The Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select is widely regarded as the best coffee maker for a reason. This iconic drip brewer has remained mostly unchanged since the 1960s — why fix something that ain’t broke?
With a rapid-heating copper boiler and removable (read: cleanable) shower arm, filter basket, and carafe, the Technivorm Moccamaster is the machine to beat. You can brew an entire 10-cup carafe in around 6 ½ minutes and a half-batch in 4. Not only is this industrial coffee maker quick, but it’s also delicious. The optimal brewing time (and temperature) brings out the coffee’s rich and intense aromas without making it bitter.
- Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select at Amazon for £290
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Cheat sheet
- Who is it for? If you want a coffee maker-slash-design statement
- What does it do well? It’s SCA-approved and has a 5-year warranty + lifetime repairs
- What does it cost? $369 / £290
- What are its weaknesses? No “modern” features like delayed brew start
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select: Specs
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Price
$369 / £290
Weight
6.3 pounds
Dimensions
6.5 x 12.8 x 14 inches
Filters
Moccamaster #2
Accessories
Scoop
Capacity
40 fluid ounces/10 cups
Colors/Materials
Various / Metal, BPA- BPS- BPF- phthalate-free plastic
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Price & availability
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The Technivorm Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select is $369 from Williams Sonoma in the U.S. and £290 from Currys in the U.K. The Amazon price varies from color to color — between $309 and $389 — so you’ll see more stable pricing at Williams Sonoma.
While, yes, $369 is quite expensive for a drip coffee maker, this is the coffee maker. There’s a reason why Moccamasters are so revered — because they really are that good. You could save some money with the $119 Ninja FreshBrew, the $119 Cuisinart 14-Cup Coffee Maker, or even the $49 Black+Decker 12-Cup Coffee Maker.
If you want a Moccamaster for less, I’d recommend checking out the Moccamaster Cup-One ($249). I tested it last year and adored it. It’s effectively identical to the KGBV Select, but, if you hadn’t guessed by the name, it brews single-serve only.
However, none of these machines are Specialty Coffee Association-approved, and none of these machines come with a 5-year warranty. If you want an SCA-approved coffee maker, you might want to check out the $349 Breville Luxe Brewer. I do genuinely love the Luxe Brewer — it makes delicious coffee in just three minutes — and it’s like a more modern, sleeker, minimalist version of the Moccamaster.
But for me, the Moccamaster just has that je ne sais quois, the little something extra. I love coffee makers that are both a design statement and a beverage machine, which the Moccamaster KGBV Select is.
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Design
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
If you’re even vaguely familiar with the world of specialist coffee, you’ll have seen the Moccamaster before. This iconic coffee maker has stood the test of time — since the 1960s — and it looks like it.
The industrial, retro aesthetic is what makes the Moccamaster so widely appealing. As you can see from the photos, this is a gorgeous machine. I tested the pink version, but it comes in pretty much every shade of the color spectrum: red, gold, blue, green, yellow, white, silver; the list goes on.
The body itself houses two buttons: half/full capacity, and on/off. These buttons illuminate orange when switched on, which adds to the industrial aesthetic.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
There are three main parts: the water tank, the filter basket, and the carafe. The water tank and carafe hold up to 40 fluid ounces (1.25 liters), and I found the filter basket easily fit the ~70g of ground coffee required for a full batch. There’s also a metal-look shower head and a plastic water tank lid.
Most of these parts are removable for cleaning (more on that later, though). You have to attach them in a certain order, so I’d practise a couple of times before actually making a brew. These parts are predominantly plastic, but I’d like to see them made from metal at some point in the near future — I know a decent chunk of coffee drinkers (in my comments, anyway!) are looking to minimize plastic use in their coffee makers.
Even so, you can’t deny that the KGBV Select is a gorgeous machine that is both a functional coffee maker and a design piece. I would be more than happy to display this permanently on my kitchen countertop.
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Performance
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The Moccamaster utilizes a copper boiling element capable of heating water to 196-208°F in seconds. Watching the bubbles form almost instantly is actually really satisfying (pictured above — please tell me I’m not alone in being mesmerized by something as pedestrian as bubbles).
This heating element means you get a full, 10-cup carafe in about 6 ½ minutes and a half batch in around 4 minutes. The Breville Luxe Brewer does this in 3 minutes — which is faster than my Ninja Precision Temperature kettle boils, FYI — so could be a better option if you’re super short on time.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Although the Moccamaster doesn’t have any “smart” features like a delayed brew timer, the aforementioned Breville Luxe Brewer or $290 Smeg Retro Brewer could be good options if this is a must-have feature.
What the Moccamaster does have is a one-press functionality that takes all the stress out of brewing coffee. Forget worrying about pressure or bloom or plunging times with espresso, pour-over, and French press, respectively. The Moccamaster takes all guesswork out of your brew, and you still get a specialty-coffee-approved drink.
Flavor is, of course, subjective, but the Moccamaster strikes the balance between rich, intense coffee and a pleasant mouthfeel and aftertaste. This depends on what beans you use, but when I use medium-roast, medium-intensity beans, the Moccamaster brings out the full-bodied flavor you associate with drip brewers without being bitter or overly strong.
Of course, you can adjust this strength by grinding coarser or using less coffee. Even so, when brewing at a ratio of 1:18, the coffee tastes both strong and complex, without bitterness.
My go-to Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select routine
To show you how straightforward the Moccamaster is, I’ll share my go-to routine for a full batch of coffee.
- Grind 70g of coffee beans to a medium coarseness. I use my Mazzer Philos for this, which is my favorite coffee grinder.
- Fill the water tank to the maximum level by filling the carafe and pouring it into the tank.
- Attach the lid and shower arm.
- Make sure the switch is set to full batch.
- Turn on the Moccamaster.
And that’s it! In around 6 ½ minutes, you’ll have delicious, hot coffee. The Moccamaster is perfect for busy households who need a constant stream of coffee.
The KGBV Select can stay warm for 100 minutes in the U.S., but the U.K. model I tested stays warm for just 40. This is likely due to the difference in coffee culture here — drip coffee isn’t really a “thing” in the U.K..
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Storage & maintenance
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One of the best aspects of a Moccamaster is its warranty. Yes, Technivorm offers a 5-year warranty with every single Moccamaster. No, that’s not a typo. I’m serious. 5 years.
This is the best warranty of any coffee machine I’ve used so far. This encompasses all machines: espresso, manual, and drip. You also get a lifetime repair warranty, so if your Moccamaster croaks in 2035, Technivorm will repair it (for a small fee, of course).
As I mentioned earlier, almost every part of the KGBV Select is removable for cleaning. You can clean the shower arm, filter basket, and carafe by hand in the sink. The water tank isn’t removable, but I find just running it through with clean water after long periods of disuse effective.
If you live in a hard water area, Technivorm recommends descaling the Moccamaster KGBV Select every 3 months or so. It recommends you use Durgol, $16 from Amazon.
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: How does it compare?
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If you’ve been sniffing around the coffee world for a while, you’ll know that the Moccamaster is so famous because nothing really compares. Nothing comes close. The Moccamaster has been topping “best-of” lists before best-of lists were even a thing — it’s reigned supreme since the ‘60s.
However, the coffee landscape is heating up (pardon the semi-pun), and there are some more SCA-approved products on the map now. You’ve got the Breville Luxe Brewer, OXO Brew 8-Cup, Fellow Aiden, and the KRUPS Essential Brewer, just to name a few.
Let’s talk about what Technivorm offers that these brands don’t: reliability.
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Standard Warranty
Repairs/extra warranty
Technivorm Moccamaster
5 Years
Lifetime repairs
Fellow Aiden
2 Years
3 years with registration
OXO Brew 8-Cup
2 Years
None
KRUPS Essential
2 Years
15-year repairs
Breville Luxe
1 Year
None
If you want a coffee maker that you only have to buy once, I’d recommend the Moccamaster over any competition.
Sure, the Breville Luxe Brewer has a cold brew mode, but are you really using that? I would rather continue to make cold brew in my Espro P7 French press and use a drip machine for drip.
In terms of coffee flavor, a lot of these machines are going to taste the same. Of course, different shower arms and different brewing speeds greatly affect overall flavor, but you can practise with each machine to achieve a flavor you like. I tend to go for a 1:18 ratio with a Moccamaster, but with machines that brew for less time, you might want to go up to 1:16.
Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Verdict
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If you want a reliable, functional, and stylish drip coffee maker that may as well be a statement piece in your kitchen, the Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select is the one for you. On top of oozing cool, the Moccamaster makes delicious, consistent coffee that any coffee lover will devour.
Although there are no “modern” features like delayed brew start or different functions like cold brew, I don’t think this is enough to detract from how excellent the Moccamaster is. Serious coffee lovers won’t miss a thing.
Fine, I’ll admit that the Moccamaster is expensive, but when you factor in the 5-year warranty + lifetime repairs, it feels worth it. I’d rather spend $369 on a Technivorm than $349 on a Breville, because that extra $20 guarantees you coffee for longer.
Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select: Price Comparison
