Single Cup Coffee Makers

A single cup of coffeemaker will help you start your day with a delicious cup of hot coffee. These fashionable machines also make ideal gifts for the coffee enthusiast in your life.

There's a single-cup brewer for everyone, whether you prefer to use pods or grounds. Find out which models scored highly in our tests for function, durability, user-friendliness and aesthetics.

Ease of Use

If you consume only one cup of coffee per day, a single serve coffee makers-cup coffee maker is the best single brew coffee maker option for you. It allows you to make coffee quickly and efficiently. They're also perfect for a dorm or office, especially because they are smaller than a full-sized drip machine and have no water reservoir to keep refilling.

The coffee makers are equipped with pre-filled single-serve coffee pods or ground coffee. These coffee makers also come with an option to "brew over Ice" which is great to make cold brew. Single-cup coffeemakers can be used with loose leaf tea which is perfect for those who prefer herbal teas or rooibos.

There are a variety of one cup coffee makers (read this article) that are available and you'll need to decide which features are important to you. For instance, you might want a large water reservoir to reduce the amount of times you need to refill it. Some have removable water tanks that are easy to transport to the sink. Others don't even have tanks and require you to fill it up yourself.

A few of our top choices have a short brewing time that can save you valuable morning minutes. Some also come with a thermal carafe that keeps your coffee warm for a couple of hours after the brew cycle ends, which can be an added convenience when you want your coffee to last a long time.

You'll need to decide whether you prefer the convenience and ease of K-Cups, or if you would rather use ground coffee beans with filters. If you fall into the latter category, you may want to consider the Ninja CM407 and other options like the Nespresso Essenza Mini. Or, you could prefer an AeroPress If you enjoy the flavor of espresso made at home but don't want the extra work required by a traditional drip coffee maker. Whichever type of one-cup brewer you decide to use, it's important to think about how many people you could serve. If you're a family of three or more people who consume coffee in a group, a single cup coffeemaker is not the best option. You'll end up with coffee that's not being used.

Cleaning is easy

It is important to wash your single-cup coffee maker. This is because, without proper care, gunk can build up in the basket and carafe, causing a bitter taste. According to a study carried out by NSF International in 2011, if the reservoir is left dirty, it may be a home for mold and yeast. Although these bad guys won't really affect your health, it's a bit of a turn-off to awake to a cup of brew that isn't as good as it sounds. However, implementing an annual cleaning routine will help your coffee maker return to its original splendor.

A quick clean using the one household item you likely always have in your kitchen cupboards--white vinegar--can be a game changer in getting rid of the accumulation of hard water and sludge that could cause your coffee maker to stop functioning properly. We recommend de-scaling your machine once a month (or every three months) by following the same procedures you would use to brew a pot of coffee.

Begin by emptying the water bottle. Then with a warm, soft, soapy cloth, wipe down the lid of the mug as well as the brewing container. Then, pour equal amounts of white vinegar and water into the reservoir. Then brew the mixture just like you would with a regular pot of coffee. Allow the mixture to rest for about 45 minutes, which will give the vinegar a chance to dissolve the calcium deposits inside the machine's water reservoir and basket.

After the 45-minute time limit has ended and the solution is poured out, pour it out and run several brewing cycles using clean water to rinse away any remaining residue. If you don't have vinegar on hand or a mixture of baking soda and water could work, but be sure there aren't any seeds pulp, rind, or seeds in the solution.

If your Keurig is showing signs of a more extensive build-up, you can clean it using the same procedure as mentioned earlier by disassembling the machine to the point where you can wash each component individually in warm, soapy water. Then, wash each part in warm soapy water and dry it with a towel prior to placing the machine back together.

Ease of Maintenance

Our test participants love the ease of using a one-cup coffee maker even though a pour-over may 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 took into account how much waste each model created regardless of whether it was in the form of disposable coffee cups or a reusable filter and the frequency at which the brewer required to be descaled. For the latter we examined how easy it was to get the machine back up and running using an at-home descaling solution that is typically a mixture of warm soapy water.

This tiny beauty from Sboly is an excellent value for the price. It has a range of useful features. It lets you select between grounds and pods, can brew either an 8- or 14-ounce cup, and is small enough to be tucked away in cabinets.

The ease of gift giving

There are many ideas for gifts for coffee lovers. For instance, you can gift your friend the bag of their preferred beans or a gorgeous coffee maker single mug. If you want to impress your friends, you can gift them one of the top home single cup coffee makers. These gadgets can help your loved ones brew the perfect cup of coffee each time and save them money on trips to their local cafe.

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

Among our picks we would recommend the Ninja CM407 for its exceptional performance. It produced the most smoky cup of coffee during our tests and has multiple brewing settings that let you select between a single serving or a full carafe. Additionally, it's small and easy to use.

Keurig K-Cafe is another option, as it offers several different brewing options. If you want to offer your friends and family the convenience of K Cups or espresso this is the ideal alternative. For those who prefer pouring by hand we recommend the Chemex with its elegant design and robust construction.

You can also give your friends a great present that will allow them to enjoy their coffee to the max: A Cupping Spoon. These tools are utilized by professional coffee tasters to make the most of every sip. This will let you and your family to enjoy the aroma, flavor, and texture of their coffee.

You can't forget about the finishing touches to a great cup of coffee. These include creamers and milks both dairy and non-dairy syrups, sauces, and even coffee liquors. Talk to your friends about what they enjoy in their coffee and what makes it different from the next person. This will guide you to the perfect gift that will put a smile on their face.