The point: the cup of coffee made from Keurig machines is not a good cup of coffee. The coffee is staler than the bag of tortilla chips in the bottom of my pantry, it’s brewed with water that’s too hot and the balance of water to grinds all make for intensely bitter, boring coffee.
If, for you, coffee exists only as a utility, promptly close out of this story. If you live alone — or are the only person in your household who partakes — brewing single cups of coffee instead of the four-cup minimum most machines enforce saves both time and money. Here are five great options that aren’t Keurigs.
Aeropress
The Aeropress was invented by a guy who was fed up with shitty single-cup brewing on drip machines. It is affordable, effective and loved by both coffee insiders and regular-old coffee drinkers alike. Hot water, coffee grinds, a cute paper and a long press turn out coffee that has spawned international competitions. It’s also easily the most affordable option on this list and among coffee brewers in general, with its frugality rivaled only by pour-over brewers like the Kalita Wave or Hario V60.
Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker
Ninja is a relative newcomer to the top-tier of coffee brewing. Its Specialty brewer earned one of very few approvals from the Specialty Coffee Association, and it’s one of two on the list that can turn out a single cup as well as it can a full pot. It also sports a detachable water reservoir and has a permanent filter, which add some convenience.
Braun Multiserve Coffee Machine
The second of the SCA-approved single-cup coffee brewers has too many features to fit in these tiny blurbs. The machine does coffee brewing basics well, but its versatility is where it shines, and that starts with the single-cup brew. You can brew into its glass carafe, a tall, portable coffee tumbler or a mug, with the help of a small shelf that folds out of the brew area to hold the shorter mug closer to the brewer. This cuts down on coffee splashing outside the cup. The machine also has a cold brewing function which intensifies the coffee it brews in preparation for ice-caused dilution. That is a very smart solve to a very real problem.
Technivorm Moccamaster 69212 Cup One Coffee Brewer
The Dutch-made Moccamaster is the most iconic coffee person’s coffee maker ever. It’s been around for more than 50 years, and because of its lighting-quick copper heating element, great customer service and strong warranty, it’s still one of the best brewers in the world. The single-cup brew version of the machine keeps with the brand’s tradition of excellence, but comes at a higher price. If it matters, it’s probably the only coffee maker on this list that makes a kitchen look better.
Breville Precision Brewer (Brewers Cup Tribute Edition)
If I asked you how extra you are with your coffee and you immediately started wondering whether your coffee-to-water ratio would be defined as “extra,” you are extra and this coffee maker is for you. It’s our Best Overall Coffee Maker, and the Brewers Cup Tribute version of it allows for single-cup brewing through a pour-over attachment. I can confidently say it’s the best coffee I’ve ever made on a consumer-level brewing device. You can change virtually every facet of your brew with a few twists of a knob, too. It’s expensive and rarely goes on sale, but, for the right person, it’s worth it.
