Cuisinart PerfecTemp 14-Cup Coffee Maker vs Mainstays 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker

Buy the Cuisinart PerfecTemp if you want programmable brewing, a hot, fast pot, and flexible strength and batch controls. The Mainstays 12-Cup is the simpler, smaller machine for basic daily drip coffee. The Cuisinart wins on features and build, and its 4.6 rating from 1,800 ratings sits close to the Mainstays' 4.5 from 12,521. Owners of the Cuisinart praise the hot coffee and bold setting but note the separate charcoal filter and its size; Mainstays owners value the no-fuss setup.

• Choose the Cuisinart PerfecTemp if you want a programmable 14-cup brewer with bold and small-batch settings and a keep-warm timer.
• Choose the Mainstays 12-Cup if you want a compact, straightforward drip machine with a removable filter basket and nothing to program.