For many, choosing a coffeemaker isn't about flavor or aroma, it's about sleep — which machine will let you get as much as possible and still drip out a tasty, timely brew. Convenience figures in, too: "Counter space and cleaning up are the two most important things to consider when choosing a coffee machine," says Corby Kummer, author of The Joy of Coffee, $16, www.amazon.com. Whether you take your coffee black, with you in the car, or all morning long, Real Simple has found the right coffeemaker for your needs.

THE ALL-PURPOSE, ALL-MORNING MACHINE
The perfect companion to the two-ton Sunday paper, a thermal carafe will keep your coffee hot throughout the morning. Coffee experts favor thermal carafes over glass ones that sit on burners. "Burners are evil," says Corby Kummer. "They burn coffee." The Real Simple pick dropped only 20 degrees (to 150 degrees) after three hours. It has a removable reservoir for easy filling, a cupcake-shaped filter, a timer, and a time-to-clean indicator. Mr. Coffee Thermal Gourmet, $50, www.kitchencollection.com, or 888-277-5776 for store locations.

COFFEE TO GO
You don't take much sitting down — not even your coffee. Brew one generous 15-ounce serving directly into an insulated travel mug and skip the carafe. With a built-in mesh filter, this machine is compact and speedy, with a brew time of under four minutes. Keep your keys and handbag next to the machine. Black & Decker Brew 'N Go Deluxe, $18, www.target.com, or 800-440-0680 for store locations.

UPGRADE ON A CLASSIC
Electric drip machines warm the counters of 81 percent of American homes with coffeemakers. The best ones are more than 1,000 watts (this one is 1,025) so the water heats quickly enough to extract flavor from the beans properly. This brushed-steel model has a charcoal water filter, so you can use tap water. It has a glass carafe and a burner and a time-to-clean indicator that tells you when to remove calcium buildup. Cuisinart Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, $100, www.bedbathandbeyond.com, or 800-462-3966 for store locations.

COFFEE AS THEATER
The vacuum pot, heralded for making a hot, flavorful brew, is a showstopping way to send off dinner guests. The laws of thermal dynamics are sure to mesmerize: The water goes up the tube, turns into coffee, then comes back down (a perfect subject-switcher when guests are discussing their pets' ailments). The original vacuum pot involves glass and flame; this electric version is more convenient. It has a filter and a timer. Bodum Santos Electric Vacuum Coffee Maker (also in blue and orange), $100, www.bodum.com or 800-232-6386 (option 1). The non-electric glass version is $40.

AUTOMATIC EVERYTHING
You'll sacrifice some control (but not freshness) to have your coffeepot brimming when your eyelids are drooping. With a built-in burr grinder, which pros say offers a more consistent grind than a propeller-blade grinder, this advance-set machine will grind beans right before brewing. Add tap water (the machine has a charcoal filter) and replenish the beans every few days. The glass carafe and burner keep coffee hot. Capresso Coffee Team Luxe, $200, www.williams-sonoma.com or 877-812-6235.

REGULAR AND DECAF
If you and your mate are like Jack Sprat and his missus, or if you have guests who need decaf when half the table, including you, is jonesing for a postprandial jolt, this device brews two kinds of coffee at the same time (it can also make tea and coffee). And the two stainless-steel thermal carafes keep the coffee hot at the table. You can also opt to make just one pot. Gevalia Dual Coffeemaker, $90, www.gevalia.com or 800-438-2542.

ESPRESSO, COFFEE, CAPPUCCINO IN ONE
Sometimes you only want coffee, sometimes you want to indulge in cappuccino, and other times you need a straight shot of espresso. But you definitely don't want three separate appliances swallowing up your counter space. Make eight cups of coffee and four cups of espresso, then froth milk for cappuccinos or lattes. The coffee side has a glass carafe and a burner. Krups II Caffe Duomo, $100, www.amazon.com.

SOLO ESPRESSO
If you don't have counter space but can spare a burner, try an aluminum stovetop espresso maker. A staple in Italian households, this attractive contraption, says Corby Kummer, is the most straightforward, Kummer's advice: Use a medium-coarse grind and fill the filter three-quarters full; do not tamp. As soon as the espresso maker comes off the stove, run cold water over the bottom half so the rubber gasket doesn't overheat. Bialetti Moka Express, $30 for nine-cup size, www.williams-sonoma.com or 877-812-6235.