If the sound of your alarm ringtone makes you shudder outside of wake-up time, then you need a coffee maker alarm clock to help you get out of bed instead. Because naturally, the first thing most of us want first thing is a cup of joe, so what could be better than a programmable coffee machine? For the best of both worlds on a Monday, Wednesday, or even Sunday morning, this way your brew will be ready when you wake up, while you're wiping the sleep out of your eyes (gross).
However, just because a coffee maker is programmable doesn’t mean that it’s automatically a good choice. A good-quality coffee maker should also be well-designed, make delicious coffee, and have features that make it easy to use — especially when you're waking from the land of nod. Fortunately, we found the best coffee makers with a built-in alarm clock just below. And our picks are super stylish and more than worth your money.
Not interested in stumbling into the kitchen to add a splash of milk? Some of these smart coffee machines come with an in-built fridge to keep your dairy or plant-based milk fresh. And speaking of smart, many of these innovative devices are Wi-Fi enabled, so they can sync up with Alexa and Google to get to work on demand and brew to your preferred strength. We've also rounded up a few small space coffee machines for anyone with minimal space to spare.
The 9 best coffee maker alarm clocks
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Our favorite pick
Size (in): 18.58 x 11.77 x 8.5
Capacity: 6.7 fl. oz.
Descaling indicator: No
+ Has a USB charging port
+ Stores a week's worth of coffee and refrigerates milk
+ Can brew loose-leaf tea
+ Removable serving tray
- Large
- Expensive
The vast majority of the best coffee makers with an alarm clock are programmable machines. However, the Barisieur Coffee Alarm Clock is actually a coffee maker on top of an alarm clock that you can place on your nightstand. As a result, you can set it to wake you up with the aroma and sounds of coffee brewing, or it can brew while also producing an audible alarm, or it can just sound the alarm without brewing — and there’s also a snooze button. You can also start the brewing process five minutes before the alarm sounds or have it start brewing five, 10, or 15 minutes after the alarm sounds.
An easy-access coffee maker that delivers on flavor
Dimensions (in): 16 x 6.75 x 15
Brewing capacity: 12 cups
Descaling indicator: No
+ Beautiful, unique design
+ Dashboard swivels 180 degrees
+ Pause feature
+ Adjustable warming time
- Glass carafe handle feels delicate
Depending on how tight your countertop space (or nightstand) is, it can sometimes be difficult to access the coffee maker’s control panel. However, the Melitta Vision 12-Cup Luxe Drip Coffee Maker makes it easy to set an alarm.
The control panel is easy to use and lets you select between a regular or stronger brew, and there’s also a pause feature if you want to grab a cup of joe before the brewing process is complete.
Schedule your coffee in advance with this programmable option
Dimensions (in): 14 3/8 x 10 53/64 x 9 1/16
Brewing capacity: 50 fl. oz.
Descaling indicator: Yes
+ Stainless-steel carafe
+ Accu-Brew technology
+ Removable water reservoir
+ Includes 3 water filters
+ Auto pause
+ Chimes when ready
- Hard to get all of the coffee out of the carafe
- Expensive
The Wolf Gourmet Programmable Coffee Maker is the most expensive option on our list, but it also has the most features. In addition to being programmable, it uses Accu-Brew technology: the built-in scale weighs the coffee grounds you add, and the LED display indicates when you need to add more grounds — or if too much has been added.
The brew strength can be adjusted from mild to bold, and the coffee maker also has a double-walled stainless-steel carafe that’s designed to keep coffee hot. The display panel indicates when you need to add water to the reservoir, when the brew cycle has finished (along with an audible chime), and when the machine needs to be cleaned.
Certified by the Specialty Coffee Association for quality brews
Dimensions (in): 6 x 11.5 x 13.75
Brewing capacity: 12 cups
Descaling indicator: Yes
+ Aroma hopper
+ Blooming function
+ Large stainless steel showerhead
The Zwilling Enfinigy Drip Coffee Maker has a Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Gold Cup certification, which requires a specific coffee-to-water ratio, and the coffee must be brewed at around 200°F. The coffee maker has a stainless-steel shower head that blooms the grounds for a better, smoother taste; however, the bloom function can also be turned off if you don’t care to use it.
The coffee maker also has a feature that allows you to set water hardness, which determines how often the descaling indicator will come on. In addition, there’s a drip circulator (aroma tube) to blend the coffee well. The coffee’s hotplate will retain its temperature for 30 minutes before turning off.
A space-saving design with an audible alarm
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 15.1 x 16.2
Brewing capacity: 12 cups
Descaling function: Yes
+ Brew pause
+ Audible alert when coffee is ready
+ Can set warming plate indicator
+ Charcoal water filter
The modern Cuisinart 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker also has an audible alert that sounds when the brew cycle has finished. (However, you can choose to silence the alarm.) There’s a choice between bold and regular coffee flavors, and the warming plate temperature can be adjusted to low, medium, or high.
When brewing fewer than 5 cups, the sleek coffee maker automatically adjusts the brewing process to ensure a robust flavor. There is actually a row of buttons for each of the nine functions (bold/regular, set time, an audible tone, etc.), which makes it easy to operate.
An elegantly-designed machine with smart controls
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 12.5 x 14
Brewing capacity: 10 cups
Descaling function: No
+ Wi-Fi enabled
+ Adjustable brew strength
+ Temperature control
- Works best with large servings
The Café Specialty Drip Coffee Maker combines form and function in a beautiful design. The machine can adjust the brew temperature between 185°F and 205°F In addition, there are four brew strength options: light, medium, bold, and gold brew. (The last setting is indicative of the SCA Gold Cup Certification.)
In addition, the coffee maker is WiFi-enabled, so you can connect with the SmartHQ app, as well as Alexa and Google, so it can be controlled via your smartphone or using voice-to-brew commands. There’s also a charcoal feature to remove chlorine from your water, and the coffee maker comes in either a thermal or glass carafe.
An affordable alarm clock coffee maker
Dimensions (in): 12.36 x 10.79 x 15.98
Brewing capacity: 50 fl. oz.
Descaling function: Yes
+ Removable water reservoir
+ Thermal stainless steel carafe
+ Freshness timer
+ Dimmable display
+ Pause and brew feature
+ Regular or strong options
+ Audible signal when ready
- Side-loading coffee filter basket
The economically-priced Mr. Coffee 10-Cup Thermal Coffee Maker has two easy settings for “Brew Later” or “Brew Now” to let you choose if and when you want to program the coffee maker. It also has an auto-pause feature in case you don’t want to wait on the full pot of coffee to finish brewing.
Easy to operate, with a variable brewing capacity
Dimensions (in): 14.19 x 8.2 x 11.7
Brewing capacity: 60 fl. oz.
Descaling function: Yes
+ Uses pods and coffee grounds
+ Multiple serve sizes
+ Water reservoir can be repositioned
+ Includes thermal carafe
- Expensive for the size
There are plenty of choices with this programmable coffee maker. For starters, you can use either K-Cup pods or ground coffee in the machine. There are also several ways to position the water reservoir. It can be placed to the left, right, or back of the maker, which is especially convenient in tight spaces.
The coffee maker comes with a 12-cup thermal carafe (which can keep the coffee hot for two hours). However, it can also be used to make single-serve coffee in 6, 8, 10, and 12-ounce sizes and fits a travel mug. The digital display on the top is easy to read, and the coffee maker is simple to operate.
An elegant coffee maker that's easy to use
Dimensions (in): 12.4 x 6.7 x 15.7 inches
Brewing capacity: 60 fl. oz.
Descaling function: Yes
+ 6 brew modes
+ Temperature control
+ Adjustable flow rate
+ Thermal carafe
- Settings may be hard to see for some people
The Breville Precision Brewer Thermal Coffee Maker (also known as the Sage Precision Brewer Thermal Coffee Maker) is one of our favorite programmable coffee makers. It’s sturdy, made of brushed stainless steel, and designed to look and perform well for a long time. The elegant machine has six brew modes: fast, gold cup standard, strong, over ice, cold brew, and My Brew mode.
Using the My Brew mode, you can change the bloom time, brewing temperature, and the flow rate (slow, medium, fast). It uses a single knob to control all of the functions, which are displayed on the LED panel. The thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot for hours, too.
4 things to consider when buying a coffee maker alarm clock
Obviously, you’ll want a coffee maker that is programmable to start your coffee at a specific time. However, these are some of the other features you may want to consider.
1. Think about size and brew size
Size is important for two different reasons. First, the size of the actual coffee maker is a consideration, so make sure it will fit in your space. This includes whether it's able to fit when placed under an overhead cabinet. Be sure to account for having enough space to open the water tank and coffee filter compartments, too.
The brew size is another consideration. Some people like to brew single cups, while others find it more convenient to make a large pot of coffee.
2. Does it offer adjustable strengths and temperatures?
Some coffee makers let you choose regular or bold strengths and adjust the temperature. This is something to think about if you prefer customized settings.
3. Look at its carafe
A glass carafe is less expensive and will typically be included if the coffee maker uses a hot plate to keep the coffee hot. On the other hand, a thermal carafe is more durable and will keep coffee hot for a longer period of time. However, it’s more expensive and much heavier to handle.
4. Does it have a water filter?
Some programmable coffee makers include a water filter. Depending on your water system, a water filter (which will need to be replaced periodically) can remove the taste of chlorine and other impurities from tap water.
