It shouldn’t come as a surprise that, with the exception of industry professionals and dedicated amateurs, most people with an average interest in coffee often can’t distinguish between coffee brewed in an expensive coffee maker and coffee produced by a more budget machine. It turns out that the quality of the brew mainly depends on the preparation method and on the quality of the coffee beans/grounds rather than most things an overpriced coffee maker can offer. In many cases, you will be paying for the status offered by an elite brand, its design, and better quality of the hardware. Of course, there is a stark difference between an off-brand cheap brewer and the best high-end coffee maker on the market, but mid-range models tend to be uniformly effective.