Coffee makers play a huge role in our morning routines. However, brewing in full-sized units sometimes leads to cups of wasted joe. And if you are one of those folks who treasure each drop of this full-bodied brewed drink, you might find single-serve coffee makers a huge help.
Nowadays, there are lots of single-serve coffee makers sprouting in the market. French press, pour-over, and other manual types are a good option to get just the right amount of coffee you need every time. However, doing everything with your own hands when you need one cup can be laborious. For those who have limited time in their hands, those coffee makers are not a convenient choice. With this, you might want to consider electronic single-serve coffee makers.
Keurig is one of the leading manufacturers of electronic single-serve coffee maker units. The brand offers a wide variety of coffee makers and one of its leading flagship products in this category is the Keurig K-Cafe. It is an affordable coffee maker that can blend coffee and shots of latte and cappuccino. It even comes with a built-in frothing station. Of course, it won’t beat the high-end espresso machines out there (or even the affordable Breville Barista Express we reviewed before), but it is a nice feature to see in a unit at such a price point.
Hamilton Beach Scoop is also a good option, especially if you have a limited counter space at home. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of its other competitors but its straightforward use and simplicity are its true enchantments. On the other hand, though Cuisinart SS-10P1 didn’t reach our top spot, we still adore its versatility by allowing the use of both cup pods and washable filters for ground coffee.
To give you more ideas about them, our SolidSmack Household Appliance and Tool Research Team put them and two others on a test. By comparing and observing their features and performance (and tasting their outputs!), we rated and ranked them for you to easily spot the best performer on this list. Nonetheless, for better insights, have some time reading our personal opinions about each of them:
Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers Comparison & Rating
Single-Serve Coffee Makers | Features |
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1. Keurig K-Cafe
Brand | Keurig |
Cup Sizes | 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces |
Water Tank | 60 ounces |
K-cup | Yes |
A cup of ordinary coffee is enough to start your day. But sometimes, our palates look for something more special. Well, in this case, we offer you the Keurig K-Cafe.
It can brew 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces of coffee with just a push of a button. But the real star here is its “Latte & Capp” option which will give you a concentrated shot out of your K-cup pods. Of course, a cup of latte and cappuccino won’t be complete without the froth. So, Keurig K-Cafe comes with a built-in frothing station with a dishwasher-safe milk frother
It can froth all kinds of milk and has marks on its wall which will guide you of how much milk you should pour in it. The frothing station has three buttons. The first two will let you choose between latte and cappuccino while the last one will give you the option for “cold” froth.
When we tested it, the entire process to produce a cup of cappuccino and latte didn’t take us 10 minutes. That was fast! The frothing process was quick and we still got thick foam at the end. And while it can’t be compared to real espresso you sip in cafes, it can be an exceptional substitute when you’re at home. After all, most espresso machines would cost you $500 to $5000 and Keurig K-Cafe’s price isn’t even half of those numbers. With this, we really can’t help but fall in love with this bad boy.
2. Keurig K-Elite
Brand | Keurig |
Cup Sizes | 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces |
Water Tank | 75 ounces |
K-cup | Yes |
K-Elite doesn’t have the fancy panel of other Keurig models, but everything about it sits in the right place. Its button-filled panel is easy to use and very intuitive. Everything is properly labeled with icons and words, so there really is no guesswork involved. No complexities are needed just to brew your cup of coffee.
It features a set of buttons for multip[le cup sizes which we really love. It offers brews in 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces, giving you freedom over the amount of coffee you need. The best thing about it is that it also allows you to regulate the strength of the brew, especially if you are using the Strong Brew button. By selecting the smallest cup size, we were able to get a rich blend of cups. We also think the fact that it allows the use of a Universal My K-Cup reusable coffee filter is a huge bonus since you can put in more grounds than what a regular K-Cup has. With this and with the right roast and grind of beans you wish to use, you can further improve your blend. In our test, we used a dark roast and K-Elite didn’t fail to deliver the level of strength we were aiming for. Rich and phenomenal cup of coffee.
Besides the fact that it allows adjustment of brew temperature between 187° and 192°, we also adore K-Elite’s Iced Coffee button. It also allows you to dispense hot water instantly that you can use for other purposes like oatmeals. The large water reservoir capacity at 75 ounces is very appealing as it means less frequent refilling moments which we all hate. Thankfully, removing and putting the reservoir back is easy as it employs a slide attachment system.
3. Hamilton Beach Scoop
Brand | Hamilton Beach |
Cup Sizes | 8 and 14 ounces |
Water Tank | 14 ounces |
K-cup | No |
There are lots of reasons to love the Hamilton Beach Scoop. It is nature-friendly, efficient, intuitive, and simple yet striking.
Unlike the other Keurig units we tested, Hamilton Beach Scoop doesn’t use any cup pods to brew coffee. Instead, it allows you to use your own grounds which gives you freedom over the strength and flavor of your coffee. What’s even better about it is the fact that it eliminates plastic wastes and all you have after the process is the biodegradable ground coffee you used. It comes with a single-serve mesh scoop that also serves as your primary filter. You use it to scoop the grinds from your canister and put them in the coffee maker. Besides this, we also love the secondary filter that assures no bits of grounds will end up in your cup. However, it is important to know that these filters need to be cleaned after each use.
Also, it is literally a single-serve coffee maker that doesn’t come with a huge tank. You need to fill it up each time you are using it. There are water level marks that indicate the two cup sizes: 8 ounces and MAX (14 ounces). While this might not be convenient, there are also good points about it. Without the tank, you know that your water is always new and there is no removable tank to wash.
And while it takes a longer time to refill your cup (1.5 to 2.5 minutes) compared to other units, it offers one of the best performances. It has two buttons: Regular and Bold. The former employs an automatic drip system while the latter provides a stronger blend out of your grounds. When we tested the latter, we noticed that it took longer to fill our cup due to irregular dripping of content. Nonetheless, we were able to taste the distinctive difference between the regular and bold blend. With the latter, we got an extremely flavorsome and strong cup of joe, as if every drop of juice from each ground was extracted.
4. Cuisinart SS-10P1
Brand | Cuisinart |
Cup Sizes | 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces |
Water Tank | 72 ounces |
K-cup | Yes |
When we first saw Cuisinart SS-10P1, we have to admit that we were a bit impressed due to the fact that most of its parts are made of plastic. But considering that most appliances now are made of the same material, it isn’t a problem. Further, the quality of the material used in SS-10P1 is quite thick and it still has substantial weight on it.
On the other hand, all the buttons you need are placed on its front body and while they feel very “clicky” when you push them, they work just fine. There is also an illuminated screen which is great. It is relatively big compared to what other models have, so the display can be easily viewed.
Further, just like the Keurig K-Elite, SS-10P1 has a Hot Water button that instantly dispenses hot water for other purposes. It also allows you to choose among the 5 cup sizes (4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces). What we love about it is that unlike others, it has a memory capability so even the settings you have will stay the same. We also love the Rinse button which is ideal for households using different brands and kinds of cup pods, as it will prevent a mixture up of flavors.
Another thing that surprised us about this unit was the little storage door at its side. When pushed, it revealed the bonus Cuisinart HomeBarista reusable filter cup which can be used in replacement of the pod filter. With this, you can also brew your own grounds if you want to experience the authentic taste of beans.
Its water reservoir has a total of 72-ounce capacity and it can easily be removed for refilling. The temperature can be adjusted into two options: Hot and Extra Hot. There is no indication of how “hot” each level is but in our test, the max option was indeed piping hot. In just a few seconds after pushing a button, it will release steaming hot water. In our observation, we noted that the flow wasn’t really fast and even. This is not a downside in any way, however, as it allows the water passing through the pod cup to collect more flavor. And all throughout our test, it consistently produced strong blends.
5. Keurig K-Classic
Brand | Keurig |
Cup Sizes | 6, 8, and 10 ounces |
Water Tank | 48 ounces |
K-cup | Yes |
We reviewed K-Classic before and it ranked as one of the best coffee makers in 2021. This remains true due to the convenience and efficiency it offers.
It is still as straightforward as its Keurig K-Elite sibling, though there are some buttons and controls omitted such as the temperature options, auto-on, and iced coffee option. Its buttons are placed on the top right of the coffee. The surface is slightly sloped, making the panel level more accessible for your eyes which is good. Further, each control has a corresponding label and icon, making everything very intuitive. In a very simple manner, Keurig also found a way to guide users on how to use it. There are light indicators that will inform you of the process occurring and the inputs you should make. For instance, the red LED indicates that the water is still heating and the blue LED when there is a need to add water (the tank can last more than 6 cups). There are also three buttons that will light up when it is time for you to select the size of your cup. You can choose from 6, 8, and 10 ounces. For a bigger container, you can remove the drip tray to make room for a 7.1” tall thermos.
Also, just like the K-Elite, it uses K-cup pods. When we tried to test it by brewing different flavors consecutively, we never experienced a mixture of flavors in any cup. Further, we really do appreciate that the K-cup pod holder is removable, allowing the unit to handle reusable filters for the fresh grind of beans.
All in all, you can brew 6 cups of joe before the 48-ounce water reservoir empties. In case you don’t use distilled water every time you use it, it comes with 2 charcoal filters which should last 2 to 3 months or after 60 full-tank refills. When it is time to clean the unit, the Descaling button will light up red.
On the other hand, we just noticed that the piercing needle has a high tendency of getting plugged which could cause the unit to stop working. This is normal among this kind of coffee maker but we think it would be better if Keurig would give a detailed resolution instruction about it in its manual. Nonetheless, cleaning the needles from debris (though you need to be careful as they are extremely sharp) is as easy as wiping the pod holder, funnel, and water reservoir.
Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers - Buyer's Guide
Single-serve coffee makers that need to be manually refilled each time you brew a coffee are great, especially if you want to assure that your water is always new. On the other hand, if you think that it is too much work, consider those models with refillable tanks with huge capacity.
Coffee cup pods like the K-cups can be very convenient. They come in a wide variety of flavors that can be truly appealing on the palate. However, brewing using cup pods gives you a limited amount of grounds. Also, they have huge impacts on the environment as they can only be used once, not to mention that most brands come in plastic cups. With this, it is better if your single-serve coffee maker has an option for the use of your own ground coffee.
The more the cup options are, the better it is for you as it means you have the option for different degrees of blends. For instance, the Keurig K-Cafe allows a “strong” blend by extracting the flavor out of the grounds using just a small amount of water. On the other hand, cup sizes aren’t the only control feature to look for. It is also great if the unit has options for temperature levels, timer, auto-off, and rinse.
The system of the coffee maker isn’t the only thing that will ease your work. The unit’s design and build are also a factor. With this, consider them. Some noteworthy designs that caught our attention are the slanted panels of Keurig models, the adjustable stand of the Hamilton Beach Scoop, and the big display screen of Cuisinart SS-10P1.
Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers - FAQs
Coffee machines rely on gravity which slowly pulls the water down the filter. On the other hand, espresso machines use a more complicated system with high pressure that forces water through the coffee.
Ideally, a coffee maker that is being used on a daily basis should be cleaned one to three times a month. Check for any residue in the basket and make sure to deep-clean it by using vinegar.
Coffee makers have different designs and build, so there are lots of reasons that could cause it. One of the common reasons is the worn-out heating element. For Coffee makers using K-cup pods, check for the needles. Such units tend to stop working when these needles puncturing the cups are clogged.
