Best Single Brew Coffee Makers
There’s nothing better than a cup freshly brewed coffee to start the day. That’s why we’re a fan of single brew coffee makers.
Think about what is the most important for your brewing requirements and what features you would consider frills. Our criteria includes a large reservoir, multiple brew settings, and the reuse of coffee pods.
1. Do you need capsules or ground coffee?
Based on your preference You can select one that utilizes beans ground or coffee pods. While there are a few options that exclusively use coffee pods however, the majority of the models in our list can accommodate both. These models are a great option for those who want to have a range of options.
Our top pick is the Nespresso Vertuo Plus, is a great example of this. It’s part of the brand’s newest Vertuoline and offers a one-touch reliable system that produces excellent espresso shots and brewed individual coffee brewer. It’s also the most efficient machine we’ve tested and comes with reuseable pods that are better for the environment than K-Cups.
If you prefer to stick with ground coffee and prefer to use the Cuisinart Grind & Brew is a great alternative. It has an integrated conical burr grinder to make freshly ground coffee, and it offers three preset brewing sizes — eight, ten, and twelve ounces. It’s a bit more costly than other single-serve coffee makers in our lineup, but it was among the best-tasting models we tested and removes the need for disposable K-Cups or the waste that comes with the waste associated with them.
People who want the option of using two kinds of pods or grounds may appreciate the runner-up in our review which is the Instant Pot Dual Pod Plus. It’s a versatile machine that can brew using Keurig K-Cups, original Nespresso pods, and the company’s compostable capsules (though they require an industrial composting facility). It also produces some of the most popular coffee of all the machines we’ve tested so far as well as offering a variety of additional functions, including hot water for tea as well as milk frother.
2. Is there a huge reservoir of water?
The top single-brew coffee maker will have a big water reservoir that can easily keep up with your needs. This will prevent your machine from running out of water continuously and affecting the quality of the brew. The amount of water that is in the reservoir is also an important consideration when selecting a coffee maker, as it will determine how often you will have to refill and drain the tank.
The BLACK+DECKER Single-Serve Compact Coffee Maker is a great option for someone who wants an easy-to-use brewer that won’t cost you a fortune. It brews one cup of coffee in less than two minutes and can be programmed up to 24 hours in advance, which makes it perfect for those who prefer to drink their coffee on the go. This machine is compact and fits on a small counter. It’s also the cheapest among our top picks. It also produces the hottest coffee and has a built-in travel mug for convenience. It didn’t score as high as the other brewers we tested, however the water reservoir is quite small.
If you’re willing to spend more, the Keurig K.Supreme Smart Single-Serve coffee maker is our upgrade pick. It’s a great design with features that stood out in our tests. It is able to brew quickly and high temperatures for coffee. It also has three brew sizes and is extremely user-friendly. The only downside is that it requires a one hour descaling process, which can be a pain for those who drink a lot of coffee on a regular basis.
3. Does it have multiple brewing settings?
The most efficient single brew coffee maker has multiple settings for different cup sizes, varieties of beverages, as well as the possibility of making cold brew. This allows you to customize the beverage to your preference and also save time by not boiling and steeping the coffee grounds in hot water. This method uses cooler water, which helps keep the coffee’s flavor intact.
Epi’s reviews editor Noah Kaufman is a big fan of the Bruvi single-serve espresso maker because it has several one-touch brewing options that allow you to make the perfect cup coffee, regardless of whether you prefer a low acidity drink or espresso-like shot served over ice. The Bruvi also comes with a brewing setting that is more time-consuming than the typical quick brew but is well worth the wait for a smooth, smooth cup.
In our tests, Bruvi consistently made consistently hot cups of coffee compared to all other single serving coffee machine-serve machines that we test. The brewing cycle and timer are simple to program and it keeps your beverage hot for up to four hours. If you’re a fan of cold brew the Bruvi also has a setting for brewing that can adjust the temperature and brew duration to create a deliciously refreshing beverage.
Breville Precision Brewer was another outstanding product, offering six brew settings including Gold, Strong, Fast and Iced. The Gold setting is based on the Specialty Coffee Association’s guidelines for a perfect cup of coffee. All other settings can be altered to meet your needs. The Breville Precision is narrower than many single-serve brewers we have tested. This made it easier to keep its brew temperature constant and to encourage a deeper saturation as well as an easier extraction of the beans.
4. Does it come with an automatic cleaning feature?
The best single brew coffee maker (read the article) single serve pod coffee maker-cup coffee makers have a self-cleaning feature that removes any grounds that remain or used K-Cup pods from the machine after every use. Certain models can even notify you of the need for a cleaning cycle. It’s essential to look through the machine’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website for specific guidelines, since different machines have a variety of cleaning methods.
Bruvi’s single-serve coffee maker is one of our favorites due to its simple and user-friendly interface, produces great-tasting coffee, and requires minimal maintenance. It comes with a large reservoir of water and can be used to make hot or iced coffee. It also has a range of brewing options with one touch, including low acid, Americano, and cold brew. It takes longer to brew compared to other models. However, this is a minor fault in a product that is otherwise great.
This coffee maker is among our picks for budget because it’s inexpensive and is capable of making an espresso. It comes with a removable 40-ounce water tank that is compatible with K-Cups and ground coffee. Its user manual includes specific instructions for taking the reservoir off and refilling it, emptying it, and performing regular descaling. It can brew any kind of coffee, unlike many other single-cup machines.
This coffee maker is a great option for anyone who likes the convenience of single-serve coffee, but dislikes the taste or waste of K-Cups. It comes with a large water tank and a built-in grinder that allows you to make a delicious cup coffee from ground beans. It comes with a variety of options for brewing, including bold and over ice and can be made with reused K-Cups or the brand’s recyclable pods. It also features steam buttons to make tea and a fold-away froth.
5. Does it have a programmeable timer?
The most programmable espresso maker lets you set it up for the night before so that you can awake to a freshly brewed cup of coffee. This is particularly useful for those who are on the go or who do not want to use a pour-over pot or Moka pot.
The majority of programmable machines have the basic timer that runs for 24 hours. However, if you’re interested in more advanced features, you may be interested in De’Longhi’s COM532, which is our favorite single cup coffee machine-cup pod machine. It comes with a touchscreen with multiple settings that let you alter your coffee according to the flavor you like, including brewing temperature and strength. The machine is pricey, but it produces the most intense coffee out of any of our tested machines and its carafe is able to keep it at an optimal drinking temperature for more than an hour after brewing.
Black + Decker Classic single-serve coffeemaker is a budget-friendly and programmeable machine. It is easy to use, has a compact footprint and is compatible with ESE pods (Eco-friendly single-serve). It scored well in our taste test, brews quickly, and has a dishwasher-safe water tank.
If you’re tired of purchasing coffee pods that are already packaged and ready to go and want to save even more money, you should consider a manual drip or single-cup brewer. You can grind your own beans for more freshness and more control over the taste of your beverage. It takes more time than using a machine that uses pods, however if you are a fan of coffee, it could be worth it. To get reliable results measure the weight of your coffee beans and ground coffee on a scale, instead of measuring volume.