Top 10 Best Single Serve Coffee Makers To Buy In 2020 Reviews

Best Coffee Makers of 2020

Consumer Reports’ experts round up this year’s top drip and pod brewers from Cuisinart, Nespresso, Technivorm, and more

Today’s coffee makers do far more than brew a pot of joe. Some grind beans, others froth milk for specialty drinks such as lattes and macchiatos, and a few even brew iced coffee. CR’s extensive lab tests—and our reviews of top models here—can help you zero in on the appliance that’s right for your kitchen.

New features aren’t the only improvements we’ve seen lately. “Over the past few years, coffee makers have also gotten faster at brewing,” says Ginny Lui, the CR test engineer who oversees the coffee maker lab.

Below are reviews of 10 of the best coffee makers we've evaluated that are currently on the market, listed in alphabetical order. The list has a number of configurations: drip, pod, grind-and-brew, self-serve, one-mug, and dual coffee/espresso. CR members can click on each model name for more detailed ratings and specs.

In our coffee maker lab, Lui's team conducts a brew-performance test and measures contact time (how long water stays within the sweet spot of 195° F to 205° F for brewing) for each drip coffee maker. For single-serve (pod) machines, our engineers evaluate temperature consistency and size consistency of individual cups of coffee. For cold-brew coffee makers, our engineers judge ease of cleaning, and our expert coffee taste tester judges the taste of each brew.

Learn more in our coffee maker buying guide and explore more than 100 options in our complete coffee maker ratings.

CR’s Take: The Cuisinart Coffee on Demand DCC-3000 is a self-serve coffee maker, meaning it forgoes a carafe and has you fill a mug straight from its heated reservoir. This model does well in our tests, and Cuisinart self-serve machines receive a rating of Good for predicted reliability. The feature set includes a removable reservoir, a permanent filter, a water filter, a cleaning indicator, auto-shutoff, programming, and a small-batch setting.

CR’s Take: If you want a coffee maker that grinds beans right before brewing, check out the Cuisinart Next-Generation Burr Grind & Brew 12-cup DGB-800. In addition to its built-in grinder, you’ll get a permanent filter, a water filter, auto-shutoff, programming, and brew-strength control. This model earns solid scores in our tests—and, as a group, Cuisinart machines receive an Excellent rating for owner satisfaction in CR’s annual member survey.

CR’s Take: A traditional drip coffee maker, the Cuisinart PerfecTemp 14 Cup Programmable DCC-3200 makes plenty of java for a full house, thanks to its 14-cup glass carafe. It features programming, auto-shutoff, a cleaning indicator, a permanent filter, a water filter, brew-strength control, and a small-batch setting. This model receives an Excellent rating for brew performance and does well in our other tests, too. It’s a bit pricey, but for the investment you can count on an all-around great machine you can rely on for both dinner parties and chaotic mornings.

CR’s Take: One of the best Keurig K-Cup brewers isn't made by Keurig at all. The Cuisinart Premium Single-Serve Brewer SS-10 receives a convenience rating of Excellent and offers great cup-size and temperature consistency. This machine also packs a ton of features, including an auto-shutoff function, a removable water reservoir, a height-adjustable drip tray, a built-in water filter, and programming.

CR’s Take: The unassuming, inexpensive Hamilton Beach 12-cup Programmable 49465R might be easy to miss, but it can brew a mean cup of joe at a fantastic price. In a basic black-plastic finish, it has the essentials: It’s programmable, as its name says, and offers auto-shutoff. And it offers solid brew performance and can make a fresh pot in just 10 minutes. This model even earns a Very Good rating for convenience. At around $25, this simple model will get the job done.

CR’s Take: The Mr. Coffee Occasions BVMC-O-CT is a combination coffee and espresso machine with a twist—it can brew coffee from either fresh grounds or Keurig K-Cup pods. It earns a Very Good rating for brew performance in our tests, and our testers say it's fairly convenient to use. This model comes with plenty of features, including a thermal carafe, a built-in milk frother for lattes and cappuccinos, a removable water reservoir and drip tray, a permanent filter, and auto-shutoff.

CR’s Take: For those who prefer Nespresso capsules over Keurig K-Cups, the Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker in Aluminum EN125S is worth a look. It comes in a sleek metallic finish and can make both espresso and coffee. It features a removable reservoir, a height-adjustable drip tray, auto-shutoff, and adjustable brew temperature. Our testers give it solid ratings across the board, including a Very Good rating for temperature consistency.

CR's Take: A more affordable take on Ninja's Coffee Bar brewers, the Ninja Specialty CM401 is a terrific all-in-one machine, capable of brewing hot and iced coffee, lattes, macchiatos, and other specialty brews. In our tests it receives an Excellent rating for brew performance, and its glass carafe handles with ease. This model is also packed with features, including an over-ice brew mode for iced coffee, a built-in milk frother, brew-strength control, and brew-size adjustment for everything from travel mugs to full carafes. It's one of the most versatile coffee makers we’ve tested.

CR’s Take: The Primula Burke Cold Brew Coffee Maker PBPBK-5101 is the most inexpensive cold-brew coffee maker in our ratings—and one of the best. It receives an Excellent rating for convenience. This Primula comes with a glass carafe, and most of its parts are dishwasher-safe. It’s the only model we tested that calls for a full 24-hour brew time, but you might find the results worth the wait.

CR’s Take: The Technivorm Moccamaster brand is usually associated with high-end carafe machines, but the Cup-One Brewer is a basic one-mug drip machine. Technivorm one-mug appliances do well in our surveys for reliability and satisfaction, but this model doesn’t do well in our convenience tests, receiving only a Fair rating. It’s one of the most expensive model on this list, yet it offers only one feature (auto-shutoff), so what you’re really paying for is the brand, its looks, and its performance. If you like simple coffee makers or you're a Technivorm fan, this may be the machine for you.