Home » Coffee and Tea Makers » Hamilton Beach 46201 vs 46205: Which Coffee Maker is Better?

Maybe it’s boiling hot or poured over ice, flavored or plain, weak or strong, coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It’s a morning wake up just as much as a good excuse to meet friends. A coffee machine is a must for many homes and offices.

Hamilton Beach not only has a great range of coffee makers, but it also produces an excellent range of digital coffee makers. We are going to focus on the  Hamilton Beach 46201 vs 46205. Once we have compared their features, we will put all of the specifications in a comparison chart and add some pros and cons for each.

In many ways, the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205 are two of the same, so we will start with what they have in common.

 Hamilton Beach 46201 vs 46205

Quick Glance

Let’s go over the specifics quickly in a comparison chart.

Capacity

The glass carafe of the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205 holds a total of 12 cups of coffee.

Adjustable Settings

You can brew regular, bold, and 1-4 cups with the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205. Another very handy feature is that you can adjust the temperature of the warmer plate, keeping your coffee at the perfect temperature for you.

Programming the Coffee Makers

You can program the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205 in the evening so that the coffee begins to brew just before you get up, there is no need for you to wait for the first coffee of the day. It has a 2-hour automatic shutoff, so if you rush out the door and forget to turn the coffee maker off, there is no problem.

Auto Pause and Serve

If you can’t wait for the coffee makers to finish brewing 12 cups, you can remove the carafe at any time and the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205 will automatically pause (without dripping) so that you can serve a cup of coffee. Once you put the carafe back on the warming plate, brewing will begin.

The Brew Basket

With the touch of a button, the brew basket rotates open for easier access and faster filling. The Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205 are compatible with8-12 cup paper cupcake-style filters.

The Water Reservoir

The water reservoir of the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205 is located at the back of the coffee makers. They are both removable and can be quickly filled up under a tap. The coffee makers have discreet swivel feet on the base. To get to the water tank, you can swivel the machine round.

Controls

Above the brewing basket of the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205, there is a stainless-steel control panel. In the center, there is a digital display to see your settings and you can set the clock. There are just 6 buttons; on/off and program (with light indicators), keep a warm hour, minute, and brew options.

There are 2 features that set the Hamilton Beach 46201 and the Hamilton Beach 46205 apart. We will cover them now.

Differences Between  Hamilton Beach 46201 and 46205

Appearance

The two machines look identical in photos but when you get them side by side, you will see the difference.

Hamilton Beach 46201

This coffee maker is significantly larger, so you will want to check your countertop space. It measures 16 x 11.5 x 9.5 inches. It weighs 8.3 pounds.

Hamilton Beach 46205

This is a much more compact model measuring 14.75 x 9.26 x 7.41 inches. It weighs a little less too at 5.29 pounds.

The Winner Is- The Hamilton Beach 46205

Read next – Hamilton Beach 49981 vs 49981a: Which Coffee Maker is Better?

Value for Money

12-cup digital coffee makers can range from around $30 to $70, obviously, commercial versions will be a lot more.

Hamilton Beach 46201

It sits towards the higher end of average and it comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

Hamilton Beach 46205

It surprised as how much of a difference there was in price. This coffee maker is around $20 less than the Hamilton Beach 46201 and comes with the same 1-year limited warranty.

The Winner Is- The Hamilton Beach 46205

Read next – Hamilton Beach 49465 vs 49467: Which Coffee Maker is Better?

Pros and Cons

Finally, we will add some pros and cons for each of the Hamilton Beach Coffee makers.

Hamilton Beach 46201

Pros:

  • It doesn’t drip, even when you try
  • It’s extremely durable
  • The coffee is consistently good tasting

Cons:

  • It’s slightly noisier than some other coffee makers

Hamilton Beach 46205

Pros:

  • The design helps to keep things really clean
  • It’s easy to use with a bright LCD display
  • The brewing is relatively fast

Cons:

  • We would prefer stronger plastic

The Final Verdict

Please, before using either the Hamilton Beach 46201 or the Hamilton Beach 46205, read the instruction manual carefully. Doing so will prevent a lot of the issues we have heard people complaining about. Digital coffee makers require accurate coffee and water measurements in order to get the right flavor and to prevent leaks.

We searched high and low and tested everything we possibly could to see why there was a price difference for what was essentially the same. Both coffee makers brewed rich coffee and hot. The design was brilliant for both with plenty of extras that made them easy to use. Making coffee was very much mess-free and we found them both easy to clean.

Today’s Winner is the Hamilton Beach 46205. We preferred the smaller size and we felt like we got a better deal not paying as much but still benefiting from the same great coffee maker.