What Does "SCA Certified Brewer" Actually Mean?

SCA stands for Specialty Coffee Association, an organization formed in 2017 when the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) merged. The group is comprised of "coffee science experts and professional coffee tasters" to determine which of the many, many home-use coffee makers actually brew a beverage good enough to be called "coffee."

To earn the "SCA Certified Brewer" label, a coffee maker must be able to brew coffee that meets the brewing standards set forth by the SCA, which are based on decades of experience by some of the world's best coffee minds. Per SCA News, these standards include the following:

• Golden Cup Ratio: Brew basket must hold 55g of coffee per 1L of water
• Brewing Temperature: Must reach 197.6°F within one minute and never exceed 204.8°F
• Brewing Time: 4-8 minutes of contact time between water and grounds
• Brew Strength & Extraction: Resulting coffee must have a brew strength, measured in Total Dissolved Solids, or 11.5-13.5g per 1L (1.15-1.35% on SCA Brewing Control Chart) resulting from solubles extraction yield of 18-22%
• Uniformity of Extraction: Brewer must pass Brew Strength & Extraction requirement multiple times on numerous brew cycles
• Carafe Temperature: Carafe must hold coffee between 176-185°F for at least 30 minutes

If a coffee maker meets all of those criteria, it gets the SCA certification.

Note: You may also see SCAA Certified and SCAE Certified, both of which are just as good as the SCA Certified label. Those designations mean a brewer was tested by either organization before the 2017 merger and met all requirements.

How to Choose the Best Drip Coffee Maker

Choosing the best drip brewer for you isn't as simple as picking the the hottest coffee maker or the newest model available.

(It isn't rocket science either, though.)

Here are 13 factors you should evaluate.

1. SCA certification

If you buy an SCA-approved drip coffee maker, you can feel confident that it'll brew delicious coffee time and time again.

But that doesn't mean all non-SCA certified coffee makers are terrible. It might just mean the brand hasn't submitted their coffee maker to the SCA for testing.

That said, the SCA Certified Brewer label is an extra layer of security that always makes me feel good about my purchase.

2. Brew volume

How much coffee do you need?

• Are you brewing for a one-person household and only need a small cup each morning?
• Are you brewing for a one-person household and find the idea of a single cup utterly preposterous?
• Are you lucky to get half-a-cup after your spouse and three grown-up children help themselves? (Seriously, why won't they just move out?!)
• Are you an office manager or admin looking to jumpstart your workforce with a little caffeine motivation?

This is one of the most fundamental (and obvious) factors to consider when choosing which drip brewer to buy.

3. Brew temperature

Proper brewing temperature is important for proper extraction, which can be the difference between drinking a rich cup of coffee and brown, coffee-like water.

SCA-certified brewers heat water to the proper temperature. Non-SCA certified brewers are more hit-and-miss. When in doubt, look for coffee makers with a temperature control function, Extra Hot setting, or something similar. In general, coffee makers don't get too hot. They don't get hot enough. Having the extra higher-heat setting can't hurt.

4. Thermal vs glass carafe

On the subject of brew temperature, consider whether you want a drip brewer with a thermal carafe of stainless steel carafe.

• Thermal carafes provide better insulation to keep coffee at an enjoyable temperature for a longer period of time. Not all thermal carafes are equally effective, however. Looked for double-walled thermal carafes when possible. When in doubt, SCA certified coffee makers have been tested to make sure the carafe holds coffee between 176-185°F for at least 30 minutes.
• Glass carafes use warming plates to keep coffee at the proper temperature. These plates often struggle to maintain a proper temperature, and they tend to burn the last few cups in your carafe. They're also just one extra thing that can break (both the glass carafe and the heating plate, so I guess that's two extra things that can break).

Coffee makers with glass carafes tend to be a little less expensive than comparable models with thermal carafes, but I think it's worth the extra cost to get a model with a thermal carafe. Glass carafes just aren't worth the hassle.

5. Brew strength

Brew strength is tied to brew temperature, because you need water of the appropriate temperature to sufficiently extract all of the flavorful oils and organic acids that create a well-balanced cup.

Some coffee makers have an Extra Strong, Bold, or other type of brew strength adjustment feature. Do they actually work? 

Sometimes.

Ultimately, the most important thing for a strong cup is a coffee maker that brews at the appropriate temperature, not a coffee maker that brags about it's Super Mega Extra Molten Hot brew temperature setting or Richer Than Warren Buffet brew strength setting.

6. Brew speed

Now here's a factor that few people consider, mostly because it's hard to evaluate online!

Some coffee makers, like the BUNN Speed Brew and BUNN Velocity Brew, are designed to brew a full pot of coffee in just a few minutes. While I do like those BUNN models a lot (they cracked my list of the Best BUNN Coffee Makers) they don't brew quite as well as, say, a Technivorm Moccamaster model.

Is the faster brew speed worth a slightly-less-extracted cup? That's up to you.

Note: Related to brew speed, some coffee makers have a Brew Pause feature, which allows you to remove the pot to sneak a quick cup before the brew process completes. If you get one of these coffee makers, the total brew time becomes less of a factor.

7. Integrated grinder

Grind-and-brew coffee makers have integrated grinders that begin each new pot with freshly ground coffee beans.

If you're used to using pre-ground coffee from your local grocery store, take a long look at some of the best grind-and-brew coffee makers. I think you'll really be surprised by the improved brew quality.

That said, nothing beats having a standalone grinder. In fact, many coffee aficionados (myself included) believe a quality grinder has a larger impact on your coffee than the coffee maker itself.

Grinders can get expensive quickly, but you don't need a grinder with 270 different grind size settings.

• The Baratza Encore is a great, affordable, entry-level burr grinder.
• Looking to shave a little more off the price? Check out the Capresso Infinity.

Burr grinders definitely are the way to go (ignore blade grinders, which chop rather than grind). You can even find manual burr grinders that do a great job without requiring electricity. (Plus, the hand-cranking process burns off a few extra calories.)

8. Programmability

Do you like to wake up a freshly-brewed pot of coffee? Then look for a model with 24-hour programmability.

I'll also lump auto-off functionality into this category, if that's important to you.

9. Cord length

A small detail that can cause a large amount of frustration, make sure the coffee maker's cord is long enough to reach an outlet. No one likes involving extension cords in your morning routine.

10. Size & dimensions

How big is the place where you want the coffee maker to sit? Most importantly, make sure you have enough under-cabinet clearance, especially when the water tank and brew basket lids are open!

11. Design & aesthetics

Let's face it — how your coffee maker looks is important. After all, you're going to be looking at it on your kitchen counter every day for as long as you own it.

Is this the most important factor? Probably not. Let's call it a tie-breaker.

12. Build quality

But sometimes it can be hard to determine the build quality of something you're buying online. The Coffee Maven's coffee maker ratings are a great place to start (each product rating includes a Build Quality score), but there's one other factor quality-related factor you should always keep in mind, and it's why I saved it for last...

13. Brand reputation

Respected brand names are respected for a reason.

Unknown brand names? More of a dice roll.

When shopping for kitchen appliances I plan to use regularly, I always give brand name significant weight.

Bad Morning Moods = Unproductive Days (It's Science)

Studies show that a bad morning mood means a 10% decrease in productivity.

Well, that's just great.

Now you're unhappy and inefficient. That puts me in an even worse mood!

Your morning coffee routine should be one of the most enjoyable parts of your day. That makes deciding which coffee maker to buy one of the most important decisions you'll ever make!

Hyperbole?

Maybe...or maybe not.

In my happy, productive, and overly-caffeinated opinion, don't leave your morning mood up to chance.

Get our top-rated drip coffee maker and carpe diem!