Best Single Cup Coffee Maker: Nespresso vs Keurig vs Tassimo vs Ninja Coffee Bar vs Cuisinart
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Is it the caffeine that keeps you drinking that cup of coffee every morning, or is it the ritual of starting your day with the bold flavor? A single serve coffee maker can help brew you the perfect cub.
Whether you and your family (or roommates) enjoy differing brews or you just don’t want to waste an entire pot of coffee, we’ll help you find the perfect coffee pot for your single cup needs.
Article Overview
- Best Single Serve Coffee Makers
- Other Reviews
- Iced Coffee Recipes (Video)
- Try These Different Coffees
Best Single Serve Coffee Maker
We chose our single serve coffee maker top three based on:
- Best value for the price
- Brew time, the faster the better
- Good customer satisfaction
- Number of brew options
- And more
Depending on how busy you are in the mornings, you may opt for a coffee maker that is more expensive but has a quicker brew time. If you have a little more time in the mornings, you might consider a less expensive coffee maker that takes a little longer.
Keep in mind that if you’re a die-hard fan of a certain brew, you’ll want to make sure the coffee maker you purchase can brew it. Some of these coffee pots require K Cups, pods or other brand-specific coffee pods that may limit your brewing options.
Nespresso Review
#1
View Vertuo on Amazon | View Original on Amazon
If you want the best tasting coffee, Nespresso is the machine for you. Our top pick for best single serve coffee maker coffee maker serves crema on top of its coffee and espresso brews, for the ultimate gourmet coffee experience. Depending on the machine you choose, you can brew various single serve coffee cup sizes including espresso (1.35 oz.), double espresso (2.7 oz.), gran lungo (5 oz.), coffee (7.7 oz.) and alto (14 oz.). W
e’ve linked to two of the more popular options, but once on Amazon, browse for your particular needs. Pay attention to the machine you purchase, as the Original Nespresso machines (with the exception of the Pro machine which has programmable volumes) make only the smaller sizes (up to a 5 oz lungo, or if you have a milk frother, a slightly larger latte macchiato), while the Vertuo has larger pods that go all the way up to a 14 oz alto (almost a pint for you beer drinkers).
Pro tip: if you want a larger coffee using Nespresso Original, just use more than one capsule (ie. run it a second time into a larger cup; that’s what we do).
There are two primary model lines of Nespresso: Original, and the new Vertuo. Each line features several different models at various price points. Note that Nespresso machines only work with Nespresso capsules, and the Original and Vertuo line uses different capsules.
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Price
- Vertuo $218.09 | Original $155.00
- 1-year warranty
- Water reservoirs of varying sizes depending on model (40 oz. for our Vertuo model linked above)
Read Our Nespresso Comparison Article
Keurig Review
It’s no surprise here that Keurig comes in a close second. Keurig machines are probably the most prolific on the market given their aggressive marketing campaigns over the years (odds are you know someone that got one for free). Program your Keurig to turn on in the morning, so it’s ready for you to make your cup quickly.
The version we recommend here brews multiple K Cup pod sizes (6, 8, and 10 oz.). If you want the strongest brew, go for the 6 oz. cup of Joe. Keurig is pretty straightforward and easy to use. This model has minimal buttons, so it’s very user-friendly from the start.
There are more than 70 brands of coffee to choose from with 400+ varieties. If you want to be eco-friendly (which we always encourage) you can purchase some reusable K Cups and fill them with your favorite roast. This is also less expensive than purchasing prepackaged filters.
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Price & Tech Specs
- $99.99
- Limited 1-year warranty
- 48 oz. water reservoir brews 6+ cups before refilling
Read Our Keurig Comparison Article
Cuisinart Review
This coffee pot is unique from other single cup coffee makers because it makes a full pot of coffee (or 1-4 cups of coffee) and will dispense it out 1 cup at a time. Although this is less expensive than the Keurig, it fell behind the Keurig because this is a single serve coffee review. The Cuisinart doesn’t brew as fast and you can’t brew a single cup as easily as you can with the Keurig. However, we like the functionality of this coffee pot, which is why it is our #3 pick.
Cuisinart does offer a single-cup brewer that also grinds coffee for you. This is rare to come by and, although it doesn’t have the greatest reviews, if you’re looking for a single cup coffee maker with grinder we’d recommend it. You can purchase it on Amazon for Check Amazon for availability .
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Price & Tech Specs
- $119.95 ($10.00 / Count)
- Limited 3-year warranty
- Coffee reservoir holds 60 oz. of coffee
Other Single Cup Coffee Makers
Below you’ll find an alphabetical listing of other companies we’ve reviewed.
Hamilton Beach |Ninja Coffee Bar | Tassimo
Hamilton Beach Review
This Hamilton Beach coffee maker works with loose ground coffee or disk-shaped soft pods. You can brew up to a 12 oz. cup of coffee, and it has an auto-shutoff.
It doesn’t brew as quickly as the more expensive single cup coffee makers, but for less than $20 it’s hard to beat. If you’re looking for an inexpensive single cup coffee brewer and don’t mind waiting a little longer for your coffee, this is a good option.
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Price & Tech Specs
- Check Amazon for availability
- Limited 1-year warranty
Ninja Coffee Bar Review
Customize your brew and feel like a barista with this Ninja Coffee Bar. You can brew into your cup, travel mug or a carafe with the Ninja Coffee Bar. Select your brew style (classic, rich, over ice or specialty) and the coffee maker will dispense the perfect amount of water to deliver the brew type.
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Price & Tech Specs
- Check Amazon for availability
- 1-year limited warranty
- 43 oz. water reservoir
Tassimo Review
Tassimo has great tasting coffee at the touch of a button, but their machine only works with T-Discs. But you can still make coffee, tea, hot chocolate, espresso and more. We’ve read mixed reviews on this machine so if you’ve used this coffee maker, share your experience with us in the comments.
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Price & Tech Specs
Enjoy Your Coffee Iced
These 5 iced coffee recipes are bound to get you excited to start your day.
Explore Your Coffee Palate
If you’re interested in trying new coffee brews monthly, check out our Best Coffee Subscription Box. Of course, you’ll want to make sure your coffee pot allows ground coffee or K Cups (to fill with your own grounds), so you can enjoy these robust flavors.
What’s your favorite coffee blend?