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We researched the 40 best single-serve coffee makers, then bought and tested the 7 top-ranked machines available today to brew and evaluate so that your next cup can be as tasty and convenient as possible. We extensively tested and compared the brewing methods, input required, and quality of coffee produced by these machines. There are many methods for brewing and extracting a cup of joe. Fortunately, we make it easy to find a machine that suits your needs and budget and show you what's to gain by spending a bit more or less. Our experts brewed and tasted a truly astounding amount of coffee, searching for the best machines for different lifestyles and coffee preferences.
Convenience is often the name of the game when it comes to morning routines. Single-serve options, particularly pod-style coffee machines, are a great way to streamline your mornings. We've also done a full review on our favorite Keurig models.
Editor's Note: this review was updated on December 3, 2023, to incorporate secondary options worthy of consideration for each award category.
Method: Nespresso Vertuoline capsules | Time to brew: 1:40 minutes
REASONS TO BUY
Incredibly convenient
Great tasting coffee
Easy to clean
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive Nespresso pods
Large counter footprint
If you're seeking a bean-squeezing machine that'll knock your socks off, the Nespresso by De'Longhi Vertuo is an obvious winner. Easy to use and requiring minor cleanup, this machine produces a wide range of great-tasting coffee. Are you trying to streamline your morning coffee routine? This smart coffee maker automatically detects the pod type and brews the correct size and strength of coffee. The controls are intuitive and have a sleek interface. Whether you want a single espresso or a standard cup of coffee, the Nespresso Vertuo will have you sipping in less than two minutes. Additionally, the machine produces a rich crema absent from all but the Nespresso Pixie. It features a self-cleaning function that takes three minutes and requires almost no effort on the user's part, which we love.
While the Vertuo is a bit above average in cost compared to other machines, its pods cost double that of a Keurig pod. The upside is the recyclable aluminum pods don't leave a plastic aftertaste that seems almost universal in the Keurig pod options. It's also on the large side, but that means it holds enough water to produce up to 17 drinks before it needs a refill. If you are restricted to a small kitchen or somewhere with limited counter space, the Pixie model comes with a far smaller footprint and produces equally delicious espressos or lungos. Just take note that it will also cost you a bit more out-of-pocket to get started and it won't provide the same robust functionality.
The Nespresso Vertuo machine became a quick favorite for its convenience and quality of coffee.
The Keurig K-Slim is the new and improved version of the long-time consumer favorite, the Keurig K-Classic. The most notable difference, and we'd say upgrade, is the machine's profile. The old K-Classic was squat and round, taking up considerable counter space, while the new K-Slim is long, rectangular, and, as the name implies, slim. This design frees up counter space and makes for much easier storage, and we also found the new design to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing in our entire test fleet. This machine functions much like all other pod machines and gives users three size options: eight, ten, and 12-ounce pours. This machine was one of the fastest brewing options in our lineup.
The K-Slim lacks some of the extra features of the K-Elite, but it is much more affordable and produces a similar-tasting cup of coffee. The water reservoir has a limited capacity of 46 ounces, so if you plan on using this in an office setting, expect to refill the reservoir frequently. All in all, this is an affordable and convenient option that doesn't take up a ton of space. For more versatility with everyday use, we think the larger K-Elite is worth the extra expense.
The Aeropress, an immersion brewer, is closer to more traditional brew methods than any other single-serve options we tested. It doesn't quite offer the convenience of some of the other single-serve brewers, but the coffee it produces puts it in a league of its own. If excellent flavor is what you're after, the Aeropress won't let you down. This single-serve coffee maker consists of the main chamber, plunger, and filter cap that uses small paper disc filters. After heating water in a separate vessel (check out some of our favorite electric kettles), brewing takes about 1.5 to two minutes, followed by plunging the espresso-style coffee into a mug. Plunging the contraption is a bit precarious for the uninitiated but relatively intuitive. The chamber holds about 16 grams of coffee per serving and produces a rich cup of coffee that stands up to milk well.
After brewing, the Aeropress has three pieces that need to be washed, making it considerably less convenient than K-Elite by Keurig. That said, all you have to do is push out the waste in one easy step. For camping, it's hard to beat. All things considered, this is a fantastic option for anyone seeking a delicious cup of joe on a shoestring budget. If you will mostly be making your coffee at home, the Hamilton Beach The Scoop is another budget-friendly option that brews a tasty 8-14 ounce cup of joe using a refillable brew basket with your choice of grounds. It's another worthwhile alternative that eliminates unnecessary waste from your brewing process.
Not the simplest contraption but excellent extraction and a great way to brew a simple cup.
Method: Nespresso Original capsules | Time to brew: 37 seconds
REASONS TO BUY
Excellent taste
Small footprint
Ultra-fast
Highly convenient
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Only uses Nespresso pods
Limited to espresso and lungo
Since our test cycle, the Aeroccino included in this model has been updated to the new retro-styled Aeroccino3 shown in the photo above. You can also purchase the machine without the Aeroccino.
The Breville Nespresso Pixie's ability to rapidly produce quality espresso with minimal effort quickly made it one of our testers' favorite machines. This machine is limited to making 2.7-ounce espressos and five-ounce lungos; however, its size, convenience, and quality more than make up for its lack of sizing options. You only need to drop in a Nespresso pod, select the size of pour you'd prefer, and 37 seconds later, you've got a steaming hot java topped with a rich crema. Yum! The tiny machine hides on most countertops and holds enough water and spent pods that it can make eight espressos. The Pixie features a handy cubby underneath for cord management, leaving only the required amount of cord exposed, keeping your counters clutter-free.
While the Breville Nespresso Pixie is at the higher end of our cost range, the gourmet coffee it produces makes it feel like a good deal, even when considering the price of its recyclable aluminum pods. Unlike the Keurig single-serve coffee makers, there was no discernible foul taste of the pod itself. If you have more counter space to work with and would prefer the option to serve a wider range of brews, you might also want to take a look at the larger Vertuo, which earned top marks during testing and was our favorite single serve coffee maker overall.
The Nespresso Pixie quickly delivered great tasting espresso with a rich crema.
The Keurig K-Elite is a feature-packed single-serve coffee maker that's incredibly user-friendly. It can brew 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12-ounce coffees from K pods or reusable aftermarket pods. The machine features a cold brew setting that brews a stronger cup to help alleviate the watered-down taste produced when pouring hot coffee over ice. The device includes a charcoal filter that you install in the water tank, and while it helps to have filtered water, the filter doesn't rid the coffee of a plasticky taste given off by the plastic pods, even with the reusable cups. The drip tray is removable to accommodate a 7.2-inch travel mug or hold a full accidental brew if left in place. The K-Elite features a high-altitude setting that lowers the brew temperature and an auto-on setting that readies the coffee maker for you in the morning. If you can live without a few of the fancy features, you can save almost half the cost by getting the Keurig's Slim model. Specifically, you'll lose the high altitude setting, morning timer, charcoal filter, strong/iced setting, and a couple of drink sizes.
The Keurig machines can brew coffee, tea, and hot cocoa to keep up with a household's worth of demands. While the coffee didn't ace our taste test, the machine's versatility makes it a solid choice for those who are less discerning about coffee taste. The machine's large footprint and one-hour descaling process are downsides. Fortunately, it only needs descaling once or twice a year, and the process only takes a little attention and additional water. Another pod-style single serve coffee maker that is equally convenient and consistently produces superior taste results is the Nespresso Vertuo.
The Hamilton Beach Scoop has a simple approach to brewing and a sleek, compact design. The stainless steel scoop and brew basket holds 13 to 25 grams of ground coffee and neatly fits into a secondary filter that prevents grounds from ending up in your coffee. The coffee taste is superior to that of the KeurigMini, and the brewing process produces no waste aside from spent grounds. We also appreciate the high-quality, easily stashed or stored stainless steel design.
The only buttons on the machine allow you to choose between a regular and a bold brew, which determines the amount of water you add. The brewing tray flips upside down for a small mug or allows for a seven-inch travel mug in standard orientation. The Scoop isn't quite as fast as advertised but could reliably produce eight ounces of coffee in two and a half minutes. It's compact, priced well, and easily beats Keurig's Mini in a taste test. Our main complaint is that this machine requires cleaning three separate pieces after each use, which takes about the same time as cleaning the pieces of the Aeropress, a device that is less convenient to use but produces better-tasting coffee.
The Hamilton Beech Scoop uses a clever stainless steel filter to brew coffee
The Keurig K-Mini is a compact, easy-to-use, no-frills brewer that could be the perfect dorm room caffeine machine. Its narrow profile and small footprint allow it to hide many places that other single-serve coffee makers wouldn't fit. The brewer features a retractable cord and a large volume drip tray and will accommodate a six-inch travel mug or a seven-inch mug with the drip tray removed. It requires adding six to twelve ounces of water each time you brew. We also appreciate that you can select the strength of each cup (even though we hardly used this feature). The machine requires minimal daily cleaning, but Keurig recommends descaling every three to six months.
While we like many things about this machine, to a connoisseur, the taste of the coffee is rather unimpressive. The chemical taste from the Keurig pods is accentuated by this machine, making for a chemical-infused tasting cup of joe. Even when using higher-quality grounds through a reusable cup, the taste was so undesirable that our testers wouldn't recommend this machine to a friend. Instead, we would point you toward the same brand's Slim model for a counter-friendly design with more appealing brew results.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Why Trust GearLab
Buck Yedor started sneaking sips of his mom's coffee when he was just a little kid. From there, his love for coffee blossomed into a lifelong and daily ritual. Buck's general research and testing skills were first developed over the years he studied environmental science and city planning at UC Santa Barbara. He later honed his ability to make and taste coffee in particular while living and training with some of the country's most preeminent Specialty Coffee Trainers. These days he prefers a good pour-over to just about anything else, but he also recognizes and appreciates the convenience of single-serve coffee makers, especially on busy work mornings or for a quick pick-me-up at the office.
Our testing of single-serve coffee makers is based on five different metrics:
Convenience
Versatility
Ease of Use
Ease of Cleaning
Taste
To recommend the best possible single-serve coffee maker for your needs, we purchased all of these machines for an exhaustive side-by-side comparison. We spent over 40 hours brewing coffee of several varieties in each coffee maker. We dug into the manuals, cleaned and disassembled the machines, and measured coffee temperatures and brew times. We used coffee pods in the pod machines and reusable pods in the machines that would accept them. We only used filtered water and freshly ground coffee and maintained a constant indoor temperature to ensure our data was as consistent as possible.
Testing with several types of coffee to hone in on the differences between machines.
The crema coming from the Nespresso Vertuo is cafe quality.
Evaluating the taste and comparing extractions
Analysis and Test Results
We drew up testing metrics relevant to home users. We devised a ranking system to evaluate the machines based on their convenience, versatility, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and, of course, the taste of the coffee.
Convenience
Convenience is the most heavily weighted metric in our test. To evaluate the convenience of the machines, we lined the countertops with the machines side-by-side and brewed cup after cup. We kept notes about heating times, how often they needed to be refilled, messes created, and how much effort went into each cup. Leading the pack for convenience was the Nespresso Pixie followed by the Nespresso Vertuo. The Nespresso Pixie holds enough water for several coffees, stores its own spent pods, and goes from flipping the on switch to having espresso in hand in 37 seconds. While the Nespresso Vertuo also stores several cups of water and holds its own spent pods, the amount of time required to dispense a coffee was almost three times longer. The least convenient device we tested was the Aeropress because you had to heat water in an alternate vessel, grind and measure coffee and then wash three separate pieces after each use.
Feeding hungry coffee makers their morning pods.
Credit: Joshua Hutchens
Versatility
When considering versatility, we looked at what each machine or device was capable of and how well it delivered on each task. The Nespresso Vertuo was not only the most versatile machine in the test but achieved that versatility without user input. The Vertuo line of Nespresso capsules come in four sizes; the machine automatically detects which capsule is being used and dispenses an espresso, gran lungo, mug (coffee), or alto (tall coffee).
In second place was the Keurig K-Elite with its ability to pour 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12-ounce coffees from the same pod; in reality, since you're using the same amount of grounds, you're really just getting a small strong coffee or a large, weaker coffee. The Keurig K-Elite features a strong and iced setting, creating a slightly richer flavored coffee by slowing the brewing process. Enhancing the versatility of the Keurig machines is the ability to make tea or hot cocoa using specified pods. The least versatile machine was the Nespresso Pixie, as its functions are limited to making espressos and lungos.
The reusable filters are cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, they don't eliminate the plastic taste.
Credit: Joshua Hutchens
Ease of Use
Were the brewers simple and straightforward? Not always. What we were looking for in this metric is how easily we could just walk up and get a cup of coffee. The Keurig K-Elite has a bevy of settings that require sitting down with the manual to understand but delivers an eight-ounce coffee with little fanfare. The Aeropress requires the most effort, including assembling the device and heating your water in a separate vessel. The extra steps can be daunting before your first coffee of the day, but you will be rewarded in flavor.
The brew tray flips upside down to accommodate small mugs or travel tumblers.
Credit: Joshua Hutchens
The Nespresso Pixie is as simple as it gets and could be operated while half asleep. All you have to do is select a color-coded pod and pop it into the machine. Some of the machines needed water each use and had fill doors conducive to counter spills. The ease of use metric favored the Nespresso machines due to how simple the inputs were and how quickly we had coffee.
The Nespresso by De'Longhi was incredibly convenient and made surprisingly good coffee.
Credit: Joshua Hutchens
Ease of Cleaning
We evaluated the ease of cleaning by measuring the time spent cleaning after each use and the machines' long-term cleaning needs. The Keurig and Nespresso machines required minimal daily cleaning, but they needed to be descaled every three to six months. The Keurig descaling sequence took about an hour for the big machines, while the Nespresso machines required less than 15 minutes. By contrast, the Aeropress, with no water heating element, required cleaning three pieces with each brewing, but it had no long-term service needs. Makers like the Hamilton Beach Scoop required a fair bit of cleaning with each use as well as periodic descaling.
The Nespresso Pixie is incredibly easy to clean. It holds its spent pods in this clever drawer, dumping the pods out and rinsing the tray is the only cleaning it needs between descaling treatments.
Credit: Joshua Hutchens
Taste
The taste was a critical metric to us; it doesn't matter how convenient, versatile, or easy to clean your coffee maker is if it doesn't make great-tasting coffee. We were looking for efficient and flavorful extraction without the souring that happens when the grounds are under-extracted. When evaluating taste, we controlled as many variables as possible by regulating the ambient temperature, using filtered water, and the same mug style.
Even with reusable filters and high-quality grounds, the K-Mini produced lackluster coffee.
Credit: Joshua Hutchens
We carefully measured the quantity and grind of coffees used and evaluated the taste of their strength, body, and sourness. We brewed the same coffee in six of seven machines simultaneously for a side-by-side comparison; the other two machines exclusively used Nespresso pods and couldn't be compared as equivalently. We brewed light roasts and dark roasts, filled pods with gourmet grounds, and cut Keurig pods open to weigh and test the coffee through every filter that would accept it. We brewed Nespresso pods of the same coffee on the capsule machines and evaluated them against each other and the other machines. We found various brew temperatures and durations and noted how they affected the taste.
We cut Keurig pods open and brewed the coffee in other filters to evaluate the coffee taste without the pod.
Credit: Joshua Hutchens
Conclusion
We purchased the top models and spent a week exhausting their functions. We found an inexpensive option that produced some of the best-tasting coffee, and the most expensive option was the least versatile. We discovered an appreciation for the Nespresso pods, and despite our best efforts, the Keurig machines just could not produce a taste we were entirely happy with. Whether you're in search of the most flavorful extraction, the fastest cup, or the machine that best fits your space and lifestyle, we hope that our laborious research helps make your decision a bit easier.
