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.
The Keurig K-Elite is one of the brand’s best-selling and top-rated models. This sleek, stainless steel one-cup machine gives you the option to brew a 6, 8, 10, or 12-ounce cup from a pod. You also have the option of brewing from grounds with the Universal My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter . The K-Elite has a strong-brew feature for a more robust cuppa and an ice brew feature.
Another major drawback is being forced to buy only coffee sold in pods. While there is currently a huge range available – both using official K-Cups and other “rebel” brands – you still don’t have the flexibility to buy whatever you like afforded by a traditional method. In the case of pre-ground coffee, the exponentially larger surface area allows oxidization to occur at a much faster rate, meaning ground hamilton beach dual coffee maker coffee deteriorates much faster than whole beans. Freshly roasted coffee beans contain a lot of carbon dioxide which is released rapidly during the first few days after roasting. When green coffee beans are roasted, the flavors and aromas of coffee are created by a process known as the Maillard reaction . We will continue to update this post as we test additional models and as new products are released.
After all, Moccamaster has designed the Cup-One brewing process to maintain its rigorous quality standards for the perfect coffee extraction. If you’re a person of practicality or want to keep less out on your countertop, the keurig single cup drip coffee makers ease of this dual machine means you’ll never have to comprise between a full-size and a single-serve coffee machine. Some reviewers even say that the Cuisinart can brew a better single-cup than a standard Keurig machine.
I’m obsessed with smart home tech and channel my obsession into new stories for Consumer Reports. When I’m not writing about products, I spend time either outside hiking and skiing or up in the air in small airplanes. For my latest obsessions, follow me onFacebook andTwitter (@danwroc). Previously she worked in product development for small kitchen appliances and tools since 2014 as well as in several test kitchens, where she tested and developed recipes and food content starting in 2012. This story was updated in May 2022 to ensure all picks tested and vetted by the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab were in stock and correctly priced. Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
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 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.
In our tests, we found this coffee maker easy to use without needing to refer to the instruction manual. We were impressed with the 40-ounce water reservoir that eliminates the need for frequent refills — the tank is also removable making required refills a breeze. We found the temperature of its just-brewed coffee to be hot but not piping hot if that’s your thing, though it did have a fairly fast brew time. The best espresso machine you can buy according to our tests, the Nespresso VertuoPlus makes a well-rounded brew with frothy crema that was consistent in temperature and volume every time. It can also brew other great-tasting single-serve coffee drinks, including double espresso, lungo and regular coffee that in sizes up to 14 ounces.
There is a separate setting for strong coffee, for those who prefer it bold. Saxon recommends the Hamilton Beach Scoop Coffee Maker for anyone who appreciates fresh coffee and its delicious flavors. The sleek look, ease of use, simple hamilton beach dual coffee maker cleanup, and flavorful coffee were praised by reviewers of this coffee maker. It can accommodate either standard coffee cups or travel mugs up to 14 ounces and 7 .25 inches high and has a bold setting for extra-strong coffee.
It looks sleek and modern, and we felt a little spoiled to have it simply sitting on the counter. The Nespresso pods are even recyclable, and while that does require a bit of an effort, we are grateful for it. In addition to varying dimensions, the machines all have distinct design qualities that make them more or less visually appealing. Keurig responded by introducing a sensor embedded in their 2.0 models that prohibits the use of unlicensed pods.