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Coffee maker accessories: what each machine needs, and what's optional
Updated by Isadora Venn. Links to Amazon earn us a commission (how that works).
A coffee maker needs three things to keep working well: the right filters and a descaler, plus decent water. Everything else is optional, though a scale and a burr grinder make a bigger difference than most upgrades to the machine itself.
Quick picks
The three you'll actually reorder or use daily.
Bar Keepers Friend descaler
See Bar Keepers Friend descaler on Amazon Amazon listing
If You Care No. 4 filters
See If You Care No. 4 filters on Amazon Amazon listing
OXO conical burr grinder
See OXO conical burr grinder on Amazon Amazon listing
Short answer
Buy filters that match your basket shape, a bottle of descaler, and a way to filter your water. If you want to spend more, put it toward a burr grinder before a fancier machine.
Below you'll find the essentials first, then useful extras and three companion products, and finally model-specific refills for the ten picks, which are the things you'll reorder most often over the life of the machine.
The essentials
If You Care No. 4 filters
Unbleached No. 4 cones for cone baskets like the Moccamaster and KRUPS. Check your basket shape before ordering.
See If You Care No. 4 filters on AmazonAmazon listing
Bar Keepers Friend descaler
One bottle handles several descaling runs; follow it with two tanks of plain water.
See Bar Keepers Friend descaler on AmazonAmazon listing
Kishu binchotan sticks
Binchotan sticks filter a pitcher of tap water over a few hours, so the tank gets cleaner water.
See Kishu binchotan sticks on AmazonAmazon listingUseful extras
Greater Goods coffee scale
Accurate to 0.1 g with a timer, which turns "two scoops" into a repeatable recipe.
See Greater Goods coffee scale on AmazonAmazon listing
Airscape canister
A plunger lid squeezes air out of the bean jar instead of trapping it.
See Airscape canister on AmazonAmazon listing
GoldTone basket filter
A washable basket filter for flat-bottom 8 to 12-cup machines, with a BPA-free frame.
See GoldTone basket filter on AmazonAmazon listing
Long carafe brush
Long enough to scrub the bottom of a carafe or a Chemex without a sponge on a fork.
See Long carafe brush on AmazonAmazon listing
2 tbsp steel scoop
A two-tablespoon scoop in steel, so one scoop equals one 6 oz serving.
See 2 tbsp steel scoop on AmazonAmazon listing
Moccamaster thermal carafe
A 40 oz stainless thermal carafe from Moccamaster; confirm it fits your model first.
See Moccamaster thermal carafe on AmazonAmazon listingCompanions
OXO conical burr grinder
Conical burrs and 15 main settings; the single biggest flavor upgrade for any drip machine.
See OXO conical burr grinder on AmazonAmazon listing
LunaFro frother
Rechargeable and quick, for foamed milk on drip coffee without an espresso machine.
See LunaFro frother on AmazonAmazon listing
Contigo West Loop 16 oz
Locks between sips and keeps coffee hot for hours, which also solves the hot plate problem.
See Contigo West Loop 16 oz on AmazonAmazon listingRefills by model
These are the repeat purchases. Every listing below names the machine it fits; double-check the model list on the page before ordering. Two of them are third-party glass pots, which is worth knowing up front: they're copies built to the original's size by small brands, and their listings promise a fit rather than a factory part.
Breville Claro Swiss filters, 4 pack
Breville's own cartridges; the listing names the Luxe Brewer Thermal BDC465. Four covers a year at the 90-day swap.
See Breville Claro Swiss filters, 4 pack on AmazonAmazon listing
Fellow Aiden batch filters
Fellow's flat papers for the Aiden's batch basket. The single-serve basket takes #2 cones.
See Fellow Aiden batch filters on AmazonAmazon listing
OXO single-serve basket filters
OXO's papers for the 8-Cup's 1 to 4 cup basket, 100 to a box.
See OXO single-serve basket filters on AmazonAmazon listing
8 to 12-cup basket filters
Plain 8 to 12-cup basket papers, 200 to a pack, for flat-bottom machines like the Mr. Coffee.
See 8 to 12-cup basket filters on AmazonAmazon listing
Glass carafe for the KBGV
A third-party copy of the KBGV's 40 oz glass pot. Not made by Technivorm, so expect the fit, not the logo.
See Glass carafe for the KBGV on AmazonAmazon listing
Glass carafe for the CE251
A third-party borosilicate pot that lists the CE251 among its fits.
See Glass carafe for the CE251 on AmazonAmazon listing
Ratio Six and Eight S2 basket filters
Paper filters cut for the Ratio Six and Eight Series 2 basket.
See Ratio Six and Eight S2 basket filters on AmazonAmazon listing
#4 filters for Ninja CE251
No. 4 papers whose listing names the Ninja CE251.
See #4 filters for Ninja CE251 on AmazonAmazon listing
GE Café water filters
Third-party carbon cartridges for the Café grind-and-brew; Café suggests a swap about every two months.
See GE Café water filters on AmazonAmazon listing
Reusable K-Cups for K-Duo Gen 2
Reusable pods for the Keurig K-Duo Gen 2, so the pod side can take your own grounds.
See Reusable K-Cups for K-Duo Gen 2 on AmazonAmazon listing
Paper filters for Ninja Pod & Grounds
Small papers for Ninja's pod-and-grounds single-serve side.
See Paper filters for Ninja Pod & Grounds on AmazonAmazon listing
Baratza Encore ESP
A second grinder option, with fine steps for espresso and coarser ones for drip.
See Baratza Encore ESP on AmazonAmazon listingAccessory worries
How hard is it to descale and keep clean?
A descaler and a calendar reminder solve most of it. Mold is a different problem: leave the tank lid open to dry between uses.
OXO's glass 8-Cup reminds you after 90 cycles; KRUPS blinks its power light when scale builds (Amazon listings).
Is a built-in grinder worth it?
If you're choosing between a built-in grinder and a better brewer plus a separate grinder, the separate route usually lasts longer.
OXO conical grinder: 40 mm burrs, 15 settings plus micro-steps (Amazon listing).
Does hot water touch plastic?
Accessories are where plastic creeps back in: reusable filters often have plastic frames, and carafe lids are usually plastic.
GoldTone basket filter: BPA-free plastic frame. Moccamaster thermal carafe: borosilicate glass lining (Amazon listings).
Water matters most
Brewed coffee is about 98 percent water, so the cheapest accessory with the biggest effect is often a water filter. If your tap smells of chlorine, filter it. If your kettle grows white crust, you have hard water and should descale more often. Very soft or distilled water isn't ideal either; coffee needs a little mineral content to extract well.
A simple refill schedule
- Filters: a 100-count box lasts about three months for one pot a day.
- Descaler: every two to three months with average water, monthly with hard water.
- Water filter cartridges: as the maker says; Café suggests about every two months.
- Beans: buy what you'll finish in two to three weeks.
Set those dates in your phone once and the machine stays at full strength.
Paper, metal or cloth?
Paper filters trap more of the coffee's oils and fine particles, so the cup tastes cleaner and lighter. Metal filters let those oils through. The result is heavier and a little cloudy, closer to French press. Neither is wrong.
Cost runs the other way from what people expect. A 100-count box of paper costs a few dollars and lasts months, while a gold-tone basket lasts years but needs rinsing every single morning, and the oils that pass through it can leave a film on the carafe if you skip the wash.
Unbleached paper can taste papery on the first brew. Rinse it with hot water before adding coffee, then pour that water out. Bleached white paper doesn't need this as much.
Size matters more than material. A No. 4 cone in a flat basket folds and lets water bypass the grounds; an 8 to 12-cup basket filter in a cone basket bunches up. Match the shape your machine came with. Scale is the quiet reason a two-year-old machine tastes worse than it did on day one.
Accessories FAQ
What accessories does a coffee maker need?
Filters that fit the basket plus a descaler. Filtered water helps too. Everything else is optional.
Are reusable gold-tone filters better than paper?
They save money and let more oils through, which some people like. Paper gives a cleaner cup and less sediment.
Can I use vinegar instead of descaler?
Many manuals allow it, but it can leave a smell that takes several rinses to clear. A purpose-made descaler is quicker.
Is a burr grinder worth it with a cheap coffee maker?
Yes. Fresh, even grounds improve any machine more than most upgrades to the machine itself.
Do I need a coffee scale?
Not to start. It helps once you want the same strength every morning.
Which filters fit the Ratio Six?
Ratio's Six and Eight S2 basket papers, Melitta 8 to 12-cup basket filters, or Ratio's stainless Able basket, per Ratio.