The filter machine to beat: a full 1.25 litre jug in about six minutes at the right temperature, a half-jug setting and a five-year warranty.
Updated
- 36 cm Height
- 5 years Warranty
- 1.25 L Jug capacity
- Glass Jug type
Pros
- Brews a full 1.25 L jug in about six minutes, with water at 92–96 °C
- Half-jug setting slows the water so small batches still brew properly
- Five-year warranty; spare jugs and filter papers sold by Moccamaster
- Nothing to program: one on/off switch and a full or half jug selector
- Brewing certified by the ECBC and the SCA
Cons
- No timer: you switch it on yourself each time
- Glass jug on a hotplate that switches off 40 minutes after brewing starts
- No descale reminder: Moccamaster asks for it every 100 brews or 3 months
- The warranty excludes loose parts such as the jug and filter holder
- Best for
- People who brew a jug of filter coffee at a time and want a simple machine that brews it well and is built to last.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants coffee ready when they wake up (no timer) or kept hot for hours (look at a thermal jug).
Our verdict
The KBG Select is the filter machine the others in our range are measured against. Moccamaster makes it by hand in the Netherlands, heats the water with a copper element to 92–96 °C and brews a full 1.25 litre jug in about six minutes. The brewer is certified by the European Coffee Brewing Center and the Specialty Coffee Association.
It is also the simplest to live with. One switch turns it on and a selector picks a full or half jug; the half setting feeds the water more slowly so a small batch still extracts properly. Moccamaster suggests about 60 g of coffee per litre, roughly 75 g for a full jug. The hotplate holds the coffee at 80–85 °C and switches off 40 minutes after brewing starts.
What you give up is convenience: there is no timer, no descale reminder and no insulated jug (Moccamaster sells that version as the KBGT). What you get is a five-year warranty and spare parts sold by the maker.
Cleaning and running costs
Each brew takes one No. 4 paper filter (Moccamaster article 85022). Descale every 100 brews, about one box of papers, or at least every three months, then run two or three jugs of clean water through. Moccamaster sells Durgol Universal Descaler (article DUR116) for limescale and Cleandrip (article 23169) for coffee oils; neither does the other’s job. The manual also asks for an internal clean four to six times a year. In a hard-water area, watch the brew time: a full jug that takes longer than six minutes and throws off a lot of steam means the heater has scaled up and needs descaling, possibly more than once.
Parts, warranty and service
The five-year warranty runs from the date on your receipt. It excludes loose parts such as the jug, lids and filter holder, damage from unsuitable cleaning or descaling products, and limescale blockages; repairs by an unofficial workshop or non-original parts void it. A spare 1.25 litre glass jug with lid is sold as article 89830. Moccamaster no longer runs a UK website, and the manual sends owners to their dealer or the company’s EU support address for service. Your Consumer Rights Act claims are against the shop that sold it, so buy from a UK dealer you can reach.
Who should look elsewhere
If you want coffee ready when you wake up and kept hot without a hotplate, the Melitta LOOK V Therm Timer has a timer and an insulated jug at a similar height. For a bigger batch that stays hot for hours, the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal brews 1.8 litres into a thermal carafe.
Compare it with every filter coffee machine we track, start with which type of coffee machine suits you, or read how often to descale in a hard-water area.
Moccamaster KBG Select specs
- 36 cm Height
- 5 years Warranty
Size
| Jug capacity | 1.25 L |
|---|---|
| Jug type | Glass |
| Width | 32 cm |
| Height | 36 cm |
| Depth | 17 cm |
| Weight | 2.8 kg |
Coffee
| Built-in grinder | No |
|---|---|
| Grind settings | not listed |
Features
| Programmable start | No |
|---|---|
| Power | 1,520 W |
Ownership
| Warranty | 5 years |
|---|
Cleaning
| Takes a water filter | No |
|---|
Manufacturer figures, checked 2 Nov 2026. — means not listed.
Where to buy the Moccamaster KBG Select
- Redber Coffee£228.95Go to Redber Coffee (opens in a new tab)
Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.
Moccamaster KBG Select questions
Which paper filters fit the Moccamaster KBG Select?
Size No. 4 paper filters, one per brew. Moccamaster sells its own No. 4 papers (article 85022) in boxes of 100 and puts three in the box with the machine; the same papers fit its KB, KBG, KBGT and CDGT models. Its cleaning advice follows the box: descale after every 100 brews, or every three months if that comes first.
Does the KBG Select have a timer?
No. It has an on/off switch and a full or half jug selector, nothing more, so you start each brew yourself. Brewing stops when the reservoir is empty and the hotplate switches off 40 minutes after brewing starts. If you want coffee ready when you get up, the Melitta LOOK V Therm Timer, AromaFresh Pro X and Optima Timer and the Sage Luxe Brewer Thermal all have a timer.
How long does the Moccamaster hotplate keep coffee warm?
About 40 minutes from the start of brewing. The hotplate holds the coffee at 80–85 °C, then the machine switches itself off. That fits the GB ecodesign rules, under which a filter machine with a non-insulated jug must drop to low power within 40 minutes of brewing. If you want coffee kept hot for longer, look at Moccamaster’s thermal-jug version, the KBGT.
How often should I descale a Moccamaster KBG Select?
Every 100 brews or at least every three months, and sooner if a full jug starts taking longer than six minutes with a lot of steam. Use a descaler made for coffee machines, such as the Durgol that Moccamaster sells, then run two or three brews of clean water to rinse. The warranty does not cover damage from unsuitable descalers or blockages caused by limescale.
Why is my Moccamaster filter holder overflowing?
Usually one of three things: coffee ground too fine, decaf clogging the paper, or water from a salt-based softener. The manual’s fixes are to use a filter grind, brew less at a time, or switch the selector to the half-jug setting, which feeds the water more slowly so the paper can keep up.
Can I buy a replacement glass jug for a Moccamaster KBG Select?
Yes. Moccamaster sells the 1.25 litre glass jug with lid as a spare (article 89830) and lists it for KBG models with the automatic drip stop, including the KBG Select. The jug is one of the loose parts the five-year warranty excludes, so a broken jug is a replacement you pay for yourself.