Moccamaster KBG Select Review UK: Is It Worth the Price?
Moccamaster KBG Select Review: The Moccamaster KBG Select is not the cheapest filter coffee machine you can buy, and it does not try to impress you with touchscreens, apps or lots of drink modes. It is a simple drip coffee maker built for one main job: making a proper jug of filter coffee quickly and consistently. The real question is whether that simplicity is worth the premium price.
Quick Verdict
| Buying Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Best for | People who want high-quality filter coffee without complicated settings |
| Not ideal for | Anyone who wants espresso, pods, milk drinks or smart features |
| Biggest strength | Consistent brewing temperature and very simple everyday use |
| Biggest drawback | Expensive for a machine that only makes filter coffee |
| Coffee style | Clean, smooth filter coffee rather than strong espresso-style coffee |
| Best household fit | Couples, families, home workers and people who drink several cups of black coffee |
| Main alternative to consider | Moccamaster KBGT if you prefer a thermal jug, or Ninja DualBrew if you want more drink options |
| My verdict | Worth it if filter coffee is your main drink and you want a machine built to last |
The short answer is yes, the Moccamaster KBG Select can be worth the price, but only for the right type of coffee drinker. If you mainly drink filter coffee and care about flavour, build quality and long-term reliability, it makes a lot of sense. If you want cappuccinos, lattes, espresso shots or pod convenience, it will feel too limited for the money.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Makes excellent filter coffee consistently | Expensive for a filter-only machine |
| Very simple to use | No built-in grinder |
| Full and half-pot selector is useful | No timer or smart features |
| Fast brewing for a full jug | Glass jug is not ideal for all-day drinking |
| Strong build quality and 5-year warranty | Does not make espresso, lattes or cappuccinos |
In this Moccamaster KBG Select review, I have focused on the real buying question: whether it makes enough sense for UK homes when cheaper filter coffee machines and more versatile alternatives are available.
Key Specs
| Feature | Moccamaster KBG Select |
|---|---|
| Type | Filter coffee machine |
| Capacity | 1.25 litres |
| Cup range | 4 to 10 cups |
| Brewing time | Around 6 minutes for a full jug |
| Brewing temperature | 92°C to 96°C |
| Keep-warm system | Glass jug with hot plate |
| Hot plate temperature | Around 80°C to 85°C |
| Auto shut-off | After 40 minutes |
| Filter size | No.4 paper filters |
| Selector switch | Full pot / half pot |
| Carafe type | Glass carafe |
| Power | 1,520W maximum |
| Dimensions | H 36cm x W 32cm x D 17cm |
| Weight | 2.8kg |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Certifications | ECBC and SCA approved |
| Made in | Netherlands |
The key thing to notice here is that the KBG Select is focused on brewing quality, not feature count. The 92°C to 96°C brewing temperature, full/half-pot selector and 6-minute brew time are more important than any fancy screen would be on this type of machine.
What I Like
It keeps filter coffee simple
The best thing about the Moccamaster KBG Select is how little effort it needs. Add water, add a paper filter, add ground coffee, choose half or full pot, and switch it on.
There are no confusing menus and no drink icons to scroll through. That makes it a very good machine for people who want better coffee at home but do not want the routine to feel like a hobby every morning.
This is also why it suits busy homes. You can make a full jug before breakfast, while working from home, or when guests come over. It feels more like a reliable kitchen appliance than a gadget.
The coffee tastes noticeably better than basic filter machines
The KBG Select’s biggest selling point is consistency. A cheaper filter machine can still make drinkable coffee, but the results are often less controlled. Water temperature may be too low, the brew may be uneven, or the coffee may taste flat.
The Moccamaster is designed to brew at the right temperature range for filter coffee. That helps bring out a cleaner, smoother flavour, especially if you use fresh beans and grind them properly.
The full and half-pot selector is genuinely useful
This feature sounds small, but it matters in daily use.
On many filter coffee machines, making a smaller amount can lead to weaker or less balanced coffee because the water passes through the grounds too quickly. The KBG Select lets you choose between a full pot and half pot, and the half-pot setting slows the flow slightly.
That makes the machine more practical if you do not always need a full jug. You can brew a few cups for yourself in the morning, then use the full-pot mode when more people are drinking coffee.
It brews quickly
A full jug takes around 6 minutes, which is fast enough for everyday use. You are not standing around waiting for a slow machine to finish, and you can make enough coffee for several cups in one go.
This is one of the reasons the KBG Select makes sense for home workers. If you drink more than one coffee during the morning, brewing a jug is more convenient than making individual cups again and again.
It feels built for long-term use
The Moccamaster is expensive, but it does not feel like a throwaway appliance. It is handmade in the Netherlands, has a 5-year warranty, and Moccamaster says parts are available separately.
That is important because many cheaper coffee machines are not really bought with repairability in mind. If something breaks after a couple of years, people often replace the whole unit.
With the KBG Select, the value argument is more about long-term ownership than low upfront cost. If you use it every day for years, the price starts to make more sense.
The design has real worktop appeal
This may not matter to everyone, but the KBG Select does look special. It has a retro, almost industrial style that stands out from the usual black plastic coffee machines.
It is also available in many colours, so it can look like a feature on the kitchen counter rather than something you want to hide in a cupboard.
That said, design should not be the main reason to buy it. The real reason is the brewing quality. The looks are a bonus.
What Could Be Better
It is expensive for a filter-only machine
The KBG Select makes filter coffee and nothing else. It does not grind beans, make espresso, froth milk, use capsules, make iced coffee modes or connect to an app.
For some buyers, that simplicity is exactly the appeal. For others, it will feel hard to justify, especially when machines like the Ninja DualBrew offer filter coffee, pod coffee and milk frothing in one unit.
So the price only makes sense if filter coffee is your main drink.
The glass jug needs the hot plate
The KBG Select comes with a glass carafe and hot plate. This is convenient if you want to keep coffee warm for a short time, but it is not the best option if you want coffee to stay hot for several hours.
The hot plate switches off after 40 minutes. That is sensible for safety and coffee quality, but it means the KBG Select is not ideal if you want to brew a jug in the morning and drink it slowly throughout the day.
For that, the Moccamaster KBGT with thermal jug is the better option.
No timer or programmable start
Some buyers may expect a premium coffee machine to include a timer, especially if they like waking up to ready-made coffee.
The KBG Select does not offer that. You have to start it manually.
Personally, I do not think this is a major problem because the machine brews quickly. But if a timer is important to your routine, this machine may feel too basic.
No built-in grinder
To get the best from the KBG Select, you should use good coffee and ideally grind it fresh. But the machine does not include a grinder, so you may need to buy one separately.
That adds to the total cost. If you already have a grinder, no problem. If you do not, factor that into your budget.
It is not for milk drink lovers
You can add milk to the coffee, of course, but this machine does not make lattes, cappuccinos or flat whites. There is no steam wand, no automatic milk system and no frother.
If you mostly drink milky coffee, a bean-to-cup machine, pod machine or espresso machine may be a better choice.
Moccamaster KBG Select vs KBGT
The KBG Select and KBGT are very similar in spirit. Both are premium Moccamaster filter coffee machines, both brew around 1.25 litres, and both focus on consistent filter coffee rather than lots of extra features.
The main difference is the jug.
| Feature | Moccamaster KBG Select | Moccamaster KBGT |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | People who drink coffee soon after brewing | People who want coffee to stay hot for longer |
| Jug type | Glass carafe | Thermal jug |
| Keep-warm method | Hot plate | Insulated thermal jug |
| Auto shut-off | 40 minutes | Shorter automatic switch-off after brewing |
| Capacity | 1.25 litres | 1.25 litres |
| Brew time | Around 6 minutes | Around 6 minutes |
| Brewing temperature | 92°C to 96°C | 92°C to 96°C |
| Worktop style | More classic glass-jug look | More practical flask-style design |
| Best use case | Breakfast table, quick refills, visible serving | Home office, slower drinking, moving the jug around |
| Main drawback | Coffee will not stay hot for hours | Thermal jug is less visually pleasing than glass |
Which one should you buy?
Choose the KBG Select if you usually drink the coffee within 30 to 40 minutes and like the classic glass carafe setup. It feels more traditional and looks nicer on the counter.
Choose the KBGT if you want to keep coffee hot for longer without relying on a hot plate. It is the more practical choice for home workers or anyone who likes to brew once and drink slowly over a few hours.
For most kitchens, I slightly prefer the KBG Select because it is simpler and more visually appealing. But for all-day drinking, the KBGT is the smarter buy.
Moccamaster KBG Select vs Ninja DualBrew
This is a more interesting comparison because these two machines are built for different types of buyers.
The Moccamaster is the specialist. The Ninja DualBrew is the versatile all-rounder.
| Buying Question | Moccamaster KBG Select | Ninja Prestige DualBrew CFN803UK |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Premium filter coffee | Filter coffee, pod-style espresso drinks and milk frothing |
| Best for | Coffee drinkers who mainly want a proper jug of filter coffee | Households with mixed coffee preferences |
| Coffee capacity | 1.25L | 1.8L glass carafe |
| Pod compatibility | No | Compatible with Nespresso Original-style capsules |
| Milk frother | No | Fold-away milk frother |
| Brew styles | Full or half pot filter coffee | Multiple filter styles and drink sizes |
| Ease of use | Very simple | More flexible but more settings to learn |
| Build philosophy | Long-lasting, repairable, specialist | Feature-rich and versatile |
| Warranty | 5 years | 2 years upon registration |
| Best if you drink | Black filter coffee | Filter coffee, pods, iced-style drinks and occasional milky drinks |
| Main trade-off | Premium price for a filter-only machine | More versatile, but less specialist for pure filter coffee |
| Price/value feel | Expensive, but easier to justify if filter coffee is your main drink | Usually feels more feature-packed for the money |
Which one should you buy?
Choose the Moccamaster KBG Select if you care most about the quality and consistency of filter coffee. It is the better choice if you want a machine that does one job extremely well.
Choose the Ninja DualBrew if your household wants more variety. It makes more sense if one person drinks filter coffee, another wants capsule coffee, and someone else wants to froth milk.
The Ninja gives you more features for the money. The Moccamaster gives you a more focused, premium filter coffee experience.
Who Should Buy It?
The Moccamaster KBG Select is a good choice if you drink filter coffee most days and want something better than a basic drip machine.
It makes the most sense for people who already know they like filter coffee. If you enjoy a clean, smooth mug of coffee and you are happy to use ground coffee or a separate grinder, this machine fits very well.
It is also a strong option for home workers. You can brew a jug in the morning and keep topping up your mug without making a fresh drink every time. For couples or small families, the half-pot setting makes it more flexible than a standard large filter machine.
You should also consider it if you care about build quality. The 5-year warranty, replaceable parts and simple design make it feel like a longer-term purchase rather than a machine you replace quickly.
It is especially suitable if:
| You Should Buy It If… | Why It Makes Sense |
|---|---|
| You mainly drink black filter coffee | This is exactly what the machine is built for |
| You want better flavour without manual brewing | It gives you consistent results with very little effort |
| You make coffee for more than one person | The 1.25L capacity is practical for households |
| You dislike complicated machines | The controls are simple and easy to understand |
| You care about design | It looks much more premium than many filter machines |
| You want a long-term appliance | The warranty and repairable design help justify the price |
Who Should Avoid It?
You should avoid the Moccamaster KBG Select if you want one machine to make lots of different coffee drinks.
It does not make espresso. It does not froth milk. It does not use pods. It does not have a built-in grinder. It does not give you a menu of drinks.
That does not make it a bad machine. It just means it is not trying to be everything.
If you mostly drink cappuccinos or lattes, you will probably be happier with a bean-to-cup machine or an espresso machine with a steam wand. If you want quick single cups with minimal cleanup, a pod machine may suit you better. If your household has mixed tastes, the Ninja DualBrew is likely to feel more useful.
You may also want to avoid it if you are on a tight budget. There are cheaper filter coffee machines that can make decent coffee. They may not match the Moccamaster’s consistency or build quality, but they cost much less.
| You Should Avoid It If… | Better Alternative |
|---|---|
| You want espresso-style coffee | Choose an espresso machine |
| You want cappuccinos and lattes | Choose a bean-to-cup or espresso machine with milk frothing |
| You want pod convenience | Choose a pod machine or Ninja DualBrew |
| You want coffee to stay hot for hours | Consider the Moccamaster KBGT |
| You want a built-in grinder | Look at a grind-and-brew filter machine |
| You want the cheapest option | A budget filter machine may be enough |
Final Verdict
The Moccamaster KBG Select is worth the price if you see filter coffee as your main everyday drink, not just an occasional backup. It is fast, simple, consistent and built with a level of confidence that cheaper machines usually do not offer.
Its biggest weakness is also its biggest strength: it only makes filter coffee. There are no extra drink modes, no pod system, no grinder and no milk frother. If you want variety, it will feel limited. If you want excellent filter coffee without fuss, that focus is exactly why it works.
For most UK buyers, I would recommend the KBG Select if you drink coffee within 30 to 40 minutes of brewing and like the classic glass jug setup. If you want to keep coffee hot for longer, choose the KBGT instead. If you want a more versatile machine for pods, filter coffee and milk frothing, the Ninja DualBrew is the more flexible option.
But if your main question is simply,”Is the Moccamaster KBG Select a genuinely good filter coffee machine?” then yes. It is one of the strongest choices you can buy if you want proper filter coffee at home and are happy to pay more for build quality, consistency and long-term use.
