What is a thermal coffee maker?
The main difference between thermal coffee makers and standard
coffee makers is that thermal coffee makers brew directly into an
insulated carafe (instead of a glass carafe). These insulated
carafes are designed to maintain hotter temperatures after coffee
is brewed, and therefore they eliminate the need for a warming
plate. Many recommend thermal coffee makers in general over their
standard counterparts, noting that the glass carafe and hot plate
combination on most standard machines tends to quickly turn
fresh-brewed coffee acidic, while thermal carafes maintain
temperatures without producing an acidic flavor.
Thermal coffee makers tend to be more expensive than their
standard counterparts, though if you break a glass carafe and
purchase a replacement more than once, you'll probably have paid
the difference between the two types of machines