Which Single Cup Coffee Maker is Right For You? When you're making coffee, you have a lot of options. But which one is best for you? Single cup coffee makers provide convenience at the push of the button. The machines make use of pods from the store or capsules (like K-Cups) to brew your preferred beverage. These are usually made of plastic or aluminum and can create a lot of waste. 1. Simple to use If you're looking for an instant cup of coffee but don't have the space for an entire brewer single-cup coffee makers can make a difference. They're easy to use, and they offer a variety brewing options to suit different tastes. They require less space on the counter than a traditional coffee maker. This can be an enormous benefit for kitchens with small spaces. The majority of the models we tested could brew ground beans, or pre-portioned capsules, pods, or pods from a store. Pods, which are small cups made of plastic or aluminum include pre-measured coffee grounds as well as a built in filter. They are a great option and are less expensive than buying whole coffee beans, but may become costly in time. Many manufacturers make reused filters that can be used with their pods. You can reuse these filters. Some machines can also brew cold coffee, and some have milk-frothing attachments to make Lattes or cappuccinos. Some models, such as our top choice, can brew coffee and tea. We looked at the models on their performance, durability as well as their ease of setting up and dismantling, aesthetics, and included warranties to help us find the top single-cup brewers. Ultimately, our top pick stood out from the pack because of its simple design, a variety of options for brewing and its simple one-touch operation. It produced the hottest coffee of all and allowed for different sizes of brewing, and was the simplest model to clean. The model also comes with an inbuilt grinder, which was the most valuable feature of the single-cup brewers we tried. It was able to grind regular and dark roast beans to the same degree and was extremely quiet when in operation. We also found it to be the most durable machine we tested, and its small footprint made it easy to store in a small space. One final note: While it's wonderful that single-cup brewers can be used with grounds and pods however, we wouldn't recommend them to anyone who wants to make their own pods to reuse. These are typically a combination of plastic and aluminium, which can be hard on the heating element of a machine over time. You can buy coffee bags made from a combination of filter paper and plant-based materials. This is a greener choice. 2. Easy to clean A single-cup coffeemaker uses ground or whole beans, as well as filters, to create a cup of freshly made coffee. https://www.coffeee.uk/categories/single-serve-coffee-machines of models use pods, which are small aluminum or plastic cups that contain pre-portioned ground coffee with a built-in filter. Keurig's K-Cups are made with polypropylene, which is recyclable, however you should check with your local recycling center to find out whether the material is accepted within your local community. Nespresso capsules, which are made from aluminum, are typically recyclable. 3. More affordable than other coffee makers Coffee is a popular beverage but there's no reason to shell out money for a large brewing system. Single-serve coffee brewers like the Keurig, are an excellent way to make an instant cup for yourself or a colleague. They also come with the benefit of being a great opportunity for people to get to socialize over the cup of coffee. Most single-serve coffee systems use ground coffee that is pre-portioned in small pods made of plastic or aluminum with a built-in filtration system. This makes the process fast and simple. Although these single-use coffee cups are convenient however, they are more expensive than using your own ground beans and create a lot of waste. Companies such as Green Mountain, Wolfgang Puck and others offer a variety of Fair Trade and Organic K-Cups which are both economical and environmentally friendly. Another option to the pre-portioned pods of coffee used by single-serve brewers is using your own ground coffee using an reusable filter. This means you don't have to purchase and disposing of single-use coffee pods. While this might take a little more time to prepare, it will save you money in the long run. It also allows you to choose your own coffee instead of having to stick with the same brand. It is important to think about how much coffee you drink frequently and whether convenience or ritual is more important to you. If you're a coffee drinker and you find yourself frequently leaving the house holding a mug you're drinking, it's worthwhile to invest in a single-serve coffee maker. For those who only drink just a few cups of coffee per day, it may be better to purchase a drip or percolator that can handle larger amounts at once. This will give you to choose a variety of flavors and avoid having to throw out old or burned coffee.