10 Best Single Cup Coffee Makers of 2021

Single cup coffee makers are designed to eliminate the need to make a full pot of coffee that ends up getting stale before you drink it all when all you needed was just one cup to kick start your day.

Besides reduced wastage, with the best single cup coffee maker, you also get many other benefits that include super-fast brewing, custom cup size and a space-saving solution as these are compact machines that will take up little counter space.

Single serve coffee makers are also relatively more affordable when compared to the larger espresso machines, and they are generally easier to clean and maintain.

To help you get a top quality single serve machine that will give you a fresh cup of coffee fast, below we review 10 top-rated models and also highlight the important things to consider when shopping.

10 Best Single Cup Coffee Makers – Review

• Capacity: 15 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 4 minutes

This top-rated single cup coffee maker by AdirChef is built to offer great quality at a bargain because despite being well built, it is the second most affordable product on our list.

It is made using a durable plastic material, and with top-quality components to ensure you get many years of service from it. And it is also a small and lightweight coffee maker that will be highly portable.

This coffee maker comes with a 15-ounce universal travel mug that will make it easy for you to carry some coffee for drinking on the go.

There is also a permanent filter on this machine that is not only more eco-friendly but will also ensure that you do not burn a lot of cash buying paper filters.

And most of the components on this machine are dishwasher-safe to ensure quick and easy cleaning. Also, setting it up should not take a lot of time or effort.

The water is still not as hot as what other high-end models have to offer, but it will still be hot enough to ensure excellent extraction for every cup of coffee.

• Capacity: 75 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 1 minute

With Keurig, you are justified to expect nothing but the best single cup coffee makers as they are an industry leader. But, their smart and stylish K-Elite model will not disappoint as it is as good as they can get.

This Keurig single cup coffee maker offers a larger 75-ounce water reservoir to ensure you get to make lots of coffee before refilling. And it uses a quiet brew technology to minimize noise when in operation.

It will make coffee in less than one minute which is faster than most others in our list, and it also has a Strong Brew function for the coffee lovers that prefer stronger and bolder brews.

This single-serve coffee machine is made with versatility in mind because besides coffee, you can use it to make many other beverages like tea and hot chocolate, and you can choose from 5 different cup sizes.

There are also some programmable features on this coffee maker that include temperature control and auto-on function. And with the removable reservoir and drip tray, clean up should be easier. Also, the removable drip tray will allow it to accommodate taller mugs and cups.

For some users, the cord is a little short and the taller reservoir might be hard to fill in their sinks, but these are minor drawbacks that you can easily fix or workaround.

• Capacity: 43 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 4 minutes

Pods are the most commonly used coffee for single serve coffee makers but they are not the only option as there are many great quality machines like SharkNinja’s CF112 that provide pod-free brewing.

This top quality coffee maker comes with a built-in frother to increase its versatility, and so besides making great tasting coffee, it will also froth milk for all your favorite brews.

When it comes to the actual coffee making, this fantastic pod-free coffee maker makes use of an advanced thermal extraction technology and Auto-IQ intelligence to ensure excellent and consistent extraction.

The coffee maker will allow users to choose from 5 different brew styles and 4 brew sizes to ensure a more custom cup of coffee.

And with the clearly labeled and illuminated controls, this coffee maker will be easy to operate any time of the day.

When compared to other models in our single cup coffee maker reviews, this is the priciest option. However, it is still decently priced given its features and performance, and also when you compare it to other top models in the market.

• Capacity: 15 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 5 minutes

Size always matters a lot when shopping for the best single serve coffee maker, and so the fact that the Black & Decker DCM18S comes in compact and space-saving size means it will impress most coffee lovers.

This coffee maker is also one of the most affordable on our list which means you get a small, efficient and more affordable machine.

With the simple one-touch operation, using this machine should be easy even for beginners, and it also has an auto shutoff feature for safety and to save you cash on your energy bill.

The removable brew basket and reusable filter will make cleanup a breeze, and so you will not need to spend a lot of your time on the machine once you make your cup of coffee.

Although it is not high enough to accommodate taller travel mugs, the mug that comes with it should hold more than enough coffee for most users.

• Capacity: 14 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 3 minutes

For the coffee aficionados looking for a good alternative to the high-end coffee makers, this budget-friendly Hamilton Beach model is a great buy.

However, there are still many other things that make this one of the best one cup coffee makers out there besides the more affordable price tag.

The coffee maker features a durable stainless steel construction which is meant to ensure you get many years of service from it. And it also has a small footprint to ensure that it uses up little counter space.

There is also a handy built-in coffee mug stand to make it easy to brew into your favorite mugs. Because this machine does not have filters or complicated components and design, it is also easy and quick to clean up.

The absences of a filter can be a turn off for users that do not have very good water, but you can still use paper filters on this machine with a little inventiveness.

• Capacity: 14 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 1 minute

Bunn is another brand that you should always consider when shopping for best K-Cup coffee makers as it has some of the best models on the market.

This particular model comes in a minimalistic but still modern design. It does not have fancy features like programmable brews or a backlit reservoir but it will still make great tasting coffee.

What it lacks in "fanciness" it makes up with versatility as it comes with 4 drawers which are cup, pods, grounds coffee and hot water drawers. Hence, besides coffee, you can also use this machine to make hot chocolate, tea, and a few other beverages.

And the best thing about it is that it will make your favorite coffee in less than 1 minute. Also, this coffee maker has a Pulse Brew option for extracting bolder and richer flavors.

You can also brew directly on to your favorite travel mug as this machine comes with a removable drip tray to accommodate taller mugs.

The mostly plastic construction can be a put off for some people, but Bunn uses heavy gauge plastic to ensure maximum durability.

• Capacity: 52 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 1 minute

Keurig’s K-Select coffee maker is a bold looking machine that is designed to complement any kitchen, and it is also designed to provide stronger and bolder coffee flavors.

This machine comes with a relatively larger 52-ounce water reservoir designed to reduce the frequency of refilling, and it will make a fresh cup of coffee in less than one minute.

Also, you get to choose from 4 cup sizes which are 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces, and you can also customize the brew further with the Strong Brew function if you prefer your coffee stronger and more intense.

Simple button operation will ensure that anyone can use this coffee maker. And because it uses a quiet brewing technology, making coffee will be a less noisy task for you.

Design of the water reservoir can make it hard to remove, and this is more so when your hands are wet. But it only takes some getting used to because once you use the machine for long enough, you will never have any difficulties with the reservoir.

• Capacity: 72 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 1 minute

Value for money is one of the key elements that define the best single cup coffee makers, and the Cuisinart SS-10 will offer you better value than most other models out there.

Its great value stems from the fact that the 72-ounce water reservoir is larger than what many others in the price range will offer and the fact that it has a brew time of less than one minute.

This single serve coffee maker also allows you to choose from 5 brew sizes which are between 4 and 12 ounces large to ensure that it can cater to both light and heavy drinkers.

And with its user-friendly controls that consists of some clearly labeled buttons and backlit LCD, you can easily make use of its full programmability that offers you lots of features including adjustable temperature control.

This coffee maker is also designed with hot water and rinse functions which will make it even more versatile and useful.

The absence of a water reservoir illumination might make it hard to tell the water level at night, but once you get used to the machine you should not have any issues estimating the amount of water left.

• Capacity: 18 ounces
• Brewing Time: Around 2 minutes

The sleek and compact design of KitchenAid’s model KCM040ER coffee maker is meant to ensure that it takes up almost insignificant counter space in your home.

But, besides the compact design, there are also many other reasons why this is one of the best personal coffee makers out there.

They include the quick and simple one-touch brewing that will ensure that making coffee is a quicker and almost effortless task for you and the reusable gold-tone filter that will save you cash and make this an easy machine to clean.

Also, the coffee maker comes with a removable and easy-to-fill 18-ounce water reservoir with a handle to make it even more convenient to use.

The thermal mug that comes with this machine can give the coffee a slight plastic taste when new, but you can easily fix this by cleaning it thoroughly. And once clean the thermal mug will be very useful for taking coffee on the go.

• Capacity: 14 ounces
• Brewing Time: Under 5 minutes

If you have a smaller kitchen, office or even dorm room, the Bella BLA14436 will ensure that you can still make great coffee without having to clutter your small space.

This compact coffee maker is also made to be super easy to use as it uses a simple switch operation with no complicated programs and features.

Also, this coffee maker is the cheapest model on our list, and so besides getting something space-saving, you also get to save a lot of cash.

It also uses a permanent filter that is removable and easy to clean to eliminate the need for paper filters and to make this a more eco-friendly machine.

Also, the coffee maker has an adjustable drip tray to accommodate taller mugs and cups, and all its removable parts are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.

The brewing time is relatively slow when compared to other models on our list, but it is important to note that it is still way faster than using most other types of coffee makers.

How to Buy the Best Single Cup Coffee Makers

Single serve coffee makers are some of the most popular coffee making machines for home users thanks to their convenience, time efficiency and ease of use. But what this means is that there are hundreds if not more models in the market to choose from.

While all can make coffee, getting a machine that makes great tasting coffee and suits your needs is a different thing. However, it should not overwhelm you as you can be sure of getting a good model if you keep the following factors in mind when shopping.

1. Electric or Gravity-Powered

The single cup coffee makers will come in two broad categories which are electric and gravity-powered machines.

Electric Machines

Electric machines are the easiest to operate and they require plugging into an outlet to work which means that you can only use them where there is electricity. But, they also offer the advantage of being able to heat water for other uses.

Gravity-Powered Machines

The gravity-powered coffee makers make use of pressure or gravity to percolate and extract your coffee grounds. These are the best machines for coffee lovers looking for something for camping trips or for carrying on your travels.

2. K-Cups or Not K-Cups

Since their introduction by Keurig many years ago, K-cups have totally changed the single cup coffee maker industry in both good and bad ways.

Although they are now the most popularly used pods for brewing single serve coffees, you still need to decide whether you need to use them or not.

Some of the advantages of using K-Cups are that they will offer more consistent brewing with little room for errors; they will require no grinding and will allow you to choose from several flavors.

When it comes to the demerits, the pre-ground coffee on K-Cups will not give you the same brew quality as whole beans; they have a higher cost per cup and can only be used for one cup of coffee.

Weighing between the pros and cons and by considering your specific needs, it should be easy to decide whether to buy a machine that uses K-Cups or not.

3. Pods or Capsules

As you shop for the best one cup coffee maker, you also need to decide whether to go for a machine that uses pods or capsules

Although sometimes the terms pods and capsules are used interchangeably by some brands and coffee aficionados, they are not the same thing.

Pods: Pods are round bags containing coffee grounds and they look like large tea bags. These are in most instances biodegradable and because they will come in a more standard size, they can work with a variety of machines.

However, the pods will lose the flavor and taste faster than capsules because coffee grounds are more exposed to the air.

Capsules: Capsules are more common than pods and they are what many people will associate with the single serve coffee makers thanks to the immense popularity of the K-Cups. They are just small plastic cups with coffee grounds sealed inside and are popularly used by Nespresso and Keurig.

When you insert capsules on your coffee maker it will pierce them before running hot and pressurized water through to make coffee. And because they are sealed, the coffee will retain its flavor and taste for longer.

4. Capacity

The amount of coffee you take or the number of cups you make every day also matters when it comes to choosing the best single serve coffee maker.

Everyone will have a different preference when it comes to the size or amount of coffee they prefer to take in the morning.

If you are a light drinker, a machine that makes at least 6-ounce cups should be perfect while the 12-ounce ones are the best for the heavy drinkers. But, the best machine for you is one that will offer you the option to choose from different brew sizes.

Also, the size of the water tank matters when it comes to the capacity, and the larger the water reservoir the better as it means you can make more cups without having to refill it.

5. Brewing Time

Although most single cup coffee makers are made for fast brewing, the brewing time still varies from one model to the other.

Brewing time will matter even more when you are in a hurry in the morning and just want a quick cup of coffee to get your daily fix of caffeine.

But as much as the brewing time it is important, it is also crucial to make sure that the machine allows enough time for maximum contact between hot water and the coffee grounds for maximum extraction and flavor.

Machines with a brewing time of 2 to 5 minutes are often the most ideal as they allow for enough machine heat up and extraction time.

6. Ease of Use

If your single serve coffee maker is not easy to use, you are better off using a traditional stovetop coffee maker as it will give you a much easier time.

For the single cup machine to be easy to use, it needs to first be straightforward to assemble if it requires any assembly. Secondly, it should have some simple to understand controls and functions.

Also, other things like the water reservoir should be easy to fill up and clean. However, also note that the more the features and customization you need in your single serve coffee maker the more complicated it will be to use.

7. Budget

Like all other coffee machines, single serve coffee makers will come in varying price ranges. And so it is important to come up with a budget before you start shopping.

You can get a basic single serve coffee maker for as little as under $50. But, most of the top quality models will retail for slightly over $100 while the high-end, feature-rich ones will go for hundreds of dollars.

Besides choosing something within your budget, you also need to make a cost-benefit analysis by taking into account things like the capacity, speed, and features to ensure that you get the best value for your cash.

Conclusion

Single cup coffee makers provide a quick and convenient way of making one cup of coffee when you do not need a full pot or carafe.

However, these machines are available in several types and styles and also in different models from different brands. Hence, you need to pick the best single cup coffee maker from the many options by considering factors like the capacity and ease of use.

And with our top 10 single cup coffee maker reviews for recommendations above, you can be certain of getting a machine that will make you some rich and flavorful brews and serve you well for many years.