Looking for a handy way to make just one cup of coffee at a time? A single-serve coffee maker is perfect for those who live on their own, or have different coffee preferences than others in their family. These machines are very simple to use, and can usually be set up in minutes. Here are some of the benefits of using a single-serve coffee maker:
- Convenience – With a single-serve machine, you can quickly and easily make just the amount of great cup of coffee you need, exactly how you like it.
- Speed – Brew a cup of coffee without having to wait for a pot of hot water to heat up! Most single serve machines work fast enough that you’ll be able to get your drink before bed as well.
- Price – Not everyone has the time or money available to spend hours brewing coffee every day. A single-serve machine takes care of everything for you, so there’s no need to worry about your morning favorite coffee.
While Keurig is the most well-known brand of single-serve coffee maker offers, there are many more good options. There are portable models, larger models, models meant for use at home, models that utilize either coffee grinds or coffee pods, and models with a range of pour over choices. Listed here, we discuss our favorite and least favorite products over a wide range of areas.
Here are some of the best single-cup coffee makers you can buy for making quick and standard coffee.
Keurig K-Elite
Our ratings
- Available sizes include 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces.
- Options for brewing include regular, strong, iced, and hot water.
- Water reservoir: 75-ounce removable capacity
- Type of coffee: K-cup or reusable filter with ground coffee
Single Serve Coffee Maker
Our ratings
- The brew size is 16 ounces.
- Regular brewing is available.
- Attached 16-ounce capacity water reservoir.
- Coffee type: ground coffee-filled soft pods or reusable filters.
K-Duo Plus
Our ratings
- Brew Sizes: 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces; a max of 12 cups per carafe.
- Regular and strong brews are available.
- Detachable 60-ounce capacity water reservoir.
- Coffee type: K-cup or reusable filter with ground coffee
VertuoPlus
Our ratings
- Brew sizes: 1.35, 2.7, 5, 8 and 14 ounces.
- Options for brewing include regular coffee and espresso
- Water reservoir: 37-ounce removable capacity
- Type of coffee: large Nespresso capsules
–
Coffee and Espresso Maker
Our ratings
- Up to eight ounces in capacity.
- Espresso, Americano, and cold brew choices are available.
- Water reservoir: None
- Type of coffee: a reusable filter loaded with coffee grounds
–
Premium Single-Serve Brewer
Our ratings
- Available sizes are 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces.
- Regular and hot water brewing choices.
- Water reservoir: 72-ounce removable capacity
- Type of coffee: K-cup or reusable filter with ground coffee
–
K-Cafe
Our ratings
- Available in 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces.
- Coffee selections include regular and robust coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos.
- Detachable 60-ounce capacity water reservoir.
- Coffee type: K-cup or reusable filter with ground coffee
–
One Scoop One Cup Coffee Maker
Our ratings
- Brew sizes: Up to 14 ounces.
- Regular brewing options exist.
- Water tank capacity: 14 ounces
- Coffee type: Ground coffee.
–
Flexbrew Trio Coffee Maker
Our ratings
- Brew sizes are limited to 12 ounces or one cup.
- Brew choices are regular and bold.
- Water storage tank: 12 cups for the carafe and 14 ounces for single servings.
- Coffee type: ground coffee, K-cups, or reusable single-serve filters containing ground coffee.
–
Nutribullet Brew Choice Coffee Maker
Our ratings
- 6, 9, or 12-cup carafe, 6, 8, or 10-ounce cup.
- Regular brew.
- 12-cup water tank.
- Ground coffee, K-cups, or reusable single-serve filters containing ground coffee.
–
K-Classic Coffee Maker
Our ratings
- 48-ounce water tank.
- Cup sizes: 6 oz., 8 oz., 10 oz.
- Ground coffee (not provided) and Keurig K-Cup pods (provided).
–
Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System
Our ratings
- Capacity of the water tank is 60 ounces.
- 7–55 ounces (ground coffee) or 6–12 ounces (pods).
- Coffee Type: both ground coffee or K-Cup single-serve pods.
–
Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers: Review
1. Keurig K-Elite Single Serve Coffee Maker
The straightforward, easy-to-follow owner’s instructions helped our testers brew coffee fast. The Keurig K-Elite has the biggest water reservoir (nine cups) of all the coffee makers we examined. Separately sold is a reusable filter attachment for using your own ground coffee.
Our testers noticed that it preheats in just 1.5 minutes, but if you don’t enjoy waiting, this coffee maker features an auto-on option. If you want greater control over beginning your brew, our testers prefer Keurig’s new K-Supreme Plus SMART Single Serve Coffee Maker.
Find the best of silver, slate, and gold that comes with it.
What we like
- Can also prepare chilled beverages.
- Massive water tank.
What we don't like
- The water level cannot be seen from the front.
2. BLACK DECKER Single Serve Coffee Maker
This machine has an easy-to-remove, clean filter. Also, all non-electric pieces are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup easy. When utilizing a normal cup, hot coffee is regularly splattered, according to our testers.
What we like
- Relatively low footprint.
- Fits a travel mug.
What we don't like
- Possible spatter when brewed in a standard cup.
3. Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve Coffee Maker
The 60-ounce detachable water reservoir can be rotated to the left, right, or back to accommodate different amounts of available counter space, making it one of our favorite features. In addition to letting you schedule brews up to 24 hours in advance, this coffee maker also lets you pause the brewing process while the carafe is being filled.
What we like
- Brew consistently.
- Compatible with K-Cups as well as reusable filters.
- Includes a warm 12-cup carafe.
What we don't like
- The thermal carafe might not keep coffee hot for more than one to two hours.
4. Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee Maker
Our testers liked the coffee maker’s stylish, efficient design. The machine analyzes the barcode on the coffee capsule to determine the brew amount and kind. Nespresso VertuoPlus only uses big capsules, although they come in 30 flavors.
What we like
- Produces velvety-smooth coffee.
- It was simple for testers to use.
- Nearly thirty taste choices are available.
What we don't like
- Takes only Nespresso Vertuo capsules.
5. Coffee and Espresso Maker
This quick brewing technique reduces bitterness and acidity, and the biodegradable paper micro-filters (it comes with 350!) get rid of the gritty aftertaste common to other presses. Because of this, many lovers of fine coffee favor the aeropress. The outstanding adaptability of the portable coffee maker has also won over the hearts of experts.
Walsh explains that “there are so many ways to explore and yet produce a great-tasting cup of coffee” with the help of an AeroPress. “You have the option of brewing normally or “inverted,” using considerably colder water, and experimenting with different grind sizes. Some people just don’t feel like breaking away from tried-and-true methods, and that’s fine.”
What we like
- It is portable because of its small size.
- No pods necessary.
- Simple to clean.
What we don't like
- Brand-specific paper filters are required.
6. Premium Single-Serve Brewer
On an LED-lit control panel that is easy to read and use, you can choose from five different drink sizes. It has a programmable rinse cycle that gets rid of any leftover flavors between brews. Our testers liked that it always made for flavorful, well-balanced coffee.
What we like
- One of the quickest brewing devices tested.
- Large water tank.
What we don't like
- The button are not intuitive.
7. Keurig K-Cafe
Controls for making coffee and steaming milk on the Keurig K-Cafe are clearly labeled and simple to operate. The “strong” button, which produces a more flavorful cup in any size, is one of our favorite additions.
What we like
- Utilizes K-Cups to brew standard coffee and espresso.
- Equipped with integrated milk frother.
- Option to brew a more robust cup of coffee.
What we don't like
- Universal, reusable K-cup coffee filters are not included.
8. One Scoop One Cup Coffee Maker
Unlike most coffee machines that accommodate travel mugs but cause splashing with a shorter mug, this coffee maker is equipped with an adjustable drip tray, so there’s less coffee splattering onto the counter. The small footprint and compact design also make it ideal if you have limited counter space or need to store it when finished.
What we like
- No pods necessary.
- Small footprint.
What we don't like
- Does not shut off automatically after completed
9. Hamilton Beach Scoop Single-serve Coffee Caker
We didn’t even require the handbook during our tests, which is a testament to how intuitive this coffee maker is. We liked that the water tank holds 40 ounces, so it doesn’t have to be refilled as often, and that it can be easily removed for cleaning or replacement as necessary. Although it prepared coffee in a very short amount of time, we noticed that the temperature of its freshly brewed coffee was warm rather than scalding.
What we like
- Can create a pot and a single-serve at once.
- Single-serve K-cup or ground coffee maker.
- Easy-to-refill water tank.
What we don't like
- Bulkier than single-serve coffee machines that don't create a pot.
10. Nutribullet Brew Choice Coffee Maker
This machine has a compact footprint despite needing to switch between pods and a filter to brew a single cup or a full pot.
We have a separate article on the best single-serve coffee makers, including some that can make both espresso and coffee. You can also find our guide to the best espresso machines here.
What we like
- Use pods for a single cup or a filter for an entire pot.
- Various cup sizes are available.
What we don't like
- Change between pods and filters for single-cup and full-cup choices.
11. Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker
This pod-style coffee maker can brew Green Mountain, Starbucks, and Lipton K-Cups in three sizes. Choosing the 6-ounce size will make the coffee stronger, while the 10-ounce size will make it milder. Engineer it to your liking. If you want to avoid single-use pods, you may buy My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filters and utilize your own flavor of the coffee grounds.
The retractable drip tray lets you brew into tall glasses and portable mugs. Indicators light up when the 48-ounce detachable reservoir needs water or rescaling.
What we like
- User-friendly: straightforward and practical.
- Low maintenance costs.
- A variety of brew sizes also gives you some control over the coffee's intensity.
What we don't like
- Its coffee flavor isn't robust or rich.
- Environmentally unfriendly.
- The consumer has little control over the end product.
12. Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System
This versatile appliance can brew traditional, rich, iced, and specialty beverages using ground coffee and the majority of single-serve capsule brands. You can use the coffee concentrate it makes to make lattes, macchiatos, coffee drinks, and other espresso-style beverages, and then top them off with a professional-quality froth using the machine’s built-in, foldable frother.
In addition to producing barista-quality coffee, the Ninja coffee maker also features a detachable, multi-position reservoir with a separate hot water dispenser, preventing flavor contamination and providing hot and boil thermostat settings for preparing other beverages, such as instant oatmeal or hot cocoa. Although this machine can brew nearly any variety of coffee, the sheer number of customization possibilities may be bewildering to those who prefer their coffee plain and unadorned.
What we like
- Extremely versatile.
- Glass or heated carafe options.
- Removable water reservoir.
What we don't like
- Coffee concentrate, not actual espresso.
- Insufficiently programmable.
Single-Serve Coffee Makers - Buyers Guide
When you look for a single-serve coffee maker, some factors you may want to consider when purchasing a single-serve coffee maker include: the price, the brewing time, the size and capacity, the ease of use, and the warranty. You may also want to read online reviews to see what others have to say about a particular model before making your final decision.
Single-use coffee pods vs. reusable filters
The vast majority of modern best single serve coffee machines rely on prepackaged coffee pods, such as Keurig’s ubiquitous K-Cups. A coffee pod is a tiny plastic or aluminum cup with a built-in filter and pre-measured ground coffee inside. While K-Cups and capsules eliminate the need to measure out ground coffee, they do so at a higher cost. Some pods, like K-Cups, are recyclable, but only after you’ve taken the time to remove the grounds and foil and determined whether or not your community’s recycling center accepts the sort of plastic used to make the pods. As an alternative, soft pods have become more popular:
The plastic waste is reduced since the ground coffee is packaged in a circular paper filter similar to a tea bag. There are pod-free coffee makers available, and those that don’t often include a removable filter that can be replaced with freshly ground beans. While reusable filters are the environmentally preferable choice, it’s important to remember that they need to be cleansed after each use. We found that all of the reusable filters were simple to remove from the brewers and could be cleaned in the dishwasher. For a 10 ounces of coffee of coffee, put two teaspoons of ground coffee into the washable filter.
Water reservoir
Think about how often you brew coffee. If you plan on drinking two or more glasses of water each day, you’ll save time and effort with a large reservoir. Some coffee makers’ water reservoirs may be removed and carried to the sink for refilling and cleaning, while others leave the reservoir connected permanently. Some, though, don’t have a reservoir at all, so you’ll have to add water by the cup every time.
Choices in brews
Some single-cup coffee makers may only brew a small cup, while others can create anything from an espresso shot to a full 16 ounces (enough for a large travel mug) of coffee (think iced drinks, or even cappuccinos and lattes on more advanced models that have milk frothing attachments).
Speed
One benefit of using a single-cup coffee maker is the speed with which the amount of coffee each time may be prepared. A model’s potent heating mechanism may allow it to bring water to a boil and brew a pot of coffee in under a minute. In other cases, you’ll need to brew the coffee by adding hot water that you’ve heated yourself. We found that on average, it took two minutes to create an eight-ounce cup of coffee.
How to Use Farberware Single-Serve Coffee Maker
Farberware’s stainless steel and black finishes are versatile enough to complement almost any kitchen or break room decor. That’s because it’s a coffee maker designed to prepare just one cup at a time. As it can be adjusted to one of three heights, it can accommodate mugs of varying sizes and makes cleaning a coffee machine with a drip simple. Make excellent coffee at the push of a button using a Farberware capsule holder-equipped single-cup coffee machine.
You may brew multiple cups of coffee at once using the coffee maker’s 30 ounce reservoirs. It is not essential to refill the water reservoir between each brew of six to fourteen ounces.
A reusable ground coffee filter and capsule holder make it possible for everyone to enjoy their preferred brew every morning. Ground coffee and coffee pods may be brewed quickly with a Farberware machine and then taken on the go.
We may use any kind of single-serve brew pod to prepare a beverage of our choice, whether it be coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. A personal coffee maker’s one-touch brew function makes making a single cup of coffee a breeze. As the lid opens quickly, it can be cleaned quickly and easily while using little energy. The water tank may be refilled in a short amount of time.
Coffee Pods vs. Coffee Grounds?
There are two main types of coffee – coffee pods and coffee grounds. Both have their own pros and cons, so it’s important to choose the right one for your needs.
Coffee pods are single-serve packets of pre-ground coffee that are easy to use and produce a consistent cup of coffee. However, they can be more expensive than buying ground coffee, and they generate more waste since the pods are not recyclable.
Coffee grounds are the traditional way to make coffee, and they give you more control over the strength and flavor of your brew. However, they can be messy and take longer to prepare than coffee pods.
Single-serve Coffee Maker: FAQs
Q. Is it possible to boil water in a single-cup coffee maker?
Not all coffee machines include a dedicated hot water feature, but many do. The Cuisinart Premier Single-Serve Coffee Maker and the Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty Coffee System are two examples of appliances on this list that can produce hot water. While certain pod-style coffee makers can heat water without a capsule, doing so may leave you with a coffee-like aftertaste.
Q. How frequently should a single-cup coffee maker be cleaned?
Cleaning your single-serve coffee maker thoroughly once every three months should be sufficient for removing coffee residue and mineral buildup that might hinder its operation. Cleaning a manual coffee maker is often more frequent but less intensive.
Q. When was the last time you cleaned your single-cup coffee maker?
Descale the machine with a cleaning solution or vinegar according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Both the AeroPress and the Chemex may be cleaned with vinegar before being placed on the top rack of the dishwasher to avoid damage. The best way to learn about maintaining your Keurig is to read our detailed guide.
Q. Do coffee pods fit in all single-serve coffee makers?
We regret to inform you that not all single-serve coffee machines are compatible with all coffee pods. To find out if your machine is compatible with pods from other manufacturers, you should visit the manufacturer’s website. As a whole, most machines accept both refillable and disposable pods. On the downside, Nespresso machines can only work with the company’s pods.
Q. Can you reuse coffee pods?
Clark points out that conventional pod coffee is often manufactured from plastic and foil, both of which are problematic in terms of recycling and reusability.
However, “there are reusable solutions available on the market, mainly for Keurig and Nespresso,” notes Clark. For those who like using whole beans and grinding them right before brewing, rather than the pre-ground coffee found in pre-packaged pods, these are great alternatives.
Unlike the original K-cups or Nespresso pods, which were composed of metal, these pods are often constructed of silicone or plastic. You should research the specific model you’re thinking of buying to see if its pods can be used more than once.
Final Thoughts
URIG K-Elite single serve coffee maker is our top choice, the most convenient and user-friendly single-cup coffee machine. Espresso and coffee of the highest quality are ready in seconds from convenient capsules.
The Scoop Single-Serve Coffee Maker is an excellent and good budget option because it utilizes coffee grounds rather than expensive paper filters or pods.
Thank you for reading and we hope you may enjoy these reviews:
