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Oct 14, 2024

7 Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers of 2024, Tested by Experts

Make a quick and easy cup with these at-home machines. We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Make a quick and easy cup with these at-home machines.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Coffee doesn’t have to be complicated. Single-serve coffee machines make it easier than ever to brew a cup, sometimes offering one-touch solutions to a busy morning in need of caffeine. But not all pod coffee makers (or your single-serve machine of choice) serve up the same functionality, versatility and top-quality coffee.

We put single-serve coffee makers to the test in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab — and tasted the results — to help ensure you get a great cup of coffee every time. We focused on coffee makers that can make a single cup of coffee either using a capsule or ground beans, though some of our favorites have additional features like a milk frother or grinder. While drip coffee makers, espresso machines and other types of coffee makers make delicious brews, according to our testing, nothing beats the convenience of a Keurig, Nespresso or other single-serve machine. Sometimes, especially in the morning, ease of use just makes everything taste better.

Nespresso is known for making great espresso drinks, but Nespresso’s Vertuo line of machines can also make delicious coffee. In our tests, the coffee capsules made rich, well-rounded cups, round after round, that were consistent in temperature and volume with a frothy crema. Our taste testers were impressed by the foamy crema that made the coffee taste silky smooth; one tester didn’t even want to add milk even though that’s how she normally drinks her coffee.

The coffee maker features a sleek and modern design with a small footprint and our testers found the machine easy to use. It works by reading the barcode on the capsule and brewing it accordingly. (This differs from many single-serve coffee makers that require you to select a cup size.) The Nespresso VertuoPlus only takes large Nespresso capsules, but they come in an assortment of sizes and coffee and espresso types, as well as roasts and different flavors.Brew sizes: 1.35, 2.7, 5 and 8 oz | Brew options: Single-serve coffee, espresso, double espresso, ristretto and more | Water reservoir: Removable 37-oz capacity | Coffee type: Large Nespresso capsules

RELATED: Nespresso vs. Keurig: Which Coffee Machine Is Right for You?

If you're looking for a no-fuss smart coffee maker, this Keurig machine is it. The BrewID feature automatically recognizes the brand and roast of the pod and customizes the brew setting to the recommendations of the coffee experts who created it. However, you can still adjust the strength, temperature and size if you choose.

Our testers and experts alike were impressed with the hot, full-bodied coffee and the option to further customize the temperature and strength of the brew. The coffee also had a pleasant aroma. In our tests, we found both the control panel and the app to be intuitive and simple to use. Through the app, you can start the machine, make customizations and schedule a cup of coffee ahead of time.

The downside to the coffee scheduling is that it must be confirmed on the app at the scheduled time before it starts, so it won't brew while you sleep.

Brew sizes: 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 oz | Brew options: 5 brew strength settings and iced | Water reservoir: Removable 78-oz capacity | Coffee type: K-Cup or reusable filter filled with ground coffee

For a high-end coffee experience with the ease of a single-serve machine, opt for the Bruvi BV-01 Brewer. The sleek touch-screen control panel lights up with clear, easy-to-read lettering and a simple start/stop button that makes brewing first thing in the morning fuss-free.

Use reusable pods with your own ground coffee or opt for Bruvi “B-Pods.” After inserting the B-Pod, the machine scans the label and optimizes the brew time, water temperature and other metrics. According to the brand, these pods are made with a food-safe bio-enzyme additive designed to break down in landfills more rapidly than untreated plastics, meaning you can just throw them away. While this machine is more expensive than many others on this list, we found the coffee to have a complex aroma, balanced acidity and smooth finish with very little bitterness.

Want to customize your cup? Choose between options like hotter, low acid, stronger, cold brew, iced, Americano and espresso with the touch of a button. The customizations are easy to select and don’t require looking back at the user manual to learn how they work.

Brew sizes: 6, 8, 10 or 12 oz | Brew options: Espresso, infused, hotter, low acid, Americano, stronger, iced, cold brew | Water reservoir: Removable 70-oz capacity | Coffee type: Bruvi B-Pods or reusable pods

Compatible with both single-serve pods or coffee grounds, the Ninja makes delicious lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos and other fun coffee drinks right at home. It offers four different brew sizes when using pods and six different brew sizes when using coffee grounds, so the variety of size options is great if you enjoy changing things up daily.

Choose your brew style — classic, rich, over ice or specialty — and use the built-in frothing wand to upgrade your coffee to a cappuccino or latte. In our testing, we found it frothed both hot and cold milk well, but you'll have to heat the milk separately yourself; the wand doesn't steam the milk.

We also appreciated the onboard accessory storage so you'll never misplace your measuring scoop again. When you're done, the frothing wand tucks into the machine, and the slender design allows it to easily slide into storage until you use it again.

Brew sizes: 6, 8, 10, 12, 18 or 24 oz | Brew options: Classic, rich, over ice and specialty | Water reservoir: Removable 56-oz capacity | Coffee type: K-cups or coffee grounds

Brewing for a crowd? In addition to the 6-, 8- and 10-ounce single-serve coffee cups, this machine can make a full 12-cup pot of drip coffee. It also comes with a milk frother to top off your coffee or espresso-based beverages like a real barista.

While most single-serve coffee machines only take K-cups or Nespresso capsules, this dual coffee maker is compatible with K-cups, custom K-cups (use your own coffee in the reusable filter cup) and Nespresso pods. This innovation earned this machine a spot in last year’s Kitchen Gear, Coffee and Tea Awards. In our tests, it brewed a hot, balanced and flavorful cup of coffee.

Note that the control panel is not as intuitive as we’d like, so there was a bit of a learning curve.

Brew sizes: 6-, 8- or 10-oz single-serve cups or up to a 12-cup pot of drip coffee | Brew options: Drip coffee, single-serve coffee, single-serve espresso | Water reservoir: Removable 72-oz capacity | Coffee type: K-cups, Nespresso pods or ground coffee in a reusable filter cup

This all-in-one machine blew us away in our testing. It froths the foam for cappuccinos and lattes automatically, then adds the coffee capsule to create a delicious drink. No need to follow multiple steps or switch to a different attachment. This unique ability earned it a Good Housekeeping Coffee Award. It even froths well with plant-based milk, which can often be trickier to work with, and there are three foam options so you can choose if you want more or less. Coffee options include a shot or double-shot of espresso, lungo, Italian-style coffee or a regular cup of drip coffee.

We used this in the Lab for about a year. Our expert testers and staff members found that it was easy, convenient and most importantly, created great-tasting coffee. You can either use Lavazza Blue or Lavazza Expert capsules or fill the reusable filter with ground coffee. Your desired beverage can be pre-selected during the 40-second boot-up time with just the click of a button.

Even better, this innovative pick is easy to store and won't clutter your countertop, thanks to its small size. Of course, make sure to turn the machine off after use since it doesn't shut off automatically on its own.

Brew sizes: 8 oz | Brew options: Espresso, double shot, lungo, macchiato, cappuccino, latte and 8-oz coffee | Water reservoir: Removable 41.6-oz capacity | Coffee type: Blue or Expert capsules or reusable filter filled with ground coffee

RELATED: The Best Latte Machines, Tested by Kitchen Appliance Pros

Unlike other single-serve coffeemakers that only offer options to use pods or pre-ground coffee, this compact Cuisinart machine has a built-in grinder that dispenses coffee grounds into a reusable pod for a freshly ground single cup of coffee. The trade-off is that it adds an extra step in the process: grind the beans, put the pod in the machine then brew. We found it was worth the extra effort for the tasty, medium-bodied cup of coffee it brewed in our test.

If you're in a rush, the reusable filter pod can also be used with pre-ground coffee, or you can load any single-cup coffee pod such as Keurig K-cups. We also found that this machine was intuitive to use without the instruction manual. The capsule was easy to clean and the water tank is detachable for easy filling at the sink.

Brew sizes: 8, 10 and 12 oz | Brew options: Single-serve coffee | Water reservoir: Removable 48-oz capacity | Coffee type: Resuable filter filled with freshly ground beans, pre-ground coffee or single-cup pods

RELATED: The Best Coffee Makers With Grinders, Tested by Experts

We've tested over 30 single-serve coffee machines from brands such as Keurig, Cuisinart, Nespresso, Mr. Coffee, SharkNinja, L’Or, Lavazza, Aeropress, Jura, Hamilton Beach, Beautiful by Drew, Chefman and more. Read on for more information on coffee makers included in our most recent tests:

Keurig K-Elite: This machine took the top spot in our previous tests for brewing coffee that was consistently flavorful, full-bodied and smooth. Its easy-to-use control panel has simple buttons with five drink sizes (from 4 to 12 ounces) and regular, strong or iced brews. We wish the serving size options on the control panel were clearly marked with ounce numbers (rather than pictures of different-sized cups) and, in more recent tests, we preferred the customization options and smart capabilities of the newer Keurig K-Supreme.

Cuisinart Premium Single-Serve Brewer: In our tests, this coffee maker preheated quickly, brewing a cup of coffee in under 90 seconds. It also consistently delivered flavorful, well-rounded, hot cups of coffee. Like other models on this list, it offers five drink sizes. We found the arrow buttons weren't immediately intuitive but they became easy to use with practice. In more recent testing, we preferred the newer Cuisinart models with unique attributes not found in other single-serve coffee makers, like the all-in-one functionality of the 4-In-1 Coffee Machine and built-in grinder in the Grind and Brew.

SPINN Espresso & Coffee Machine: We removed this machine, which made cold brew and nitro-like cold brew in addition to regular drip coffee and espresso, from our list because it is no longer in stock. We look forward to testing their newer model, the Spinn 2, which is currently available for pre-order.

xBloom: We tested both the older xBloom Original and newer xBloom Studio, which are automated pour-over machines, not your typical single-serve machine. The xBloom Studio offers advanced options that allow each module, like the scale and grinder, to be used independently. With both machines, we were impressed with the quality of the coffee, the level of customization (the Studio has 80 different dialing points that you can play around with), and the pour-over functionality, which took great care to evenly coat the grounds in hot coffee, with short pauses in between pours to allow the grinds to bloom. The machines are great options for pour-over enthusiasts, especially the easier-to-use xBloom Original. We found the learning curve on the xBloom Studio too high for the casual drinker. For example, the dials on this machine are not labeled and mostly operate using symbols (rather than words) on the light-up display.

illy Café Easy Coffee Machine: This is the only single-serve machine we tested that uses 100% compostable paper pods (compared to the plastic or aluminum pods that most single-serve coffee makers use). You can also use ground espresso. It doesn’t make traditional American coffee — choose between an espresso shot or a slightly larger lungo shot — but it brews either option incredibly quickly (about 30 seconds for an espresso, about 50 seconds for a lungo). Since we focused on machines that could make full cups of coffee, it didn’t make sense for this round-up, but it’s a viable option for espresso drinkers.

The kitchen gear experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute and Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen tested over 30 models from brands we trust to find the best single-serve coffee makers.

When we test single-serve coffee makers we evaluate their ease of use and performance. We assess how easy each coffee maker is to set up, the clarity of the instruction manual, how intuitive each one is to use and how easy it is clean the coffee machine after use. We also consider ease of use when it comes to filling the water reservoir, preheat time and brew time.

When making coffee, we measure the temperature after brewing to ensure a hot cup every time. We brew multiple cups to check for the consistency and functionality of the machine. We also note anything that's not consumer friendly such as coffee splashing out of the mug while brewing or a difficult-to-read control panel.

Finally, we taste each cup of coffee in search of a full-bodied brew with little to no acidity or bitterness. We also consider the cost and availability of coffee pods, refills and paper filters.

✔️ Single-use coffee pods vs. reusable filters: Most single-serve coffee makers use store-bought coffee pods, like the popular K-Cup pods from Keurig. Pods are small plastic or aluminum cups that contain pre-portioned ground coffee and a built-in filter. K-Cups and capsules are convenient to use but are more expensive than using your own ground coffee. And while some pods are recyclable, many require you to remove the grounds and foil first. Look at the brand's website for the most updated details on disposal and check with your recycling facility to ensure they can process the type of plastic your pods are made from. Soft pods are a popular alternative: The ground coffee comes in a tea bag-like round paper filter, which eliminates plastic waste.

If you prefer a coffee maker with no pods, there are single-serve machines that feature a reusable filter to fill with your own ground coffee. Reusable filters are definitely the more eco-friendly option but the filters need to be washed after each use. All of the reusable filters we tested were easy to detach from the coffee maker and dishwasher-safe. We recommend adding 2 tablespoons of ground coffee into the reusable filter for a 6-ounce cup of coffee.

✔️ Water reservoir: Consider how often you brew coffee. For two or more servings per day, you would benefit from a large water reservoir which means less refilling. Some water reservoirs are removable and have handles that make them easy to carry to the sink to refill and clean. Others are permanently attached to the coffee maker so you may want to have a spouted pitcher on hand to refill it. Others lack a water reservoir altogether and require you to measure and add the amount of water you want to brew each time.

✔️ Brewing options: While some single-serve coffee makers brew only one cup size, some models provide more brewing options from single espresso shots to 16-ounce brews (perfect for a travel mug). Coffee choices range from basic (like regular or strong brewed coffee) to fancy (think iced drinks or even cappuccinos and lattes on more advanced models that have milk-frothing attachments).

✔️ Speed: One advantage of a single-serve coffee maker is its quick brew time. Some models have a powerful heating mechanism that can heat the water and brew the coffee in less than a minute. Others require you to heat and pour your own water over the ground coffee. In our tests, the average time it took to brew an 8-ounce cup of coffee was less than two minutes.

Jamie Ueda's first job at the Good Housekeeping Institute was testing a variety of consumer products, including coffee makers. Since then she has tested and written about many coffee and espresso makers as well as kitchen-related and cooking tools. She has a passion for coffee and has even attended a coffee cupping class. Over the years, she's taste-tested hundreds of cups of coffee. She holds an apparel and textile design degree as well as mechanical engineering.

Samantha MacAvoy is the assistant food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and conducted the most recent round of testing for this story. She tested single-serve coffee makers for ease of use, performance and quality of the finished cup. In addition to single-serve coffee makers, MacAvoy has tested coffee beans, espresso machines, drip coffee makers and even coffee mugs. She consulted Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou and Analyst Jamie Ueda for this story.

Nicole Papantoniou has run the Good Housekeeping Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab since 2019; she oversees all the content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, including coffee makers. Previously she worked in product development for small kitchen appliances and tools since 2014 as well as in several test kitchens, where she tested and developed recipes and food content starting in 2012. She has a grand diplome in classic culinary arts from the former French Culinary Institute and a certificate in culinary nutrition from the former Natural Gourmet Institute, now both known as the Institute of Culinary Education.

Jamie Ueda is a consumer products expert with over 17 years of experience in areas of product development and manufacturing. She has held leading roles at both mid-size consumer goods companies and one of the most notable and largest apparel brands in the world. Jamie has contributed to several of the GH Institute Labs, including Kitchen Appliances, Media and Tech, Textiles and Home Appliances. In her free time she enjoys cooking, traveling, and working out.

Samantha (she/her) is an Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she writes about tasty recipes, must-try food products and top-tested secrets for home cooking success. She has taste-tasted hundreds of products and recipes since joining GH in 2020 (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.

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