Two things I value first thing in the morning: simplicity, and a good cuppa coffee. But I've sometimes settled for any coffee because...well, I need it, frankly. When working from home started, I even settled for what came out of a $15 Mr. Coffee machine for a time. It more or less did the trick, and it was dead-simple — but that's no way to live.
I've been spoiled by the best artisanal coffee in New York City and Philadelphia, so, while I wasn't ready to spend hundreds of dollars on a high-end machine, I needed better WFH coffee. Which is where the Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup One-Touch came into play.
The Connoisseur has the simplicity I desire, but great features under the hood. While it has one major quirk, it's a solid option for those wanting to graduate from basic brewing into more elevated coffee enjoyment.
What's Good About the Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup One-Touch Coffee Brewer?
It makes some great-tasting coffee
The experts at the Specialty Coffee Association have determined the time and temperatures that make the best cup of coffee. Those are built into the Bonavita, one of 26 models the association has rigorously tested and certified to brew within its Golden Cup standards at home — and one of the most affordable. Further, whereas some coffeemakers deliver hot water in a single stream, the Bonavita spreads it evenly across the grounds with a showerhead-like construction.
Is this all a bunch of mumbo-jumbo? Nope. These solutions are practical — and, though it's subjective, and other factors (like the coffee you use, of course) play a part, I'm consistently getting a higher-quality, better-tasting brew.
It only has one button
All the temperature and timing and whatnot mentioned above: you don't need to worry about it. And you don't need to set it, calibrate it or connect it to your phone. (Thank goodness for that.) You just get your filter, coffee and water situated and press the "on" button. It'll glow red when it's brewing, double-beep when it's done, automatically shut off and you've got your coffee.
While I appreciate the convenience, serious aficionados might want more control — and despite that there's only one button, that's offered in a pre-infusion mode. When brewing freshly roasted beans, you can hold the button for five seconds to activate it. Pre-infusion helps saturate the grounds more evenly, which the shower head construction also does pretty well.
The carafe does a great job of keeping the coffee hot
It sure is nice to enjoy a genuinely hot cup of fresh coffee. Many coffee machines heat underneath the carafe after brewing, but this just cooks the coffee and can end up burning it. Bonavita doesn't heat the bottom of the carafe at all. Instead, it has invested in a very tightly heat-retaining carafe. I recall opening it in the early evening from my morning brew and seeing some steam come out. It works great for this purpose, but also comes with a caveat...
What's Not as Ideal About the Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup One-Touch Coffee Brewer?
The carafe doesn't fit on the machine when the lid is on
This odd design means that when brewing, you just have to place the lid nearby. Then, when your coffee's ready and you've screwed the lid on, you similarly need to find a place to put the carafe — and the machine is left sitting alone and carafe-less. Or, you can remove the basket to keep the carafe on the machine, but that doesn't really help the overall situation. It's awkward, inconvenient and makes for an inefficient use of space.
This is such a baffling design that I've come up with theories as to its purpose, rather than assume it's just a mistake. As mentioned above, the carafe isn't heated from underneath and keeps coffee steaming hot for a very long time. Maybe keeping the lid free of a hole where coffee can enter while brewing was necessary to achieve that insulation. And so, in order to retain this feature, maybe Bonavita intentionally made it impossible to inadvertently brew with the lid still on. That kinda makes sense, but doesn't really help my kitchen stay organized.
Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup One-Touch Coffee Brewer: The Verdict
I'm enjoying much better coffee these days with the Bonavita Connoisseur 8-Cup One-Touch. Though it's in the relative budget range among enthusiast-oriented home coffee makers, a list price just south of $200 is still an investment for non-hobbyists who just want a good coffee — and there are a number of options that don't cost too much more. I'd say better coffee is worth it, even with the single maddening design quirk regarding the carafe's lid.
