When Keurig released their first single-serve coffee maker back in 1992, a lot of people didn't understand just how important this would become. Since this product line was introduced, every major small kitchen appliance manufacturer has rolled out their version. There are a lot of choices now, so choosing the best single-serve coffee maker can be confusing.
The way these products work is pretty basic. You put coffee or a coffee pod into the machine, fill it with water, push a button and wait for your coffee to be brewed. The differences in the products are the different add-ons, like the ability to choose your cup size, choose your coffee strength, use a plastic pod or use your own coffee blend, to name a few.
Are you in a hurry?
It's no surprise that coffee is America's favorite drink. Below are our top choices for best single-serve coffee maker as well as detailed reviews of several others. Some of our thoughts might surprise you.
Best Overall
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
Ninja Specialty is a 50-ounce coffer maker with a food-grade glass carafe and durable stainless-steel finish. The product looks good and has a specialty brew system that brews delicious macchiatos, lattes, and cappuccinos. You can also use it to brew flavourful iced coffee in six brew sizes ranging from a single cup to a travel size. This SCA-certified coffee maker has a frother and a 2.5-foot cord.
High-End Pick
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio Coffee Maker
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio is a smart coffee maker that is compatible with coffee grounds and k-cup pods. Although it is known for its single-serve system, you get a full coffee pot that can brew up to 12 cups per session. The coffee maker has a basket that holds coffee grounds for optimal extraction. It has a secure pot holder and a pre-programmed system that supports adjusting brew strength. You can make regular or bold coffee with the touch of a button.
Amazon Smart Oven, a Certified for Humans Device – plus Echo Dot
Budget Pick
Presto 02835 MyJo Single Cup Coffee Maker
Presto 02835 MyJo is an affordable single-cup coffee maker that does the job anywhere at any time. Its convenience has a top spot in many reviews, including this one. Its compact design, for instance, is portable. You can carry it to work or a camping site in a backpack or cup holder. It supports most k cup pods and does not require a lot of effort to use. You add a cup to its base, fill the reservoir with hot water, and pump the system to brew. The process is so easy that a kid can do it.
Benefits of Single Serve Coffee Makers
The ability to make coffee one cup at a time, to your liking is the biggest benefit from a single-serve coffee maker. If you love coffee and need to brew delicious drinks quickly, here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for your coffee maker.
Fast: Traditional coffee makers can take a long time to prepare coffee because of their high-capacity carafes. They make 10-12 cups of coffee per session, which is ideal in many cases, but can take a long time to brew. Single-serve coffee makers make a single cup of coffee per session, you get your drink quicker, which comes in handy while preparing for work.
Easy to Use: The best single-serve coffee makers require a little effort to use. First, add coffee grounds or a k-cup pod to the base. Next, add water and start the system to brew. Manual models have pumps that force hot water three coffee to brew a delicious beverage straight to your cup. As such, most people can use one safely at home, at work, or in a dorm room.
Portability: Do you struggle to find delicious coffee on the road? A single-serve coffee maker might be the solution you have looked for for many years. Most models are small and portable. You can fit and carry them in backpacks or cup holders in cars without damage and cluttering your space.
Buying Guide for the Best Single Serve Coffee Maker
Many people enjoy drinking coffee in the morning. For many people, the big decision centers around how much coffee you want to make at a time. If you typically make a cup or two, a single-serve coffee maker is a great idea. If there's more than 1 coffee drinker in the house you might need a different solution. Below are things that you need to keep in mind when shopping for a coffee maker.
Capacity: Single-serve coffee makers come in multiple sizes that range from single size to travel cup sizes. Both are effective and have unique pros that you should keep in mind while selecting the best for your home. Travel cup brewers are slightly larger and therefore take harder to transport. If you drink only one cup of coffee at a time and love to travel, you will be better off with a single-cup model. The increase in size also translates to a slightly higher cost.
Technology: You will come across manual and automated single-serve coffee makers in your favorite store. Manual models require a bit of effort from you to work. Some models need you to push a pump to force hot water through coffee grounds to brew coffee. Other models use gravity to brew coffee but are slower. Automatic brands have sizeable built-in water reservoirs and pre-programmed systems that handle the entire process for you. They are easier to use and very efficient but come at a higher cost.
Longevity: You will be exposing your single-serve coffee maker to a lot of heat while brewing coffee. Therefore, if you select a low-grade brand to save money, you will be replacing the coffee maker sooner or later. Make sure that you are getting a quality product. The materials should be durable. It should also have a dependable brewing system.
The Best 5 Single Serve Coffee Makers this Year
Here are our unbiased reviews of best selling single-serve coffee makers:
1. Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
Features:
- 2.5-foot power cable
- Adjustable brew sizes (6)
- 50-ounce capacity
- Stainless steel structure
- Durable glass carafe
- Specialty brew system
- Fold-away frother
Every coffee lover needs a dependable single-serve coffee maker that can brew delicious cups of coffee quickly. With the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, you get exactly that and more. It has a spacious carafe (glass) that holds up to 50 ounces of material. With one, you can brew coffee for yourself and a partner in a few minutes when needed. It also has a sturdy frame made from stainless steel. This food-grade material is durable and adds a nice touch to kitchens.
With the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, you get a specialty brew system that uses coffee grounds and k-cups. The system makes delicious macchiatos, lattes, and coffee and has six adjustable brew sizes. With the touch of a button, you can make a single or travel cup of coffee at home. You can also froth milk for your recipe and use it from up to 2.5 feet from a power outlet. The cable is long and durable.
Pros:
Cons:
Our Verdict:
Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is a dependable coffee maker that also brews macchiatos and lattes. It is 100% safe (SCF-certified) and has an adjustable brew system that benefits most people. It will satisfy your demand for coffee at home.
2. Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio Coffee Maker
Features:
- Full serve coffee pot
- Dual system
- Uses grounds and k-cup pods
- Programmable system
- Keep warm features
- Auto shutoff system
- Responsive touch buttons
With Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio, expect a two-way single-serve coffee maker that doubles as a full-service coffee pot. Whether you live alone or have friends who come for coffee often, this product will not let you down. You can use both coffee grounds and k-cup pods with this coffee maker, which is fantastic. It also has a cup rest that you can remove to fit a tall mug while making coffee. Its quality is amazing.
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio has a programmable system that comes in hand at home. Unlike pots and manual coffee makers that are frustrating to use, all you do is touch a button for this product to work. You can also set it to keep coffee warm after brewing, or you can set it to shut off automatically when coffee is ready. Finally, you can pause brewing in pot mode and serve a cup or two before resuming brewing. In addition, the easy-fill reservoir on this coffee maker is convenient.
Pros:
Cons:
Our Verdict:
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio is perfect for the home as it makes both single cups as well as large batches of coffee. It has a durable design with an auto-shutoff safety feature. It can keep coffee warm for two hours and has a versatile basket that uses both coffee grounds and k-cups.
3. Keurig K-Cafe Special Edition Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte, and Cappuccino Maker
Features:
- Four cup sizes
- Multiple brew methods
- Milk frother
- Premium nickel finish
- Supports most k-cups
- Sends maintenance alerts
- 60-ounce reservoir
With the special edition, Keurig K-Café, brewing cappuccino and coffee at home is easy. Its versatile design supports multiple brew methods. It even has a milk frother that enables you to prepare tasty lattes in the comfort of your home. In addition, the item has four cup sizes (21, 10,6, and 6 ounces) that satisfy the needs of most people. Whether you drink a cup per session or want to prepare a large bath that can last you the whole day, this product is for you. Its premium nickel finish lasts for a long time.
The water reservoir of Keurig K-Café measures around 60 ounces, though small, it can satisfy the needs of most people, which is ideal. Remove the reservoir and clean it occasionally to prevent the build-up on its wall or base. This efficient coffee maker has an intelligent start system that is easy to use. You plug it into a power outlet and then press a button for it to work. It supports most k-cups and sends maintenance alerts that tell you when it needs repairs.
Pros:
Cons:
Our Verdict:
Keurig K-Café has a versatile design that brews delicious cappuccino and coffee on demand. It has a durable design with four cup sizes (6, 8, 10, and 12). It also has dishwasher-safe parts and simple button controls that make it easy to use.
4. Hamilton Beach Programmable Coffee Maker
Features:
- 12 cup system
- Brew pause technology
- Automatic shutoff
- Front filing design
- swing out brew basket
- Four brew settings
- Non-stick hot plate
The front-filling design of the Hamilton Beach coffee maker takes coffee making to the next level. It is easy to use and makes coffee brewing a quick and seamless process at home and in offices. Filling the reservoir tank, for instance, is a swift and seamless process. On the other hand, the swing-out brew basket enables you to load coffee grounds of k-pods quickly while planning a brewing job.
Hamilton Beach can brew up to 12 cups of delicious coffee per session. However, when you need a quick cup of coffee before work, the system will also serve you well. You do not have to wait for the pot to brew to drink. Instead, you can activate its pause and serve system, serve one or two cups, and let it continue brewing to the end. This automated system ensures a mess-free pour and is 100% safe to use. Finally, you get four brew options and auto-shutoff for safety.
Pros:
Cons:
Our Verdict:
Hamilton Beach is a spacious 12 cup coffee maker with an easy-to-use front filling design. It has adjustable brew options (three) with a pause and serve feature for serving coffee as it cooks. The product looks stunning on kitchen countertops and can withstand abuse for long without issues.
5. Presto 02835 MyJo Single Cup Coffee Maker
Features:
- Food grade design
- Uses k-cup pods
- Easy to use system
- Compact and portable design
- Long lasting plastic
- Cost-effective product
- Single-cup coffee maker
Some people think that you have to spend a lot of money on a coffee maker to brew delicious coffee at home. With Presto 02835 MyJo, you get a cost-effective single cup coffee maker that you can carry and use anywhere. It takes up a small space at home. You can also use it in an office or a camping site without cluttering personal space. The product is also easy to use. Add a k-cup in its base. Fill its reservoir with hot water and pump its system to brew tasty coffee.
The Presto 02835 MyJo comes pre-assembled and ready to use. You do not have to spend a lot of time setting it up or buy add-on parts for the product to work. Add ingredients and let it do the rest for you. While the Presto 02835 MyJo is all plastic, its robust structure lasts for a long time. The premium plastic used to make it also has a food-grade design ideal for adults and kids. It lacks BPA and all the bad stuff.
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Our Verdict:
This single-serve coffee maker will help you to brew tasty coffee at home one cup at a time. It has a durable design with a pump-based brewing system that is easy to use. It is food-grade and easy to carry to work or a camping site.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot of choices out there when you are looking for the best single-serve coffee maker. It’s no longer just deciding which Keurig you should buy. A single-serve coffee maker will help you brew tasty coffee at home and maybe even on the road. They are easy to use and will likely last for years. Check out our top picks and order the best today. They make breakfast fun. Also, they are safe to use than pots and stovetop kettles.
