Single-Serve Coffee Makers | Coffee Gear at Home

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Which Are The Best Single-Serve and Full Pot Coffee Makers To Buy?

A coffee maker that makes both single serve and carafe servings, also known as a 2-way coffee maker, is a very convenient choice for anyone looking for the best of two worlds. Lucky for anyone who’s looking for this type of coffee maker, many choices are available. You can get a two-way coffee maker that uses ground coffee, coffee pods, or both. Even a coffee maker with built-in grinder that does both a single cup and carafe serving is available. All which we will be listing below.

What To Consider Before Choosing a Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Maker:

Do you want to use ground coffee or single serve pods? There are brands that use both and others that rely on pods only.
Cup sizes: many people want to brew right into a travel mug when choosing the single serve option. If that’s something you want, make sure the coffee maker you’re buying can accommodate a travel mug and support this brewing size.

Best Rated 2-Way Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Makers:

Hamilton Beach Flex Brew 2-Way Coffee Maker:

coffee maker with two brewing spouts: one for carafe and another for single serve.
Single serve side can accommodate a travel mug up to 8” tall.
Carafe side features auto on/off.
Brew single serve cups using ground coffee or K-Cup pods.
Brew up to 10 oz using K-Cups or up to 14 oz using ground coffee. (for single serve side).
Choose from 2 strength settings.
Uses two separate reservoirs for each side.
Automatically pausing brewing when you remove the carafe.
Carafe capacity: 12-cups.

Click here to learn more about the Hamilton Beach Flex Brew, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Cuisinart SS-15 12-cup Coffee Maker and Single Cup Brewer:

Fully programmable coffee maker with 12-cup glass carafe.
Single-serve side brews sizes: 6 oz, 8 oz and 10 oz.
Single serve can brew ground coffee or K-Cup pods.
Programs include auto on/off (for carafe side), strength control and temperature settings.
Single serve side can accommodate travel mugs.
Water reservoir capacity: 60 oz on the carafe side, 40 oz on the single-serve side.

Click here to learn more about the Cuisinart SS-15, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Keurig 2.0 K-Cup Coffee Maker:

Keurig 2.0 is the first Keurig machine that can brew single serve and full pot using K-Cup pods.
Available in different sizes, from small to large water reservoir.
Can brew up to 18 oz mug/travel mug or up to 30 oz carafe – depending on the model.
Brews K-Cup pods or can brew your own coffee ground using a refillable K-Cup filter.
Easy to use touch LCD display allows you to program volume, strength or temperature settings.

Click here to learn more about Keurig 2.0 and the difference between models.

Ninja Coffee Bar System:

A full coffee bar system with a variety of coffee sizes and options:
Single serve sizes: Cup, XL Cup, XL Multi Serve and Travel Mug, up to 22 oz.
Carafe Sizes: Full carafe, half carafe.
Choose from brew types: classic, rich, specialty, over-ice or Cafe Forte (exclusive to Ninja).
Uses ground coffee only, for both single serve and carafe.
Built-in milk frother allows you to create creamy milk froth for specialty coffee drinks.
You can read our comparisons of Ninja Coffee Bar models here.

Click here to learn more about the Ninja Coffee Bar, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Breville Grind Control Coffee Maker:

Choose to brew a single cup or a full carafe up to 12 sizes.
Built-in coffee grinder for a grind and brew coffee experience.
Grinder can be shut off to use pre-ground coffee.
Choose from 8 coffee strength settings
LCD screen gives you realtime feedback on your water level, brew time, grind size, strength settings and other selected settings.
Auto start settings starts the grind and brew process at your selected time.
Does not use any coffee pods. Only ground coffee.

Click here to learn more about the Breville Grind Control, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Which Of These Coffee Makers Is Best To Buy?

There are lots of variation in features in the coffee makers we listed above. Here are a few things to consider:

Budget: If you have a budget under $100, the Hamilton Beach Flex Brew and Cuisinart SS-15 are budget-friendly. Although they lack the extra features that the other two (Ninja and Breville) can offer.
Do you want a coffee maker that uses K-Cup Pods? Then again, your choices would be either the Hamilton Beach or Cuisinart.
If you want a coffee maker with the most serve size options, then it’s the Ninja Coffee Bar. It has the most single serve size options, brewing up to 22 oz travel mug size. It also has the option for making specialty coffee drinks like Cappuccino and Latte, thanks to its built-in frother. However we do have to note that, since espresso – which is the base of these coffee drinks – requires a pump machine, the Ninja bar doesn’t make an authentic espresso. What it brews is a coffee concentrate that is the next best thing and delivers a similar taste.
If you want the freshest coffee, then the Breville Grind Control is your best bet as it brews coffee from freshly ground coffee with its built-in conical burr grinder. If you don’t already have a grinder, this coffee maker makes a great all in one option.
Neither the Breville Grind Control or Ninja Coffee Bar use pods, but ONLY coffee ground.

Video Reviews

Review of Cuisinart SS-15:

Review of Ninja Coffee Bar System:

Review of the Breville Grind Control:

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Starbucks Verismo, Nespresso or Keurig? Which Of These Should You Buy?

Starbucks Verismo V:

Verismo V is a single serve brewer by Starbucks that makes coffee, espresso and latte right at home. It uses pods made exclusively by Starbucks that are available in their famous blends. The Verismo is a system that was first introduced back in 2012, and the Verismo V is the new and totally redesigned machine that promises to brew a better cup than its previous model.

Features of Starbucks Verismo V:

Single serve brewer with dual pressure that allows it to extract espresso at high pressure or coffee at lower power.
Coffee cup size: 10 oz.
Quick start up time of 15 seconds.
With the use of the Verismo milk frother (sold separately), you can easily make your favorite coffee drinks like latte or cappuccino.
Water reservoir capacity: 77.7 oz.

Click here to learn more about Starbucks Verismo V, read the customer reviews and buy it

Starbucks Verismo V Pods:

Verismo can only brew pods made by Starbucks for Verismo. The pods are available in a wide range of Starbucks blends, either for coffee or espresso. Each box contains 12 pods. There are also milk pods available that you can brew directly into your cup. However, these pods won’t make you an authentic cup of Cappuccino or Latte. For that, it is recommended that you pair your brewer with an electric frother, either Verismo’s or any other brand that you’d prefer.

There are no refillable pods available for Verismo. Also, as of the time of writing this post, there are no other brands that make pods compatible for Verismo. So, then buying a Verismo brewer, you’re committing to drinking Starbucks pods only.

Who Should Buy the Verismo V?

If you’re a Starbucks fan, this is a must-have for you, without a doubt. You will be saving a lot of money by investing in this system and brewing your own coffee at home. When brewing a Starbucks at home, your cost should be around $1 per cup. That’s about half the price of what you would pay at the shop.

Click here to learn more about Starbucks Verismo V, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Keurig 2.0 Coffee Brewer:

Keurig is probably the most popular single-serve brewer right now. Keurig’s brewer can make you a variety of drinks like coffee, tea, hot chocolate and more. Keurig uses K-Cup pod only, however, K-Cup pods are made by so many different brands like Green Mountain, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Folgers, and so many well known coffee brands.

Features of Keurig 2.0 Brewer:

There are 3 models available for Keurig 2.0 brewers, usually the difference between them is in the size of the water reservoir, touchscreen display and cup sizes. But here are some general features you’ll find in all models:

Single serve brewer for making coffee, tea, hot chocolate and more.
Can brew a variety of cup sizes (4 to 10 oz cup) (12 oz to 18 oz travel mug) as well as a full carafe (up to 30 oz).
Automatic K-Cup pod recognition automatically optimizes the settings for you (you can reprogram it).
Easy to use touchscreen display for programming your machine.
Strength control setting allows you to make a bolder cup of coffee.
Auto on/off option.

Click here to learn more about Keurig 2.0, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Keurig 2.0 K-Cup Pods:

Keurig 2.0 brewers use K-Cup pods different than the old K-Cups. The new K-Cups have a special labeling on the rim of the pod that allows the machine to read what pod you’ve inserted. Like we’ve already mentioned, these pods are available for many large coffee companies, so you’re more than likely to find your favorite coffee in the form of a K-Cup. And if you can’t find it, you have to option of using a refillable pod filter that not only allows you to use your favorite ground, but also save on K-Cup purchases.

Who Should Buy a Keurig 2.0 Brewer?

If you’re looking for a brewer with the most variety of drinks, then Keurig is your answer. Unlike other single serve brewers that force you to stick to their brand of coffee, Keurig brings so brand to the table. You’ll find pods from brands like Green Mountain, Folgers, Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, Caribou. You’ll also be able to brew coffee, tea, hot chocolate, flavored coffee, hot apple cider and more. The large sizes a Keurig can brew is also a very big advantage over other brewers.

Read our comparison between Keurig 2.0 brewers by clicking here.

Click here to learn more about Keurig 2.0, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Nespresso Evoluo VertuoLine Espresso and Coffee Maker:

For this post, we’re adding Nespresso’s VertuoLine to the comparison rather than OriginalLine Nespresso makers, to make the comparison fair.

Nespresso has always been known for its high quality espresso and espresso drinks. But with the introduction of their VertuoLine machines, Nespresso can now make espresso as well as coffee. VertuoLine brews Nespresso capsules only, that are even different than Nespresso’s OriginalLine capsules. VertuoLine capsules are available for espresso and coffee in a number of blends and strengths.

Features of Nespresso VertuoLine Evoluo:

Brews espresso and coffee drinks.
Automatic capsule recognition for blend-specific brewing optimization.
Uses patented Centrifusion technology for brewing instead of pump pressure. The machine spins the capsules rapidly while blending the coffee ground with water to produce the perfect crema.
Brews two up sizes: espresso (1.35 oz) and coffee (8 oz).
Used capsule drawer holds up to 12 capsules before needed to discard them.
Can be bundled with Nespresso Aeroccino to create delicious espresso based drinks (cappuccino/latte).
Available in different colors.
Read our comparison between the Nespresso Evoluo vs. VertuoLine machines.

Click here to learn more about Nespresso Evoluo, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Nespresso VertuoLine Capsules:

As we’ve just mentioned, Nespresso VertuoLine uses capsules that are entirely different than Nespresso OrignalLine’s. They’ve been fully redesigned to be used with the new Centrifusion brewing technology. VertuoLine’s capsule include over 12 varieties with the occasional release of limited edition capsules.

Who Should Buy Nespresso VertuoLine Evoluo?

If you’ve ever tried Nespresso’s coffee, then you know it is really as high quality as they say. Especially when it comes to espresso drinks. If you like your Cappuccino and Latte, you’ll love the cup a Nespresso machine can produce. The coffee on the other hand, while it is good, it is different than a traditional cup of coffee and a totally new experience. Due to Centrifusion technology, where the capsule spins at 7,000 rotations per minute while blending the coffee ground with water, the coffee comes out quite foamy and different in taste than a traditional cup of drip coffee.

Click here to learn more about Nespresso Evoluo, read the customer reviews and buy it.

Video Reviews:

Starbucks Verismo V Unboxing and Review:

Keurig 2.0 Review:

Nespresso Evoluo Review:

What Is The Difference Between a Keurig and Mr Coffee K-Cup Brewer?

When buying a K-Cup brewer, you have the option of buying either a Keurig machine or a brewer from another brand. One of these brands that make K-Cup brewers is Mr. Coffee.

Why Choose a K-Cup Brewer From Another Brand?

Whether you choose a Keurig or another brand, it all comes down to what you want out of your K-Cup brewer and how much is your budget.

Choosing another brand could offer you a brewer at a price that is better than Keurig’s. Or you can get features that aren’t available in Keurig machines. For that reason, it is always good to see what options you have before settling on a brewer or a brand.

What Is The Difference Between Keurig vs. Mr Coffee K-Cup Brewer?

Mr. Coffee’s K-Cup brewers are most comparable to Keurig’s K55 and K15, so we’ll do our comparison based on these models.

Keurig K55 vs. Mr Coffee K-Cup Brewer – BVMC-KG6-001:

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Title	Mr. Coffee BVMC-KG6-001 Single Serve Coffee Brewer Powered by Keurig Brewing Technology, Black	Keurig K55 Coffee Maker, Black
Feature	Powered by Keurig Brewed Technology Uses Patented Keurig K-Cup Packs for coffee, tea or cocoa Removable 40-ounce water reservoir for multiple brews without refilling 3 brew-size options (6-ouce, 8-ounce or 10-ounce) Removable drip tray to accommodate larger cups or travel mugs	K-Cup Pod brew sizes: 6, 8, 10 oz 48.oz water reservoir allows you to brew several cups before having to refill One-touch simplicity with button controls Auto-Off: Program your brewer to turn off automatically Removable drip tray
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info

Both brewers can brew cup sizes up to 10 oz, like most K-Cup brewers.
The Keurig K55 has a water reservoir of 48 oz capacity. Mr. Coffee brewer has a 40 oz reservoir.
With both brewers, you have the choice of using your own coffee ground. However, refillable filters are available as a separate purchase.
Both brewers include a K-Cup sample pack.

The Difference?

The only difference here is the reservoir capacity. The Keurig K55 has 48 oz capacity, about an extra cup of coffee over the Mr Coffee.

Keurig K15 vs. Mr Coffee K-Cup Brewer SC100:

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Title	Mr. Coffee K-Cup Brewing System with Reusable Grounds Filter, Silver, SC100	Keurig K15 Coffee Maker, Black (New Packaging)
Feature	Brews K-Cup packs or your favorite ground coffee Make up to a 10 ounces serving to get you going! Automatic shut off when brewing is complete Includes My Grounds reusable filter Removable, Washable drip tray collects drips to keep brew space neat and clean	Includes recipe booklet K-Cup Pod brew sizes: 6, 8, 10 oz No reservoir - just add fresh water for each cup One-touch simplicity with button controls Brews in under two minutes Product dimensions : 10.8"H x 6.9"W x 10.7"D
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info

Like Mr Coffee SC100, the K15 does not have a reservoir, but a water tank that you fill up fresh when you brew.
K15 can brew the same cup sizes as Mr Coffee, up to 10 oz.
The refillable K-Cup filter is an optional accessory for the K15, but it comes included with the Mr. Coffee.
The Mr. Coffee Brewer is taller, therefore, it can fit a travel mug under it. K15 can only fit regular mugs under it due to its small design.

The Difference?

Mr Coffee is taller and can fit a travel mug under it. It comes with a refillable filter.
The Keurig K15 comes with a K-Cup sample pack, Mr Coffee doesn’t.

Which One To Choose?

Is a water reservoir important to you? If yes, then your choice is either Mr Coffee KG6 or Keurig K55. Which one between those, though? They’re the same in features, however, the Keurig K55 has a slightly bigger reservoir and it comes with a K-Cup sample pack.
If a water reservoir is not a requirement for you, then we do recommend the Mr Coffee SC100 over the Keurig K15 for these reasons: It has more height and less width, it can easily accommodate a travel mug with the drip tray is removed, and it comes with a refillable filter. On the downside, it does not include a sample pack, so we recommend you buy some K-Cups with it.

Video Reviews:

Comparing Cuisinart SS-10 vs. SS-700, What’s The Difference Between Them?

We can’t blame you if you’re wondering what’s the difference between Cuisinart SS-10 and SS-700. These two K-Cup single-serve brewers seem identical. But to get you the definite answer, we’ve dug for all the information available on these two brewers to help you with your choice.

Is There a Difference Between the SS-10 and SS-700?

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Title	Cuisinart SS-10 Premium Single-Serve Coffeemaker, Stainless Steel	Cuisinart SS-700 Single Serve Brewing System, Silver
Feature	K-Cup compatible brewer makes one cup at a time 5 beverage sizes: 4-12 oz. Hot water button lets you enjoy instant coffee, soup, tea and hot cocoa. Rinse feature instantly cleans the inside of the brew chamber. Fully programmable with a full spectrum of features, including Auto On/Off and adjustable temperature control.	Large 80-ounce removable water reservoir eliminates the need for frequent refills 5 cup sizes, including iced beverage setting and removable drip tray for tall travel mugs Fully programmable blue backlit LCD with digital clock, auto on/off and adjustable temperature Includes: My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter, charcoal water filter, 12 K-Cup Portion Pack and instruction book Product Built to North American Electrical Standards Large 80-ounce removable water reservoir eliminates the need for frequent refills 5 cup sizes, including iced beverage setting and removable drip tray for tall travel mugs Fully programmable blue backlit LCD with digital clock, auto on/off, and adjustable temperature Includes: My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter, charcoal water filter, 12 K-Cup Portion Pack and instruction book Product Built to North American Electrical Standards
Reviews	Read Reviews	Read Reviews
Link	More Info	More Info

Looking at the features of these two brewers, we were not able to find any differences features wise. Here’s what both of these machines can do:

Brew any K-Cup pod, one cup at a time.
Choose from 5 cup sizes: 4oz up to 12 oz.
Adjustable temperature settings.
Hot water dispenser with dedicated button.
Rinse program with dedicated button.
LCD display for easy use and programming of the brewer.
Auto on/off program, digital clock.
Removable drip tray to accommodate travel mugs.

However, we found that there’s a difference between the water reservoir capacity:

The Cuisinart SS-700 has a 80 oz capacity.
The Cuisinart SS-10 has a 72 oz capacity.

Design and Aesthetics:

The SS-10 has been redesigned to look more modern and sleeker than the SS-700. Although they’re practically the same, the SS-10 has redesigned buttons and has a slightly different housing shape.

Speaking of housing, we noticed some customers have mentioned that the SS-10 feels cheaply made because of the plastic housing and that the SS-700 is a better choice. However, the truth is both the SS-10 and SS-700 have the same plastic housing with some stainless steel parts. The plastic has a silver color finish that makes it look like stainless steel, but the only actual stainless steel parts are (apart for the internal parts, of course) the handle and the drip tray.

The SS-10 is lighter in weight, which makes it feel less sturdy than the S-700, but when it comes to performance, both work the same.

EDIT: Our reader Lois Wilder provided us with a difference that we originally missed.. here’s a quote:

“SS-700 heats NEXT supply of water following each cup brewed and keeps that water hot until next use – very energy inefficient. SS-10 only heats water on demand and does it quite fast so no prolonged wait. If you turn SS-700 off to cut energy usage, when you turn it back on there is no ready hot water and it takes a minute or so to heat up some water. When you turn the SS-10 on, it heats water rapidly, little to no wait.”

Which One To Buy?

Well, it is totally up to you! You really are getting the same features with these two models. But it’s worth mentioning that the SS-700 has been officially discontinued by Cuisinart (it’s listed under Discontinued Products on their site: http://www.cuisinart.com/discontinued/coffee_makers/ss-700 ) So obviously it is better to get the newest model just to have an appliance with a possible longer life and guaranteed support.

Click here to learn more about the Cuisinart SS-10, read the customer reviews and buy it.

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iCoffee vs. Keurig: Which Of These Machines Brews K-Cups Best?

What Is iCoffee Brewer?

The iCoffee is often compared to the well know Keurig machine, and there’s a reason for that. iCoffee is a K-Cup brewer, too. But it works differently than the Keurig.

iCoffee is a single-serve K-Cup brewer with a patent-pending SpinBrew technology that instead of pumping water through the K-Cup, the needle jets water, steams and stirs it inside the K-Cup. The ensures that the coffee is fully and evenly saturated with water, which results in a more flavorful and smooth cup of coffee.

The iCoffee uses the same K-Cups as the Keurig machine. It can also accommodate refillable K-Cup pods.

Features of the iCoffee K-Cup Brewer:

SpinBrew technology: spins, steams and stirs inside the K-Cup.
Dial-a-Brew: Use the dial to choose from 4 oz to 12 oz sizes in increments of 1/2 oz
Large 75 oz water reservoir.
Removable drip tray allows the coffee brewer to accommodate larger mugs.
Compatible with every K-Cup, including private K-Cup labels and refillable K-Pods.
Includes an iCup refillable pod.
Available in models: Mozart, Opus and DaVinci.

Click here to learn more about the iCoffee Mozart, read the customer reviews and buy it.

iCoffee Mozart vs. DaVinci, What’s The Difference?

The iCoffee DaVinici uses the same SpinBrew Technology of the Mozart brewer, but it has these differences:

It has a smaller water reservoir at 55 oz.
It doesn’t have the Dial-a-Brew technology that allows you to increase or decrease the cup sizes in 1/2 oz increments.
However, it does have 5-cup sizes selection: 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 oz.

Click here to learn more about the iCoffee DaVinci, read the customer reviews and buy it.

How The SpinBrew Technology Works:

The secret is in the needle. While all Keurig and Keurig-compatible brewers use a stationery needle that punctures the K-Cup and pumps water through it, the iCoffee has a spinning needle that jets water to steam and stir right inside the K-Cup. iCoffee promises that thanks to their SpinBrew, your coffee will come out bolder, smoother and hotter.

iCoffee vs. Keurig, What Is The Difference?

Like we’ve already mentioned above, the biggest difference between the iCoffee and Keurig is how the machines work.

With iCoffee, you’re getting an innovative SpinBrew technology (exclusive to iCoffee) that spins, stirs and steams right inside the K-Cup. It is guaranteed to work with all K-Cup pods from any brands as well as refillable pods.
With Keurig, the machine pumps water right through the K-Cup, much like any other single-serve brewer.

It is worth mentioning that Keurig has a lot of brewers, each with their own advantages. We’ve only mentioned the BIGGEST difference between the iCoffee and Keurig, however, if you look at different Keurig models, you’ll find lots of features that you won’t find in the iCoffee. For example:

The Keurig 2.0 is the only K-Cup brewer that can brew carafe and not just a single-cup.
Keurig also has K-Cups, K-Carafe and K-Mug pods, each perfectly suited to the volume of coffee you’re brewing so you can get the best results.

Click here to learn everything about the Keurig 2.0, its different models and more.