Any business meeting or social gathering is better with a warm beverage. But choosing the best coffee urn can be tricky when there are so many different options on the market.
We’ve picked our top five best coffee urns and compared their efficiency, capacity, and design.
Plus, we’ve included our handy buyer’s guide to help you find the model that best suits your needs. Check out our choice of the best coffee urns below.
Top 6 Best Coffee Urns (Our Review)
1. Best Overall: NESCO CU-50 Professional Coffee Urn
PRODUCT SPECS
Capacity: 100 cups
Brew time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Material: Stainless Steel
Size: 13 x 12.5 x 21 inches
The NESCO CU-50 has everything you want in a professional coffee urn. This model’s impressive range of features makes it a well-respected and popular choice on the market.
With its double-wall insulation feature, it allows your coffee to remain hot for several hours. In addition, both the interior and exterior of the urn are made with stainless steel material which ensures even more efficient heat retention.
The urn’s stainless steel design also ensures that the delicious flavor of your coffee is retained, plus it also makes the equipment much easier to clean.
The NESCO CU-50 has a 50 cup capacity which is the perfect size for serving a large gathering, while still not taking up too much space in the kitchen.
This model also features a drip tray to collect any coffee spills. Together with its efficient twist-lock lid mechanism and skid-proof rubber feet, this urn is portable and protected against leakages.
Other significant features of the NESCO CU-50 include its coffee level indicator. This shows you how much coffee is left in the urn, so you know when it’s time to refill. It also includes a continuous pouring mechanism for further convenience.
The only downside we could find is that the fuse can be sensitive to high voltages – so make sure you check out the manual for recommendations.
Pros
- Able to retain heat for long periods of time
- Easy to clean
- Compact size
- Easy to transport and protected against leakage
- Very easy to operate dispenser
Cons
- Fuse can be vulnerable to high voltage
Why We Like It: From its impressive safety features to its sleek design, this all-round amazing coffee urn is bound to meet the needs of most coffee makers.
2. Best Budget: Homecraft CU30SS Quick-Brewing Urn
PRODUCT SPECS
Capacity: 30 cups
Brew time: 30 minutes
Material: Stainless Steel
Size: 9.65 x 9.65 x 15.94 inches
The HomeCraft CU30SS definitely shows that it’s possible to get a high-quality coffee urn on a budget. This model is highly praised by customers for its great features along with its pretty affordable price tag.
With a capacity of up to 30 cups of coffee, this unit doesn’t have the largest capacity. This might suit people who are looking for a more compact design.
It will conveniently start brewing automatically once it’s plugged in, taking only around 30 minutes to brew before your guests can pour themselves a nice warm cup. This model also comes with a handy warming function to keep your freshly brewed coffee warm.
A favorite feature of ours is the HomeCraft’s dripless faucet, which prevents spillages and wasted coffee.
For extra convenience, this urn also doesn’t require paper coffee filters. The HomeCraft features a built-in filter for your coffee grounds. It’s also dishwasher-friendly, to make your life even easier.
Thanks to its heat-protected side handles, you can easily pick up the urn while the coffee is still hot. We did find that the lid, unfortunately, doesn’t lock, so you’ll just need to be extra careful when transporting this urn.
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Pros
- Affordable price
- Great keep-warm function for coffee
- Drip-free faucet
- Dishwasher-safe equipment
Cons
- Small 30-cup capacity
- No lid-locking mechanism for transport
Why We Like It: This model has an affordable price tag, while still offering all the best features we’re looking for in a top-quality urn.
3. Largest Capacity Option: Cafe Amoroso 100 Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Urn
PRODUCT SPECS
Capacity: 100 cups
Brew time: 45 minutes
Material: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 33.02 x 34.29 x 49.53 cm
For those looking to cater to a big crowd, the Cafe Amoroso coffee urn is your best bet. This coffee urn is well-known for its large capacity, not to mention its affordable price tag.
The Cafe Amoroso has an impressive brew time of 45 minutes at full capacity – this means it only takes around a minute for each cup to brew.
The urn’s natural insulating system is enough to keep your beverages hot for a couple of hours. In addition to this, it comes with an extra “keep warm” feature to keep your coffee at your desired serving temperature for however long you want.
An added bonus is that the urn is built with thick walls so the outside of the urn won’t burn you if you touch it by mistake.
Although this urn has a 100 cup storage capacity, you can only brew up to 85 cups of coffee at once. All you need to do is fill the brewing basket with coffee grounds, pour water into the tank up to the 85-cup mark, and wait for the Cafe Amoroso to work its magic.
You are able to top-up with freshly brewed coffee after the rest of the coffee in the urn is ready. While this is a little extra work, this urn still keeps its place on the market as one of the best crowd-pleasers.
Pros
- Large capacity
- Great insulation and heat retention
- Quick coffee brew time
- No filters needed
- Drip-proof faucet and drip tray
Cons
- Brews less than its total capacity
Why We Like It: The large 100-cup capacity of this urn makes it an appealing choice for anyone needing to host big events.
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4. Easiest Dispenser: Hamilton Beach 40515 45-Cup Coffee Urn
PRODUCT SPECS
Capacity: 45 cups
Brew time: 45 minutes
Material: Aluminum
Dimensions: 11.5 x 11.5 x 18.6 inches
The Hamilton 40515 is another well-known and highly praised coffee urn. With its two-way faucet dispenser, we’ve found that this urn model has the easiest dispenser out of all the listed models here.
This model can make between 15 and 45 cups of coffee, with a brew speed of one cup per minute. This is not too big and not too small, perfect for both entertaining and everyday use in your kitchen.
You will also notice the Hamilton 40515 comes with a light indicator for when your coffee is ready to be served and clear water-level markers, so you’ll never have to guess!
Another appreciated feature is that the Hamilton 40515 has dishwasher-safe parts as well as a completely removable lid, making it very easy to clean.
This model is not without its drawbacks though. It doesn’t include a continuous heat feature and insulation is not the best, so the urn will switch itself off after brewing and your coffee will slowly get colder.
Pros
- Two-way faucet dispenser
- Decent capacity
- Clear water-level markings and indicator light
- Dishwasher-safe parts
Cons
- No continuous heating feature
Why We Like It: This model’s two-way coffee dispenser makes it one of the easiest coffee urns to use on the market.
5. Premium Pick: Continental Electric PS-SQ018 Professional Series Digital Coffee Urn
PRODUCT SPECS
Capacity: 50 cups
Brew time: 30 minutes
Material: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 17.50 x 16.50 x 17.50 inches
The Continental PS-SQ018 model is for those coffee lovers who are willing to spend more for higher quality tasting coffee.
With an automatic shut-off and programmable brewing, this professional coffee percolator is top of the range. It also comes with impressive double-wall insulation for both hot and cold temperatures, keeping your coffee at the ideal temperature for long periods of time.
This model is large enough to carry 50 cups, making it ideal for big functions or parties. Its sleek and stylish design makes it excellent for modern kitchens and offices.
The Continental PS-SQ018 features a permanent filter, making it more convenient and more durable compared to other models. Plus, it comes with a water calibrated level so that you know how much beverage you have left.
Featuring a non-drip faucet and a drip tray, the urn is designed to make sure no leakage occurs. Its durable and rust-resistant material design also makes the coffee percolator easy to clean.
Pros
- High-quality programmable coffee
- Stylish design
- Double-walled hot and cold insulation
- Durable design
Cons
- Expensive
Why We Like It: This coffee maker is perfect for coffee lovers looking for an urn that can produce delicious coffee of a high standard.
6. Most Portable: VonShef Thermal Airpot Carafe Coffee Dispenser
PRODUCT SPECS
Capacity: 20 cups
Brew time: 15 minutes
Material: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 19.09 x 8.85 x 8.85 inches
The VonShef Airpot is a perfect urn for outdoor activities like picnics or camping.
It’s compact size and safety lock features make it super easy to transport and guaranteed not to spill. It has a capacity of 20 cups, which is small compared to the other urns listed here, but still makes it perfect for outdoor activities or get-togethers with smaller crowds.
This model is incredibly easy to use with its one-press function. To dispense, all you just need to do is press the button on top of the urn.
Another impressive feature of the VonShef is its insulation. Suitable for both hot and cold beverages, this model can keep your coffee warm for several hours or your iced coffee cold on a hot day.
Another downside of the VonShef is its heating speed for hot beverages. We recommend preheating the urn for about 15 minutes to get optimal results.
Pros
- Very easy to transport
- Compact size
- Great insulating capability
- Easy to use
Cons
- Small capacity
- Takes a long time to heat up
Why We Like It: This urn is lightweight and spill-proof – making it perfect for outdoor events and traveling.
If you’re a serious coffee lover, like we are, then you might be on the hunt for the best electric gooseneck kettle to get you that perfect cup of pour-over coffee. Wherever you are in your coffee journey, we’ve got you covered with this review.
Learn MoreBuyer’s Guide To Choosing The Best Coffee Urn
Here are the most important things you should consider to choose your ideal coffee urn.
Type of Coffee Urn
Before you consider buying any models, you should know the difference between standard urns and those that allow you to also brew coffee directly in them.
The coffee urns that allow you to directly brew coffee are known as percolator-style coffee makers. These are often more convenient, but also more expensive.
The Right Capacity
First of all, how many people are you wanting to serve? This will help you determine how many cups you plan to serve and how large your coffee urn should be.
Coffee urn capacities range from 12-cups to 100-cups.
The Homecraft CU30SS can hold from 12 to 30 cups of coffee, which is suitable for smaller gatherings and household use.
Size & Storage
Another factor that might be important to you is the size of the actual urn.
If you struggle with storage or are looking for a more compact model, then a smaller urn like the VonShef Airpot model would suit you best.
Although larger urns have their advantages for serving crowds, bear in mind that this will also bump up the price. Plus, smaller urns tend to be more portable and easier to carry for outdoor events or traveling.
Material Design
Coffee urns are generally designed with either aluminum or stainless steel. There are pros and cons of each material, depending on what you’re looking for in a coffee urn.
While aluminum is more lightweight, it doesn’t retain heat like stainless steel. They both have similar chic appearances when polished, but at the end of the day, stainless steel is harder and more durable.
We recommend going with a double-walled stainless steel design for the best insulation and lower chances of picking up dents or scratches.
Heating Ability
Heating is another key factor. You definitely want your coffee to be served warm!
Many models will come with a built-in heating system, but cheaper ones tend not to. A good quality coffee urn should be able to keep your beverage warm for hours on end. That’s another reason why we’re such big fans of the NESCO CU-50.
Ease of Use & Cleaning
You shouldn’t spend a lot of money on an urn that’s tricky to use. It’s best to buy a coffee urn that has a straightforward starting procedure with clearly marked water levels and a lid that’s easy to remove.
It’s also worthwhile looking into whether or not an urn has dishwasher-safe parts. This makes your clean up a whole lot easier. We recommend looking for coffee urns with smoother designs to avoid nooks and crannies that might be tricky to clean.
Accessories & Extra Features
For those prepared to spend a little more money on their kitchen appliances, there are plenty of other accessories available to enhance your coffee experience.
While these aren’t necessary, they do make your urn a lot easier to use.
Drip trays, drip-free faucets, programmable timers, and light indicators are examples of some extra features worth-like your money.
A high-end coffee urn should also have features like a lockable lid for preventing spills, and heat-resistant handles to easily move it around.
Best Coffee Urns (FAQs)
How do you clean your coffee urn?
This depends on which model you decide to buy. For a good clean, you can always use water and vinegar which will get out any stubborn stains.
Some parts of your urn might be dishwasher friendly. But always follow the instructions provided for your specific model.
How much coffee do you put in a coffee urn?
We recommend following one-third of a cup of coffee ground to make five cups worth of coffee.
For a minimum brewing size of 25 cups, we recommend adding around 2 cups of ground coffee.
How do you determine the quality of a coffee urn?
Several factors can be used to estimate if the model you’re looking at is worth your investment.
These are some of the factors outlined in our buying guide: the materials used in the design, insulation and heating abilities, efficiency, bonus features, as well as cup capacity.
Conclusion
Our overall top pick goes to the NESCO CU-50 coffee urn.
This model sits amongst the best automatic coffee urns that you can purchase on the market but with a reasonable price tag.
Whether you are looking for an everyday coffee urn or to entertain a crowd, this reliable unit is sure to satisfy the needs of all coffee lovers.
The Homecraft CU30SS is a close second though, offering many of the same desired features for those shopping on a budget.
Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below, and feel free to share your own reviews to help out your fellow coffee lovers.
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