I was also impressed with the fineness of the sediment that was left in the bottom of my cup using the mesh filter. You should expect anything that uses only a mesh filter to leave at least a little bit of ground coffee sediment, but in this case it wasn’t unappealing during the last sips. Even if it did bother you, the basket is also paper filter compatible. Grinding and brewing are both relatively quiet operations that probably won’t wake up anyone, and gentle beeps let you know your coffee is ready. Also, while you’ll need to find a carafe or container that fits under the machine, the fact that the Cuisinart can brew up to 24 oz. of hot coffee means you could, in a pinch, use this for a few guests over for brunch.
What we’d leave: Cleaning the filter after every use is a chore (and some people choose single-serve machines specifically to avoid it by using pods) That said, there are more gentle beeps to remind you the filter access door hasn’t been opened since the last brew, so at least you won’t forget. Clearance for cups, even with the drip tray completely removed, is still rather low for travel cups at just seven inches, which would irk me if I was brewing a bunch of hot coffee for a winter excursion or during iced coffee season. When brewing at the 24 oz. setting, the coffee was noticeably weaker than smaller cup sizes, which makes sense since the filter basket only has so much capacity for grounds.
How we tested single-serve coffee makers
With so many proprietary pods out there, we did our best to compare apples to apples by attempting to find Starbucks pods of similar roasts for every machine that could use them (Bruvi was the only exception), not because the brand is our favorite coffee roasters, but because it is the most cross-pollinated among all types of machines. For Keurig machines, we also tested using K-cups from Illy coffee. Fresh grounds were used for any machines that offered a refillable pod. We tested the different brew size, strength, and style options on each machine as well.
What makes a good single-serve coffee maker
There are plenty of subpar single-cup coffee makers out there, and life is short, so we don’t think bad coffee needs to be a part of it. We looked for coffee pod machines that delivered balanced flavor and a smooth finish with consistency.
Are the pods simple to load and is the interface (buttons or screens) intuitive and simple? Does the water reservoir require constant refill oversight, and is it easy to access? Does the machine require regular cleaning or maintenance to keep working? The ease of use should extend to pod collection and disposal as well. Some machines require emptying the coffee pod chamber after each use. Others collect them for occasional disposal or recycling.
Pod coffee makers don’t need to take up too much space, but they can also be too small, relying on heating and brewing elements that sacrifice on quality. And because most regular coffee drinkers won’t be putting their machine away every day, it should look good on your countertop, too.
Pods are a problem. There’s no way around it. No coffee brewing option will be as ecologically sound as simply pouring water over grounds (and then composting those grounds if you can). Yes, technically you can tear apart Keurig pods, empty their spent coffee into your compost bin and the filter into the trash, and then recycle the plastic cup portion. But overall, we can’t get behind any machine that requires plastic pods that aren’t easily recyclable. Machines that operate using a reusable pod were also given some bonus points.
Other single-serve coffee makers we liked:
Bruvi
BRUVI Single-Serve Coffee Maker
This touchscreen pod machine is everything we wish most K-cup machines could be. It offers rich, balanced, and nuanced coffee, plus eight brewing sizes, one-touch presets for low-acid, americano, iced coffee (which brews hot over ice), and cold brew (which uses cooler water), as well as simple customizations to any of these like temperature control and brew strength. And it does all this using its own proprietary pods made with specially treated polypropylene, which will (mostly) break down in a landfill. So other than you need to use its proprietary coffee pods, Bruvi offers all of the convenience of capsules and the fancy-pants settings of high-end coffee makers and good coffee with little downside.
Nespresso Essenza Mini
Nespresso Essenza Mini Espresso Machine
The Essenza Mini comes from Nespresso’s Original line, which uses smaller capsules and only brews 1.35-oz. espresso shots or 3.7-oz. Lungo cups of coffee. And it does so using 19 bars of pressure for extraction, as opposed to the VertuoLine’s centrifugal extraction method. It doesn’t make plain old cups of coffee, however, but we’ve included it here as a good option for pod coffee drinkers who prefer espresso drinks and want a simple way to make beverages like cappuccinos and macchiatos.
Moccamaster Cup-One
Like its larger Moccamaster brethren, Cup-One has a timeless, old-school design and a single, tactile glowing “on” switch would make it look at home in a truck stop diner or a trendy modern apartment. And speaking of diners, the coffee, even in a 10-ounce default brew, was diner quality (I mean that affectionately), with robust flavor and texture — though that may have had something to do with the fact that I used the recommended four tablespoons of grounds, twice what other machines suggest for eight ounces. Considering its higher price tag, it appears to be pretty low tech. Okay, okay, it’s just an automatic pour-over machine. But it brewed one of the best single cups from grounds I’ve had from any drip machine. And it’s quiet, no bubbling or burping. What can I say? The small footprint and retro vibes also won me over. It’s a small luxury. It’s a vibe. As the kids say, it’s aesthetic.
