The 9 Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker

4.7

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This Specialty Coffee Associate-certified brewing device is extremely versatile, almost like having multiple coffee makers in one. There's a single-serve function that lets users fill a travel mug with drip coffee as you’re dashing out the door on a workday, and it makes specialty brews by frothing milk for lattes and cappuccinos. Selecting the drink size is simple thanks to the item's front-facing dial. Choose from classic coffee, super-rich, or brew for serving over ice.

Since this doesn’t require pods, you can buy your favorite coffee beans from a boutique local coffee roaster or buy inexpensive grocery store grounds to save money while still making interesting coffee drinks every day of the week. Special thermal extraction ensures full flavor no matter what you brew.

Price at time of publish: $170

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Dimensions: 12 x 8.8 x 15 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,500 | Voltage: 120

Best Keurig

Keurig K-Café Single-Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker

4.8

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There’s no doubt about it, brewing coffee with pods is convenient, and there are more and more types of coffee available every day, along with tea and other beverages. But this coffee maker is more than just convenient. It can also brew concentrated coffee shots with the push of a button, so you can create coffeehouse-style drinks at home, or choose to brew a stronger cup of coffee whenever you want it. The frother cup gives you hands-free frothing of milk, skim milk, soy milk, or almond milk, and the cup is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning when you’re done.

You can choose from four different cup sizes from 4 to 12 ounces. The 60-ounce water reservoir lets you brew multiple cups of coffee before you have to refill, saving you time in the morning. This also saves energy by turning itself off two hours after your last cup of coffee was brewed.

Price at time of publish: $190

Grounds or Pods: Pods | Dimensions: 12.5 x 15.3 x 11.7 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,500 | Voltage: 120

Best Nespresso

Nespresso Essenza Mini

4.8

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The Essenza Mini is one of the most affordable and compact Nespresso machines available, so it fits many different budgets and (literally) many different kitchens. We found that it takes 25 seconds for the machine to heat-up, and then roughly another 25 seconds to brew depending on which of the two drink sizes you choose. That's a tasty shot of espresso in about one minute flat. Customers shouldn't expect the same quality as a professional, thousand-dollar machine, but we gave the Essenza Mini a high score after numerous taste tastes. It also has Nespresso's signature consistency, so there won't be any randomly bad shots of espresso thrown into the mix.

The item is available in five colors, including neutrals like black and white, as well as a stand-out red. For those interested in making lattes and cappuccinos, the Essenza Mini, like most Nespresso makers, can be purchased with an Aeroccino3 Milk Frother at a reduced rate.

Price at time of publish: $179

Grounds or Pods: Pods | Dimensions: 4.3 x 8 x 12.8 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,255 | Voltage: 120

Best Pour Over

Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper Size 02

4.2

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The Hario V60 has long been a favorite among coffee experts and is among the most recognizable pour over coffee makers out there today. More goes into designing the small, cup-shaped brewing device than may meet the eye. The V60 is named from its "V" shape and 60-degree angle, which, along with the ribbed interior, creates an optimal rate for water to flow through coffee grounds. The precision comes through in the taste. We have tested both ceramic and glass V60s and the coffee was light, clean, and devoid of sediment. Different flavors in the coffee beans stand out too, unlike a burnt, one-note cup of joe.

The V60 is available in a wide range of colors and materials. Some have slight design variations, usually just regarding the size or shape of the base. The vast majority of V60 models are affordably priced. Brewing is extremely easy, but it requires a little patience to pour hot water over the grounds in small doses, rather than all at once.

Price at time of publish: $25

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Dimensions: 4.7 x 4.7 x 3.7 inches | Warranty: 90 days

Best Dual Brewer

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 2-Way Coffee Maker

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On one side of this machine is a 12-cup glass carafe for when you want a full pot of coffee. On the other, a single-serve brewer that works with both ground coffee and coffee pods. The single-serve side brews up to 14 ounces when using ground coffee (or 10 ounces with K-cups), which is more than enough for one cup of coffee. You can also remove the plastic cup platform to fit a travel mug before your morning commute.

Unlike many single-serve machines, the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew does not have a water reservoir for the single-cup side, so you will need to pour a cup of water every time you want one cup of coffee. Some customers also question the machine's durability, noting that issues arose around one year of use. Aside from this, the product has great reviews and other impressive features, like a 24-hour programmable timer, a pause-and-serve feature, and automatic shutoff after two hours.

Price at time of publish: $120

Grounds or Pods: Both (carafe side is grounds only) | Dimensions: 11.4 x 12.2 x 13.7 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,050 | Voltage: 120

Best for Travel

AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker

4.8

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For some coffee lovers, the AeroPress is what first comes to mind when picturing a single-serve brewing device, especially for those who prefer non-electric coffee makers to, say, a Keurig or Nespresso product. The AeroPress is affordable, extremely compact, and gives users the flexibility to brew something like drip-style coffee or a richer, espresso-like cup depending on preference. Although it requires more hands-on effort than electric devices, it brews very quickly at around two minutes once the water is boiled.

After testing the product, our reviewer called it a "must-buy." She described the taste as smooth and similar to pour-over coffee, adding that you can also use the AeroPress to make lattes, Americanos, and even cold brew. There may be a slight learning curve, which means the first few cups might not be as tasty until you get the hang of it, but overall this coffee maker is an excellent value that you can take and use anywhere.

Price at time of publish: $40

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Dimensions: 11.3 x 5 x 4.25 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited

Best Drip Coffee

Hamilton Beach The Scoop Single-Serve Coffee Maker

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The sleek look, ease of use, simple cleanup, and flavorful coffee were praised by reviewers of this coffee maker. It can accommodate either standard coffee cups or travel mugs up to 14 ounces and 7 .25 inches high and has a bold setting for extra-strong coffee.

This has a permanent metal mesh filter, so a paper filter isn’t required, but some users prefer the flavor of coffee that has been filtered more thoroughly. This can accommodate some small paper filters made by other brands, while some users said that cutting large filters to size is easy and affordable.

Price at time of publish: $57

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Dimensions: 8.35 x 6.7 x 8.67 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,300 | Voltage: 120

Best for Office

Keurig K-Elite Single Serve Coffee Maker

4.2

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Whether your office is above the garage at home or you’ve got the corner office with a view, this coffee maker will be a great fit. This can brew from 4 to 12 ounces of coffee at a time, while the strong brew button increases the strength of the brew for a bolder cup. You won’t need to wait long since this makes a cup of coffee in less than a minute.

If you’ve got a cup of ice, you can use the iced brew setting to make iced coffee any time you like, and the 75-ounce water reservoir means you won’t have to make a lot of trips to fetch water for your brews. When you need to fill it, the reservoir is removable.

The hot water on demand button dispenses hot water for your instant oatmeal, or cup of soup or noodles for those days when you’ll be eating at your desk. It’s also handy for making tea using your favorite tea bags rather than K-Cups.

Price at time of publish: $190

Grounds or Pods: Pods | Dimensions: 12.7 x 9.9 x 13.1 inches | Warranty: 1-year limited | Wattage: 1,500 | Voltage: 120