Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers for Fastest Coffee Brewing

Coffee became an essential part of our daily lives and lots of people around the world cannot imagine their lives without their regular cup of coffee. It is even a proven fact that black coffee improves your mood. For lots of us, it is a real challenge to start our day without a good caffeine buzz. Any coffee lover has his favorite coffee and usually chooses only it among others.

Every coffee fan should be grateful to all those companies that constantly invent and offer us new ways and devices to brew coffee. As a result, there are loads of absolutely easy ways to get a fresh cup of coffee every time we want.

Coffee brewing became not just a tradition but a real morning ritual. Coffee with its rich aroma and amazing flavor can easily become a breakfast replacement.

However, lots of coffee enthusiasts do not have much time to brew a fresh cup of coffee daily. Also, sometimes it can be unreasonable as it is hard to brew coffee just for one cup, so there can be lots of leftovers. Single-serve coffee makers such as Keurig and Nespresso pod coffee machines are a perfect way to resolve the problem.

What Is a Single-Serve Coffee Maker

A single-serve or pod-coffee brewer is perfect for people who don’t want to spend time grinding beans, measuring the right amount of coffee, boiling water, and so on. These machines are great if you want to avoid any mess and fuss as they use plastic pods that keep it all inside while providing you with a perfect cup of coffee. Moreover, if you used to buy your coffee at a local coffee shop, then it can be a perfect way to save some money.

Actually, the main thing you should know about single-serve coffee makers is that they are easy to use and provide you with a great morning coffee. Just keep in mind that before buying such a device, you need to consider some important points.

Benefits of Using a Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Minimize Waste

It is a perfect solution for people who need to brew just one cup of coffee instead of having a bunch of leftovers.

If you use a single-serve coffee machine, you can be sure that you will get the amount of coffee you really need. It is a perfect way to avoid any possible waste and save a bunch of money.

Prepare Your Coffee With Ease in No Time At All

Most single-serve coffee makers are easy to use and they are already set up from the second they are put into boxes.

You just need to put water in the water tank, insert a coffee pod into a holder, and press one button. In a minute or two, you will get a freshly-brewed cup of coffee. Some machines can even brew chocolate, cocoa, and tea.

There are also machines with a wide range of functions. Despite it, they are really simple and easy to use.

Get the Cup Size You Want

There are people who prefer tiny cups of really strong espresso, but also there are people who like having huge mugs of coffee.

If you try to search for different pod machines, you will see that most of them have a whole variety of features, especially when it comes to the size of brew you may get. You just need to choose what size of cup you want.

Space-Saving Solution

One other great thing about pod coffee machines is that they are really compact and take just a little space in your kitchen.

It is great for people who have small apartments or kitchens or just want to save as much space as possible.

Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance

Most professional coffee machines are quite complicated and difficult to clean, but single-serve coffee makers are an exception.

Just try to look through some guides and reports on pod coffee machines cleaning and will see that it is really easy.

Usually, it is a simple process that requires just a little time and almost no effort.

Cost-Effective

It is not a secret that at a coffee shop you can get a perfect cup of coffee, but the point is that you need to pay lots of money for it. If you drink coffee regularly, it can be a real problem.

Using one of those single-serve coffee makers, you will be able to enjoy high-quality coffee with a minimum of money spent on it.

If you buy a high-quality coffee machine, you will get an opportunity to enjoy excellent coffee for little money for many years.

How Does a Single-serve Coffee Maker Work

If we try to put it in as simple words as possible, the process of brewing coffee with single-serve coffee makers consists of such steps as:

• Loading the required amount of water in the water tank of your machine
• Pumping water from the tank through the whole system of a machine with a built-in pump
• Heating the water to the perfect temperature required for being your coffee
• Pumping the water through the thin needle in order to create a high pressure inside a pod
• Pumping the water through the coffee grounds to extract the aroma and flavor of your coffee
• Filtering the brewed coffee with a special paper filter in order to make sure there are no grounds in your cup
• Dripping the brewed coffee right into your mug so you can enjoy it immediately

Pros and Cons of a Single-serve Coffee Maker

Pros

• Easy to use as you just need to insert a pod into a holder and press one button.
• These machines are affordable and you can try new types of pods as most manufacturers offer different samples.
• There is no waste as these machines brew the exact amount of coffee you need.
• Each coffee pod is properly sealed so you can be sure that your coffee is really fresh.
• Each cup of your coffee brewed by one of those machines will have the same taste.

Cons

• It can be hard to get the machine you want as they usually are not sold in stores and you need to look for it online.
• It is not the best option for people who like really strong coffee as these machines tend to make regular or even light brew.
• If you want to buy small packages of pods, it can be pricey.
• You will not be able to brew more than one cup of coffee in one go. 

Types of Single-Serve Coffee Makers

There are two main types of single-serve coffee makers that are electric devices and gravity-powered machines.

Electric Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Electric coffee makers are easy to use, but they should always be plugged in so you can use them. It can be an issue as you always need to have access to electricity. However, this type of coffee maker has a bunch of advantages, including the fast heating process.

Gravity-Powered Single-Serve Coffee Maker

The gravity-powered brewing machines use the power of gravity to brew your perfect cup of coffee. It is the best option for people who want to enjoy freshly brewed coffee while traveling and camping. You can use it anywhere you want and need.

How to Choose the Best Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Single-serve coffee makers are really cool and easy to use, but you need to keep in mind that there are some make-or-break features that you should remember about.

Electric vs Gravity-Powered

All single-serve coffee makers can be divided into two main groups that are electric and gravity-powered machines. The first ones need electricity to operate, while the second ones just need gravity power so they can percolate coffee grounds.

Before choosing one of these options, you need to consider several aspects, such as:

• Electric coffee makers are perfect for people who want to have their morning coffee as soon as possible;
• Gravity-powered machines are great for people who look for something that has no risk of breakdown and can be used in places with no access to electricity; 
• Electric machines are great for people who want to have a brewer that can heat water on its own. Using gravity-powered machines, you should be ready to heat water on your own before starting the brewing process.

Both these types of coffee brewers have an incredible variety of options to choose from. You just need to choose which type of single-serve coffee brewer is better for you and what features you are looking for. You can always check what options are available on the market and what they can offer you.

With or Without K-pods

When K-cups were introduced for the first time, it changed the world of single-serve coffee brewers completely. It made both positive and negative changes.

The greatest advantage of K-cups is that they can make a consistent brew every time you use them. Also, there is a whole variety of K-cups with different flavors, including premium Vietnamese coffee and even types of hot drinks such as tea, chocolate, and cocoa.

Speaking of disadvantages of these pods are average and even low quality of coffee, and the big impact they have on the environment.

One other thing about K-cups is that they are quite pricey. Usually, the price of one K-cup is higher than the same amount of coffee of the same quality. In order to prove it, it is enough to do some simple math. For example, the average price of 24 K-cups is about $16. Each pod contains about 11 grams of ground coffee. It means that you get about 264 grams of coffee in total. In this case, the price of one pound of coffee is around $27,5, which is pretty high.

However, there is a great alternative to these pricey pods and K-cups. You can always buy one of those refillable coffee pods. They are really great as you can use the coffee you like and significantly reduce the impact on the environment. By the way, speaking of the environmental issue, you can always choose recyclable pods.

As you can see, the modern market of single-serve coffee makers offers lots of freedom to consumers. You have an opportunity to choose the drink you prefer and the coffee you like, and even the machine that suits your needs most of all.

Coffee Pods vs Coffee Capsules

Most people think that coffee pods and coffee capsules are the same things. However, the truth is that they are completely different. Capsules are small plastic containers filled with ground coffee. They are used by machines such as Nespresso that pierce these capsules and insert inside hot water under pressure.

The greatest thing about capsules is that they are very convenient. They are well sealed, which allows keeping your coffee fresh for a longer time. If you really want to enjoy a good cup of fresh coffee, capsules are a perfect choice for you.

At the same time, pods look like big tea bags with the only difference – they are filled with ground coffee instead of tea. The great thing about pods is that they are environment friendly. Also, they have standard size and shape, which means that they are compatible with a wide range of coffee makers. However, they lose their freshness much faster as coffee inside of them is exposed to air and contaminants. It means that it is better to buy smaller packages that tend to have higher prices than bigger ones.

Size and Capacity

If you have a big kitchen, the size of your coffee maker may not be an issue for you. However, if your kitchen is rather small or really tiny, it is really important to choose a device that will not take much space. When choosing the right place for your coffee maker, you need to make sure that it is placed in a stable area with enough space around it and good access to water so you can refill it easily. It is also important to pay attention to the height on which the machine is placed so you can use it comfortably.

Most machines can be comfortably placed on the kitchen counter. However, there are also pretty high models with a large footprint, so 17 inches between a counter and upper cabinets may not be enough for them. You need to pay much attention to the size of your future single-serve coffee maker when choosing it. The reason is that the kitchen counter is the best place to put it on, so you need to make sure it will fit well in the space you have.

One other important thing is the size of the portion your coffee maker can brew. There are machines that can provide you with only one size of the portion, but also you can find machines that offer at least several options. Why is it a good idea to buy a brewer that can make different sizes of cups? The answer is pretty simple and based on some basic math. An average travel mug volume is about 10-12 is while a standard portion of espresso contains about 4-5 oz. However, if you always drink the same amount of coffee, there is probably no reason to pay extra money for a machine that can brew different sizes of portions.

It is especially important to consider the size of the portions your coffee maker can make if there are several people who are going to use this machine. By the way, using different sizes of portions, you have an opportunity to regulate the strength of your brew. Bigger portions tend to be lighter, while small ones are rather strong.

Ease of Use

It is absolutely clear that some single-serve coffee makers are easier to understand and use. However, despite any differences, all of them are really user-friendly in general and require almost no effort when it comes to daily usage. You already have a perfectly measured amount of coffee packed in a pod or capsule, so you don’t need to use a scale for measuring and brewing coffee. You just need to place it inside your machine and press one or two buttons to get your morning fill of coffee.

The fact is that all these single-serve brewers are really convenient and time-saving when it comes to usage and cleaning. You can easily remove a water reservoir from your machine so you can refill or clean it. Scale-removing guides are already added to user manuals for almost every device and if not, you can easily find them on the Internet. Even if your machine has lots of extra features, it will still be easy to use and maintain.

Materials

Modern single-serve coffee makers are made from a variety of materials, including metal, ceramic, band plastic. When choosing your machine, you need to remember that stainless steel and ceramic are the best materials for the inner parts of your brewer as they are long-lasting and do not damage your coffee. In fact, a stainless steel electric coffee maker can be the best option. The outer parts of most single-serve coffee makers are made of plastic, but it is always better to make sure that it is a high-quality material that is easy to clean.

Durability

When choosing a coffee machine, you need to consider how easy it is to set up the brewer, how well all the parts are attached to each other, and if they can be damaged during the brewing process. All these points will let you make sure that your machine will work longer.

Price

Like any other brewing device, such as Keurig coffee machine models, different single-serve coffee makers have different prices. That is why it is very important to decide on your budget before choosing your coffee maker.

A basic single-serve brewer may cost as little as less than $50. However, if you want to get a high-quality device, you should be ready to pay a little bit more than $100 for it. When it comes to some high-end devices with a variety of features, their prices may be as high as several hundred dollars.

By the way, when deciding on your budget, you need to make some research. It is very important to understand how much you need to pay for a brewer that suits your needs, including such points as durability, capacity, speed, list of features, and so on. It will let you make sure that you will get a worthy device that can satisfy your needs.

How to Brew Coffee With a Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Single-serve coffee makers can make a whole variety of different drinks such as coffee-based drinks, tea, cocoa, hot chocolate in K-cups and if you get a frother for making cappuccinos and lattes, you will for sure be able to make any drink you want. Some devices can even brew several cups of your favorite drink in one go. In any case, the whole process is really simple and requires just a little effort.

Below, you can find some basic steps that you should take to brew your coffee.

Step 1 – Fill the water tank

Remove the water tank from your coffee maker and fill it with water. It is better to use filtered water to avoid scale build inside the brewer. Also, make sure you poured enough water but not more than required.

Step 2 – Insert the coffee pod

Open the pod or capsule holder of your coffee maker and put the pod or capsule inside. Make sure not to push it too hard. As soon as the pod is securely placed inside the holder, close it properly.

Step 3 – Put your mug on a tray

Take your favorite mug and place it in the right place.

Step 4 – Choose settings

Follow the instructions from the user’s manual and choose the settings you want. Make sure to choose the size of your cup if your brewer has such an option.

Step 5 – Start the brewing process

Press the start button and wait till your single-serve coffee maker prepares your coffee for you. In a minute, you can enjoy a fresh cup of delicious coffee.

 

How to Clean a Single-Serve Coffee Maker 

When it comes to the cleaning of your single-serve coffee maker, this process is as simple as brewing coffee with one of those machines.

Below, you can find a guide on how to clean your coffee machine with just a little effort.

Step 1 – Unplug your coffee maker

Before you can start with the cleaning itself, you need to make sure that the device is unplugged and it is absolutely safe to start the cleaning process. 

Step 2 – Remove all the required parts

One other thing you need to do before starting cleaning is that all the removable parts are detached from the main body of the machine. The list includes a water reservoir, a pod holder, and, of course, a tray holder.

Clean Removable Parts

Use some warm water, soap, and a soft cloth to clean the removable parts. Also, don’t forget to rinse them properly and let them dry completely. 

Step 3 – Clean the machine’s body

Use a wet soft cloth to clean the whole body of your machine. Don’t forget to clean the K-cup basket to make sure there are no leftovers of coffee grounds.

Step 4 – Clean the whole system from scale

Pour ½ cold water and ½ white vinegar inside the water tank of your coffee maker. Put all parts together, plug the machine in, and start the brewing process but do not use any coffee pods or capsules. Repeat the process until there is no water-vinegar mixture inside the water in the tank. 

Step 5 – Rinse the system with clean water

Fill the water tank of your machine with clean water to its max capacity and start the brewing process once again. Just keep in mind that you still do not need to use pods or capsules. Repeat the process until there is no water in the tank or until you can smell no traces of vinegar.

Just keep in mind that if you face any issues, do not try to fix it on your own. First of all, check the manual. If you cannot find the solution in the manual, get in touch with a manufacturer to report the issue, and get assistance. By the way, if you want to know how to take care of your Ninja coffee bar, we have a Ninja coffee bar cleaning and maintenance guide for you.

 

Does More Spending Mean More Quality

There is no certain response to this question, but usually, you can expect that more expensive devices have higher quality. The reason is that manufacturers use better materials for more expensive devices. One other thing that influences the price is the set of features your single-serve coffee maker has. The more features it has, the higher the price will be.

Do’s and Don’ts With a Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Do’s

• Use completable pods and capsules with your machine.
• Use clean water.
• Clean your device regularly.
• Follow the instructions from the user’s manual.

Don’ts

• Do not use more or less water than your machine needs.
• Never use coarse sponges, cloth, and cleansers.
• Avoid cleansers with a strong flavor.
• Never leave your machine wet.

FAQ About Single-Serve Coffee Makers

Still, have some questions regarding single-serve coffee makers? This section is for you. Here you can find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this device.

Are single-serve coffee makers worth it?

The answer to this question significantly depends on your preferences and needs. This device is perfect for people who do not have enough time to brew their coffee every morning or just do not feel like doing it. Using a single-serve coffee maker, you can brew just as much coffee as you need as fast as possible with no mess and hustle.

Can I use coffee pods in a regular coffee maker?

Most coffee pods are not designed for some specific device or brand, which means that you can use it with a regular coffee brewing machine. The truth is that you do not even need a coffee maker as you can use pods to brew your coffee with a drip or pour-over brewing method. You can even use it with your world’s best French press travel mug.

Is there a single-cup coffee making machine that doesn’t use pods at all?

Yes, there is a variety of single-serve devices that do not use coffee pods. One of the most popular and easy-to-use options is AeroPress. There are also electric devices with a bunch of features that can provide you with just one cup of coffee with no pods or capsules.

How do you use single cup coffee pods?

It is very easy. You just need to remove the package of a coffee pod. Then open the pod holder of your device and place the pod inside. Close the holder and start the brewing process. As soon as your coffee is ready, open the pod holder, let it cool down a little, and remove the pod. Just do not try to remove it right after the brewing process as it is very hot and you can burn your hands.

Conclusion

Single-serve coffee makers are perfect for people who look for a fast and convenient way to get their daily portion of this amazing drink. It is especially great when you need to make just one cup of coffee as fast as possible.

As you may conclude from this article, single-serve coffee makers can offer you lots of freedom as there is a whole variety of devices with numerous features and options. You just need to make your choice and get pods or capsules that you like.

By the way, if you are looking for some delicious treats to accompany your coffee, you can try espresso beans covered with dark chocolate.