The Ratio Six Coffee Maker and the Breville Precision Brewer are leading choices for high-end automatic drip coffee, but they serve two very different users. The Ratio Six emphasizes minimalist design, premium materials, and simple one-touch operation for consistently perfect coffee. In contrast, the Breville Precision Brewer focuses on total user control, offering a wide array of customizable settings and brewing modes in a tech-forward package.
Here’s everything you need to know to decide which premium coffee machine belongs on your countertop.
Ratio Six Coffee Maker
The Ratio Six is a design-forward, specialty-coffee-certified brewer that automates the perfect pour-over process with a single button. It combines a sleek, minimalist aesthetic with high-quality materials to deliver consistent, excellent coffee without the fuss of manual controls. Its main appeal lies in its simplicity, build quality, and timeless design that fits effortlessly into modern kitchens.
- What it is: A high-end 8-cup (40 oz) automatic drip coffee maker certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) for brewing excellence.
- Key features: One-touch operation that simulates a barista's pour-over, intelligent blooming process, precision water temperature (198-202°F), wide-head shower screen for even saturation.
- Price: Around $365
- Style: Sleek, modern minimalism with clean lines and a compact footprint. Available in stainless steel, matte black, and white finishes.
- Materials/Construction: Formed stainless steel body, an insulated thermal carafe, and borosilicate glass water lines. Features high-quality BPA-free copolymer parts.
- Pros: Stunning minimalist design that looks great on any counter. Extremely simple to use - just one button. SCA certification guarantees optimal brew temperature and time. Robust, premium build quality that feels durable. Makes consistently excellent coffee.
- Cons: Lacks any ability to customize brew settings like temperature or bloom time. High price point for a machine with no adjustable features. The insulated carafe does not have a heating element, so coffee will slowly cool over time.
The Ratio Six is ideal for coffee lovers who prioritize design, simplicity, and consistently great results without wanting to fiddle with settings.
Shop this product: ratio-coffee.com/pages/ratio-six
Breville Precision Brewer
The Breville Precision Brewer puts you in the driver's seat of your coffee-making experience. Also an SCA-certified brewer, it offers unparalleled versatility with six distinct brewing modes and the ability to fine-tune everything from water temperature and flow rate to bloom time. It’s built for the home barista who enjoys experimenting and wants full control over every variable of the brewing process.
- What it is: A highly customizable 12-cup (60 oz) SCA-certified automatic drip coffee maker.
- Key features: Six brewing modes (Fast, Gold, Strong, My Brew, Over Ice, Cold Brew). Adjustable bloom time, water temperature, and flow rate. Compatible with both flat-bottom and cone-style filters. Dual filter baskets included.
- Price: Around $329
- Style: Modern and functional with brushed stainless steel finish and a digital LCD screen. Tech-forward and purposeful aesthetic.
- Materials/Construction: Brushed stainless steel exterior, a double-wall thermal carafe, and an internal system with a thermocoil heating element for precise temperature control.
- Pros: A huge degree of customization allows you to dial in the perfect cup. Six preset modes offer versatility for different coffee types, including cold brew and iced coffee. Larger batch capacity (60 oz vs. 40 oz). Priced lower than the Ratio Six while offering more features. SCA certification ensures it can brew to golden cup standards.
- Cons: Larger and bulkier than the Ratio Six, occupying more counter space. The sheer number of settings can be overwhelming for beginners or those who prefer simplicity. Aesthetic is more functional than elegant. Some plastic parts feel less premium compared to the Ratio Six.
This brewer is perfect for the serious home coffee enthusiast who wants control over every aspect of the coffee-making process and values features over form.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/en/products/coffee-machines/bdc450
Ratio Six vs. Breville Precision Comparison
Brewing & Customization
This is the most significant difference between the two machines. The Ratio Six is a study in simplicity. It has one button to start a brew cycle that is locked into SCA Gold Cup standards for temperature, bloom, and saturation. There are no options to adjust - it simply does it perfectly for you every time. It’s designed for the person who wants a flawless cup of coffee without any guesswork.
The Breville Precision Brewer takes the opposite approach. Its core selling point is control. The "My Brew" mode lets you adjust bloom time, brew temperature, and flow rate to extract different flavor notes from your coffee beans. On top of that, it has dedicated programs for Cold Brew, Iced Coffee, Fast brewing, and SCA-certified "Gold" standard brews. It’s a coffee-making toolkit for those who love to experiment.
Design & Materials
The Ratio Six pulls ahead in terms of pure aesthetic and build quality. Its minimalist design, compact form, and premium materials like stainless steel and borosilicate glass give it the feel of a high-end appliance. Meticulously designed, it wouldn't look out of place in a modern art museum. It is available in multiple finishes, allowing it to blend seamlessly into various kitchen styles.
The Breville Precision Brewer is well-built and sturdy, with its handsome brushed stainless steel exterior, but its design is more utilitarian. The LCD screen, dials, and buttons give it a busy, tech-focused look. It’s built for function and feels robust, but it doesn't have the same elegant, streamlined appearance as the Ratio Six. It’s a coffee machine that looks like a serious piece of equipment rather than a piece of kitchen decor.
Dimensions & Scale
The Ratio Six is more compact, making it a better fit for smaller kitchens or for those who want to conserve counter space. It measures approximately 13.5" x 6.75" x 14.25". In contrast, the Breville Precision is a larger machine, coming in at around 12.4" x 7.7" x 16". While not a massive difference, the Breville has a bulkier presence on the countertop, partly due to its larger brewing capacity of 12 cups compared to Ratio's 8 cups.
Price & Value
At around $329, the Breville offers outstanding value. For less money than the Ratio Six, you get a larger brew capacity, presets for iced and cold brew, and a fully customizable brewing system. It is packed with features for its price, making it an excellent investment for a hobbyist home barista.
Priced around $365, the Ratio Six commands a premium for its design-first philosophy, superior materials, and minimalist simplicity. That extra cost goes directly into the build quality, aesthetic appeal, and the 5-year warranty. The value isn't in features - it’s in the experience of using a simple, beautiful, and durable product that delivers amazing coffee without any effort.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both coffee makers are SCA-certified and brew excellent coffee, but they are built for fundamentally different people.
Choose the Ratio Six Coffee Maker if:
- You prioritize minimalist design and kitchen aesthetics.
- You want simplicity and don't want to mess with settings.
- You value extremely high-end materials and build quality.
- Making a perfect, SCA-approved cup with one touch is your goal.
- You prefer a more compact brewer for a smaller space.
Choose the Breville Precision Brewer if:
- You love to experiment and want full control over your brew.
- You want versatility to make hot coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew.
- You want the most features and customization for your money.
- You often brew larger batches of coffee for family or guests.
- Practical function and control are more important to you than design.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between the Ratio Six and Breville Precision?
The main difference is customization vs. simplicity. The Breville Precision Brewer provides complete control over every brewing variable (temperature, bloom, etc.), while the Ratio Six is designed for one-touch operation with pre-set, optimized brewing parameters.
Which coffee maker is better for beginners?
The Ratio Six is arguably better for complete beginners. Its one-button operation removes all guesswork and guarantees an excellent cup of coffee. The Breville, while offering a simple "Gold" setting, has more features that might overwhelm someone new to specialty coffee.
Is the Ratio Six worth the higher price?
Whether the Ratio Six is worth its premium price depends on your priorities. If you value superior build quality, timeless minimalist design, and an incredibly simple user experience, then yes. If you are focused purely on features, the Breville offers more for less money.
How difficult are these machines to clean?
Both are relatively easy to clean. The insulated carafes should be washed by hand with warm, soapy water. Run-through descaling cycles are recommended for both machines according to the manufacturer's instructions to maintain performance.
Can I make a single cup of coffee?
Both machines are designed for larger batches (4-8 cups for Ratio, up to 12 for Breville). While you can brew smaller amounts, performance is optimized for at least half a carafe. The Breville's compatibility with cone filters also makes it a bit more adaptable for smaller batch single-cup pour over style brewing directly into a mug if you purchase a pour over adapter.
Which one is more durable?
Both are well-built, but the Ratio Six has a slight edge with its stainless steel construction and borosilicate glass components, which feel more premium and robust. It also comes with a 5-year limited warranty, compared to Breville's 2-year limited warranty, pointing to confidence in its longevity.
Do these machines have built-in grinders?
No, neither the Ratio Six nor the Breville Precision Brewer has a built-in grinder. Both are designed to be used with pre-ground coffee or, ideally, freshly ground coffee from a separate burr grinder for the best results.
Can I use any paper filters with them?
The Ratio Six is designed for use with flat-bottom basket filters, like the Melitta 8-12 Cup Basket Filter. The Breville Precision Brewer is more versatile and includes two filter baskets, allowing you to use either flat-bottom basket filters or #4 cone-style filters.
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