Coffee Pots That Use K Cups vs the Best Single Serve Coffee Makers
Introduction
Coffee is in the limelight now more than ever, especially with the advent of the third wave where coffee is purchased based on origin and characteristic, and is treated as an artisanal or craft beverage rather than a commodity. Along with this is the more publicized good reputation of coffee with regard to health. With more people veering away from the big coffee chains and desiring to create their own cuppa joe at home, single-serve coffee makers found its market. But the same people who desire good coffee also want convenience. Single-serve coffee makers offer just that, a fuss-free fresh cup of coffee anytime of the day all day long. Its increasing popularity is attributable to its convenience and consistency. Continue reading this to gain better understanding of single-serve coffee makers.
Different Single Cup Coffee Makers
There are coffee pots that use K cups or pods to brew a cup of joe. A lot of consumers now find their most loved cup of coffee in these mess-free coffee pods. Some coffee lovers and environmentalists firmly believe that the best single cup coffee maker is without pods. So which is which? How are these two different when both are single-serve coffee makers?
Coffee Maker with Pods
What are coffee pods? These are ground coffee bean pre-packaged in its own filter or in aluminum or plastic capsules. Pods decrease the brewing process by skipping measurement of portions, adding flavor and brewing time. And because coffee is packaged in single serve portions, you are sure to always get a fresh yield. Different systems use different pods and are sometimes very limiting. The four leading pods are used in the top four single cup brewers; K-Cup Brewers take K-Cups from Green Mountain for use usually by the Keurig brewing system, Nespresso Brewers take specially designed discs by Nestle, Starbucks Verismo Brewer takes K-Fee capsules that contain Starbucks coffee, and Tassimo Brewers like the Bosch Tassimo take T-Discs manufactured by different subsidiaries of Kraft.
Coffee Maker without Pods
Single cup coffee makers that do not use pods or pre-packaged portions of coffee grounds are still huge in the market. One of the top products in this category is Hamilton Beach’s Single Scoop Coffee Maker, which we’ll go into detail later. The more traditional and popular choices are the Aeropress, which is like an inverted French press, Chemex, siphon, pour over, and drip. These are less convenient than the brewing systems that use pods. Because these are manual, except for Hamilton Beach, it involves some practice and some time to master the skill of making good coffee.
Top 5 Single Cup Coffee Makers
Features, specifications, ease of use, quality and price are the key factors that put these coffee makers on this list. This numbered list is based on models users ranked as the best. While these top rated machines are definitely worth your money than the rest, investing in one still depends largely on your preference and lifestyle. So just keep this in mind as you choose you coffee-making companion.
1. Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System
The leading brand of brewing system is still undeniably Keurig. The K45 can brew your pods or K-cups of coffee, tea, hot cocoa, specialty, and iced beverages in less than one minute with a touch of a button. It comes with three cup sizes to choose from, 6 oz., 8 oz., and 10 oz. The Elite Brewing System offers a detachable drip tray to make way for travel mugs. It has a removable 48 oz. water reservoir, indicator lights and an automatic on and off feature. This is also packaged with 1 charcoal filter, 1 water filter handle and 12 pieces K-Cup® variety sampler pack.
2. Hamilton Beach 49981A Single Serve Scoop Coffee Maker
The Scoop Coffee Maker is a great example of a top product that do not use coffee pods. Instead, you can brew your choice of ground coffee with its single-serve scoop filter. It is as easy as the product name sounds. Just get a scoop of your favorite coffee grounds and brew for 90 seconds to get 8 oz. or two and a half minutes for 14 oz. of coffee into your cup or travel tumbler. You can even choose between a regular setting for a quick basic coffee and bold setting for stronger flavor with longer brewing time. This also has an automatic off function that shuts the unit down after brewing. The coffee is filtered by the steel mesh scoop that has two measuring lines for precise serving amounts. The body is also made of durable stainless steel with an adjustable built-in stand for coffee mugs. It is easy to use and clean and it brews coffee fast. It is in the top list for its versatility and cost-effectiveness because you are not limited by the coffee grounds you can use as opposed to brewing systems that use K-cups or coffee pods.
3. Cuisinart SS-700 Single Serve Brewing System
The Cuisinart SS-700 is a single-serve home-brewing system that uses Keurig K-Cups. You can choose among different cup sizes; 4, 6, 8, or 10 oz. from the brewing size options icon. It also has an iced beverage setting; a big 8 oz. removable water reservoir and a detachable drip tray for tall tumbler. Cuisinart’s brewing system boasts of a fully programmable blue backlit LCD that displays time, adjustable temperature and an automatic on and off function. The product package includes charcoal water filter, My K-Cup reusable coffee filter, 12 K-Cup portion pack and an instructional manual.
4. Keurig K40 Elite Brewing System
The K40 Elite is the predecessor of the K45 Elite. This can brew your K-cups of coffee, hot cocoa, tea, specialty, and iced beverages in less than a minute with just a touch of a button. You can choose to among three cup sizes, 6 oz., 8 oz., and 10 oz. The Elite Brewing System has a detachable drip tray that allows space for travel mugs. It also has a removable 48 oz. water reservoir, indicator lights and an automatic on and off feature like its predecessor. This is packaged with 6 pieces K-Cup® variety sampler pack.
5. Nespresso VertuoLine Coffee and Espresso Maker with Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother
The Nespresso VertuoLine coffee system uses the Centrifusion technology that gently brew coffee and espresso and yield high quality large-cup coffee. With just a touch of a button, you can make an authentic espresso, which has always been Nespresso’s objective. Make beautiful crème with the Nespresso Aeroccino Plus milk frother that features a rapid one touch hot or cold milk froth preparation. This coffee and espresso maker has two capsule sizes; small for espresso and large for coffee. Because the patent for Nespresso capsules ended, the company created coded capsules and this machine has the code reading technology to perform blend-specific parametric brewing. It has a detachable used capsule container that can store up to 20 used capsules. This machine is also smart with its automatic off mode that shuts the unit off after being inactive for 9 minutes and a quick 15-second heat up time.
Other Quality Single Cup Coffee Makers
Aside from the top 5 single cup coffee makers listed above, here are the other brands and models you can consider during your purchase. These are also rated by users themselves based on features, specifications, ease of use, quality and price.
- Hamilton Beach Single Serve Coffee Brewer and Full Pot Coffee Maker, 2-Way
- Keurig K130 Brewing System
- Keurig K450 Brewing System
- Keurig K250 2.0 Brewing System
- Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker With Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother
Other Single Cup Coffee Maker Brands
The listed products are almost all Keurig, Hamilton and Nespresso. Here are other brands that produce quality single cup coffee makers you can check out like Black & Decker, Kitchen Selectives, Mr. Coffee and BUNN.
Black & Decker
Black & Decker came up with DCM18S Brew ‘n Go Personal Coffeemaker with Travel Mug that brews coffee directly into the included 15 oz. stainless travel mug for a fuss free coffee making. It also comes with a permanent filter so you don’t have to buy disposable paper filters. This personal brewer can brew fresh grounds of pods. It also has optimal temperature that ensures the best flavor every time. It also comes with a quick and easy on and off feature. What makes Black & Decker’s coffee maker a great buy is its really affordable price.
Kitchen Selectives
This single serve coffee maker, CM-688 1-Cup Single Serve Drip Coffee Maker, is an excellent choice if you want an affordable and convenient brewing machine for your favorite coffee. This coffee maker comes with a personal 12 oz. mug so you can brew your coffee and go the moment it’s done with no need for the messy transfer from one container to another. It also has removable drip tray for easy cleaning. You can say that the machine’s illuminated power button is an added feature as it allows you to start brewing even in the dark. One of the setbacks of this unit is its short power cord, lack of an automatic off feature and a mesh filter that rips easily.
Mr. Coffee
If you like Keurig Brewed K-Cup packs, Mr. Coffee’s Single Serve Coffee Brewer BVMC-KG6-001, 40-Ounce is a good option. It gives you the power to choose among more than 250 varieties of coffee, hot chocolate and tea. This machine has a 40 oz. reservoir that is removable. It can also brew multiple sizes, 6 oz, 8 oz., or 10 oz. It also comes with a detachable drip tray so you can use travel mugs of taller sizes. It is also very easy to use like Keurig brewers; thanks to the K-Cup’s fuss free preparation.
BUNN
BUNN is among the brands worthy of consideration in the coffee maker market. Its MCU Single Cup Multi-Use Home Coffee Brewer is relatively small but packs great features. It sports a unique Spin Lid that allows you to conveniently add fresh water for every cup of joe. It brews tea and coffee quickly in less than one minute. It offers brewing flexibility with its four interchangeable front-loading drawers for the ground coffee, pod, cup and hot water. It is pricier than the preceding items but that’s because it has a stainless steel tank that maintains the water’s temperature longer and its hot water dispenser, which comes in handy for preparing other food like gelatin or oatmeal. The only drawbacks of this unit are the absence of an off switch and its loudness when in use. Some say it isn’t as energy-efficient as other brands.
How to Choose a Single Cup Coffee Maker
Before deciding if it’s Nestle’s Nespresso vs. Keurig, Starbucks’ Verismo vs. Keurig, or Bosch’s Tassimo vs. Keurig, you must first determine if you want a single serve coffee maker that uses pods or if you want one with no pods. Because the biggest players in the single cup coffee making scene all use coffee pods or capsules. Consider these before making a purchase:
Preference
Do you want it fast and fuss-free? If you do, single cup brewers will satisfy your need. Pods come in different variants but the process of brewing pods affect the taste significantly. Do you want gourmet tasting coffee? If you answer yes, you’ll benefit from brewers that do not use pods like a French press or a drip.
Versatility
Single cup coffee makers that use pods are usually limited to the types of coffee manufacturers sell. Yes, it comes in a variety of flavors but there is still more flexibility with choosing your own coffee grounds which you can use with non-pod using coffee makers.
Cost
Single cup coffee makers that use K-cups or pods are more expensive in the long run. Keurig sells their machines at a relatively affordable price but their K-cups are more expensive. Using brewers without pods will cost you significantly less because the equipment is inexpensive and you can choose more affordable beans.
Conclusion
There is a coffee maker for everyone. Choosing between K-cups, T-discs, capsules and ground coffee will all depend on your needs. But it is always safe to start small. You do not have to buy the most expensive and most advanced machine if you drink any and every cup of coffee. Know your coffee and yourself. Do your research and educate yourself on the different brands and their offers so you can get more value for your money. If you are still unsure, do not worry because you can sell or upgrade in the future if you are not happy with your first purchase.
