Marlene Montalvo

Single Cup Coffee Makers

A single cup of coffee maker can help you start your day with a delicious hot cup of coffee. These stylish machines are also ideal gifts for the coffee enthusiast in your life.

There's a single cup maker for everyone, no matter if you prefer pods or grounds. Find out which models performed best in our tests on function durability, durability, and ease of use.

Easy of Use

A single cup coffee maker is an excellent idea if you only drink one cup of coffee a day and would like the convenience of being able to make it quickly. They're also great for dorm rooms or an office because they are smaller than a larger drip machine and don't have a water reservoir to keep refilling.

The coffee makers are made with single-serve coffee pods or coffee ground. These coffee makers also have an option to "brew over ice" which is great to make cold coffee. Single-cup coffeemakers can be used with loose leaf tea, which is great for those who prefer herbal or rooibos.

There are a myriad of one-cup coffee makers available on the market and you'll need to choose which features are important to you. You might want to have a larger reservoir to decrease the number of times that you'll need to refill it. Some have removable water tanks that are easy to carry to the sink. Others don't even have a tank, and they require you to fill it by yourself.

Our top picks also come with a fast brewing time which could save you some precious morning hours. Some have thermal cups that keep your coffee hot for a few hours after the brew cycle has been over. This can be an excellent option if you wish to keep your coffee warm.

You'll need to decide if you prefer the convenience and ease of K-Cups, or if you prefer to use ground coffee beans that have filters. If you're in the latter category you should think about the Ninja CM407 or other options such as the Nespresso Essenza Mini. You could also opt for an AeroPress if you love the flavor of espresso made at home but don't like the extra work involved with traditional drip coffee makers. Whatever one-cup brewer you choose, it's important to consider how many people you'll be serving. A single-cup coffee maker isn't a great choice for families of three or more who all consume coffee at the same time. This is because you'll probably end up with leftovers that can be thrown away.

Ease of Cleaning

While a single cup coffee machines-cup coffee maker might seem like an efficient option for those traveling however, it's crucial to keep this workhorse clean. Because, if you don't take proper care, gunk can build up in the carafe and basket, leaving bitter taste. And if left unclean for too long the reservoir may be home to yeast and mold according to a 2011 study conducted by NSF International. While these contaminants won't significantly affect your health, it can be an unpleasant experience to wake up to a cup of coffee that doesn't taste good. A regular cleaning routine can bring back your coffee maker to its original glory.

White vinegar, a common product that you likely have around, can do wonders in removing the hard water deposits and buildup that could cause your machine to stop functioning. De-scaling should be done once a month or every three months, using the same procedure similar to how you brew coffee.

Begin by emptying the water bottle. Then with a soft, warm soapy cloth, wipe down the lid of the mug as well as the brewing container. Pour equal parts of white vinegar and water into the reservoir. Make the mixture like you would with a regular cup of coffee. Allow the mixture to rest for approximately 45 minutes, which will allow the vinegar to dissolve the calcium deposits inside the machine's water reservoir as well as basket.

After 45 minutes After 45 minutes, pour the solution away and run several brewing cycles with water that is clean to eliminate any remaining residue. If you don't happen to have vinegar, a mix of baking soda and clean water will suffice. Just make sure that there aren't any seeds, pulp or rinds in the liquid.

If your Keurig has signs of more severe buildup It is possible to clean it by following the same procedure as described above. You can take apart the machine so that you can wash each part individually in soapy water. Then, rinse each component and towel-dry before putting it back together.

Easy Maintenance

Our testers love the convenience of an easy-to-use single-cup coffee maker, even though a pour-over could be the best option for taste. So, when testing single-serve brewers, we focused on the ease of daily maintenance--including how easy it was to refill the water reservoir, how simple it was to dump spent grounds or pods, and whether the instructions for descaling were clear and easy to follow.

We also analyzed the amount of waste produced by each model, whether it was in the form disposable coffee cups, reusable filters, or how often the brewer needed to be descaled. For the latter we compared how easy it was to get the machine up and running with an at-home descaling solution which typically consists of vinegar and warm soapy water.

This small beauty from Sboly is a great value for the price. It offers a number of useful features. It allows you to choose between grounds and pods, can brew either an 8 or 14-ounce cup, and is small enough to be tucked away in the cabinet.

Gift Giving Made Easy

If you're looking for a coffee lover there are a lot of options for gifts. For instance, you can gift your friend an assortment of their favorite beans or a gorgeous coffee mug. But if you're looking to really impress, consider gifting one of the top single cup coffee makers for home use. These gadgets can aid your loved ones to make the perfect cup of coffee each time, and also save money on trips to their local cafe.

Our experts have curated the most appropriate options for a broad range of budgets and lifestyles. They have also compiled shopping guides to assist you in making the best choice for your loved ones.

In our list of choices we would recommend the Ninja CM407 for its exceptional performance. It produced the most hot cup of joe in our tests and comes with multiple brewing settings that let you select between a single serving or a full carafe. Plus, it's compact and easy to use.

Another option is the Keurig K-Cafe which offers a wide range of brewing options. If you're looking to offer your friends and family the convenience of K Cups or espresso it is the best alternative. For those who prefer to pour their coffee manually we suggest the Chemex due to its stylish design and sturdy construction.

You can also give your friends a great gift that'll help them enjoy their coffee to the fullest: the Cupping Spoon. These tools are utilized by professional coffee tasters to make the most of each sip. It'll aid your family and friends to enjoy the aroma, flavor and the texture of their cups of coffee.

Of course, you shouldn't ignore the final elements that make a great cup of coffee: milks and creamers (both dairy and non) sauces and syrups, and even coffee liquors. Talk to your acquaintances about what they like in their coffee and what makes it different from the other. This will help you find the perfect present that will put a smile on their face.