 12 quietest coffee makers currently on the market. The best ones available right now are:
I’ll look at these machines in much more detail shortly, but first, let’s look at some reasons why your coffee machine might be making so much noise.
Why are coffee machines so loud?
At-home coffee makers come in a number of different types. However, they can be divided into 3 broad categories:
- Drip coffee machine (drip coffee maker)
- Coffee-pod espresso machines (such as Nespresso)
- Standard espresso pumps
Although they make coffee in different ways, all 3 types rely on the same basic design. They have a water container, somewhere to put the coffee, a pump to draw the water and a heating element to heat it.
Espresso pumps and drip coffee makers are arguably the loudest coffee makers on the market, but this is usually because of the pump. The water is drawn through the coffee under pressure (around 15 bars). It’s this pressure that creates good coffee and the crema on top (the layer of light brown foam found on a good espresso).
For coffee-pod machines the water simply rinses through the pod, pulling the coffee with it. This means that they don’t work with as much pressure, but can still make plenty of noise. Any noise is usually caused by the water pump or by the machine ejecting steam at the end.
In short, the loud noises caused by a coffee maker generally come from the pump, as this is one of the most labor-intensive parts of the process. The reason this happens with at-home coffee makers is that they need to be inexpensive, and so manufacturers can’t spend loads on top-quality parts.
Conversely, the coffee makers you find in coffee shops are much quieter, but these can cost into the thousands just for a good machine. Unless you’re willing to spend that much on a professional machine, it’s worth looking at some quiet options.
What to look for in a coffee maker
When you’re shopping for a new coffee maker, there are several things you need to look out for. First, of course, is the type of coffee you want to make. For example, a coffee-pod machine or espresso pump will make (you guessed it) espresso. This can then be turned into a wide range of drinks you find in your local coffee shop.
Alternatively, a drip coffee maker brews a large pot of coffee that can be considered Americano or “standard” coffee. It’s a longer (weaker) brew compared to a short (strong) espresso. Your decision will ultimately be based on taste, but we’ll look at all types on this list.
Next, consider the following points:
- Noise level. This should obviously be a major factor and is what I’ll be ranking these machines based on.
- Size of water tank. The bigger the tank, the more coffee you can make before refilling. This is more important for drip machines, or those who live with a lot of coffee lovers.
- How quickly does it heat up? Expect a standard heating time of 30 seconds, but you can find ones that are quicker.
- Do you need a milk steamer? This is generally only applicable to espresso makers but is important if you want a good cappuccino or latte.
Obviously these factors will be dependent on your personal taste, but you should consider a range of factors before buying a new coffee maker.
The Quietest Coffee Makers
So now that we have our criteria out of the way, let’s look at some of the best (and quietest) coffee makers currently available. Hopefully, there’ll be one here that’ll make you the perfect cup!
This drip coffee maker (Amazon link) is regarded as one of the quietest on the market, and luckily it can also make a good cup of coffee! The pot has space for 8 cups, which it makes in an amazing 6 minutes. This means you can easily have as much coffee as you want (or need) in next to no time.
To make it even better, the machine is one-touch so you don’t need to stand there waiting for it to heat up. It also has a built-in water pause function, allowing the water to sit for a short time on the coffee grounds. This results in a more developed flavor.
On top of its excellent functionality, it’s quite a nice machine to look at too. While not many people would choose a machine based on looks alone, this does always help. It might be on the pricey side, but it’s an acceptable cost considering how quietly it makes coffee.
2. Nespresso ENV135B Coffee Maker
See the Amazon listing
This is one of the more recent coffee pod machines released by Nespresso and comes with a range of updated features. Importantly, these include a much quieter water pump. While it still makes more noise than a drip coffee machine, it’s much less than you’d expect.
The machine itself is fairly small but has a 54-ounce water tank and heats up in about 15 seconds. Its waste container has room for about 13 used capsules, although you can also use the reusable capsules in this machine.
However, this means you’d miss out on one of the more impressive features: the machine’s barcode scanner. This reads the information on the pod (providing they’re Nespresso brand), allowing it to adjust its settings to make the best cup of coffee possible.
3. Espressione 8212S Espresso Machine
This espresso pump (Amazon link) is on the pricier side, but it’s a necessary expense for the quieter pump. Rather than the standard 15 bar pressure, this machine uses 19 bar pressure, which results in a smoother and tastier coffee.
It also features a coffee grinder with 5 settings, and this is surprisingly quiet too. It stands around 7 inches tall, so is nice and compact, meaning it won’t take up much room in your kitchen.
Importantly, it has a fairly large water tank and heats up in around 20 seconds. If you’re willing to spend a bit extra for good coffee, you could do a lot worse than this espresso maker.
4. Gevi 12-Cup Coffee Maker
One of the best features of this drip coffee maker (Amazon link) is its 24 hour programmable timer. This means you can set it up before you go to bed and have a perfect pot of coffee waiting for you in the morning! What’s more, it’s quiet enough to do this without waking you up.
It has the capacity to make 12 cups of coffee at once and only takes about 10 minutes to do so. While this is longer than some other coffee makers, it brews a lot more coffee at once.
On top of this the machine has an LED screen, allowing you to change a variety of settings. It’s on the cheaper end of the scale but does a fairly good job for the price. However, upgrading to the next level of Gevi coffee makers will give you more features and functionality.
5. Nespresso Inissia Titan
This compact coffee pod maker (Amazon link) has fewer features than the bigger models but is surprisingly much quieter. It would be the perfect model for keeping at work because it takes up little space and won’t be disruptive.
It only has 2 modes: espresso and lungo, but realistically this is all you need to make a wide range of coffees. The machine also has a milk steaming wand, so you have access to almost every type of coffee you can think of.
Its water tank holds 24 ounces of water, which is plenty for the size of the machine. Also, it takes around 25 seconds to warm up, meaning you won’t be stood there for ages waiting. If you’re after a budget-friendly and compact model, this is the one for you.
6. Gevi 4-Cup Drip Coffee Maker
It’s possible that Gevi has listened to user feedback because this model (Amazon link) is advertised as a silent coffee maker. While I disagree that it’s silent, it’s close enough that you won’t be bothered by the low level of noise it makes.
It makes 4 cups of coffee in about 5 minutes, which is fine for a household of 2. However, if you live in a coffee drinking family, you might want to look for a larger model. The hot plate keeps the coffee warm for a few hours too, but it’s likely you’ll drink it all before it goes cold anyway.
This coffee maker is fairly easy to use; you just pour the water over the coffee and turn it on. Realistically there’s not much more you need from a drip coffee maker, but the fact that it functions well and makes very little noise makes this an excellent model.
7. Mr Coffee 10-Cup Thermal Coffee Maker
Mr Coffee makes a range of quiet coffee makers, but one of the main advantages of this model (Amazon link) is that the pot is thermal, which keeps the coffee warm for much longer. Considering it makes 10 cups at once, this is a useful feature.
Along with being quiet, this model has a number of features. It has a water filtration system built in that removes up to 97% of impurities. It also has a brew timer that tells you exactly how long it’s been since you made the pot. This means that you’ll no longer have to guess or drink stale coffee!
This machine makes coffee up to 20% quicker than comparative models, and also has a pause feature if you need to delay the brewing. You can use this to make half a pot at once, meaning you always have the freshest coffee possible.
8. Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
This coffee maker (Amazon link) is essentially an espresso pump but looks more similar to a coffee pod machine. It can be used to make espresso and longer coffee, which can then be turned into a range of drinks.
It comes with a 50-ounce carafe for if you want to make a pot of coffee and has a water tank of the same size. It takes around 30 seconds to heat up so is on the longer side, but still doesn’t take ages.
Importantly, it comes with a milk frother so you can make pretty much any coffee you want. Combine this with the fact that it’s very quiet and you’ve got possibly one of the best and most versatile coffee makers on the market.
9. Nespresso BEC620SIL1AUC1 CitiZ
Nespresso designed this machine (Amazon link) specifically to be quiet even though their machines are never loud in the first place. In short, this is one of the quietest coffee pod machines you’ll find, and it makes good coffee too.
It has a 34-ounce water tank and heats up in around 25 seconds. It can be used to make both espresso and lungo coffee, which can then be turned into a variety of drinks. While it uses pods you can easily change to reusable pods instead of disposable ones.
This machine uses 19 bar pressure, which results in a smoother and richer cup of coffee. It’s slightly more expensive than the other coffee pod machines on this list, but it’s worth spending extra just for the quality of this machine.
10. Mr Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
The programmable models in Mr Coffee’s range are considered the next level up from entry level. They have a number of additional features too, such as a bean presoaking system and programmable features.
This machine (Amazon link) is very quiet; the only noise is makes is the soft gurgle of the water through the coffee, and this is surprisingly relaxing first thing in the morning. Combine this with the fact that it’s really simple to use and you have a brilliant coffee maker.
You can delay or pause the coffee’s brewing time, and you also have the option to make a stronger pot. It takes about 10 minutes to make 12 cups of coffee, which is fairly quick. It also features a fresh brew timer so you can keep track of when the last pot was made.
11. Mr Coffee BVMC-ECMP1102 Espresso Maker
Although this is another entry from Mr Coffee, this time it’s an espresso maker. As you’d expect from a company with so many entries on this list, this machine (Amazon link) makes espresso with very little noise.
Unlike other espresso makers that feature a separate wand, this machine has a milk tank and so froths directly into the cup. While this won’t suit everyone, it does make the process much easier if you just want to press a button and wait.
This machine uses 15 bar pressure, which is enough to make a good espresso. It has a large water tank and heats up in about 20 seconds, so you don’t have to wait too long for your cup of coffee.
12. Nespresso BES750BLK Expert Coffee Maker
This machine (Amazon link) is one of the larger and more expensive coffee pod machines on this list but is arguably the best one for coffee aficionados. It can make 4 different sized cups of coffee, giving you ultimate control over the strength of your drink.
It also has 3 heat settings so you don’t burn the beans, a large water tank and a heating time of about 25 seconds. It’s very quiet when in use and has all the necessary components for frothing milk too.
Perhaps one of the best features of this coffee machine is its Bluetooth connectivity. This might sound like an unnecessary addition, but this allows you to control it through an app. Doing this means you can schedule the next coffee it makes, so you don’t have to wait around for it in the morning.
Some final thoughts
If you want a truly excellent at-home coffee maker that isn’t overly loud then be prepared to spend a bit more money. As I mentioned earlier, most noise is caused by cheaper parts, and this can be overcome by buying a higher-quality model.
As you can see, there are plenty of quiet coffee makers currently available. Which one you pick will depend on the type of coffee you make and how much you need to make in one go, but there should be an option for everyone.
A lawyer never retires. So I would just say that I am not as active as I used to be. Now I simply dedicate myself to fishing, my hobby, and my grandchildren. For Business Finance News I write about legal aspects of mortgage policies, mostly regarding the rights of policyholders. I also have articles about personal injuries.
