Do you drink your coffee black? With a sprig of mint and sugared? Heavy creamed or with a splash of oat milk? These are a few questions worth considering when choosing the best coffee maker for you.

For the purist who prefers a black coffee, the pour over could become your new best friend. This slow and steady drip brewer releases the full range of flavors and aromas from your favorite coffee beans. Thanks to the paper filter, which removes sediments and oils from your brew, your coffee emerges clean and crisp, showcasing a pronounced clarity in both flavor and acidity. There’s also a ritualistic aspect to making pour-over coffee, which can be very appealing to the more methodical aficionados out there. Something about blooming the coffee, controlling the pour, and watching it slowly drip into a cup is... oddly satisfying.

If you prefer dressing up your coffee with a little milk and sugar, consider the AeroPress or French press. The immersion brewing method used by both coffee makers allows for maximum extraction of flavor from your coffee beans. This results in robust, full-bodied cups of coffee that can stand up well to the addition of milk and sugar. Although the coffee produced by immersion brewing methods isn’t as clean as coffee from drip brewers, the oils and sediment left behind create a velvety mouthfeel when combined with milk. They’re also easier and a lot more forgiving than the pour over method.

The methods mentioned above are ideal for solo or duo coffee missions; if you regularly entertain larger parties, you might want to consider investing in a machine brewer. Our favorites right now are the Ratio Six Coffee Machine and the Bonavita 5-Cup One-Touch Thermal Carafe Coffee Brewer. Both machines emulate the pour over process with technology that gets you the perfect cup of coffee every time. Although these machines are exponentially more expensive than their manual counterparts, the speed, efficiency, and consistency with which they perform are well worth the investment for those who are more result oriented as opposed to process oriented.

A carefully curated list to help you decide which coffee maker is best for you and your budget. And no, we aren’t getting paid for these shout-outs. We just really care about your coffee experience.

• Hario V 60 $32.50

Why we like it: it's been the industry standard pour-over option for over a decade. It brews a consistent cup of coffee with exquisite clarity.

• French Press $34.99 (pictured)

Why we like it: who hasn't dreamed of visiting Paris and having a rich, bold cup of coffee on the balcony? The French Press is perfect for brewing more than one cup at a time, and has enough body to stand up to additives like milk and sugar.

• Kalita Wave $36.50

Why we like it: The cone-filter vs flat-bottom debate has been raging for decades, with many tattooed baristas swearing one is better than the other. We say "brew what you like". And if you like nuanced, balanced coffee, then the Kalita Wave is a solid option.

• AeroPress $39.95

Why we like it: when it comes to durability, portability, and convenience, The Aeropress is unrivaled. Whether you're camping or visiting family and desperately need a proper cup of coffee, this pressurized french press makes an effortlessly tasty brew. Plus, it's super easy to clean!

• 5-Cup One-Touch Thermal Carafe Coffee Brewer $149.99

Why we like it: Love the quality of a pour-over, but want more than one cup of coffee? Us too. That's where this beauty comes in. The Bonavita 5-Cup Coffee Brewer is basically an automated pour-over station. It brews 5 cups of coffee in a snap and it tastes GREAT.

• Simply Good Coffee - The Brewer $179.95 (pictured)

Why we like it: It's beautiful, it's convenient, and it has all of the things we love about one of our other favorite brewers (The Moccamaster) all for a hundred or so bucks less. PLUS it has a bloom function, which is great for helping unlock some of those nuances of lighter roasted coffee.

• Moccamaster $329

Why we like it: This was one of the first commercially available coffee makers certified by the Specialty Coffee Association. It is the original at-home automated pour-over station. It's made in the Netherlands and is backed by a 5-year warranty. It is the gold standard of home brewers, and has been for decades.

• Breville Precision Brewer Thermal $329.95

Why we like it: All of the functionality of an elite brewing device, WITH a bloom function. It features an intuitive touch display and allows for programming so you don't need to wake up and turn your coffee machine on.

• Ratio Eight Coffee Machine $645 (pictured)

Why we like it: The Ratio Eight is probably the prettiest coffee machine on the market. Aesthetics aside, it brews a damn fine cup of coffee, and it also (stop us if you've heard this before) has a bloom function.