One of our favorite features is the “strong” button that brews a fuller flavored cup no matter which size you choose. On the other hand, if you enjoy being able to tweak your coffee strength or program the machine for frothy drinks as well, we’ve got some machines ready to deliver your perfect cup. When purchasing a more customizable coffee maker, make sure you understand the features of each model, so you don’t end up in over your head or disappointed with a machine that is too simple.
Donna Currie is a freelance food writer who specializes in product reviews and recipes. Her work has appeared on Serious Eats, Fine Cooking, and her own recipe blog, Cookistry.com. Cheyenne Elwell, another freelancer specializing in coffee and tea products, tested three of the items on this list and contributed her insights. If your single-serve brewer uses a different type of coffee pod, check with the manufacturer to see if it can be recycled, too. Most brands post recycling information online or include it in instruction manuals.
It also brews espresso capsules so you can make espresso, double espresso, and regular coffee. After researching for weeks on which single-serve coffee maker will brew the hottest cup of joe, fortunately, we were able to narrow it down to five models. We considered brand, quality, durability, affordability, and of course, heat.
If you live on your own and don’t need to brew a full pot of coffee every morning, or your family members each have their own particular coffee preferences, a single-serve coffee maker is for you. While most people use them at home, single-serve coffee machines are also helpful in dorm rooms and offices. It means there will be no wasted coffee (or water!) since you’re only brewing 5 to 12 ounces at a time, and you’re always guaranteed a fresh, hot cup right when you want it. You can easily make a single cup of coffee with the touch of a button thanks to this Cuisinart Premium Single-Serve coffee brewer.
If you need help choosing the right brewer, start with our coffee maker buying guide. Despite Keurig’s popularity, our tests show that the best K-Cup coffee makers usually aren’t made by Keurig. In fact, of the top five K-Cup brewers in our ratings, only one model is made by Keurig. Our testers liked that all parts comfortably fit into a gallon-sized zip top bag making it perfect for packing, plus it was a breeze to wash.
This device has user-friendly buttons to switch between single-serve and carafe, program the time you want it to start brewing in the morning, and choose the strength of your drink—regular or bold. Best of all, the single-cup side allows enough room to fill travel mugs. It’s important to note that it’s not compatible with K-Cups, so you have to use regular coffee grounds in the included mesh filter. The single-cup coffee maker is a great machine for quickly and conveniently making one cup of coffee, right when you want it.
If you’re looking to continue to make drip coffee from freshly ground beans, and you want to manipulate the strength and water-to-coffee ratios yourself, you probably don’t need a Keurig. But, if you’re attracted to the convenience and variety of the K-Cup system, then choosing which one is right for you will require looking at some additional factors. Brewing one cup at a time also keurig k mini coffee maker ensures the mug you’re drinking is fresh. Makes a full pot of coffee, but the boss doesn’t roll in until after nine, his coffee will be stale, taste burned, and probably end up going in the microwave. Many of the models we tested came with sample packs of pods to try, and one machine, the Black+Decker Brew ‘n Go, even came with a travel mug that fits perfectly under the spout.
Our preferred model is the Keurig K-Duo Plus that, less than 8 inches wide, is a blessing for those who truly want to optimize their countertop space. Plus, thanks to the multi-position 60 oz water reservoir, you can place the keurig k mini coffee maker tank to its right, left or on the back to adapt the coffee maker to your kitchen’s layout. The reservoir is also compatible with Keurig Water filters, which will improve the quality of your water and therefore your coffee.