I'd actually consider something like the Wilfa Classic (£189.00) to be on the opposite end of the product-design spectrum compared to the $12 no-name coffee maker mentioned in the article. You see a similar 'do one thing really well' focus in high-end and low-end appliances, the difference being less-significant details that most consumers don't care about and wouldn't spend a premium to enjoy (in this case, probably more precise brewing temperatures and extraction times).

In-between is where all the bloated trash gets dumped.