Are you someone who needs a quick cup of coffee first thing in the morning to make a smooth transition from your sweet dreams to the rough reality?
Or are you stuck in an unpleasantly tight-schedule and need a few cups of strong and fresh coffee to keep you going?
If the answer is yes, let us spill the news to you that something can make your lives easier – Single Serve-Coffee Makers! These highly functional machines will give you precisely what you need – a cup of coffee within no time.
And yes, we’ve got loads of these machines out there in the market. Wondering what are the best single serve coffee makers for you? Well, keep reading!
What is a single serve coffee maker?
A single-serve coffee maker lets you brew a single cup of coffee without having to go through a whole lot of measuring. These machines are designed to deliver precisely a cup of (of Different sizes based on your preference) coffee with minimal effort and time.
A single serve coffee maker supports the use of coffee in whatever form they present themselves. So whether you love using coffee pods, coffee capsule, or grounded coffee powder, just name it, you can never go wrong when you use this scientifically backed machine.
Why do we need a single serve coffee maker?
If you are a coffee freak needing a cup of coffee every hour of the day or someone too busy to make a cup yourself, or someone who likes to wake up to the aroma of freshly made coffee; you need a single serve coffee maker.
These machines are meant to deliver a perfect, smooth, and delicious cup of coffee without any hassle and within minutes. Besides, the recent single-serve coffee makers are programmable, allowing you to set a brewing time beforehand, helping you save time further.
It’s not just about making coffee within minutes but making tasty coffees that would make your taste buds yearn for more. What’s more?
Your struggles on getting the appropriate measurements each time you desire a cup of coffee would be over. Lucky you!
There are different methods of coffee brewing. But now that our lives get busier, investing a lot of time in manually brewing a perfect cup of coffee is almost impossible.
Buyers Guide for the Best Single Serve Coffee Makers
In your hunt for the best single-serve coffee maker, you will find a lot of different brands and models in the market, each with different features and capabilities. Allow us to take you through some of the factors that you would want to consider before buying your coffee maker.
Simplicity
Here is the thing – using a simple-serve coffee machine is not rocket science. In fact, it is relatively easy to get these machines to work. Even if you’re over the hills, the best coffee maker with the bare essentials for you thus exists. Typically, all you need to do is fill in the water tank with water as per your preference (and the tank’s holding capacity, which will be discussed later), pop in a pod/capsule filled with coffee, chocolate, tea, etc., or pour in ground coffee in the filter, plus press and button or two. Then the machine does the rest.
Still, then, some coffee makers are more comfortable to use than others. Some are equipped with sensory technology that auto-adjusts that brewing time, temperature, etc. in accordance with the contents of the pod inserted. Similarly, some machines have removable water tanks that make it easier to refill them. So, you might want to consider how user-friendly the coffee maker is before buying.
Sizes
When we talk about size, we refer to the physical size of the coffee maker. Why is this important? Because you might need a specific sized machine to fit into the space available to you.
Newer versions of some coffee maker brand have focused on a more compact and narrow design. These machines come in handy in multiple situations starting from traveling to fit in a dorm room to fitting in tiny counter space. The width can get as narrow as less than 5 inches, so you do not have to worry about your machine taking up a lot of space.
Professional units used in cafés and offices tend to be larger in size because of the higher capacities.
Your coffee machine should preferably be of comfort and not end up inconveniencing you.
Brewing Capacities
All right, so the water tank’s capacity or reservoir and cups’ sizes differ from one maker to another. A coffee maker with a more extensive water reservoir can hold more water, as you can tell, which reduces the number of times you need to refill the tank.
Say, a coffee maker with a water reservoir over 70 ounces can hold around 8 cups of water at a time but do not worry, you will get just a single cup in one brew, but you do not have to refill the tank for 8 times!
The second thing is the capacity to cater to different sizes of cups. Single-serve coffee makers are programmed to deliver specific amounts of coffees, limited to particular cup sizes. Some coffee makers offer a wide range of cup sizes, but some offer fewer.
Again and again, you alone know how much time you can set aside for tank refilling. Or better still, the cup size of coffee you would delight in at one go.
Brewing Speed
Although Brewing Speed in itself depends on several factors, some coffee makers typically brew faster than others. Usually, the brewing speed can be anywhere between 30 seconds to 5 minutes, averaging around 2 minutes.
However, the speed also depends on whether you are brewing coffee, or making a chocolate drink, or tea, and also depends on how strong you want your coffee to be. But, since the whole point of you getting a single-serve coffee machine is to save time, the brewing speed might be a priority for you. Think about it.
Built and material
Most Coffee makers are usually made of plastic; some are also made of steel. A well-built coffee maker tends to be heavier and sturdier and should withstand the high temperature, pressure, and vibration of the machine.
The cool thing is this- the build of any coffee maker can give you a hint of its set-up. Although it’s pretty apparent, still pay remarkable details to it.
You might also want to check the drip tray and whether it is heavy enough to be able to take the weight of the mug and coffee or not.
Some other factors you can consider are the energy efficiency (A lot of brands are attaching this feature in their coffee makers, which automatically shuts the machine off immediately after or after some time of brewing), the level of noise created by the coffee maker, whether there are cord storage options, the colors available, etc.
Top 10 Best Single Serve Coffee Makers of 2021 for you:
There are a lot of different brands in the market, offering unique single serve coffee makers. We have chosen some of them based on the features, ease of use, portability, and flexibility. Here is our review of the best single serve coffee makers of 2021. Read, and you would be glad you did.
10. Keurig K-Mini Single Serve coffee Maker
If you are looking for a small, space-friendly single-serve coffee maker, this is the one for you. Best, you consider this if you are a single man or woman.
The machine itself is less than 5 inches wide (approximately 4.5inches), meaning you can fit it in a tiny space at your home, and it also has cord storage, which allows you to keep it anywhere neatly.
The compact size also makes it highly portable, so you can carry it around while traveling without much issue. The coffee maker also lets you carry travel mugs up to 7 inches tall.
With this coffee maker, all you need to do is add water and a K-cup pod of any flavor, and you get a freshly brewed coffee within the sizes of 6 to 12 ounces in a few minutes! It also helps you save energy by automatically going off after 90 seconds of brewing.
The Keurig K-Mini is also aesthetically pleasing with a matte finish and is available in equally fascinating shades of black, dusty-rose, oasis, and studio grey.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 12.1 inchesWidth: 4.5 inchesDepth: 11.3inches |
| Weight | 4.6 pounds |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Black, Dusty-rose, Oasis, Slate Grey |
09. De’Longhi NESPRESSO Vertuo Next Single-Serve Coffee and Espresso Maker
Whether you want a frothy cappuccino, a mild latté, or a strong espresso shot, the NESPRESSO Vertuo Next got you absolutely covered. A highly user-friendly, technological, and versatile coffee maker allows you to brew a single serving of coffee and espresso! Now, you’ve got your problems all solved.
With its super easy one-touch brewing system, you and a cup of delicious coffee is just a button away. Your coffee or espresso will come out with a silky créma on top, which signifies the utmost quality.
However, the kit itself comes with an Aeroccino milk frother, which is capable of frothing milk in a few seconds to give you the café-like textured coffee at home.
With the NESPRESSO Vertuo Next, you can conveniently get 5, 8, 14, 18 ounces of coffee, and both single and double espresso. The water reservoir capacity is 37 ounces, so it can hold more water leading to lesser refills.
Here’s the kicker: De’Longhi NESPRESSO does it better making coffee at home and allowing for money saving. Why? You do not have to buy a frother separately. It’s one-two goodies.
It comes with capsules covered with aluminum to protect the contents inside, and after brewing, the aluminum capsules are automatically ejected and stored for recycling.
This coffee maker has a lot of profound technological features. First of all, it uses centrifusion technology, which adapts the brewing temperature, pressure, and brewing time to each beverage capsule so that you get the ideal cup of drink, be it coffee or hot chocolate.
Secondly, the machine turns off immediately after the coffee is extracted, which saves you energy. Thirdly, it has Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity to help you operate it even if you are away.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 12.4 inchesWidth: 5.5 inchesDepth: 16.9inches |
| Weight | 9 pounds |
| Material | 54% recycled Plastic |
| Color | White |
08. Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker
The Keurig K-Elite offers you more attractive features than you would bargain for. With multiple cup sizes of 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces, whether you want a quick, strong morning coffee or a large mug of extra hot coffee at the end of a busy day, the K-Elite has your back and will deliver a fresh mug of coffee in less than a minute.
Using the K-Elite is also super simple, with distinct buttons for each purpose. You want to get a more robust coffee? Just press the ‘Strong Brew’ button. You want a chilled drink and not a hot one? Press the ‘ICED’ button. How simple is that?
And yes, this is one of the few single-serve coffee makers that let you have an iced drink – think about the level of versatility! All you need to do is fill the mug to brim with ice, and the machine senses the amount of hot beverage required to provide a chilled drink.
The water reservoir is removable and can hold up to 75 ounces of water, which is about 8 cups of water at a time. The drip tray, too, is removable, which allows you to fit a travel mug up to 7.2inches tall.
Furthermore, the machine is equipped with many programmable features like Auto on and off, temperature control, etc., which takes a lot of burden off your shoulders. Besides, coffee machines require descaling from time-to-time to remove all sorts of deposits gathered from repetitive brewing. Still, the K-Elite will remind you when to descale so that you can maintain the coffee maker better.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 13.1 inchesWidth: 9.9 inchesDepth: 12.7 inches |
| Weight | 66 pounds |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Brushed Silver, Brushed Gold,Brushed Slate |
07. Cuisinart SS-10P1 Premium Single-Serve Coffee Maker
The Cuisinart Premium Single Serve Coffee Maker is a blend of some great features that give some competition to the Keurig K-Elite. While you can use pods (the machine is compatible with K-cup pods), you also get to channel your inner barista using freshly grounded or even pre-grounded coffee since it comes with a reusable filter cup.
There is no doubt that grounded coffee is way better than pod coffee, and if you are a coffee enthusiast, you will already be head-over-heels for the SS-10P1. You can also conveniently store the filter within the machine, which minimizes the work and mess.
This coffee maker, too, offers five different serving sizes of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 ounces and has a water reservoir of 72 ounces, just like the K-Elite. However, unlike the former one, the water in the SS-10 passes through a charcoal filter, enhancing the coffee’s flavor.
There is also a rinse button, which allows you to cleanse the inside of the brew chamber in-between brews quickly. It features a hot water button, which is great for tea or cocoa.
There is no heat uptime, and you get to have a cup of coffee in less than a minute. But, the machine is fully programmable and allows you to set the time for coffee; in any case, you do not have time in the morning, you can use this option. There is a backlit LED screen to display settings and a 24-hour clock.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 11.03 inchesWidth: 9.33 inchesDepth: 12.13 inches |
| Weight | 9.5 pounds |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Cream, Light Grey, Matte Black, Silver, White |
06. Hamilton Beach 49976 FlexBrew Single-serve Coffee maker
The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew coffee maker gives precisely what its name suggests – Flexibility. It allows two ways of brewing so that you can get a single cup of coffee for yourself or even brew a full pot for a lovely afternoon family or friends-time.
On the carafe side, you get to brew a rich coffee from grounds, and on the single serve side, you get to use a K-cup pod or grounded coffee.
Each side has separate water reservoirs with a reservoir window, for you to easily trace the level of water in both sides. It is also straightforward to refill the reservoirs – all you need to do is take the lid off and pour in water.
You can brew up to 10 ounces with a coffee pod and up to 14 ounces if you use coffee grounds. On the single serve side, you have storage to hold the k-cup pod and grounds baskets, which can be removed to make space for tall mugs.
The carafe side boasts a programmable timer so that you can set the brew time at most 24 hours before.
The coffee maker features an auto pause and serves a system that lets you pour coffee from the carafe between brewing. You can also set the brew strength from bold to regular – as per your preference.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 10.24 inchesWidth: 10.63 inchesDepth: 13.90 inches |
| Weight | 6.37 pounds |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Black, Black and Stainless, Black and Silver, White |
05. Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
The Ninja Specialty Coffee maker is the ultimate coffee maker that you definitely need if you are really into coffee. It has 4 different brewing styles. 1. Classic – for regular, balanced coffee, 2. Rich – stronger coffee, 3. Iced Coffee – for flavorful iced coffee, and 4. Specialty – For a vibrant coffee concentration, that is ideal for making latté, cappuccino, and macchiato.
You have options to get 6 different sizes, including – Single cup, XL Single Cup, Travel mug, XL Travel, Half carafe, and finally full carafe, allowing you to brew up to 12 cups at a time.
The coffee maker comes with an in-built frothe, which lets you turn both hot and cold milk into froth in seconds.
The Ninja Specialty coffee maker is Pods-free, meaning you get to use ground coffee through filters. This saves you the cost of buying those coffee pods and also helps minimize plastic waste. In addition, there’s a high probability of the rate of coffee powder’s compatibility with the machine since most coffee pods are specific to a particular coffee maker system.
You will find an integrated smart scoop that allows you to measure coffee for each size accurately. The waster reservoir can hold up to 50 ounces of water and is very easy to remove and clean.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 11.99 inchesWidth: 8.75 inchesDepth: 15.04 inches |
| Weight | 3.13 pounds |
| Material | Plastic and Glass |
| Color | Black and Stainless Steel |
04. Sboly Single Serve Coffee Maker
So, we have got yet another little single-serve coffee maker on the list! What really makes this machine distinct is its self-cleaning system. After using the coffee maker, all you need to do is press the two buttons on the side (that are otherwise used to switch between K-cup brewing style to Grounded coffee brewing) together, and the machine literally cleanses itself!
You can brew both by K-cup pods and grounded coffee, and there are removable K-cup, and Brew Baskets included. And You have flexibility in terms of the water to be added to the reservoir.
You may add water based on how strong or mild you want your coffee to be, starting from 6 ounces to 14 ounces. There are marks at 6, 8, 10, and 14 ounces to help you gain accuracy.
The brand recommends that you use bottled or filtered water to make your coffee and that you brew fresh water before using it for sanitizing purposes. Overall, it is a convenient, portable, and efficient single-serve coffee maker. You might want to consider this if you find cleaning up a coffee maker a tad difficult.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 7.30 inchesWidth: 5.40 inchesDepth: 11.60 inches |
| Weight | 2.53 pounds |
| Material | Plastic and Stainless Steel |
| Color | Black |
03. Mr. Coffee Single-Serve Coffee maker
This is a very basic yet very efficient single serve coffee maker since it has partnered with Keurig, a reliable name for coffee makers, and boasts the Keurig Brewed Technology.
You get 3 cup size options of 6, 8, and 10 ounces, but what sets this coffee maker apart from the rest is its huge water reservoir, which is as large as 24 ounces, so that you do not have to refill the tank after every brew.
The Drip tray collects any spill over to avoid a kitchen mess, but the tray can be removed to fit larger cups and travel mugs.
I tell you what, though, grab this right now and trust me. It’ll be worth it.
Product Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 7 inchesWidth: 12 inchesDepth: 12.2 inches |
| Weight | 7.4 pounds |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Black |
02. BLACK+DECKER Brew’n Go Personal Coffee Maker
The BLACK+DECKER Brew’n Go Personal coffee maker is a highly travel-friendly, space-saving, and beautiful single serve coffee maker. In fact, it comes with a thermal travel mug itself made of stainless steel and with an airtight lid, allowing you to brew into it directly and sip into your coffee on the way to work or while traveling. This 15 ounces mug is designed to fit into almost every vehicle cup holder.
It is a pod-free coffee maker and comes with a permanent grounds filter made of mesh and metal. These filters not only save you the mess and cost of paper filters but are also easy to clean.
The brew basket is removable, and both the basket and the travel mug are dishwasher friendly, so you do not have to worry about cleaning them.
The machine’s one-touch operation makes it super easy to use, and it shuts off by itself immediately after brewing, so you do not have to worry about turning it off, and it saves energy.
Product Specification:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 10.3 inchesWidth: 7 inchesDepth: 6.1 inches |
| Weight | 1.61 pounds |
| Material | Plastic and Stainless Steel |
| Color | Black/Beige |
01. Mixpresso Single Cup Coffee Maker
The Mixpresso Single Cup Coffee Maker is a very powerful well-built coffee maker constructed with heavy-duty materials and uses 800 watts to brew the best quality coffee for you in minutes. You have the option to choose from a wide range of sizes, including 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces.
Operating this mini coffee maker is extremely easy; you can turn it on and off by pressing a button and holding the same button to drain the water from the 10 ounces reservoir. It’s that simple.
The coffee maker is equipped with two brewing systems – both through pods and Coffee grounds.
Cleaning is also effortless. You can wash the pods’ drawer under the tap and fill in the reservoir under the tap too. The coffee maker requires preheating, and the preheating time is 2 minutes; thus, it can brew in less than a minute.
The Mixpresso is fully programmable, so you can set different brewing times beforehand to get the piping hot cup of drink exactly when you need it.
Just as you want it, get hold of this coffee maker and enjoy each of these benefits. It’s more about the stress-free effect that delivers about thrice the promises of the other coffee makers.
Product Specification:
| Product Dimensions | Height: 19.8 inches, Width: 11.60 inches, Depth: 15.60 inches. |
| Weight | 3.35 pounds. |
| Material | Plastic and Stainless Steel. |
| Color | Dark Grey. |
How do I make cappuccino or latte with single serve coffee makers?
Two of the most popular types of coffee around the globe are hands down – cappuccino and latté. Cappuccino, an espresso based milk coffee, hails from Italy, while a similar coffee – latté originated in the United States. Although, as you can tell already, the process of making both these types of coffee is similar, there are still some minor differences between them. Your eyes can be the judge-helping you to differentiate between them using the way they appear physically.
First of all, the ratio of coffee to milk in cappuccino is typically 1:1, while in latté; the ratio is 1:2, making latté a milder coffee than cappuccino. Secondly, in the case of a cappuccino, there are two distinct layers of coffee and steamed milk, but for latté, they are blended together with a foamy layer at the top.
Hey, hang on a minute. Even the different taste of Cappuccino and Latte in the mouth says it all. Cappuccino has a more pungent coffee taste and presence, while Latte, on the other hand, has a milder one.
Craving these delicious coffees already? Well, the good news is that you can easily make such café-style coffees at home with single-serve coffee makers. And that too, in just a couple of steps. Let’s take you through them.
STEP 1: BREW THE COFFEE
Espressos make the best cappuccino and lattés. Either pop in a strong coffee pod into your single-serve coffee maker or use freshly grounded coffee, though the latter is preferred. Let’s quickly find out why. Coffee pods aren’t as fresh as grounded coffee powder. Above all, they are very costly. Once you have the coffee, back to what I was saying, pour it into a large coffee mug.
For Cappuccinos, fill half the mug with the brewed coffee, and for latté, fill about one-third. Set it aside for the time.
STEP 2: FROTH THE MILK
If you have a frother at home, the task is made more comfortable, and some coffee-makers have in-built frothers. In order to get the perfect froth, the first thing you need to do is to warm the milk (It is recommended to use non-fat milk in this case), and remember, the temperature of the milk is very important!
You can either microwave it for about a minute or warm it on the stove, but be sure not to exceed 70 degrees – the milk should not be hot but warm. And then, transfer the milk to a container and run the frother through it until you get a foamy texture.
In case you do not have a frother, pour the milk into a jar but do not fill the jar completely. Fasten the lid tightly and shake it till you get that foam. Typically, it takes around 30 to 60 seconds. And, you’re good to go.
STEP 3: POUR THE MILK IN THE COFFEE
Now, for the most interesting part – pouring the frothed milk into the espresso.
For Latte, tilt the cup with the espresso a little and start pouring the other two-third of the cup with the milk and once done, with a spoon, skim some foam from the frothed milk and set it on the top, and there you go – a mug of deliciousness right there.
As for cappuccino, put a spoon in the mug while you pour the milk to avoid getting the espresso layer and milk layer blended. The layer of foam on the top for cappuccinos will be a lot thicker, which eventually gives it a more pungent coffee taste.
And Voilá, you have your perfect cup of latte or cappuccino ready to be devoured!
Don’t forget: With the right measurements and the right grind, you would make cappuccino or latte with your single serve coffee makers like a Pro.
Conclusion
Single Serve Coffee makers are designed specifically to save your time and effort, and so expecting the best coffee would not be wise. Although these coffee makers deliver precisely what they promise of doing, you need to maintain them properly in order to ensure the best performance.
So, what does all this mean? Your uncleaned coffee maker can hinder you from getting the guaranteed- A Hot heavenly coffee in the twinkle of an eye.
Most coffee makers recommend using filtered water in order to eliminate mineral deposits. You also need to clean them properly and thoroughly cleanse at least once every two months in order to prevent moldy growth. Sometimes all you need to do is to clean the valve in your coffee maker. Once dirty, efficiency and effectiveness take on another turn. But that’s another story.
All in all, these best coffee makers are the endorsed path to the subtle savor of coffee. I know you don’t want to miss out on that. Hurry and join the moving train.