Best Single Brew Coffee Makers

There's nothing better than a cup of freshly brewed coffee to start the day. We love single-brew coffee makers for this reason.

Consider what is most important for your brewing requirements and what features you consider frills. Our criteria include a big reservoir, multiple brew settings and the use of reusable coffee pods.

1. Can I buy capsules or ground coffee in this machine?

Depending on the style you prefer, you can choose one that uses coffee pods or beans ground. While there are a few options which exclusively use coffee pods, the majority of the models in our roundup can accommodate both. This versatility makes them a good choice for those who enjoy having a variety of options at hand.

Our top choice is the Nespresso Vertuo Plus, is an excellent example of this. It's part of the brand's latest Vertuoline and features a single-touch system that is foolproof and delivers excellent espresso shots and brewed coffee. It's also the most efficient machine we tested and comes with refillable pods that are more beneficial for the environment than K-Cups.

The Cuisinart grind & blend is a great alternative for those who prefer ground coffee. It comes with a built-in conical burr grinder to make freshly ground coffee, and it offers three brewing sizes that are preseteight, ten, and twelve ounces. It's more expensive than other single-serve models in our lineup but it's one of the best tasting ones we've tested.

The Instant Pot Dual Pod Plus which is our runner-up, is a great option for those who want to be able to utilize both kinds of pods or grounds. It's a machine that's flexible, as it can brew using Keurig K-Cups or original Nespresso capsules. The company also sells its own compostable capsules. It also produces the hottest coffee we've ever tasted and has a range of other functions, such as hot water for tea or a milk frother.

2. Is there a huge reservoir of water?

The top single-brew coffee maker has a large reservoir that can easily meet your needs. This will prevent your machine from running out of water continuously, which could affect the quality of the brew. The amount of water in the reservoir is an important factor to consider when choosing a coffee maker, as it will affect the frequency you have to fill and drain the tank.

The BLACK+DECKER Compact Single-Serve Coffee Maker is a great choice for anyone who is looking for a machine that is simple to use that won't break their bank. It can make one cup of coffee in less than two minutes and can be programmed to make coffee up to 24 hours ahead. This is ideal for people who are always in motion. This machine has a compact design that fits well on the countertop. It is the least expensive of our top choices. It also produces the hottest coffee we've seen and comes with a travel mug to make it easy. It didn't score as well as the other brewers we tried but its water reservoir was small.

If you're willing to spend more, the Keurig Super Smart Single-Serve coffee maker is our top upgrade choice. It's got a stunning design with features that stood out in our testing. It offers fast brewing times and high temperatures for coffee, and the option of three brew sizes, and it's extremely simple to use. The only downside is that it requires a one-hour process to descale which can be a hassle for those who drink a lot of coffee regularly.

3. Does it come with multiple brew settings?

The best single brew coffee maker will come with various settings for different sizes of cups, types of beverages, as well as the capability to make cold brew. This lets you customize your drink exactly to how you like it and reduce time by avoiding the process of boiling and steeping your coffee grounds in hot water. This method uses cooler water that helps keep the coffee's flavor.

Noah Kaufman, the editor of Epi's Reviews, is a big fan of the Bruvi Single Serve Coffee Maker due to the fact that it provides a variety of options for brewing with just one cup coffee machines touch. You can choose between a low-acidity beverage or a shot of espresso over ice. The Bruvi also has an brewing option which takes longer than the typical speedy brew, but is worth it for a rich, smooth cup.

In our tests, Bruvi consistently made consistently hot cups of coffee compared to all other single brew coffee machines-serve machines that we tried. Its brewing cycle is easy to program, and the timer keeps your beverage warm for up to four hours. The Bruvi comes with a cold brew setting that adjusts the brewing temperature and brew times to make a refreshingly cool beverage.

Another notable feature was the Breville Precision Brewer, which features six brew options, including Gold Fast, 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 customized to meet your needs. The Breville Precision is narrower than many of the single-serve coffee brewers that we test. This allowed it to keep its brew temperature constant and increase the saturation of the coffee as well as an easier extraction of the beans.

4. Does it come with self-cleaning features?

The top single-cup models have the option of automatically cleaning the machine. This removes any used K-Cup pods and grounds after each use. Certain models even notify you of the need for an ongoing cleaning process. It's essential to look through the manual for the user or manufacturer website for specific guidelines, since different machines have different cleaning techniques.

Bruvi’s single-serve espresso maker is one of the best we've tried. It features an intuitive, simple interface, makes great coffee, and requires little maintenance. It comes with a large reservoir of water and can be used to make hot or iced coffee. It offers a range of one-touch options like low acid, Americano and cold brew. It takes longer to brew compared to other models. However it's only a minor flaw in a product that is otherwise great.

This coffee maker is a great budget option because it's affordable and makes a great cup of coffee. It comes with a removable 40 ounce water tank that can be used with both K-Cups and ground individual coffee maker. The user manual contains detailed instructions on how to remove the reservoir, re-fill it and perform regular descaling. It is able to brew any kind of coffee, unlike many other single-cup machines.

This coffee maker is perfect for those who enjoy the convenience of single coffee machines-serve K-Cups but aren't a fan of the taste or waste associated with the waste and taste. It has a spacious water tank as well as a integrated grinder which makes it easy to make a delicious cup of joe using ground beans. It comes with a variety of brewing options including bold and over-ice. It can also be used with recyclable K-Cups and the brand's compostable pods. It also has steam buttons to make tea and a fold-away froth.

5. Is it programmable?

The most programmable coffee maker allows you to set it the night before so that you awake to freshly brewed and hot coffee. This is especially convenient for those who are on the go or who don't need a pour-over or Moka pot.

The majority of programmable machines have an initial timer of 24 hours. If you're looking for more advanced features, you may want to consider De'Longhi's COM532 that is our top single-cup pod machine. It features a digital touch screen and multiple settings to customize your coffee including the temperature of brewing and the intensity. This model is the most expensive but it makes the most hot coffee out of all of our tested machines. The carafe keeps it at the perfect drinking temperature for over an hour after it has been brewed.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly programmable coffee machine, check out the Black + Decker Classic Single-Serve Coffeemaker. It has a relatively small footprint, it's compatible with ESE (Eco-friendly Single-Serve) pods, and comes with simple controls that are easy to use. It also scored highly in our taste tests, brews quickly, and comes with an easy-to-clean water tank that is dishwasher-safe.

If you are tired of pre-packaged pods and prefer to save some money, a single-cup or manual drip brewer is an excellent alternative. You can grind your own beans to give a fresher taste and to have more control over the flavor of your beverage. It takes more time than using a machine that uses pods, but if are a coffee lover it could be worth it. Be sure to weigh your coffee beans and ground coffee using a scale rather than measuring by volume to achieve the best results.