It's likely that the majority of stainless steel coffee makers are sold because they have that different look. The brushed stainless finish almost always looks nicer then a regular white plastic coffee maker, and glass carafe. Especially with the kitchens of today being extra stylish, and often having stainless steel appliances, don't we all want it to match?

What some people might not realize is that there is more to a stainless steel coffee maker then just another pretty face. There are specifically two key advantages I like about a stainless steel maker versus my old regular plastic glass carafe coffee maker. One is to do with replacement parts, the other to do with how my coffee tastes each morning.

Possibly you haven't done this, but leaving a glass carafe in the sink for a day then doing dishes that evening offers a pretty good chance you could crack that carafe. Especially if you're loading more dishes in on top of that carafe through the day. Of course we can all leave it on the counter, or in the coffee maker, but bottom line is coffee maker carafes aren't indestructible especially those made of glass.

A stainless steel coffee maker often comes with a stainless steel carafe. Guess what, really tough to break a stainless steel coffee carafe. You can drop it on the floor, leave it in the sink, some even put in the dish washer to reduce clean up time. I love it, can't beat something that I don't have to wash and I can't break it.

Now the second benefit of a stainless steel coffee maker also has to do with the carafe. Often times when I brew half a pot of coffee just for myself, I don't get around to drinking it all while it's fresh. The burner on the coffee maker tends to burn the coffee and reduce the taste and aroma, with a stainless carafe they're usually thermal as well. Meaning they don't require another heat source they keep the coffee warm inside by sealing in the warmth, and being insulated in the body. Just like a thermos you'd take to work with you.

Prices vary from under a hundred to several hundred dollars for a stainless coffee maker. All the major brands offer a stainless version of their top selling models including Cuisinart, Black and Decker, and Kitchen Aid. If you're shopping for a new drip coffee maker, be sure to consider a stainless steel model, and remember the extra few dollars it might cost isn't just for that sharp looking brushed stainless appearance it's for the added features to.