Each quarter, I pick out the best single serve coffee maker among dozens of single serve coffee makers. I filter out marketing gibberish and misleading verbiage, so you can truly understand functionality, compare between the models. Whether you are looking for the best drip coffee maker or best k-cup coffee maker, selecting the best single cup coffee maker will be FAST and EASY.


This post contains references to products. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products, at NO charge to you. Please visit this page for our Affiliate Policy. 

Best single serve coffee maker ranking

Rank Model Manufacturer Made in Price range Score Learn more
1 Cup One 69212 Moccamaster Netherlands $$$$$ 95/100
Details
2 K-Elite Keurig China $$$$ 85/100
Details
3 SS-10 Cuisinart China $$ 83/100
Details
4 K-Café Keurig China $$$$ 75/100
Details
5 K575 Keurig China $$$$ 67/100
Details
6 CM618 Black&Decker China $ 65/100
Details
7 K250 Keurig China $$$ 61/100
Details
8 K55 Keurig China $$ 55/100
Details
9 K15 Keurig China $$ 53/100
Details
10 CM17005 Chulux China $$ 52/100
Details

Best single serve coffee maker reviews

Position #1: 69212 by Moccamaster

Moccamaster’s 69212 is by far the best single serve coffee maker in 2020.

This product is available for purchase online on Amazon, and Crate and Barrel.

Owly Rating

95/100

Appearance 20
Features 18
Performance 20
Health 18
Price to value 19

General thoughts

Moccamaster’s 69212 is the best single serve coffee maker with extraordinary performance and phenomenal coffee. It is a great choice for true coffee lovers who can appreciate nuances in flavor and quality. Brews the best cups of coffee I have had. I appreciate 5-year warranty, which is unparalleled in the industry. I find it very positive that Moccamaster avoids some potentially harmful materials in the manufacturing process. Though 69212 may seem a little bit expensive, I find the price-to-value ratio of this single serve coffee maker to be absolutely extraordinary.

PROs

  • Visually stunning
  • Very solidly and durably built
  • Beverage size up to 10oz
  • Perfect coffee at the perfect brewing temperature (200 F degrees)
  • Does not include some of the potentially harmful materials
  • Extraordinary price-to-value ratio
  • Excellent for coffee lovers who treat coffee brewing as a ritual

CONs

  • Not compatible with k-cups (but brews the best coffee I have had!)
  • Takes 4-5 minutes to brew, but is really for coffee lovers who see coffee brewing as a ritual
  • Expensive but great price-to-value ratio
Check price

Moccamaster’s 69212 is one of the most visually stunning single serve coffee makers available in the market. I quickly fell in love with its cutting-edge appearance and a phenomenal design. Made of aluminium, I can see how 69212 fits into a variety of styles, kitchens and spaces.

69212 comes in just one color version. It is a combination of stunning aluminium, transparent and black top lids. Though it would be nice to have some selection for colors when it comes to the black lids, I think the model is very elegant and solid as is.

This single serve coffee maker is actually rather compact. It is about 12 inches high and fits very nicely on the counter. Because of its unique and smart design, coffee is refilled very easily, without the need for additional space. Again, because it is so compact, it fits so nicely on my countertop. I do not need to pull it out from underneath the top cabinet.

Because the unit is made of aluminium, plastic and some other materials, it is rather light weight, weighing about 4 pounds.

Overall, the unit looks not just elegant, but sturdy and solid.

Voltage: 69212 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Beverage size: Officially, Moccamaster’s 69212 makes up to 10oz of beverage. In order to brew delicious coffee, I recommend 2 scoops of ground coffee (scoops come with this machine). I have tried some larger sizes up to 14oz by pouring a bit more water above the line of the water reservoir. Coffee was great, as well!

Weight: Because of aluminium, plastic and some other materials, this unit is rather light weight, given its awesome capabilities. It weighs about 4 pounds, and I would imagine most people find this model easy to operate.

Unit size:  What I find absolutely amazing about Moccamaster’s single serve coffee maker is its size. It is 10 x 6.5 and 12 inches. I consider this unit to be rather compact, and much smaller than its Keurig’s competitors.

Additional perks: This single serve coffee maker is uniquely designed to brew some of the most delicious coffee I have ever had. Though the feature set is quite different from a regular Keurig competitor, the overall design is made for perfection.

First, the unit comes with a copper boiling element, which heats the water to the perfect brewing temperature around 200 Fahrenheit degrees. There are multiple advantages from using a copper heating element. It boils water more quickly, it saves time and energy, and it will last for longer. The new copper elements should include some kind of protective lining to prevent leakage.

Second, the unit comes with a removable cup holder to accommodate different mug sizes. This is somewhat helpful, as the machine is limited by the amount of water that can be poured into the water tank.

TThird, 69212 is made with durable metal housings. Moccamaster claims that all of them are healthy versions of plastics (BPA-free, BPS-free, BPF-free, phthalate free plastics).

Fourth, Moccamaster offers a 5-year manufacturer warranty. This is amazing to the mediocre 1-year warranty that Keurig offers. Again, in my tests, I didn’t have to use the customer service, so I do not know how the warranty would work out in practice.

The unit is not k-cup compatible. Moccamaster had a difficult decision to make. Either go with convenience appealing to the mass market, but thus sacrificing quality. Or, ditching the convenience and make a single serve coffee maker that brews superior coffee beverages, but sacrifices scale. For me, as a consumer and a coffee lover, I am glad that Moccamaster ditched the k-cup convenience for superior coffee!

Brewing time: Just like with Ninja’s CP301 and CP307, Moccamaster’s 69212 takes a little bit longer to brew a perfect coffee beverage. In my tests, it took between 4-5 minutes to get a nice hot cup of coffee.

Flavor: In my opinion, Moccamaster’s 69212 is the best single serve coffee maker when it comes to flavors. This powerful machine brews rich and delicious coffee. There’s a lot of depth in flavor.

Temperature: 69212 is the best single serve coffee maker when it comes to brewing temperature. In my tests, I was able to reach 200 Fahrenheit degrees in coffee grounds. This allowed to fully immerse and permeate the grounds, thus yielding fantastic coffee.

Noise levels: I did not notice anything specific with the noise levels. Nothing unusual!

Technivorm Moccamaster is a manufacturer based in the Netherlands. Because of the very strict European standards, Moccamaster needs to fulfill much higher safety and health standards than its American counterparts.

Moccamaster’s 69212 has earned certification from the European Coffee Brewing Center (ECBC). In order to get certified, a product needs to go through extensive testing, evaluations and labs. ECBC certification is designed to acknowledge and recognize coffee makers that deliver an outstanding coffee beverage to consumers.

As I was researching the product, I found transparency of Moccamaster very reassuring. They explicitly say that the product is BPA/BPS/BPF/phthalate-free plastics. This is great, and bonus points for transparency.

I would love to know whether this product is made with some other potentially harmful plastics such as BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol) or TPP (triphenyl phosphate). The exact health effects of these are unknown at this point. Though I do not know specifically about Technivorm and Moccamaster, I know that some manufacturers use those materials in the manufacturing process.

I have not been able to verify what materials Technivorm uses in the production of this best single serve coffee maker.

There are very, very few customer complaints. Whatever few complaints there are, they have to do with the exit hole in the filter holder that clogs sporadically. Very few users reported issues with a product simply not working.

69212 typically sells in the $$$$ price point, with the exception for occasional deals where it can go in the $$$$ price point (awesome deal!). I find the price-to-value ratio to be very strong.

Moccamaster is the best single serve coffee maker when it comes to superior quality of coffee. Its features, such as a copper boiling element and a metal housing allow the coffee to reach a desirable temperature to properly brew coffee grounds. Further, this single serve coffee maker is programmed to take a specific amount of time to brew coffee. These features, among others, contribute to truly spectacular coffee flavors and coffee quality.

In my opinion, 69212 brews coffee that’s much more superior from coffee brewed and served at some of the top notch coffee shops, and several billions of galaxies better than coffee served at Starbucks or Pete’s Coffee.

Again, this coffee maker is perfect for a specific customer who can appreciate the depth of flavor and who would not settle on a mediocre cup of coffee. 69212 is not the most convenient coffee maker to use, given the amount of time it takes to brew, and its lacking compatibility with K-cups. However, these 2 features were designed to appeal to customers who want to enjoy an affordable and convenient coffee.

69212 manual by Moccamaster

Check price

Position #2: K-Elite by Keurig

K-Elite is the best single serve coffee maker in 2020.

This product is available for purchase online on Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Owly Rating

85/100

Appearance 20
Features 20
Performance 19
Health 7
Price to value 19

General thoughts

K-Elite is a superb single serve coffee maker with a superior feature set. It is a great choice for singles and families who enjoy deep fragrant coffee. Brews really delicious, rich and fragrant coffee. I don’t like that it is primarily plastic, and Keurig does not seem transparent about the chemicals and materials used in manufacturing. Though K-Elite may seem a little bit expensive, I find the price-to-value ratio of this single serve coffee maker to be absolutely extraordinary.

PROs

  • Elegant, sturdy and elite-looking
  • 5 beverages sizes (4 to 12oz)
  • Fully programmable (auto on/off)
  • Temperature control
  • Strength control
  • Iced-coffee option
  • Delicious coffee at the almost perfect temperature
  • Great price-to-value ratio
  • Excellent for singles and families who enjoy truly delicious coffee, alone or in company

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Insufficient transparency on materials and chemicals
  • Can hear some squeaky noises from water pump
  • Expensive but great price-to-value ratio
Check price

K-Elite single serve coffee maker steals the show with its elegance and elite appearance. I saw it at my friend’s house for the first time, and I fell in love with it almost instantly. I was impressed with the K-Elite’s quality. Not only was it elegant, but it looked like a high-performing single serve coffee machine I wanted to have.

I entertain family and friends with coffee from K-Elite. They always rave how handsome and appealing this coffee maker is. Some of my friends purchased the same unit after seeing it at my place!

K-Elite comes in two color options: brushed silver and brushed slate. Either option exudes a stainless-steel look and feel, though it actually is made of plastic.

K-Elite is similar in size to most other coffee makers that made on our rank. It is about 13 inches tall, and about 17 inches when the upper lid is completely open. It fits on my countertop, but I need to pull it out to place coffee inside the k-cup.

To my surprise, this unit is rather light, weighing about 7 pounds. I found it very easy to lift, move and clean. From this perspective, I would not hesitate to give K-Elite to my grandma.

Voltage: K-Elite is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Beverage size: K-Elite single serve coffee machine offers a handsome selection of 5 beverage sizes: 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz and 12oz. I can drink a small cup of coffee Sunday morning, while enjoying a larger mug on the way to work on Monday. Unlike some other single serve machines, Keurig’s K-Elite can accommodate a 7-inch tall travel mug underneath a brewing segment. I was able to accomplish this by removing the drip tray. Very easy, and this proved to be extremely useful on my morning commute routines.

Weight: This handsome single serve coffee maker weighs about 7 pounds. I find it rather easy to lift and move around, and I imagine others would have little to no problems doing the same. From this perspective, I imagine most people would find this machine easy to operate.

Unit size:  Though regular size, I find K-Elite to be rather compact. It is about 10.5 x 7.5 x 13 inches, and 15 x 9 x 17 inches when the upper lid is open. Though it fits perfectly on my countertop, I need to pull it out from underneath the cabinet to re-fill coffee in the k-cup.

Additional perks: K-Elite offers a superior feature set, much better from other single serve coffee makers. This feature set, which contributes to brewing a jaw-dropping cup of coffee, is what truly differentiates K-Elite.

First, it is fully programmable. Though a lot of people are not familiar with this functionality, let me tell you: it made my life 100X easier. I am able to set a specific time to start brewing coffee within a 24 hour window. I do not need to wake up too early to start the morning routine. I wake up to delicious fragrance of freshly brewed dark coffee.

Second, K-Elite is equipped with a temperature control. The controls allows to heat up water even more to reach what is considered a perfect temperature to brew coffee. Unlike other single serve coffee makers, K-Elite is able to brew coffee that’s hotter, thus yielding much deeper, richer and fragrant flavors.

Third, K-Elite is equipped with a strength control. The control allows the coffee to be even deeper and more flavorful. I use this feature for an extra kick to my coffee on some mornings. It works miracles simply by touching one button.

Fourth, K-Elite offers a separate feature for iced-coffee. Iced coffee that comes out of this single serve coffee machine is perfect for a hot summer day (or evening!).

In addition to those features, K-Elite offers some “standard” perks, such as a large 75oz removable water reservoir. Thanks to that, I do not need to make frequent trips to refill water. I can also entertain several guests with coffee at the same time. Further, a charcoal water filter purifies water. I feel like those charcoal filters enhance coffee flavor quite a bit.

Brewing time: K-Elite took a little less time to brew coffee than some of the other best single serve coffee makers. From heating water to seeing the last drop of coffee fall into my cup, it took between 2.5 to 3 minutes. This time was largely contingent upon the beverage size.

Flavor: Among single serve coffee makers that I have tested, K-Elite yielded an absolutely delicious, fragrant and rich coffee flavors. Now, I can welcome each morning with a tasty cup of joe, day after day.

Temperature: K-Elite model seems to solve some of the problems that other single serve coffee makers seem to suffer from. The temperature control allows to brew significantly hotter coffee. In my tests, freshly heated water reached between 185 and 190 Fahrenheit degrees, which is almost on par with the recommended brewing temperature (195 to 205 Fahrenheit degrees). This temperature allows for the coffee grounds to permeate, thus yielding much richer and deeper flavors.

Noise levels: I found K-Elite to be less noisy than some of the other single serve coffee machines. Again, there are some noises (squeaking form the water pump), but this seems to be less bothersome than with some other single serve coffee makers.

Though Keurig seems more transparent with its other coffee makers, I did not find useful information for the K-Elite single serve coffee maker. Keurig does not say much about materials from which the single serve coffee maker is made.

There is no information whether K-Eite includes chemicals such as lead. Some users reported that K-Elite indeed contained led and other chemicals, but Keurig did not make it easy for me to confirm or refute that concern.

Keurig states that all of its single serve coffee makers are BPA-free. This should include K-Elite.

However, K-Elite is made primarily of plastic. Whether it is BPA-free or not, this plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to  BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Keurig does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

Some users have reported just a couple of issues with the K-Elite single serve coffee maker. Those issues seem to be an exception rather than the norm. In fact, K-Elite is doing much better overall than other single serve coffee machines.

While I do not believe those reports are a reason for a major concern, I’d like to flag some of them:

  • Leaking water
  • Pumping cold-water

Depending on the store, K-Elite sells for anywhere in the $$$$ price point. Given the feature set, which is much more superior to that of other single serve coffee makers, I find the price-to-value ratio to be extraordinary. I realize that $$$$ could be a substantial investment. However, it is my firm belief that with its strong functionality, high performance and amazing feature set, K-Elite is the best single serve coffee maker. I am very pleased with this product.

I am not going to lie: I am bothered by the plastic, and I hope Keurig will address this issue with an updated model.

K-Elite manual by Keurig


Check price

Position #3: SS-10 by Cuisinart

SS-10 earned one of the top position on the rank of the best single cup coffee makers in 2020!

This product is available for purchase online on Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Owly Rating

83/100

Appearance 19
Features 19
Performance 19
Health 7
Price to value 19

General thoughts

SS10 is a top-notch single serve coffee maker with a superb feature set AND compatible with K-cups. It is an awesome pick for singles and families who enjoy flexibility, convenience and delicious coffee. Brews fragrant, rich and deep coffee in 5 different sizes. I found SS10 to be comparatively quieter than other single serve machines. I don’t like that it is primarily plastic, and Cuisinart does not seem transparent about the chemicals and materials used in manufacturing. Great price and a phenomenal price-to-value ratio.

PROs

  • Elegant and sturdy
  • 5 beverages sizes (4 to 12oz)
  • K-cup compatible
  • Fully programmable (auto on/off)
  • Temperature control
  • Brews delicious coffee
  • Very solid price-to-value ratio
  • Excellent for singles and families who enjoy truly delicious coffee, alone or in company

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Insufficient transparency on materials and chemicals
  • No strength control
Check price

SS10 is a gorgeous single serve coffee maker with a fantastic feature set. Though made primarily of plastic, SS10 looks as though it had some stainless steel accents. SS10 is a rather modern and intuitive model, with a large digital screen.

SS10 is a regular-sized single serve coffee maker, though I found it to be a bit shorter than other coffee makers. SS10 is about 12 inches tall, and about 15 inches when the upper lid is open. It fits very nicely on my countertop!

Cuisinart’s single serve coffee maker has a lot of functionality (more on this below). I expected it to be very heavy, but was pleasantly surprised how light it was. It weighs around 5 pounds. This is a great weight given the size and functionality! I imagine most people would find this model easy to lift or move around.

Voltage: SS10 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Beverage size: The SS10 single serve coffee maker offers a very generous selection of 5 beverage sizes: 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz and 12oz. I appreciate the flexibility of brewing anything from a small cup to a larger mug. Like some other single serve coffee makers, SS10 can accommodate a 7in tall travel mug to directly pour coffee into. Thanks to this smart feature, I was able to enjoy coffee on the way to work countless times!

Weight: This is an unexpected but welcome advantage of Cuisinart’s SS10. It weighs about 5 pounds, and I found it very easy to move around, lift and clean, when needed. I would not hesitate to give this single serve coffee maker to my grandma to operate!

Unit size: SS10 is a regular sized single serve machine, about 11 x 9 x 12 inches when the lid is closed, and about 11 x 9 x 15 inches when the upper lid is open to refill coffee. While other coffee makers require me to pull them from underneath a cabinet, this one fits perfectly on my countertop.

Additional perks: Let me say this. Even though Cuisinart does not have such a diverse portfolio of single serve coffee makers like Keurig, Cuisinart invests in high quality and high functionality of their single serve machines.

SS-10 comes with a couple of features that I absolutely love. First, SS10 is fully programmable, with an auto on/off feature. In essence, I can program this single serve coffee maker to start heating water and brewing coffee at a specific time within a 24-hour time period. This is a total life savior in the mornings. I do not need to wake up at a crack of dawn to begin my morning chores. Instead, I can wake up with delicious fragrance of coffee permeating my apartment.

Second, SS10 is equipped with a temperature control to heat up water even more. This allows to achieve more optimal brewing temperature. Choosing between temperature and strength controls, I would always go with temperature control. It is more useful and yields in better coffee flavor.

Third, though not a Keurig machine, SS10 is K-cup compatible. This means that I can enjoy k-cups and k-pods in a variety of flavors.

SS10 single serve coffee machine comes with some additional standard equipment. This includes a charcoal filter, which, in my opinion, improves coffee flavor thanks to purified water. A 72-oz removable water reservoir is a really big help. I do not need to refill water so frequently, and I can host larger parties!

Brewing time: I found the brewing time to be comparable with other single serve coffee makers. Depending on the beverage size, SS10 can takes up to 3 minutes to brew from start to finish. As I mentioned above, the brewing time does not really matter to me so much because I can program SS10 to automatically start brewing at a specific time.

Flavor: I loved coffee beverage from SS10 single serve coffee maker. It was rich, deep and diverse. I feel like 8oz size is much better than any other larger size. But, perhaps, this is just a personal preference!

Temperature: YES! This is why I considered SS10 to be the best single serve coffee maker on my list. I felt that coffee was hotter than in some of the other single serve coffee makers. This could be due to a temperature control functionality. When I measured, freshly heated water was between 180 and 190 degrees, which is quite high in comparison. Coffee experts suggest the water should be between 195 and 205 for a perfect coffee cup.

Noise levels: I have found Cuisinart’s S-10 to be relatively quieter than other single serve brewers. It was noticeably louder with a K-cup, but still noise levels were much better.

I did not find Cuisinart to be very transparent about the chemicals and plastic included in SS10. I searched multiple websites, including Cuisinart’s, and found very little information about materials or chemicals included. I was not able to find information about any particular chemicals, such as lead. Hence, I cannot confirm or refute.

Cuisinart makes it clear that SS10 single serve is BPA-free.

However, SS10 is made primarily of plastic. Whether it is BPA-free or not, this plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to  BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Cuisinart does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

Some users have reported just a couple of minor issues with the SS10 single serve coffee maker. Those issues seem to be an exception rather than the norm. In fact, SS10 seems to have a rather clean record when it comes to technical difficulties.

While I do not believe those reports are a reason for a major concern, I’d like to flag some of them:

  • Difficulty descaling
  • Some units flawed and not operational

The SS10 single serve coffee maker has WOWed me from the start. I find the price-to-value ratio of SS10 to be extraordinary. Depending on the retailer, this single serve coffee maker typically retails in the $$$ price point. It is extremely unusual to get such a well-equipped and well-performing coffee maker with a wonderful feature set. All of this contributes to richer, more enhanced and more flavorful coffee. In my opinion, SS10 has a potential to become the best single serve coffee maker.

Just like with Keurig, I  hope Cusinart will begin looking into implementing some metal or stainless steel to avoid direct contact between scorching water and plastic. Further, it is also difficult to find SS10 in many retailers. It seems like distribution is limited to a certain set of retailers.

SS-10 manual by Cuisinart


Check price

Position #4: K-Café by Keurig

K-Café is the third best single serve coffee maker.

This product is available for purchase online on Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Owly Rating

75/100

Appearance 19
Features 17
Performance 17
Health 7
Price to value 15

General thoughts

K-Cafe is a great single serve coffee maker that also brews lattes and cappuccinos. A great choice for individuals and families who love delicious coffee. This single serve coffee maker offers a good feature set, and brews delicious coffee beverages (lattes are amazing!).  I don’t like that it’s primarily plastic. Given its features, it seemed a bit heavy and bulky, and did not have some standard features. There was a beeping noise off, which I could not deactivate.  This single cup coffee maker is expensive, but I found its price-to-value ratio to be rather solid.

PROs

  • Elegant, sturdy and elite-looking
  • Single serve coffee, lattes and cappuccinos
  • 4 beverages sizes (6 to 12oz)
  • Auto-off feature
  • Strength control
  • Delicious hot coffee
  • Good price-to-value ratio
  • Excellent for singles and families who enjoy truly delicious coffee, alone or in company

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Insufficient transparency on materials and chemicals
  • Heavy and bulky
  • Not fully programmable (no auto on)
  • No temperature control
  • Expensive but great price-to-value ratio
Check price

Keurig’s K-Café is one of the best-looking single serve coffee makers I have seen. It looks like a personalized coffee bar, which brews not just regular coffee, but lattes and cappuccinos! Black matte colors contribute positively to its elegance and prestige. There is a special silver edition of K-Café. I have not seen it personally, but it looks astonishing on the pictures.

Though K-Café may seem a bit bulky at first sight, it does have some amazing functionality (on that below). The single serve is rather large (in width), but its height is comparable to other coffee makers. It’s around 14.5 inches tall, and around 17 inches when the upper lid is open. The unit is heavier than other single serve machines, weighing roughly 13 pounds.

Voltage: K-Café is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Beverage size: The K-Café single serve coffee maker offers 4 size beverages: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz and 12oz. Just like K-Elite, K-Café can accommodate a travel mug measuring 7 inches in height. I was able to fit a 7 inch mug under the brewing segment simply by removing a drip tray. It was an easy and quick process.

Weight: Because K-Café is more robust in its functionality, it is also a little bit heavier than some other single serve coffee makers. It weighs about 12lbs. It is ok to lift for a strong healthy individual, but I would not want my older family members to lift or move it often (at all?).

Unit size: 11.7 x 15.3 x 14.5 inches when the lid is closed, and 11.7 x 15.3 x 17 inches when the lid is open. This unit is rather similar to others when it comes to height, but is much wider to accommodate a milk frother! I have a relatively small kitchen, so this unit takes up substantial amount of space. Further, because of its height, I need to pull it out from underneath the countertop to refill coffee grounds, or insert a k-cup. I’d imagine K-Café being perfect for larger kitchens.

Additional perks: K-Café comes forward with an a unique offering. While its feature set is very good (not superior), K-Café does something very few other single serve coffee makers can do. It also brews absolutely delicious lattes and cappuccinos, with perfectly frothed milk!

For the feature set itself, I find K-Elite and SS10 a lot more compelling. However, K-Café comes with a couple of really nice and useful perks.

First, K-Café is equipped with a strength control. I am an occasional user of this control, which truly adds stronger coffee flavors. Second, K-Café is not just a regular single serve coffee maker. It makes some of the most delicious lattes and cappuccinos. The stainless steel in a milk frother is a nice accent, which limits my plastic-oriented health concerns. Third, this single serve coffee maker is partly programmable, with auto-off.

Further, K-Café comes with a 60oz removable water reservoir. Like with K-Elite and SS10, I find it really helpful to just store water in the water reservoir. I do not need to make very frequent trips to refill the tank. I can also accommodate a couple of coffee requests from my guests.

However, I found some things to be missing in this elite single serve coffee maker. It appears that the single serve coffee machine does not automatically come with a charcoal filter. Keurig states that a separate compatible “Keurig Side Reservoir Water Filter Kit” is available for purchase online.

Keurig would do a great service by including a temperature control and making K-Café fully programmable. Though temperature seems to be alright, being able to heat up water even more would yield much stronger and better flavors. In addition, I would really love to be able to pre-program my K-Café to run in the morning, so I can wake up to the fragrance of freshly brewed coffee.

Brewing time: K-Café did not beat K-Elite with the brewing time. However, it is on par with other best single serve coffee machines. Brewing from start to finish took me between 3 to 4 minutes. Smaller beverage sizes came out much faster, larger beverages took a bit longer.

Flavor: K-Café earned my heart with rich and fragrant coffee flavors. I loved my regular coffee beverages (regular coffee, cappuccino and lattes), and they were much more superior to those at any coffee shops I have been to.

Temperature: While K-Café single serve coffee maker does not have a temperature control, coffee comes out rather hot. Keurig states that regular coffee brews at 170-190 degrees Fahrenheit, while cappuccino or latte at 150-165 degrees Fahrenheit. I found these numbers to be slightly lower, by about 10 degrees, in my tests.

Noise levels: K-Café makes some noise, but nothing unusual for a single serve coffee maker. Unlike some other single serves, K-Café has a beeping noise off, which cannot be disabled. When frothing, there’s some noise involved, too.

Though Keurig seems more transparent with its other coffee makers, I did not find useful information for the K-Café single serve coffee maker. Keurig does not say much about materials from which the single serve coffee maker is made.

There is no information whether K-Café includes chemicals such as lead.

Keurig states that all of its single serve coffee makers are BPA-free. This should include K-Café.

However, K-Café is made primarily of plastic. Whether it is BPA-free or not, this plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to  BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Keurig does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

Some users have reported just a couple of issues with the K-Café single serve coffee maker. Those issues seem to be an exception rather than the norm. In fact, K-Café seems to have a rather clean record when it comes to technical difficulties.

While I do not believe those reports are a reason for a major concern, I’d like to flag some of them:

  • Water pump issues
  • Frother issues

K-Café is among the best single serve coffee makers with the price-to-value ratio. Depending on the store, K-Café sells for anywhere in the $$$$ price point. Given the functionality and feature set, I found the price-to-value ratio to be outstanding. I am able to brew not just regular coffee, but make my favorite lattes and cappuccinos day after day. K-Café comes with a really, really strong feature set, awesome functionality and high performance.

I praise Keurig for starting to implement some stainless steel parts in the milk frother. However, just like with the K-Elite model, I am bothered by the plastic in some of the most critical parts. I hope Keurig will address this issue with an updated model. Further, I hope that Keurig will implement a temperature control for this model.

K-Cafe manual by Keurig


Check price

Position #5: K575 by Keurig

K575 is a great single serve coffee maker for individuals and families who enjoy modern looks and prestige in their appliances.

This product is available for purchase online on Amazon.

Owly Rating

67/100

Appearance 17
Features 17
Performance 15
Health 9
Price to value 9

General thoughts

K575 is a digital single serve coffee maker equipped with some great features. A great pick for individuals and families who value a reliable brand, modernity and prestige. This single serve coffee maker earned my heart with rich and fragrant coffee flavors. I do not like that it’s primarily plastic. It seemed a bit too heavy. K575 made some squealing noises, but nothing out of ordinary. It is rather expensive. While there are some other equally good single serve coffee makers at much more affordable prices, K575 is worth considering for awesome coffee flavors.

PROs

  • Elegant and digital
  • 5 beverages sizes (4 to 12oz)
  • Fully programmable (auto on/off)
  • Temperature control
  • Strength control
  • Excellent for those who enjoy modernity and prestige

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Insufficient transparency on materials and chemicals
  • Squealing noise while brewing
  • Beverage temperature could be higher
  • Some features are obsolete due to K-Carafe discontinuation
  • Expensive
Check price

Keurig’s K575 is an elegant, elite and modern single serve coffee maker. I appreciate stainless-steel accents in this unit. When contrasted with K55, which feels cozier and warmer, K575 is more professional and elite. K575 is available in one color called platinum. I enjoy this single serve’s digital display, where I can easily set up options for my preferred beverage.

K575 is very similar to K55 in size. It measures around 13.5 inches in height when the upper lid was closed, and about 17 inches when that lid was open. It is slightly larger than SS10. Though K575 fits nicely on my countertop, I need to pull it out from underneath the cabinet to refill.

Surprisingly, the item is rather heavy. It weighs about 14 pounds, and I found it challenging to lift it. I cannot explain why it is so heavy. Perhaps stainless steel?

Voltage: K575 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only. Using it outside of these specifications will likely void the warranty.

Beverage size: This is where K575 has a significant advantage over K55. K575 supports 5 cup sizes: 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz and 12oz. With such a variety of cup sizes, I can fill up anything between a very small tea cup to a very large mug, depending on my mood and appetite. Similar to SS10, K-Elite and K-Cafe, K575 can accommodate a 7in tall mug.

This unit features additional cup sizes, specifically to fill up K-Carafes and K-Mugs. These, however, seem to be going away in the next several months, as Keurig claims in some of its other publications. The discontinuation of carafes and mugs, in my opinion, makes additional functionality of this single serve coffee machine useless. I wonder if it’s worth paying so much for functionality that will likely become obsolete.

Weight: I was surprised how heavy this unit was, weighing about 14lbs. While this is not a problem for me to lift every now and then, but I would find it challenging and annoying to lift it every day.

Unit size: 10.4 x 13.6 x 13.4 inches when the upper lid closed, and around 10.4 x 13.6 x 17 inches when the upper lid is open.

Additional perks: What differentiates this single serve coffee maker from others is the ease of use thanks to the digital screen. All of the operations can be performed on the touch screen, which is intuitive and easy-to-follow.

Keurig included a couple of important features in K575. First, this single serve coffee machine is fully programmable. I was able to program a specific time to begin brewing coffee within a 24 hour window. This unit also includes auto-off, which shuts off energy.  Both features are incredibly useful. Second, the unit comes equipped with temperature and strength controls, which allow for coffee brewed in K575 to be delicious, fragrant and rich.

K575 comes with a water filter. The filter can improve the quality of the coffee, further enhancing the flavor. The removable drip tray is fairly easy to remove, but, according to Keurig, should be washed manually. The removable water reservoir can hold around 80oz of water. With that, I do not need to refill water so frequently, and I find it very convenient.

Brewing time: Keurig is proud to advertise <1 minute brewing time for K575 (just like for other models). Again, this was not entirely true in my own test. Yes, I am able to re-fill 6oz coffee cup within 1 minute, but only when water has already boiled. However, when I do the entire procedure before going to work in the morning, this single serve took me between 3 to 4 minutes. To solve for this, I can program K575 within a 24 hour window to start heating up water and brewing coffee. That way, my mornings can be filled with fragrance of freshly brewed coffee.

Flavor: I used a couple of different coffee types, including K-pods. I found my morning mugs to be filled with an aromatic and heavenly beverage. The flavors were mostly rich and deep.

Temperature: Just like with the K55, I felt that the coffee was not hot enough. Unlike K55 though, K575 has 5 temperature settings! I tested K575’s temperatures for the highest temperature setting, and water came out between 165 and 175 degrees. This is much lower than the perfect temperature to brew coffee between 195 and 205 degrees.

Noise levels: K575 generates some squealing noise, particularly when it is trying to pump water into the K-cup. I did not find those noises to be unusual among other single serve coffee makers.

In its manual, Keurig states that the unit includes chemicals such as lead. Though more research is needed, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) that includes National Institutes of Health, CDC and FDA, states that lead compounds are “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.” The International Agency for Research on Cancer classify inorganic lead compounds as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” And the Environmental Protection Agency classifies inorganic lead compounds as “probably human carcinogens.” Therefore, it appears that some of the major agencies cautiously link lead, which Keurig reports to be included in K575, to some carcinogenic effects on human health.

Further, Keurig states that K575 is BPA-free, which means that it does not include Bisphenol A compounds.

However, K575 is made primarily of plastic. Whether it is BPA-free or not, this plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to  BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Keurig does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

There is a bunch of users who have reported a couple of technical difficulties with K575 single serve coffee maker. I want to believe that those issues seem to be an exception rather than the norm.

While I do not believe those reports are a reason for a major concern, I’d like to flag some of them:

  • Constantly jamming needles, causing leaks
  • Plastic taste in coffee
  • Water pressure / pump issues

While a mostly very good single serve coffee maker, K575 comes with a mediocre price-to-value ratio. Depending on the retailer, K575 sells in the $$$$ price point. This is $20-30 more than SS10, which is so much better equipped and better performing.

K575 is a very elegant and elite-looking single serve machine. I am very pleased with some of its features, such as programmability and strength control. I also liked the diversity of beverage sizes I could make from this coffee maker.

However, I find it difficult to excuse such a high price tag on this model. First, I found K575 to yield lukewarm coffee. While some may enjoy such a beverage, I want my coffee to be deep and rich. I want coffee to be coffee. Second, though Keurig advertises larger brewing sizes with the K-Carafe, I am puzzled to be reading that Keurig discontinues K-Carafes. It is unclear whether Keurig will begin replacing K-Carafes with something else. For now, it looks like I am paying extra dollars for functionality that I will not be able to use. Third, K575 is made of plastic, among other chemicals and materials.

K575 manual by Keurig


Check price

Position #6: CM618 by Black and Decker

CM618 is a great single serve coffee maker for those with limited space or those who want to downsize. Ideal for small apartments, small office space, dorms, and more!

This product is available for purchase online on Walmart, Wayfair, and Amazon.

Owly Rating

65/100

Appearance 13
Features 11
Performance 15
Health 7
Price to value 19

General thoughts

CM618 is a very basic, small yet functional simple single serve coffee maker. It is an ideal choice for those with limited space or those wanting to downsize. It brews up to 16oz at a time. I found it to be much quieter than expected.  I don’t like that it’s primarily plastic. Further, Black and Decker seems to make ambiguous statements around inclusion of BPA (for me, it is a red flag). I wish this model were K-cup compatible. Despite these deficiencies, CM618 is perfect for a quick cup of coffee. At a mid-$ price tag, I found the price-to-value ratio to be STELLAR.

PROs

  • Simple and compact
  • Small and functional
  • Beverage size up to 16oz
  • 16oz travel mug included
  • Quieter than expected
  • Great price
  • Stellar price-to-value ratio
  • Awesome for a quick cup of joe

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Insufficient transparency on materials and chemicals
  • Significant ambiguity around inclusion of BPA
  • Not k-cup compatible
  • Unsealable plastic travel mug
  • Not programmable
  • No temperature control
  • No strength control
Check price

Black and Decker’s CM618 single serve coffee maker offers enormously attractive simplicity. Though offered only in one color (black with some gray), this model is quite handsome and compact. With a one-touch operation, I can make my morning coffee quite quickly and efficiently.

I am really impressed that this this single serve can fit in the vast majority of kitchens and small offices (but check with the policy of your employer whether you can have a single serve coffee maker in your office). CM618 is approximately 11.5 inches tall, and around 15 inches when the upper lid is open.

The unit itself is very light, weighing roughly 2.5 pounds. I am able to handle this unit with no issues, and I can imagine the weight would pose no problem for the majority of people.

The entire unit is made of a combination of plastic, plastic-looking materials and chemicals. The unit feels cheap upon closer inspection. But hey, at this price, it is a bargain!

Voltage: CM618 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Beverage size: In my opinion, CM618 truly is a single serve coffee maker. Given its size and capacity, this machine brews excellently for one person. The beverage size can be up to 16oz. The beverage size depends on how much water I pour, and the water “reservoir” can accommodate up to 16oz.  Though the unit is rather small and compact, it can nicely accommodate a mug up to 7 inches tall.

Weight: Weight is a huge advantage of this unit, as it makes it possible for a lot of people from different walks of life to lift. The unit itself is quite light, weighing roughly 2.5 pounds. I am able to handle this unit with no issues, and I can imagine the weight would pose no problem for the majority of people.

Unit size: 10.7 x 6.9 x 11.5 inches when the upper lid closed, and around 6.1 x 5.5 x 15 inches when the upper lid is open.

Additional perks: If I were to choose one word to describe CM618, it would be “simplicity.” For the price point, this best single serve coffee maker is able to brew coffee, but does not contain a lot of other additional perks. My unit came with a 7 inch tall travel mug that could accommodate around 16oz of beverage. However, this mug looked like it was made of plastic, and I was not able to completely seal it to prevent accidental spills (yikes for those car seats).

Just to be fully transparent, CM618 is not fully programmable. I did not see a temperature control, a strength control, or a charcoal water filter. Further, I was not able to use K-cup (I assume it is NOT k-cup compatible). That said, if you were to use this single serve coffee maker, I would recommend cleaning it and descaling frequently.

Brewing time: Depending on the beverage size, CM618 takes up to 3-3.5 minutes to brew coffee. This is on par with other coffee makers.

Flavor: I was surprised. In my tests, I felt that the flavors was similar to those from K15. Black and Decker brews a great quick refreshing cup of coffee. It was not necessarily deep, rich or super fragrant, but it did a neat job for a quick coffee on the go. That said, I’d rather entertain my Saturday guests with a more luxurious and flavorful coffee from K-Elite or SS10.

Temperature: CM618 seems to follow follow market trends when it comes to temperature, which is NOT hot enough! Freshly heated water was between 170 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit, thus yielding insufficiently hot water to brew coffee. Coffee experts determined that 195 to 205 degrees are optimal for delicious coffee.

Noise levels: Unexpectedly, this unit was rather quiet. Though there were still some noises, especially from the water pump, I was pleasantly surprised how quiet it was.

Health and safety is the area where I rate CM618 the lowest. I did not find Black and Decker to be very transparent about the chemicals and plastics included in CM618. I searched multiple websites, including Black and Decker’s, and found very little information.

Among some vague statements, Black and Decker informed its customers that CM618 contained “chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.” It remains unclear what kind of chemicals this unit includes.

Further, Black and Decker informed that there was “insufficient information” to conclude whether CM618 included BPA. Personally, I find lack of clear information to be a big problem.

Whether it is BPA-free or not, CM618’s plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to  BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Black and Decker does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

There is a bunch of users who have reported technical difficulties with CM618 single serve coffee maker. I want to believe that those issues seem to be an exception rather than the norm.

If there are issues, here are some examples that users bring up::

  • Lukewarm coffee
  • Weak coffee
  • Short lifespan

CM618 is a dark horse among single serve coffee makers. Though perhaps not as popular as Keurig’s single serve machines, Black and Decker’s CM618 offers an extraordinary price-to-value ratio. Depending on the retailer, this single serve coffee maker typically retails in the mid- to low-$ price point.

CM618 offers a very similar feature set as K15, which retails for 4 times the price! CM618 does what it is supposed to do: brews quick coffee at a variety of beverage sizes (up to 16oz). It is lightweight, compact and affordable.

In my opinion, the quality of CM618 (and K15) is comparable: both are made of what I perceive as low-quality plastic. In my opinion, Black and Decker prevails here in offering much better price for the value I am getting.

CM618 manual by Black and Decker (clicking on the link will download a PDF file from the Black and Decker’s website)


Check price

Position #7: K250 by Keurig

K250 is the 6th best single cup coffee maker in 2020. It brews delicious coffee, though some of its features are not as fantastic as the single serve coffee machines listed earlier.

This product is available for purchase online on Amazon and Walmart.

Owly Rating

61/100

Appearance 15
Features 15
Performance 15
Health 9
Price to value 7

General thoughts

K250 is an elegant single serve coffee maker that can brighten kitchen spaces. An excellent choice for delicious coffee flavors. The coffee machine is intuitive due to a digital touchscreen. I don’t like that it’s primarily plastic. Though coffee is delicious, I would prefer it to be hotter. Used to support larger beverage sizes thanks to K-Carafe. However, this additional in-built functionality may no longer be supported, as K-Carafes seem discontinued. In my opinion, this model is quite expensive, and I find the price-to-value ratio mediocre.

PROs

  • Intuitive and elegant
  • 4 beverage sizes (4 to 10oz)
  • Digital touchscreen
  • Auto-off only
  • Strength control
  • Brews tasty coffee

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Not fully programmable (no auto on)
  • No temperature control
  • Coffee may be not hot enough
  • Can make gurgling noises
  • Expensive and mediocre price-to-value ratio
Check price

Keurig’s K250 is an elegant, fun and beautiful single serve coffee maker. To make almost any kitchen space brighter and lively, it can come in a variety of colors, which include black, imperial red, oasis, peacock blue, plum grey, sandy pearl and turquoise. The color selection is incredible, and I can imagine anyone could find something they like.

Though primarily made of plastic, this single serve is quite modern. I really like how a water reservoir is located behind the main brewing segment, giving K250 a sense of lightness. It is rather simple, but some awesome functionality is hidden on the 2in touch screen.

This is a regular-sized single serve, though a little taller than some others that I have reviewed here. Its height can reach 14 inches, and is almost 18 inches with the upper lid open. My kitchen is too small to accommodate a beast like this, but I imagine it would fit nicely in a mansion.

K-250 weighs about 10 pounds. Like with other single serve coffee makers I have reviewed here, 10 pounds might be a bit too much to lift every day, if there’s a need. I found it bearable.

Voltage: K250 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Beverage size: The K250 single serve coffee machine offers nice selection of beverage sizes: 4oz, 6oz, 8oz and 10oz. This beauty is perfectly made to brew coffee into a 7 inch tall travel mug, which I can then enjoy on my way to work!

This unit is equipped to fill up K-Carafes and K-Mugs. These, however, seem to be going away in the next several months. The discontinuation of carafes and mugs, in my opinion, makes additional functionality of this single serve coffee machine useless. I am still paying hefty for this coffee maker, but some of functionality may eventually become obsolete.

Weight: I found K250 single serve coffee maker to be rather heavy, weighing about 10lbs. I was okay lifting it occasionally, but I would not want to lift it daily. Further, I would not want my older family members to lift it. It might simply be too much.

Unit size: The machine is rather tall. About 15 x 9 x 14 inches when the upper lid is closed, and 15 x 9 x 18 inches when the upper lid is open.

Additional perks: Though not as brilliant as the winning single serve coffee machines, K250 has a couple of strong features. First, K250 offers a strength control option. With it, I am able to brew my coffee a little stronger, richer and more flavorful. Second, a touchscreen creates a very easy and intuitive step-by-step process to brew my favorite coffee, at any time of the day.

Just like some other coffee makers, K250 comes with 2 charcoal filters. They purify water, which, in my opinion, improves coffee flavors. The unit has a 40-oz removable water reservoir in the back. Because of the size, I do not need to make trips to refill water as often.

However, there are some misses. First, K250 does not seem to be programmable, which means that I was not able to set the timer to start brewing coffee at a specific time. Further, I was not able to find a temperature control. Further, if it is true that K-Carefes are discontinued, why would Keurig continue to advertise larger beverage sizes?

Brewing time: Depending on the beverage size, K250 serve coffee machine took me between 2 to 4 minutes to brew from start to finish. Again, this is rather comparable with other coffee makers. However, because K250 is not programmable, I am not able to set the time to start brewing in the morning.

Flavor: One thing that’s unique about K250 is the coffee flavor. With an added strength control, coffee had a full, rich and delicious taste. I would find myself enjoying coffee from this Keurig’s machine on cold winter days, while reading good books.

Temperature: As I was doing the research, I found Keurig’s statement on the temperature. Keurig claims that the factory settings are 192 degrees Fahrenheit for k-cups. In my tests, I did not reach those temperatures. Instead, I was at about 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit. This is good, but lower than the perfect coffee temperature of about 195 degrees. Despite this, K250 brews coffee rather warmly!

Noise levels: I have found K-250 to be comparable with other Keurig single serve machines. It can make some gurgling noise when boiling water, and squeaking noise when brewing, but this is not out of ordinary.

I really appreciate Keurig’s transparency regarding health warnings. In its manual, Keurig states that the unit includes chemicals such as lead. Though more research is needed, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) that includes National Institutes of Health, CDC and FDA, states that lead compounds are “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.” The International Agency for Research on Cancer classify inorganic lead compounds as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” And the Environmental Protection Agency classifies inorganic lead compounds as “probably human carcinogens.” Therefore, it appears that some of the major agencies cautiously link lead, which Keurig reports to be included in K250, to some carcinogenic effects on human health.

Further, Keurig states that K250 is BPA-free, which means that it does not include Bisphenol A compounds.

However, K250 is made primarily of plastic. Whether it is BPA-free or not, this plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Keurig does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

Individual users have reported just a couple of issues with the K250 single serve coffee maker. Those issues seem to be an exception rather than the norm. In fact, K250 seems to be doing much better overall than other single serve coffee machines.

While I do not believe those reports are a reason for a major concern, I’d like to flag some of them:

  • Occasionally unresponsive screen
  • Water pressure
  • Coffee grounds on the bottom

The K250 single serve coffee maker also offers a mediocre price-to-value ratio. I was able to find K250 at different stores, at a pricing typically in the $$$ price point. In this single serve, I was able to get coffee that I enjoy. I found the feature set to be neat, albeit not the best.

Though Keurig advertises larger brewing sizes with the k-Carafes, I am puzzled to be reading that Keurig discontinues K-Carafes. It is unclear whether Keurig will begin replacing K-Carafes with something else. For now, it looks like I am paying extra dollars for functionality that I will not be able to use in this single serve.

When I compare this to other models, which much more superior features, yielding much more delicious coffee, I think that price to value ratio is quite low for this coffee maker. I would purchase only below $100, perhaps on a promotion.

K250 manual by Keurig


Check price

Position #8: K55 by Keurig

K55 is a good single serve coffee maker for those who value a solid brand, despite a missing feature set and performance.

This product is available for purchase on Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

Owly Rating

55/100

Appearance 13
Features 11
Performance 15
Health 9
Price to value 7

General thoughts

K55 is a fashionable single serve coffee maker that can fit a variety of lifestyles. A great choice for a decent cup of coffee from a well-known brand. A fairly compact yet intuitive machine that brews aromatic, rich and fragrant coffee in 3 sizes: 6- to 10-oz. I don’t like that it’s primarily plastic, and it lacked some standard features. I don’t understand why it was heavy. I personally find the price-to-value ratio mediocre at best. With this single serve coffee maker, I think I am paying primarily for the brand.

PROs

  • Intuitive and elegant
  • 3 beverage sizes (6 to 10oz)
  • Auto-off only
  • Brews delicious, rich and fragrant coffee
  • Excellent for delicious coffee from a top-notch brand

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Not fully programmable (no auto on)
  • No temperature control
  • No strength control
  • Expensive
  • Mediocre price-to-value ratio
Check price

K55 is an elegant and modern single serve coffee maker, with a big WOW factor. Though there seem to be two colors options, black and rhubarb, I strongly prefer the black version. It’s matte finish covers most of the unit with some glossy black on the top. Once it is turned on, K55 showcases its modern beauty, with blue lights illuminating some controls.

I felt that K55 was a rather tall coffee maker. It measured around 13.5 inches in height when the upper lid was closed, and about 17 inches when that lid was open. Though I do not believe my kitchen to be particularly small, I did need to pull out this unit from under the cabinet to fill up with water.

To my surprise, the unit is also quite heavy, weighing about 10 pounds. I had no problem lifting it a few times, but I can imagine if I had to do it daily (to clean underneath, for instance), it could be a bit bothersome.

The entire unit is made of a combination of plastic and some other materials. The plastic of the previous versions of K55 seemed to have been of better quality. However, likely due to margin constraints, the plastic seems to have been changed to a different type. While the unit is still elegant, the plastic felt a bit cheap to me.

Voltage: K55 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only. Using it outside of these specifications will void the warranty.

Beverage size: Unlike some of the top best single serve coffee makers, K55 seems to support only 3 cup sizes: 6oz, 8oz and 10oz. This can fill up anything between a small tea cup to a large mug. The tallest container that fits under the brewer can measure around 7 inches. The water reservoir can hold around 48oz of water. That said, K55 may require to re-fill the water reservoir between 4 to 8 uses (depending on the sizes of the drinks).

Weight: I was negatively surprised about the weight of this unit. It was rather heavy, weighing about 10 pounds. This unit is not as robust feature-wise as K-Elite, but it weighs more than K-Elite. While occasional lifting was not a problem, I would not like to lift it every day to clean underneath.

Unit size: 9.8 x 13.3 x 13 inches with the upper lid closed, and around 9.8 x 13.3 x 17 inches when the upper lid is open.

Additional perks: Just like Black and Decker’s CM618, K55 is a rather simple coffee maker. It is very intuitive and easy to use, and it does brew coffee with better flavors. K55 is equipped with auto-off feature. It also comes with a charcoal filter to purify water. This, in my opinion, enhances coffee flavors! Further, there are several indicators that will lit, when attention is needed. Those indicators include descaling, power position and adding water. I found this to be very helpful.

However, K55 seems to be missing a temperature control, strength control, and an auto-on feature, at the very least.

Brewing time: Keurig is proud to advertise <1 minute brewing time for K55. This was not entirely true in my own test. Yes, I was able to re-fill 6oz coffee mug when the water had been previously boiled. However, when I do the entire procedure before going to work in the morning, this single serve took me between 3 to 4 minutes to boil the water and brew coffee. I personally don’t find this to be a problem, but some people might. Unlike some other best single serve coffee machines, K55 is not fully programmable. I am not able to just set K55 to start brewing at a certain time.

Flavor: While flavor primarily depends on the type of coffee and coffee grounds, I found my coffee beverages to be aromatic. For my taste, the flavors could have been a little richer, and slightly warmer.

Temperature: Personally, I felt that the coffee was not hot enough. After just a few minutes in a cup, it was still warm but not hot. I tested K55’s temperatures for freshly-heated water, which actually brews coffee. It was typically between 170 and 175 degrees. That’s lower than what coffee experts suggest, which is water temperature between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

Noise levels: K55 generates some noise, particularly when it is trying to pump water into the K-cup. However, this is not much different from other single serve coffee makers.

In its manual, Keurig states that the unit includes chemicals such as lead. Though more research is needed, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) that includes National Institutes of Health, CDC and FDA, states that lead compounds are “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.” The International Agency for Research on Cancer classify inorganic lead compounds as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” And the Environmental Protection Agency classifies inorganic lead compounds as “probably human carcinogens.” Therefore, it appears that some of the major agencies cautiously link lead, which Keurig reports to be included in K55, to some carcinogenic effects on human health.

Further, Keurig states that K55 is BPA-free, which means that it does not include Bisphenol A compounds.

However, K55 is made primarily of plastic. Whether it is BPA-free or not, this plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to  BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Keurig does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

Some users have reported a couple issues with the K55 single serve coffee maker. I want to believe that those issues are an exception rather than the norm.

If you decide to go ahead, I’d like to flag some of concerns other users have:

  • Plastic taste
  • Shorter than expected lifespan
  • Failing water pump

The K55 single serve coffee maker offers a mediocre price-to-value ratio. Depending on the store, it typically retails at a high $$ price point. However, what am I paying for in this model? In my opinion, a $$ price point is substantial given a lacking feature set and lukewarm coffee. As with most Keurig single serve machines, I imagine I pay a large share for the brand itself.

Despite temperature problems, K55 brewed quite delicious and fragrant coffee. I was rather pleased with it, though it isn’t the type of coffee I would like to serve over Thanksgiving dinner.

K55 manual by Keurig


Check price

Position #9: K15 by Keurig

K15 is a true definition of the single cup coffee maker. It’s small, and made it on the list of the best single serve coffee makers in 2020!

This product is available for purchase on Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

Owly Rating

53/100

Appearance 19
Features 9
Performance 11
Health 9
Price to value 5

General thoughts

K15 is a cute and fun single serve coffee maker that can fit different lifestyles. Brightens kitchen space nicely. Small, compact and lightweight. A very simple machine brewing in 3 sizes: 6 to 10oz. A great pick for those who want to enjoy a quick coffee on the go (or at work). I don’t like how it is primarily plastic, and it looked cheaply-made. It lacked some standard features, and brewed rather bland and lukewarm coffee. I was really shocked about the price, and thus found the price-to-value ratio to be LOW.

PROs

  • Cute and fashionable
  • Compact and lightweight
  • 3 beverage sizes (6 to 10oz)
  • Auto-off only
  • Perfect for 1 cup of coffee at a time

CONs

  • Plastic (+ cheaply looking plastic)
  • Not fully programmable (no auto on)
  • No temperature control
  • No strength control
  • Lukewarm and bland coffee
  • Expensive and low price-to-value ratio
Check price

Keurig’s Mini Brewer K15 is a simple, compact and cozy single serve coffee maker, which should fit into most households. I am personally in love with a color selection for this model, from black, chili red and green, to platinum and sky blue. It can make kitchen space bright and lively.

This single serve is small, and will likely look well on any counter. Its height is around 11 inches, and 14 inches when the upper lid is open. I am impressed how Keurig enhanced the height in this model. The unit itself is not heavy, weighing roughly 3 pounds. I had no problems lifting or moving it.

The entire unit is made of a combination of plastic, plastic-looking materials and chemicals. Upon closer inspection, though elegant, K15 looked a bit cheap to me.

Voltage: K15 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only. Using it outside of these specifications will likely void the warranty.

Beverage size: Just like a true single serve coffee maker, K15 brews perfectly for one person. It can make 3 different beverage sizes: 6oz, 8oz and 10oz. Note that bigger mugs may not fit into this model. The tallest mugs I was able to fit underneath the brewing segment was about 5 inches tall. CM618 seems to be a winner here, as it brews larger cup sizes and accommodates a larger mug underneath a brewing segment.

Weight: This is a great advantage of K15 over some other best single serve coffee makers! K15 is rather light, weighing about 3lbs. Because it is small and made of plastic, this coffee machine was easy to lift for me.

Unit size: 10.7 x 6.9 x 11.5 inches when the upper lid closed, and around 10.7 x 6.9 x 13 inches when the upper lid is open. I found that Keurig made significant improvements in the height, making this single serve coffee maker accessible for a lot of kitchens!

Additional perks: Similar to CM618, if I were to describe K15’s feature set with one word, this would be simplicity. K15 is very compact, light and simple. K15 has some advantages over CM618. First, K15 is K-cup compatible. I was able to enjoy coffee of my most favorite flavors. Second, K15 is equipped with a retractable cord. I was able to use this coffee maker at home and at work. It really nicely fitted into my spaces without any redundant cables hanging around!

However, there are some misses here. The machine did not seem to be programmable, and seemed not to have a temperature control and a strength control. Further, my K15 machine did not  come with a water filter. Therefore, I would suggest using filtered water and/or cleaning the unit more frequently.

I was not able to simply store water in the water reservoir to brew the next morning. As soon as I placed water in the water reservoir, the heating process began.

Brewing time: Keurig is proud to advertise <2 minute brewing, which I found to be rather accurate. Depending on the beverage size, the brewing takes between 90 seconds to 120 seconds.

Flavor: In my tests, I found flavor of coffee to be rather bland. It was good for a quick coffee on the go, but I love coffee that’s a lot richer and fragrant. I say that this coffee maker is superb for a quick coffee on the go, or in between work meetings. However, on a weekend day, I’d expect the aroma and flavors of deep and rich coffee, which K15 did not provide.

Temperature: K15 suffers from this uniform drawback that some other single serve coffee maker suffer from: water is not hot enough for me! In my tests, freshly heated water was between 170 and 175 degrees.  This is lower than the perfect brewing temperature of between 195 and 205 degrees.

Noise levels: I felt that for such a small unit, K15 generated quite a lot of noises, first, for heating up water, and, second, for brewing. Again, those noises are nothing unusual. However, given its size, I expected slightly quieter single serve coffee maker.

In its manual, Keurig states that the unit includes chemicals such as lead. Though more research is needed, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) that includes National Institutes of Health, CDC and FDA, states that lead compounds are “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.” The International Agency for Research on Cancer classify inorganic lead compounds as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” And the Environmental Protection Agency classifies inorganic lead compounds as “probably human carcinogens.” Therefore, it appears that some of the major agencies cautiously link lead, which Keurig reports to be included in K15, to some carcinogenic effects on human health.

Further, Keurig states that K15 is BPA-free, which means that it does not include Bisphenol A compounds.

Though Keurig claims that K15 single serve coffee maker does not contain BPA, I am personally very cautious to use appliances where hot water comes in direct contact with plastic. I noticed how hot water touches plastic in several places, as it permeates through coffee grounds.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Keurig does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

Some users have reported a couple issues with the K15 single serve coffee maker. I want to believe that those issues are an exception rather than the norm.

If you decide to go ahead, I’d like to flag some of concerns other users have:

  • Short lifespan
  • Jamming needles
  • Leaking water
  • Insufficient temperature

I believe that the K15 single serve coffee maker has a low price-to-value ratio. Depending on the retailer, K15 typically retails at a high $$ price point. This is a similar price as K55 (which has more features), and around $80 more than CM618 (which is super similar to K15 with features and performance).

K15 offers significantly fewer features and is made of what I perceive as low-quality plastic. I think that if single serve coffee machine retailed for about $50 or less, it would be a great deal. Again, I feel like I am paying for the branding, as opposed to high quality.

K15 manual by Keurig


Check price

Position #10: CM17005 by Chulux

Manufactured by a fairly unknown brand, CM17005 managed to step into the list of the best single cup coffee makers in 2020!

This product is available for purchase online on Amazon.

Owly Rating

52/100

Appearance 12
Features 13
Performance 13
Health 7
Price to value 7

General thoughts

CM17005 is a small, lightweight and compact single serve coffee maker. Comes with an elegant stainless-steel siding. Auto-off feature, K-cup compatible, brews 4 beverage sizes: 4 to 10oz. A perfect choice for a quick cup of coffee (at home or at work). I don’t like how it is primarily plastic, and lacked some standard features. It was a bit louder than expected while brewing, and it brewed a rather lukewarm coffee. The price-to-value ratio is fair given the price tag!

PROs

  • Compact and lightweight
  • Stainless steel siding
  • 4 beverage sizes (4 to 10oz)
  • K-cup compatible
  • Auto-off only
  • Perfect for 1 cup of coffee at a time

CONs

  • Plastic
  • Not fully programmable (no auto on)
  • No temperature control
  • No strength control
  • Does not store water in tank
  • Lukewarm and bland coffee
  • Noisy given its size
Check price

Chulux’s CM17005 is a very simple and compact single serve coffee maker. Unlike some other single serve coffee machines, CM17005 has stainless steel sides, which I found to be quite attractive.

CM17005 is smaller than other best single serve coffee makers. It is 9.5 inches tall, and about 13 inches when the upper lid is open. Given its size, the unit is very compact and light, weighing about 3 pounds. I find it extremely easy to move this unit around, and, if necessary, lift to clean the countertop underneath it.

Besides stainless steel sides, CM17005 seems to be made primarily of plastic. Upon closer inspection, this model looks and feels rather cheap.

Voltage: CM17005 is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Beverage size: For such a compact and small unit, CM17005 is incredible when it comes to beverage sizes. Like larger single serve coffee makers, CM17005 brews several sizes: 4oz, 6oz, 8oz and 10oz. Further, Chulux can accommodate a smaller travel mug measuring 5.5 inches in height.

Weight: CM17005 truly is a winner when it comes to size and weight. Being so compact and functional, CM17005 weighs about 3lbs.

Unit size: 7.1 x 5.1 x 9.1 inches when the lid is closed, and about 7.1 x 5.1 x13 inches when the lid upper lid is open.

Additional perks: When I tested CM17005, I immediately thought to myself “don’t judge the book by its cover.” Though this single serve coffee maker is small and light, I found some of its features to be quite good. First, Chulux’s CM17005 is K-cup compatible. I was able to brew my favorite coffee flavors in no time. Second, CM17005 offers a one-touch functionality. It is very simple to operate. After having poured water into the reservoir, all I had to do is press “brew.” Third, CM17005 offers an auto-off functionality.

However, there are some important features that CM17005 does not seem to offer. I was not able to program this single serve to start brewing at a specific time. Further, it did not seem to have a temperature control and a strength control. My model did not come with a charcoal filter to filter water.

Further, I was not able to “store” water in the tank. As soon as I put water inside, the heating begins automatically, and brewing should resume thereafter.

Brewing time: Like most other single serve coffee makers, CM17005 takes between 2-3 minutes to brew coffee from start to finish. The exact time largely depended on the beverage size.

Flavor: I found coffee to be tasty and flavorful. There was no specific richness or depth, but I found CM17005 to do the job nicely for a routine cup of coffee.

Temperature: Unlike the best single serve coffee makers, CM17005 does not offer a temperature control. In my test, I found freshly heated water to be between 170 and 175 Fahrenheit degrees, which is slightly less warm than the recommended 195 to 205 Fahrenheit degrees.

Noise levels: Given its size, I found CM17005 to be a bit louder than other single serve coffee makers. Since this is such a small and compact model, I was hoping it would reduce noise significantly.

I did not find Chulux to be very transparent about the chemicals and plastic included in CM17005. I searched multiple websites and I was not able to find Chulux’s website. Overall, I found very little information.

Though researched thoroughly, I was not able to find information whether or not this single serve coffee maker contains any particular chemicals, such as lead. I also did not find statements that would prove or deny inclusion of chemicals. Hence, I cannot confirm or disconfirm this information.

On Amazon, Chulux clarifies that CM17005 is BPA-free, and makes some guarantees about it.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to  BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Chulux does not publish information what kind of materials or chemicals are used, so I am not able to verify.

Users have reported just a couple of issues with the CM17005 single serve coffee maker. I want to believe that those issues seem to be an exception rather than the norm.

I’d like to flag some of those issues:

  • Stop dispensing water
  • Pump issues

The CM17005 single serve coffee maker offers an ok price-to-value ratio.

The manual is currently not available.


Check price

2020 Buyer’s guide for best single serve coffee makers

The good in the single serve coffee maker space

Though the market is teeming with single serve coffee makers, there is just a handful of reliable brands in the space. These brands include Keurig, Cuisinart, Black and Decker, Hamilton Beach and Bunn. From what I have gathered, it appears that years of experience allowed these brands to have perfected single cup coffee makers.

These brands pay particular attention to quality in product development. Their products need to comply with strict policies and high standards of development, engineering and quality. These products go through almost endless cycles of testing before final designs are put together and sent to China for production.

Additionally, these brands have put in place a rather solid quality assurance. Through quality assurance, brands verify whether customer-ready products comply with the expected standards. This way, they ensure that the products made in Chinese manufacturing factories are flawless and ready for shipment to American customers. Though not every single unit is subject to quality assurance, this practice allows customers like you and I enjoy (mostly) reliable, long-lasting and functional single cup coffee makers.

The bad in the single serve coffee maker space

Despite such a vast array of products available, I found a couple of issues in current product offering. My hope is that at least some of the brands will eventually solve some persistently re-occurring problems.

First and foremost, a vast majority of single serve coffee makers is a complete rubbish. I found it quite challenging to identify products worth reviewing, recommending and using. It is appalling how much unhealthy, unsafe or unreliable products some companies put in the market.

Second, most single serve coffee makers are made of plastic. This plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water, and this is true among some of the best single serve coffee makers, too! This drives me crazy. Yes, they are BPA-free. So what? I personally do not want to use products where boiling water comes into contact with plastic. Ever.

A BPA-free status does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous and toxic plastics or chemicals. In fact, reports show that BPA is replaced by other types of plastic. They include, but are not limited to, BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). Those types sound scary, and the government officials (hello, FDA, hello, politicians!) get a lot of money from lobbying groups (on this in a separate post at a later date). The exact health effects of the BPA-substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS are unknown at this point. More independent research needs to occur.

Third, even the best single serve coffee makers struggle with heating up water sufficiently for a perfect coffee cup. The best brewing temperature of water for coffee should be between 195 F and 205 F. Unfortunately, a lot of single cup coffee machines are between 10 and 20 degrees lower than the recommended minimum. Only a handful of single serve coffee makers, especially those with temperature controls, got close to the perfect brewing temperature in my tests.

Wise up, share with your friends!

Did you find the post helpful?
[Number of Owly votes: 2 Average: 5]