Bunn Coffee Makers In 2023: A Review Of Each Bunn Coffee Maker

If you are looking for a Bunn coffee maker but don’t know which model is best for you, you’ve come to the right place. Or, if you want to understand why people love Bunn coffee makers, you’ve also come to the right place.

This review details each of the multi-cup Bunn coffee makers on the market, and tells you which one is best for you and why.

The tables below summarize each Bunn coffee maker reviewed here in a format that allows you to compare each important feature by model, so you can compare them easily. Each model also has links to Amazon if you’re in a just want to see purchase options.

Each Bunn model is also reviewed in detail here below the tables and table of contents.

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This table summarizes each of the Bunn Coffee Makers Reviewed Here

Speed Brew NHS

• 3 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 7.9 amps, single phase, 60 Hz. 947-watts total
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Slide
• Height: 13.4 Inches
• Pour-O-Matic drip-free Glass Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

GR Velocity Brew

• 3 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 7.5 amps, single phase, 60 Hz. 900-watts total
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Flip
• Height: 14.3 Inches
• Pour-O-Matic drip-free Glass Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

BT Velocity Brew

• 3 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 7.5 amps, single phase, 60 Hz. 850-watts total
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Flip
• Height: 15.1 Inches
• Insulated Thermal Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

BX Velocity Brew

• 3 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 7 amps, single phase, 60 Hz. 900-watts total
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Flip
• Height: 14.3 Inches
• Pour-O-Matic drip-free Glass Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

Speed Brew SB

• 4 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 7 amps, single phase, 60 Hz., 900-watts total
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Slide
• Height: 14.5 Inches
• Pour-O-Matic drip-free Glass Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

Heat N Brew

• 10 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 11 amps, single phase, 60Hz, 1300 watts
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Flip
• Height: 16.3 Inches
• Drip Free Glass Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

Speed Brew Elite

• 4 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 7.5 amps, single phase, 60 Hz. 850-watts total
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Flip
• Height: 15.8 Inches
• Drip Free Glass Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

Speed Brew Select

• 4 minute brew for 10 cups
• Power: 120 volts AC, 7.5 amps, single phase, 60 Hz, 900-watts
• 3-YR Warranty
• Water Reservoir Lid - Flip
• Height: 14.8 Inches
• Drip Free Glass Carafe

BUY AT AMAZON

Use the table of contents below to skip to any section, including specific Bunn coffee maker you’d like to read about, otherwise just keep reading.

What Are Bunn Coffee Makers?

Dedicated coffee fans will tell you that Bunn coffee makers make the best coffee, and make it fast. The Bunn brewing method uses hot water preheated in the coffee reservoir (200 degrees Fahrenheit) to spray through your coffee favorite grounds at high speed. The high-speed water pressure, channeled through their unique spray head, is designed to extract a lot of flavor from your coffee grounds. It does this with speed.

Bunn machines rapidly brew by spraying 200 Fahrenheit water widely over your coffee grounds, most models take three minutes to four minutes to brew a 10 cup full pot. Bunn claims that this method is best to keep your coffee from becoming “over-brewed” and bitter. A lot of Bunn fans agree with them.

Bunn History – What Is Bunn Named After?

George R. Bunn founded the coffee brewing company now known as Bunn in the 1950s. Bunn started as a division of the Bunn Capitol Wholesale Grocery Company, a company that dates its origin to a grocery store founded in the 1850s in Springfield, Illinois, which Bunn claims sold products to Abraham Lincoln.

Bunn became known as the Bunn-O-Matic and as a seller of commercial coffee makers and other equipment to the food and beverage industry. Bunn was an early pioneer of superior brewing methods that make a better cup of coffee, according to decades of Bunn fans.

You’ve probably seen the commercial grade coffee machine in a diner or restaurant, with coffee pots stacked on top and on the side of a big boxy coffee maker. Bunn used its experience in making commercial coffee makers to open a new division line of coffee makers for home use in the 1970s. It opened its new home Bunn coffee line in Creston, Iowa, and now operates in Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey, and California.

Bunn Today – Who Runs It?

Bunn is still a family-owned and operated company, the current president and CEO has served in that role since 1988. These coffee makers have evolved over time to include different markets and even new styles of coffee making, but have always maintained a fast high-pressure brew that Bunn is known for.

What Is The Best Bunn Coffee Maker For You?

Bunn currently has more than 10 multi-cup (that is, not single serve) home coffee brewers. Most of these coffee brewers have a traditional glass drip free carafe while two Bunn models have a heat-insulated stainless steel thermal carafe to keep your coffee hot and fresh longer. All of these models except the programed-time model will brew a full pot or glass carafe of coffee in three minutes to four minutes.

Each coffee maker is reviewed here and ranked in our recommended order. We describe what we like and what we don’t like about each model and also let you know who is model is best for. Keep in mind though that there aren’t any “bad” models here. The differences between the first ranked and the last are minor. In many cases, like whether the coffee maker has a flip lid or a slide lid, they are just preferences. We’ve still ranked them for what we feel most people will prefer overall for price, features, and performance.

Just know that if you buy the last ranked coffee maker here, you’re still going to get a fast brew 10 cup pot of coffee that most people will agree tastes better than any other coffee maker they’ve used other before a Bunn machine, and a price that’s worth it.

#1. The Classic Fast Brew Coffee Maker, NHS: Best Overall

see it on Amazon here, with latest pricing and any discounts

This classic coffee maker has all of the speed that Bunn models are known for, a three minute brew 10 cup capacity, and other basic functions that just work. The classic design includes a drip free carafe that is nice to look and the “Pour-O-Matic” spout designed to prevent dripping coffee from the spout.

The height of the machine is only 13.4 inches, great to fit under cabinet. The reservoir lid in this model also swings out instead of up. What this means is that you can easily replace your filter without having to most likely move the machine from under your kitchen cabinet with those models that have a reservoir lid that swings up.

Other features that people like: the internal stainless steel water tank is “always on” at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, so you don’t have to wait for your brew water to heat up when you need it. Another nice feature with the NHS models is a vacation switch. The “always-on” can be switched off if you just don’t need to have it all the time. One thing to note about the carafe in this model and in others is that once brewed it will be warmed by the warming plate. While keeping your coffee warm, the warming plate won’t really do much to keep it fresh. Bunn recommends drinking a fresh brewed pot from this carafe in 30 minutes for best taste.

So, if you want a longer-lasting fresh brew, go with a heat insulated thermal carafe. A heat-insulated thermal carafe, like the double-walled stainless steel carafe in the BT Velocity Brew, will keep your coffee at peak flavor for up to 2 hours.

What We Like About The NHS

• Fast Brew (about 3 minutes)
• Compact – only 13.4 inches high
• Slide Lid

What We Don’t Like About The NHS

• Glass carafe means “Freshness” only lasts 30 minutes

NHS: What Should You Do?

The NHS is best for those who want a fast brewing, smaller coffee maker that will easily fit under kitchen cabinets and still have 10 cup capacity. It’s also relatively easy to re-fill with water. The NHS is also on the lower side of the Bunn coffee maker price range, but that price range isn’t really that wide. It’s also best for those who of you who drink their pot, whether it’s 4 cups or 10 in one gulp, or at least in about 30 minutes, since after that the coffee won’t be fresh even if it’s kept warm.

To see the NHS on Amazon with latest pricing, any discounts and even extended warranty options beyond 3 years that Bunn gives you, click here.

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#2. The Classic Speed Brew Thermal, BT: Best For Fresh Coffee & Keeping It Hot

see it here on Amzaon with latest pricing and any discounts

The Thermal BT delivers what people want Bunn machines to do (make the best coffee) and does it very fast, a full 10 cup brew takes about three minutes.

The BT also features the Bunn spray head. What that does is extract is spread pressure brew your ground coffee in the filter in a way that maximizes taste. The BT doesn’t have a warming plate to keep your coffee hot but instead relies on a double-walled stainless steel thermal carafe to keep your coffee hot for about two hours after it’s brewed.

Also, just like most Bunn models this one also features a stainless steel internal water tank that is designed to stay on with hot water ready to use when you need it.

What We Like About The BT

• Fast brew
• Insulated Carafe – Keeps your coffee hot longer

What We Don’t Like About The BT

• Flip lid may require you to move the coffee maker to fill it since it’s already fairly tall
• 15.1 inches high, may be too high for some kitchens

BT: Who Should Buy It?

The Velocity Brew BT is among the fastest brewing Bunn coffee machines reviewed here, and that speed of brewing is why Bunn claims its method is best for extracting the most flavor from your coffee grounds. The BT also has an insulated thermal carafe, so no warming plate is required and the carafe will keep your coffee hot and fresh for up to 2 hours. So, the BT is ideal for those who drink their coffee slowly over a couple of hours rather than one or two quick gulps before heading out the door.

Like all Bunn home coffee makers, the BT is also of course a coffee maker that a lot of dedicated coffee fans favor over others because they like the taste and don’t want to waste the good coffee they use in their coffee makers.

You can see the Classic Velocity Brew Thermal BT on Amazon here with the latest pricing and warranty options.

New Kitchen Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

#3. The Bunn GRB Velocity Brew: Still Fast With A Box Design

see the GRB on Amazon here with latest pricing and any discounts

This home coffee maker has an outstanding velocity brew system that brews its full 10 cup capacity in three minutes. And it has an internal stainless steel water tank that is always ready to brew 200 degree Fahrenheit coffee.

The GR model (GRB means “Black”, there’s also the GRW “White” Model), one of the only Bunn home coffee models that gives you an alternative color choice. The GRB also comes with a glass carafe, like most other Bunn coffee makers, and these carafes will only keep your coffee fresh for 30 minutes according to Bunn. This model has a reservoir lid that requires you to flip it up to fill it and it stands 14.3 inches high, so keep that in mind for your own kitchen. If your countertop to cabinet space is tight, this model might require you to move it around a lot when adding water to your reservoir.

You may alternatively prefer how a slightly taller coffee maker in your kitchen if you have the space and also have no preference for flip versus slide lids. In that case this model may be great for you. It certainly has its fans since the GRB is one of Bunn’s top selling coffee machines.

What We Like About The GRB

• Brew speed
• Good value

What We Don’t Like About The GRB

• Flip lid
• Height

Who Should Buy The GRB?

The GRB is a very popular model and has all of the brew technology that Bunn coffee fans love, especially high velocity brew speed and their belief that speed is essential to a good cup of coffee, especially when compares to most other much slower brewing home coffee makers. If you don’t have a small kitchen or cramped counter space, then the GRB should be a great fit and value for the price.

You can see latest pricing for the Bunn GRB Velocity Brew here on Amazon with extended warranty options.

New Kitchen Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

#4. Classic Speed Brew Coffee Maker, BX: Another Fast Brew Machine

see the Bunn BX here on Amazon here with latest pricing and any discounts

The BX is very similar to the GRB, same quick speed full 10 cup brew in about three minutes in a glass carafe and a stainless steel water tank. Also, just like in the GRB, the BX has a flip lid and is also 14.3 inches high. So, if you don’t have a lot of space in your kitchen above where you want to place your coffee maker, then look at the NHS, which has a reservoir door that opens out instead and is 13.4 inches high.

This Bunn coffee maker has a classic carafe that is kept warm by a built-in warming plate. Know that this warming method will only keep your coffee “fresh” for about 30 minutes according to Bunn. The heating plate won’t keep your coffee tasting fresh beyond that time. So, if you know you won’t be drinking a full pot within a half-hour of marking it, either brew less or look at the Bunn Velocity Brew Thermal model above. The thermal has a double-walled stainless steel heat retaining carafe that will keep your coffee fresh-tasting for up to 2 hours.

Just like the Thermal, the GRB, and the NHS models reviewed above, the very fast brewing BX is designed to infuse your coffee grounds with 200 degrees (F) high-velocity water to extract a lot of flavor out of your coffee grounds.

What We Like About The BX

• Brew speed
• Price

What We Don’t Like About The BX

• Flip lid

Who Should Buy The BX?

The same people looking at the GRB would also like the BX. There is not a significant difference between the two, so just decide which one you think looks better in your kitchen. Basically, the BX is not for small kitchens or kitchens with cramped spaces.

You can see the Bunn BX on Amazon here with the latest pricing and extended warranty options.

New Kitchen Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

#5. The Speed Brew Black Coffee Maker SB: A Rounded Design

see the Bunn SB on Amazon here

The SB stands at 14.5 inches with a glass carafe and heating element like the BT and BX as well as 10 cup capacity and stanless steel water tank. The SB has a rounded design that is great for those who like round versus “boxy” or squared coffee makers. Like all other models reviewed here, it has the Bunn spray head designed to evenly steep the hot water from the coffee maker more evenly across your coffee grounds.

This method is approved by many serious coffee drinkers as the best method for flavor extraction from your favorite coffee beans, especially if you’re a coffee snob who only buys super-premium brands.

The spray head also aids in quick brews. Bunn typically brews a full 10-cups anywhere from three minutes to four minutes, The SB usually takes about four minutes to brew, so note that. Also, note that this coffee brewer requires that you lift the reservoir lid in order to fill it with water. So, if you don’t have a lot of space in your kitchen make note of that.

The SB also has a glass carafe and as noted in reviews of other models with glass carafes, the built-in warming plate won’t keep your coffee fresh for more than 30 minutes. So, if you want to slowly drink your coffee over a longer period, then you may want to look at the Thermal SB above. That home coffee brewer features an insulated stainless steel carafe that will keep your coffee fresh for up to 2 hours.

What We Like About The SB

• Attractive Design

What We Don’t Like About The SB

• Flip lid

Who Should Buy The SB?

The SB has an attractive rounded design that many people like and prefer to the square designs of most of the Bunn coffee makers. The SB is still a relatively fast brew (about four minutes) Bunn coffee maker and still delivers what many consider to be superior coffee compared to other home coffee makers. So, if you like how the SB looks in your kitchen then the SB may be the way to go.

See the Bunn SB on Amazon here with the latest pricing, any discounts, and extended warranty options.

New Kitchen Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

#6. The Bunn Heat N’ Brew Coffeemaker: Best Timed Brew

see the Bunn Heat N Brew here on Amazon with latest pricing

The Heat N’ Brew is the only Bunn home coffee model with a timer and programming to let you set a time for your coffee to be brewed. This Bunn coffee brewer also takes much longer to brew than all of the other Bunn 10 cup models.

For 4 cups, it takes six minutes and ten minutes to brew a full 10 cups. So, that’s a lot longer than the fastest models that brew a full 10 cups in three minutes. This may not matter to you, especially if you’re able to set the Heat N’ Brew to start brewing automatically, even when you’re still asleep. The Heat N’ Brew also stands really high, it’s 16.3 inches tall and is the tallest Bunn coffee maker. So, make sure you have enough space for it in your kitchen before you buy it.

What We Like About The Heat N’ Brew

• Automatic Brew Times
• Sleek Design

What We Don’t Like About The Heat N’ Brew

• Long Brew Time
• Tallest Bunn Coffee Maker

Who The Heat N’s Brew Is Best For?

The Heat N’ Brew is the only Bunn home coffee maker with a timer to set up automatic brewing at a time that you choose. It takes a lot longer to brew in the Heat N’ Brew, and it is definitely the slowest brewing Bunn coffee maker, but if that doesn’t matter to you then take a look at the Heat N’ Brew. So, if y0u want to wake up to a fully brewed cup of coffee, then this coffee brewer may be your best choice.

See the Bunn Heat N’ Brew on Amazon here with the latest pricing, any discounts, and extended warranty options.

New Kitchen Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

#7. The Speed Brew Elite Black Coffeemaker: Best Modern Look

see the Speed Brew Elite on Amazon here

The Speed Brew Elite is a 10 cup, glass carafe home coffee maker with a new modern design that will appeal to many for how it looks in their kitchen.

The Elite has most of the same Bunn features that are expected in a Bunn coffee brewer, including fast brewing and optimal water pressure for extracting flavor from your coffee grounds and stainless steel water tank. The Speed Brew Elite takes about four minutes to brew a full 10 cups of coffee, other Bunn coffee makers can do it in three minutes. This coffee brewer is also only 13.8 inches high, much shorter than the tallest Bunn coffee makers (16.3 inches) and among the most compact Bunn coffee makers.

What We Like About The Elite

• New Modern Design
• Compact

What We Don’t Like About The Elite

• Flip Lid
• Higher Price

Who The Elite Is Best For

Really, the most dramatic difference in the Speed Brew Elite from other coffee brewers is how it looks. It has more style than most of the other Bunn coffee brewers. It looks a little sleeker and less clunky than the other models. The Elite is also more compact than most of the other Bunn coffee brewers, it’s only 13.8 inches high. So the Elite is also good for tight counter-space or in smaller kitchens.

You can see the Bunn Elite on Amazon with the latest pricing, any discounts, and extended warranty options here.

New Kitchen Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

#8. Speed Brew Select Black Coffee Maker: Best Alternative Modern Look

see the Bunn Speed Brew Select on Amazon here

The Speed Brew Select is more stylish than most other Bunn home coffee brewers. It is very similar to the Speed Brew Elite but is also an inch taller, it stands 14.8 high and 10 cup capacity. That’s about in the middle of Bunn models, which range from 13.4 inches high to 16.3 inches high. In terms of “modern look”, both the Speed Brew Select and the Speed Brew Elite are the most “modern” Bunn home coffee brewers reviewed here. One may look better in your kitchen than the other, it’s your choice, just take a look at each Speed Brew coffee brewer.

The reservoir lid is on the top of the machine, so you have to lift it up to add water. So, make sure you have enough room to at least fit this coffee maker under your cabinets, but also know that you have to lift up the lid every time you add water. The Speed Brew Select also takes about four minutes to brew a 10 cup pot of coffee, just like the Speed Brew Elite and has the stainless steel water tank ready to brew multiple pots of hot coffee.

What We Like About The Select

• Modern Design
• Price

What We Don’t Like About The Select

• Flip lid

So Who Is The Select Best For?

Many people like the Select for its modern design and is one of Bunn’s best-selling home coffee models. It’s not the most compact Bunn model but also not the “bulkiest”. According to its fans, the Select does just about everything you want a Bunn coffee maker to do, that is: make really good coffee fast.

See the Bunn Select here in Amazon with the latest pricing, any discounts, and extended warranty options.

New Kitchen Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Note that Bunn already gives you a 3-year warranty (see Bunn Warranty info below) so the only extended warranty you should consider is a 4-year warranty.

Which Bunn Models Have High Altitude Versions?

Bunn makes some alternative versions of some of their home coffee models. There are three home coffee models that are high altitude versions of other models.

These are: the Classic Speed Brew®, BX High Altitude, the Classic Speed Brew®, GR High Altitude and the Classic Speed Brew® Thermal, BT High Altitude.

Each of these models is designed to work at altitudes above 4,000 feet. The internal thermostat of these high altitude models is adjusted for the lower boiling temperature that occurs at high altitudes. Each high altitude model has a “D” in the model number to confirm that it is a high altitude model. The BX High Altitude brews the fastest, just like the BX regular version, taking just three minutes to brew a full 10 cup pot of coffee. It also has a glass drip free carafe with Bunn’s “Pour-O-Matic” spout designed to prevent dripping while pouring.

See the Bunn BX High Altitude Coffee Maker on Amazon with the latest pricing, any discounts, and extended warranty options and add to cart here.

The GR High Altitude also clocks in with a super-fast three minute full pot brew in a “pot” that is actually also a glass carafe, just like the BX, but this coffee maker is taller at 14.3 inches.

See the Bunn GR High Altitude Coffee Maker here on Amazon, with the latest pricing and warranty options.

The Thermal BT High Altitude is also fast, but additionally, has an insulated stainless steel carafe that will keep your coffee hot and fresh longer than in either glass carafe. The insulated carafe will keep your coffee hot and fresh for up to 2 hours, while the other carafe models are only designed to keep coffee hot and fresh for only 30 minutes. Note also though that this coffee maker stands tall, it is 15.1 inches high, so note that for fitting this coffee maker under your kitchen cabinets or in knowing where it will sit in your kitchen.

You can see the Bunn Thermal BT High Altitude Coffee Maker here on Amazon with the latest pricing and warranty options.

Other Small Appliance Reviews

If you’re looking for other small appliances for your countertop, you may also be interested in our very comprehensive review of the best blenders, the best countertop ovens, and even a very comprehensive and some specific countertop oven reviews here and another here. Another review of several Cuisinart ice cream makers can be found here. There’s also a review our of favorite microwave ovens here.

What Else You Need To Know About Bunn Coffee Makers

Flow Restrictor Spray Head – Should I Just Order One?

A lot of customers of many different Bunn home coffee models have had their coffee grounds and hot water overflow from the filter into the carafe, which is never a fun way to drink coffee. To fix this, you need to order a flow restrictor spray head (or spray nozzle) from Bunn. They’ll send it to you free of charge. They should just include this in the box but they don’t, so just go ahead and order it now if you buy one of these machines, even if you’re not sure that you’ll need the spray head. To order it, call 1-800-352-2866 with your purchase info.

This overflow issue can happen for several reasons:

1. Decaffeinated grounds – decaffeinated grounds are smaller and therefore likely to be forced out of the coffee filter when the Bunn high-pressure spray head squirts hot water out at high pressure.
2. Fine grounds – if you really like a fine grind, the same thing may happen as with decaffeinated grounds, they’ll fly out of the filter and into your carafe.
3. Soft water – if you have soft water then, again, the unregulated spray head will blast your coffee grounds into your carafe.

Bunn Filters – Are They Necessary?

Bunn Coffee Maker Warranty – How Long?

The standard warranty provided by Bunn for each of the coffee makers reviewed here is 3 years. When you look at the purchase options above, you will also find extended warranty options for up to 4 years. Since Bunn already covers you for 3 in their Bunn warranty, you’re really paying for an extra year of protection. At this point it’s just a cost decision, if the warranty seems reasonable in price, it’s probably worthwhile to go ahead and buy it for that extra year. It’s your call.

Bunn Customer Service – Phone Number?

Bunn has a U.S. based phone number you can call – (800) 352-2866. Bunn operators in Illinois are available Monday through Friday from 7 am to 5 pm, central standard time.