For such an indulgent machine, it’s remarkably simple. But perhaps that is what is so appealing about this luxury coffee maker, it forgoes any distracting bells and whistles for quality materials, a perfected coffee brewing process, and a striking design. The Technivorm Moccamaster has an interesting backstory. In fact, the creator of Technivorm, Gerard Clement Smit, was known for step ladders and shelving systems, not coffee. Yet, his love for coffee led him to create the first coffee grinder for home use. This caught the attention of Dutch coffee brand Douwe Egberts, who partnered with Technivorm for the grinder’s distribution. Together, in the quest to create the best cup of coffee they then developed what we know as Moccamaster, and the rest is history. So, what makes the Moccamaster so iconic? Besides setting industry standards for the perfect cup of coffee, ( it’s one of a handful of machines that meet the Specialty Coffee Association’s rigorous standards for the Golden Cup), the no-frills machine is handmade in the Netherlands with care, prioritizes sustainable parts, and looks good doing it. It’s available in a true rainbow of colors as well as your classic stainless steel, black, and white. It’s as much art for your kitchen, as it is a functional machine that brews fantastic drip coffee. Read on about our experience with the latest iteration of the machine, the Technivorm Moccasmaster KBGV Select, and whether it’s worth investing in for your morning coffee experience.
Who will the Moccamaster KBGV Select suit?
Moccamaster in itself is designed for the discerning coffee enthusiast. With its rainfall-style shower head and funneled design, it’s the closest you’ll get to automatic pour-over. The Moccamaster is for those who want to indulge in a little bit of luxury… and history. The design has barely changed since its debut in the 1960s. It’s also for those who want to show off their personality if they like to do so with color. The particular KBGV Select design is unique in its ability to let the user optimize his or her brew by selecting a 4-6 cup or full carafe brew setting.
Moccamaster KBGV Select: Specs
Dimensions: 12 3/4"W x 6 1/2"D x 14"HPower: 1475W Weight: 6 lb./3.2 kgWater tank capacity: 40 oz. / 10-cups / 1.5 LBrew time: 4-6 minutesAuto off: After 100 minutesWater filter: NoProgrammable: NoWarranty: 5 years
Key features
Select Brew Size Should you decide to only brew a half carafe, either 2 to 6 cups, selecting the half-carafe option slows the brew cycle, while the full-carafe switch brews at its normal speed. There, you get the best coffee whether you’re brewing 5 cups or 10. This is a new feature on the KBGB Select whereas earlier models had a switch to choose between a high/low hot plate setting. Copper heating element One of the key design elements that set Moccamaster apart from others: its unique copper boiling element. It rapidly heats water to control brewing temperature between 196°F - 205°F which is important for coffee soluble extraction, then automatically switches off when the water reservoir is empty. Overheated water will burn the coffee, while water that is too cold, will create a sour coffee. too sour achieved with copper brewing element The copper heating element is also separate from the hot plate element, which holds the temperature within the range of 175°F - 185°F depending on how much you brew. The brewer’s power switch and hotplate automatically shut off after 100 minutes. 5-Year Warranty and Lifetime Repairs If you’re going to spend hundreds on a coffee maker, you expect it to last. Technivorm stands behind its product with a lengthy 5-year warranty. In comparison, most other small appliances from competitors carry a one, maybe a two-year warranty. Another nice feature, if a part does wear out, Moccamaster is able to send you just the part to repair (even if it’s from a discontinued model), rather than having to deal with a perfectly good machine ending up in a landfill.
Design
The Technivorm Moccamaster design has not changed much since its debut in the late 1960s. In fact, today’s models stylistically maintain the same look as the KB 741, which debuted in the early 1970s and still available to purchase. The latest model, the KBGV Select, with the V denoting volume, adds the convenient option to let you optimize or “Select” your brew whether you’re brewing the full 10 cups or half a pot so it can. The switch adjusts both the flow of the water through the brew basket and the hotplate temperature, for the perfect extraction and holding temp at either amount. This feature proved to be very useful for the days when just two were drinking coffee as opposed to three. As timing and temperature are two very important features of coffee brewing, the Moccamaster uses a copper boiling element that almost immediately is able to heat up coffee to an ideal 196°F - 205°F, and automatically shuts off when the water reservoir is empty. From there, the boiling water is funneled up the glass tube, where it flows into the metal outlet arm with nine rainwater-style holes and pulses over the brew basket to bloom the coffee grounds. The cone-shaped brew basket steeps the coffee grounds to extract the coffee’s full flavor, further demonstrating how the Moccamaster almost mimics the complex notes of pour-over brewing. A whole brewing cycle takes just four to six minutes, and it’s whisper quiet. Each machine is made by hand and takes about takes 20 to 25 minutes to make each Moccamaster, before being quality tested and shipped out.
Set up and use
The Moccamaster comes wrapped in recycled cardboard, and the only plastic used was around the glass carafe. My initial review unit had a chip on the edge of the hot plate’s enamel, but the team was swift to replace it. This defect did not affect the Technivorm’s performance, and it was in the back of the machine. Of course, being a costly device, you want it to be perfect… and that’s surely where Moccamaster’s extraordinary 5-year warranty comes in. For brewing, the instructions are very thorough. However, for set up, I had to leave it to intuition as to how to assemble the metal showerhead and brew basket. It’s suggested to run two cycles of water before using. Easy enough. The Moccamaster KBGV coffee maker is also one of a handful of machines designated by the Specialty Coffee Association for meeting their Golden Cup Standard. The included directions include a guide of how many scoops of ground coffee to use to meet the perfect ratio. For instance, 2 tbsp of ground coffee for every 6 oz. of water means you’ll use seven-level scoops for a full 10-cup pot. It comes with a 2 tbsp. scoop, but it felt a little flimsy and I’m not sure about longevity. It also suggests using medium to medium-coarse grind for best results, but it performed just fine with pre-ground coffee, too. For brewing, it’ll become sort of routine to set up your coffee maker. Once you fill the water reservoir using the glass carafe, slide the carafe onto the hot plate. The metal outlet arm attaches to the center of the water tank, and does not have to be taken off each time. It does get very hot when brewing, you’ve been warned to not touch it. In the removable brew basket, add your filter and coffee grinds before sliding directly underneath the metal arm. I found that actually easiest to go through this entire process of assembling your coffee maker each morning if the carafe is already in place before the brew basket. At first, I thought I wasn’t going to enjoy the modality of each part. But, it turned out to be an advantage, for filling up with grounds and easily taking transporting to the trash. Another interesting design feature is the practically incognito drip stop. There is a small lever below the brew basket. When the glass serving carafe is sitting on the hot plate, coffee will flow freely. The moment you remove the carafe, say mid-brew cycle, it will pause the coffee flow.
Moccamaster KBGV Select: Cleaning and maintenance
Maintaining a cleaning schedule will keep your Moccamaster in top shape. The brew basket, lids, and carafe should all be washed by hand. The metal arm also needs to be wiped down every so often, as coffee residue does collect around the rainhead. Moccamaster recommends descaling your brewer after every 100 cycles. This is easiest to keep track of if you buy Moccamaster’s 100-count filters, but you can use any No. 4 filter, preferably oxygen whitened filter. They recommend Urnex and Durgol products, which I also received, with my machine. They advise against using vinegar, which might not effectively remove build-up or be difficult to rinse thoroughly.
How does the Moccamaster KBGV Select rate online?
On the Moccamaster website, the Moccamaster KBGV Select holds 4.8 out of 5 stars, with users commenting on its stunning design and the great coffee it delivers. One aptly called it her “Artistic Science Experiment,” while others note how happy they are that they went ahead with their purchase. Critics acknowledged the superior coffee that their Moccamaster brewed but questioned the longevity of the plastic parts and glass carafe, some mentioning a screeching sound that came from sliding the carafe into place.
How does the Moccamaster KBGV Select compare to other SCA-approved coffee makers.
The Specialty Coffee Association’s definition of the Golden Cup Standard means that a particular coffee machine meets the association’s standards for water quality, coffee-to-water ratio, grind/particle size distribution with a temperature between 195 and 205 degrees, and a brewing time of fewer than 8 minutes. Just 30 coffee makers have made the SCA’s list (opens in new tab). In the same price bracket, you’ll also find the wifi-enabled Café Specialty Drip Coffee Maker ($349.99 at Best Buy) (opens in new tab) with the ability to precisely adjust temperature and brew strength.
Moccamaster KBGV Select: final thoughts
For the million-dollar question, is the Moccamaster KBGV Select worth it? If you’re looking for a coffee maker that will last you YEARS (and should anything need to be replaced, it can sustainably and easily be done), then yes, absolutely. It’s a bit of an upfront investment, but whether you consider yourself a “coffee aficionado” or your friends and family would simply refer to you as a “coffee snob, the Moccamaster is for the person who wants to master their coffee experience. The Moccamaster brings together the very best in aesthetics and performance for a coffee experience that is truly unparalleled. The handcrafted machine brews rich, velvet coffee, perfected by its unique copper heating unit, rain shower head that blooms grounds at the right rate, and a swift brewing time that meets the SCA’s requirements for a “Golden Cup.” I can proudly say, it brews some of the most distinctive, memorable coffee I’ve ever had at home, and perhaps even out and about at cafes.
Moccamaster KBGV Select: Where to buy
About this review and our reviewer
Jaclyn is the US eCommerce editor across the homes titles at Future, including Homes & Gardens, with one of her specialty areas being all things coffee. She spends her days tracking the latest buzzworthy releases and testing a variety of products to determine whether they are worth bringing into your home. As with all our reviews the Moccamaster KBGV Select has been tested first-hand in our home, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying. Technivorm invited us to review and gifted us this coffee maker, in which we spent over a month making daily coffees before forming our final opinions. We will also continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it’s fared over a period of time.
