Black & Decker 5-Cup Coffee Maker

Why I reached for a 5‑cup drip machine

Some mornings call for a straightforward pot of coffee without apps, timers, or a countertop footprint that gobbles half the kitchen. That’s the niche the 5-cup brewer aims to fill. After several weeks of daily use, I’ve come to appreciate its simplicity—and also found its limits.

Design and footprint

This is a compact machine that genuinely fits small spaces. The vertical profile tucks under a standard cabinet, and the body is narrow enough to share a corner with a toaster without crowding. Rear cord storage is a small but meaningful touch; I was able to keep the counter clear by winding up excess length neatly behind the unit.

Build quality is what I expect from a basic drip maker: mostly plastic with a glass carafe. The carafe itself has clear measurement markings that are easy to read at a glance, and the water tank’s window mirrors those markings so filling to a target level is straightforward. The warming plate is nonstick-coated and sized properly for the carafe base.

Setup and everyday use

There’s no learning curve. It’s classic one-touch operation: fill the tank, drop in a basket-style paper filter with coffee, set the carafe, and tap the power button. No programming, no brew strength selector, no clock to blink 12:00. If you value uncomplicated, it’s refreshing.

One note: this brewer does not have a “brew pause” feature. If you pull the carafe mid-brew, coffee continues to drip from the basket and you’ll likely end up with drops on the warming plate (and sometimes on the counter). Plan to let the cycle finish before pouring. A full pot—labeled as five cups, which in coffee maker terms equals roughly 25 ounces—takes just under 10 minutes in my experience.

Noise levels are minimal. You’ll hear gentle bubbling near the end of the cycle, but it’s not the kind of machine that disturbs a quiet kitchen.

Brewing performance and taste

Brew temperature and speed fall squarely in the “everyday drip” category. This machine doesn’t do pre-infusion or variable flow. Water moves steadily through the grounds, and extraction favors a medium grind. Too coarse and you’ll get a lighter cup; too fine and you risk a slower drip and potential overflow. I settled on a medium grind and a ratio of about 1 to 17 (roughly 1.5 tablespoons of coffee per 5-ounce “cup”) for a balanced pot.

The result is classic drip coffee: hot, clean, and consistent. It isn’t the saturated, syrupy extraction you might get from a high-end pour-over or a machine with a showerhead designed for bloom, but it’s satisfying and reliably repeatable. If you only brew two to three real-world mugs in the morning, this size is a sweet spot. I found the flavor most robust when brewing at least three cups; brewing a single cup is possible, but small batches can taste thinner because the water passes through quickly.

Heat retention and warming plate

The nonstick warming plate keeps the pot hot for about an hour. In practice, the first pour is piping hot; the second and third stay warm enough to enjoy without microwaving if you’re sipping within that hour. After the hour mark, the heat tails off. I prefer that to plates that run too hot and scorch the last cup. If you routinely nurse a pot past an hour, a thermal carafe machine will treat your coffee better. For short sessions—breakfast and a top-off—it does its job.

Care note: the nonstick coating is handy for wiping up drips, but it’s not something you want to attack with abrasive scrubbers. A soft cloth after the machine cools keeps it looking clean.

Carafe and pouring

Pouring is mostly tidy, though the spout is a touch sensitive to angle and pace. If you tip the carafe steeply when it’s full, you may see a dribble run down the side. A slower pour with the lid fully seated largely prevents this. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s worth adjusting your pour to avoid the occasional splash.

The carafe’s markings are accurate and helpful for measuring both water fill and serving sizes, especially if you’re dialing in your coffee-to-water ratio.

Cleaning and maintenance

The removable parts—carafe and filter basket—are dishwasher-safe. I tossed both on the top rack and they came out fine. Day-to-day, a quick rinse of the basket and a wipe of the warming plate and exterior kept things tidy. Descale on a normal cadence for your water hardness; with moderately hard water, I ran a white-vinegar cycle once a month and it took about 20 minutes start to finish.

Because the removable parts are simple and there are no narrow channels to fish around, cleaning is low-effort. This is one of the more underrated benefits of simple coffee makers.

What it doesn’t do

A few omissions might matter to particular users:

• No brew pause: you can’t sneak a cup mid-cycle without drips.
• No programmable timer: if you like waking up to brewed coffee, you’ll need a different model or a smart plug workaround.
• No strength control or “1–4 cup” mode: you’ll manage brew strength with grind and dose.
• No permanent filter included: plan on basket-style paper filters (which I prefer for cleanup anyway).

These are reasonable trade-offs at this size and price point, but they shape the experience.

Durability and warranty

After daily use, the unit still looks presentable. The warming plate’s coating is intact for me, though it feels thin and I handled it gently—no scouring pads, and I avoid sliding the carafe aggressively. The body plastics have held up without creaks or discoloration. A 2-year limited warranty is included, which is a pleasant surprise in a budget category where one-year coverage is common.

Tips for better results

• Use a medium grind. If your coffee tastes weak, go slightly finer or increase dose before adding extra filters.
• Brew at least 2–3 cups at a time. Tiny batches can under-extract in small drip machines.
• Pre-wet the paper filter. A quick rinse helps remove paper taste and encourages even flow.
• Don’t remove the carafe mid-brew. Wait until the drip stops to avoid messes.
• Treat the warming plate gently. Wipe it only after it cools, using a soft cloth.

Who it’s for

This 5-cup brewer suits small households, dorms, home offices, and anyone who values straightforward coffee without programming. If you’re brewing a couple of mugs each morning and want a compact, easy-to-clean machine that doesn’t dominate the counter, it fits well. If you like to tinker with profiles, pre-infusion, or need a thermal carafe, you’ll want to step up to a more feature-rich model.

Final take

The 5-cup brewer delivers on its brief: simple operation, compact footprint, hot coffee in under ten minutes, and one-hour keep-warm without scorching. The water window and clear carafe markings make dosing easy, and cleanup is quick thanks to dishwasher-safe parts. Its limitations—no brew pause, basic extraction, and a warming plate that’s best within the first hour—are worth noting, but they’re not surprising at this level.

Recommendation: I recommend this coffee maker for users who want a small, dependable drip machine with minimal fuss at a budget-friendly price. It’s best for brewing two to three mugs of straightforward coffee quickly and consistently. If mid-brew pouring, advanced programmability, or all-morning heat retention matter to you, consider a model with brew-pause and a thermal carafe instead. For everyone else, this compact brewer is a practical, no-nonsense daily driver.