Bonavita Coffee Maker: An owner’s unbiased review

I have used the Bonavita Coffee maker for over 2 years now and it’s awesome. I used it on a daily basis to make it coffee. Here is my review of the coffee maker and why I like it.

Why I like the Bonavita coffee maker

I was in need for a coffee maker machine. I wanted to buy something that would last me a while but also make good coffee. There were some obvious cheaper options like the Mr. Coffee machine, but I wanted something that coffee closer to the ones you can get at a coffee shop.

The Bonavita coffee maker fit that.

The most important thing for me is the flavor and the Bonavita does an excellent job of delivering flavorful cup. I tested out a bunch of more expensive coffee makers and didn’t notice any difference from those coffee makers to this one. I even tested it with a pour over method as well as an aeropress. The differences in taste were minimal.

Another thing I like about the Bonavita is the simplicity. The coffee maker is easy to use and makes it very simple for beginners like myself. There isn’t any complex programming or directions that I need to follow. I just get the water and coffee grounds and it’s ready to go.

Bonavita coffee maker design and features

Here are the main features of the Bonavita coffee maker.

This is the 8oz carafe. This is wear the coffee will brew into. It comes with a lid and the coffee basket. When you brew coffee you will place the basket on the carafe. And when you want pour and serve the coffee you will use the lid.

This is the water basket. This model can hold up to 5 ounces of water. You can also purchase the same coffee maker in an 8 oz model. Since I only need the coffee maker for once person, the 5 ounces is enough for me.

The basket also has labels to indicate how much water you pour as well as the recommended coffee amount.

The shower head is where the water will come out from. It’s designed so it sprinkles water all over the coffee grounds as opposed to dripping into only one section. It does a pretty good job of getting water to the grounds and it’s rare that I find dry spots.

This is the only button on the coffee maker. When you press the button, it will start to brew the coffee. You can also program the button so that it first blooms the coffee and then starts brewing.

Brewing coffee with the Bonavita

Brewing coffee with the Bonavita is pretty simple.

First you need to measure out your coffee grind and water. In general, I use around 500 grams of water for 30 grams of coffee. I use a scale to measure out my coffee grounds and water to get a precise result. You don’t have to do this but I definitely recommend it.

Next pour your coffee ground into the coffee filter. The Bonavita uses a #4 coffee filter. You can get these at pretty much any grocery store. My Costco has these as well and I just need to buy it once a year.

Next pour the water in the water basket. I measure out my water in the carafe. You can also use a glass or mug to do this.

Once you put the coffee grounds in the filter and pour the water in the water basket, you are ready to brew coffee. Attach the coffee filter holder to the carafe and place it on the hot plate.

Finally, press the brew button that’s located on the left side of the coffee maker and your coffee should begin brewing.

It’s a simple process that anyone can do.

There are some flaws with the Bonavita

While the carafe is built well, there are a few unfortunate flaws.

Doesn’t keep coffee hot. The carafe doesn’t do the best job of keep the coffee hot. It will stay hot for maybe 20 minutes but after that you will notice the coffee temperature going down. If you are someone who likes to make a pot of coffee for throughout the day, don’t expect the coffee to stay hot.

You can’t get all of the coffee out. This might be the most frustrating thing about the Bonavita coffee maker. There is no way to get all of the coffee out and there will always be a little bit of coffee stuck inside the coffee. In order to clear the pot, you need to remove the lid and vigorously shake the pot over a sink. I’m not sure why it was designed this way and I wish Bonavita would fix it.

Minimal adjustments. There is only one button on the coffee maker and that is to brew the coffee. You can also set it to bloom the coffee by holding the button a few seconds. But other than that, customization is virtually non-existent. I wish there was a timer setting where I can set everything at night and have it brew in the morning but it doesn’t exist.

Cleaning the Bonavita coffee maker

Here is how I clean the Bonavita coffee maker

The coffee make is dishwasher safe so you can put the carafe, filter basket, and water tank in the dishwasher.

I also like to take a wet paper towel and wipe down the coffee maker between cleaning it in the dishwasher. To do this, just take a paper towel and wet it for a few seconds. Then rub down the coffee maker. You probably want to clean around the base of the coffee maker as this is usually where coffee spills some times.

Every day, after brewing coffee, I like to rinse the carafe with hot water. I mentioned before how you can’t get all of the coffee out of the carafe. Rinsing it water will take care of that. Just take some hot water and fill it up about 25% of the way. Then give it a shake with the lid on. I’ll usually add soap inside as well. After 30 seconds of shaking, rinse it again with hot water and let it dry.

I use the same procedure when I clean the filter basket. I like to rinse the filter basket under some hot water and then let it dry. Make sure to get any coffee grounds that didn’t get into the filter. You’ll usually see them when you take out the filter.

The water basket doesn’t get as dirty as the other parts since it only holds the water. Still you want to keep this clean so I will usually rinse it with hot water.

You can also remove the shower head and clean that as well. I’ll throw it in the dishwasher with all of the other stuff.

I will usually add the filter basket, carafe and water tank in the dishwasher at least once a week and sometimes twice a week. You can do it more often but I think doing it once a week is good enough.

The verdict

Overall, I really like the Bonavita coffee maker despite some of its flaws. For it’s price, it stacks up pretty nicely with the competitors. It makes a great cup of coffee and it’s very easy to use.

There are some more expensive options out there such as the Breville precision brewer, which I also really like. Those coffee makers are good if you want more options. The bonavita works great for anyone who just wants a good tasting coffee every morning.