A smart coffee maker is no longer a vision of the future. Smart coffee makers are the reality of the present. There are 3 types of coffee makers that can make your coffee brewing easy, convenient and surprisingly affordable: 1) Alexa coffee makers, 2) coffee makers compatible with smart plugs, and 3) other smart coffee makers. What’s the best pick? How do they work? Do you need to be super rich for a smart coffee maker?
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Types of smart coffee makers
| Alexa coffee makers | Smart plug coffee makers | Other smart coffee makers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voice control | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| WiFi/Bluetooth | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Alexa connection | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| App control | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Brew settings control | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Price range | $ | $ | $$$$$ |
Overview: 3 types of smart coffee machines
Guide: smart coffee makers to choose from
→ Alexa coffee makers
Though there are a couple of coffee makers that advertise themselves as Alexa coffee maker, so far, there’s just one revolutionary model of Alexa coffee maker. It was manufactured by Hamilton Beach, and released in the market at the end of December 2019. We have received the Alexa coffee maker just a couple of weeks ago.
Hamilton Beach Alexa coffee maker (49350) revolutionizes smart home. Enabled with Alexa, it can be operated and controlled via voice commands (Alexa echo, Fire devices), manually, and through the Alexa phone App. Hamilton Beach 49350 Alexa coffee maker is based on an earlier version 46310, which has garnered stellar reviews from consumers. In this Hamilton Beach Alexa coffee maker review, we’d like to highlight a couple of things: easy-access design (coffee filling and water refill are FAST and easy), mess-free glass carafe and heating plate. It brews high quality coffee.
These coffee machines are great for those who want to take coffee brewing to a completely new level, or for those who like the idea of a coffee machine that can do much more than just brew coffee.
Alexa coffee makers
→ Coffee makers that work with a smart plug (Alexa, Google Home, TP Link and others)
GREAT NEWS! Most basic coffee makers can be smarter by working with a smart plug, whether it is Alexa, Google Assistant or TP Link.
Coffee makers that are compatible with a smart plug require a mechanical on/off button. Let me say this again: a coffee maker needs to have an old-fashioned on/off switch, and cannot have an auto-off function. You can explore some of our select drip coffee makers (some of them are compatible with smart plugs!).
In order for a coffee maker to work with a smart plug, it’s necessary to flip the switch to the “on” position, and leave it there.
How to make a coffee maker smarter with a smart plug?
- Get a basic coffee maker with a mechanical on/off switch.
- Turn the machine on.
- Plug the machine into a smart plug (Alexa smart plug, Google Assistant smart plug, or TP Link smart plug).
- Plug the smart plug into an outlet.
Once this is complete, your coffee maker is now compatible with a smart plug and can be operated through a smart plug of your choice.
Using a smart plug is perfect for someone who already has an Amazon Echo device and is willing to bring an extra flair of innovation to the home, but without spending too much money. The smart plug is really inexpensive and the coffee machines that go with it are usually basic and don’t cost much either.
What coffee makers are NOT compatible with smart plugs?
Coffee makers with more modern, digital switches are not compatible with smart plugs. Further, coffee makers that come with auto-on or auto-off will most likely not work with smart plugs.
Examples of coffee makers compatible with a smart plug (Alexa, Google Assistant or TP Link)
→ Other smart coffee makers
Great news! Other smart coffee makers can be very easy to set up and use.
They typically come with a manufacturer-designed software. And, they can usually be connected to the phone through Bluetooth or WiFi. They come with phone applications that contain information about maintenance, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, and more. Some other smart coffee makers have applications that can store user preferences and remember previously chosen settings:
- Saeco GranBaristo Avanti has a phone application that can store information for up to 6 users,
- Illy Y5 Espresso and Coffee Machine comes with a phone app that, thanks to the Amazon Dash integration, can even order coffee capsules for me, so that I never ran out of stock,
- Goat Story Gina Smart Coffee Brewing Instrument might not have as many settings as other machines, but the app it can be connected to via Bluetooth, allows me to fine tune quantities, times and temperatures, in order to create and store different coffee recipes.
Some other smart coffee makers are perfect for people who are different, who want to do things differently, and, most importantly, who love technology and love involving technology in everything they do.
Bad news! A lot of intelligent coffee makes are either extremely expensive, or they do not appear overly reliable. This, however, will continue to evolve as manufacturers invest more in smart home devices.
Examples of other smart coffee makers
Smarter coffee machines are rare, but they make life easier
A smart coffee maker is any coffee machine that can be controlled with a voice command, through wifi or a phone app.
Although smart coffee makers are not yet commonplace across stores in the US, there are some coffee machines in the market that receive plenty of attention.
You can make your coffee machine smarter yourself. Coffee machines can be compatible with smart plugs, such as Alexa, Google Home or TP Link, or through Amazon Alexa integration.
Most smart coffee machines also come with their own smart phone applications, and their settings can be controlled through the application by connecting the machine to the phone via bluetooth or wifi.
They can be really affordable
It might sound all very complicated at first, and, above all, expensive.
But it doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It can be very easy, and I can make a coffee maker smarter myself.
If all I want to achieve is to be able to start brewing coffee while I’m still in bed, in the morning, then all I need is a regular coffee brewer with an on/off flip switch, and a smart plug that has Amazon Echo, Google Home or TP-LINK connection.
Once the machine has been plugged into the smart plug, and the smart plug has been connected to Google or to the Amazon Echo device, the coffee machine can be turned on automatically by giving a simple voice command (like “Alexa, turn on the coffee machine”).
Should I consider getting a smart coffee maker?
What I do enjoy about smart technology is that it can be useful for so many people. Here are some potential candidates who may want to consider getting a smarter coffee maker:
- Young professionals: we get it! There are so many things to take care of: your career, personal goals, family, education, and many more. It can be incredibly helpful to focus on those goals, and not worry about things that can be automated. Smart coffee makers or coffee makers that work with smart plugs such as Alexa can come really handy.
- Moms and dads: do you remember this overwhelming feeling when you have gazillion things to do? Bringing your children home after school, running chores, and not having the time to do anything? Smart(er) coffee makers (or coffee makers compatible with smart plugs) can give you some respite. You can just say “turn on coffee maker” to begin brewing, and your coffee can be ready in no time.
- Some elderly people: as we age, it may become more difficult to brew coffee. There’s so many parts involved. Some elderly people find it much easier to just say “brew coffee” to begin brewing than to operate with very small buttons. Plus, there’s always a way to check on the phone or tablet whether the coffee maker has been turned off!
- Trendy individuals.
Though there are many uses of smart coffee makers and coffee makers that work with smart plugs, there will always be those who will prefer the traditional ways of doing things, especially when it comes to brewing coffee. There will always be people who will want to be physically involved in each and every step of the coffee making process, and for whom brewing coffee with the help of an app will be an unsatisfying experience.
What do we recommend?
WOW! Some smart coffee machines don’t come cheap, but using a smart plug with a basic drip coffee maker could solves that problem.
However, if you want more than just having the ability to start brewing from your bedroom, then you’ll have to get ready to spend a bit more. A drip coffee maker will still make the same quality of coffee, even when it is connected to a smart plug.
But a smart coffee machine can do a lot of innovative things, like allowing you to select your coffee brewing settings via an app, storing your settings, and ordering coffee for you from Amazon.
Smart homes are not a thing of the future anymore. Smart homes, including smart coffee makers, are part of our present reality.
How do you make your coffee maker smarter? Have you used a smart coffee maker yet? What are your thoughts?
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You spelled break(the real way to spell it) wrong.. you spelled it brake..thanks for the info
Hi, Kay,
Welcome to Owly Choice! It’s great to have you with us 🙂
Oooopsieee! That’s an embarrassing spelling error! We just corrected it! Thank you for your vigilance and for such a careful read of the article! Thanks to you, we were able to make our article better! 🙂
– Owl
Hello. Thank you for this comprehensive overview of smart coffee makers (with smart plugs and no smart plugs).
I have a basic black and decker coffee maker with an on/off only button. Can this coffee maker be smarter with an Alexa smart plug? Which smart plug should I buy?