Which Coffee Maker With K Cup Option Should You Buy? Our Top 5 Recommendations

Need a new coffee maker? One of the first decisions to make is often the type you need. Is it a single-serve or a carafe brewer? Single-serve coffee makers usually employ a capsule or pod system – Keurig K-Cup, Dolce Gusto, Nespresso, Senseo, and other market leaders. Carafe brewers usually allow you to use your own favorite ground coffee.

Think the only option is to buy two separate machines? What if we told you there’s a solution – an all-in-one option combining convenience with cost-effectiveness? Essentially, a coffee maker with K cup option. Come with us, and meander through five of the best all-in-one options out there.

Best K Cup Compatible Coffee Makers Of 2023

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The Best K Cup Coffee Maker

Our Winner: Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 

Let’s announce, then, our top of the coffee pops – Brew a whole 12-cup carafe or just one serving. And one of the biggest ticks in the box we gave it was due to its compatibility with Keurig K-Cup pods.

There are separate reservoirs for the single-serve and carafe sides of the machine. Using a K-Cup pod? Enjoy a beverage of up to 10 ounces. Making a carafe? Make beverages of up to 14 ounces with ground coffee. We also enjoyed the quirky gold-colored basket that allows you to use ground coffee.

 

 

Cuisinart SS-15P1 Coffee Center

combines the best of both worlds. There’s a single-serve brewer on one side and a 12-cup coffeemaker on the other. On the carafe side, the fixed water reservoir holds 60 fluid ounces.

While you can’t brew a single cup of coffee at exactly the same time as you’re making a 12-cup carafe, as soon as the pot side has finished brewing you can make a 6 ounce, 8 ounce, or 10-ounce cup of Joe. One of the most appealing features of this coffee machine, however, is its compatibility with the range and convenience of K-Cup pods.

 

The carafe is made of glass with a stainless steel handle. There are two strength controls: bold gives a stronger flavor. The single-serve side has a 40-ounce removable water reservoir, making it a cinch to refill. There’s a choice of finish: silver or black and white.

The coffee filter works effectively with the charcoal water filter to keep your coffee tasting fresh and pure.

The SS-15P1 is programmable for 24 hours ahead, easy to use, and the self-clean feature means you get more time to simply enjoy your coffee. There are two coffee strengths, including bold; you can also control the brewing temperature, and there’s an auto-off feature that kicks in from 0-4 hours.

You also get a Coffee Bar Sample Pack, which incorporates recyclable capsules. This coffee maker measures 10.1 inches by 10.4 by 14.2 inches and weighs 9.5 pounds after shipping. The machine is BPA free and replacement carafes are easily available. The SS-15P1 also ships with the Home Barista Reusable Filter Cup so you can use your own ground coffee if you prefer.

 

Pros & Cons

 

Hamilton Beach Dual Coffee Maker With K Cup

Meet our overall Best Value top choice, It’s a delightful coffee maker, combining both single-serve and full pot functionality. Use your favorite ground coffee with the permanent filter, or K-Cup Pods with the adapter. Hamilton Beach is produced in an attractive silver and black design and is programmable. It is also available in white.

In a hurry? Don’t worry. A single serving takes around 3 minutes. And then there’s the energy-saving aspect. You don’t need to worry that the water is being kept hot longer than necessary – the Flex Brew only heats it up when you’re ready for that all-important cup of coffee you’ve been imagining.

 

The cup rest adjusts to take tall mugs. We also loved the fact that the needle that pierces the pods can be removed for easy cleaning, minimizing clogging. The reservoir is only intended for water, but each brewer has its own water tank. The water window means you can always see at a glance if a brewer needs refilling.

You can make up to 12 cups of coffee at a time, and the auto-pause and serve is one of its most engaging and useful aspects. There’s also a 2-hour auto shut-off feature. There are two sides to this coffee maker – the carafe and the single-serve options.

Both reservoirs are easy to refill, with windows that allow you to keep a careful eye on the water level. On the carafe side, there’s a 2-hour auto shut-off feature and a programmable timer.

The single-serve side of the machine can brew up to a 10-ounce beverage if you’re using a K-Cup pod, or a 14-ounce beverage with ground coffee. The machine includes a single-serve pod holder and a brewing basket that has an attractive (and permanent) gold-colored filter if you’re using your favorite ground Arabica or Robusta.

There are two brew strengths, regular and bold. Set the brew time up to 24 hours ahead with the easy-to-program clock. Keep your coffee warm for up to 2 hours once brewed, although the auto shut-off means you don’t need to worry if you left the Hamilton Beach switched on.

The Auto Pause and Serve is another very useful feature. Feel like pouring a cup of coffee for yourself – or anyone else for that matter – while the brewing process is underway? No need to worry – you can remove the carafe and pour yourself a serving with no fear of stray drips. The carafe is light, relatively easy to clean, and doesn’t leak. The water reservoir is filled from the top.

Interested in how it measures up? You’ll need to allow 13.7 by 11.4 by 12.2 inches, and weighs 13 pounds after shipping (14.6 with shipping materials). The water reservoir holds 40 fluid ounces.

The single side will take a travel mug of up to 7.75 inches (around 30 fluid ounces, depending on the mug). It isn’t only Keurig K-Cups that will fit, either – there are cheerful accounts of owners using other compatibles in the Hamilton Beach. If you would like to compare this model to the 49980A, you can check this detailed 49980A vs 49950C comparison.

 

Pros & Cons

 

Keurig K-Café

When it comes to coffee, there’s not much that’s simpler than slipping a K-Cup into a Keurig, placing your cup, pressing a button, and enjoying your coffee. And this machine is no exception.

We just had to take a detailed look at the Burlington-based company’s own This Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee machine ships with a dishwasher safe milk frother.

Both the coffee machine and the milk frother come in dark charcoal, so they’ll fit with pretty much any décor you care to name. We really love the smart start on this machine, with the coffee maker heating and brewing in one straightforward process.

 

The machine has a generous 60 fluid ounce water reservoir. It’s also removable, so refilling is super simple. Serve yourself a travel mug of up to 7.2 inches high, and cleanup is super easy as many of the components are dishwasher safe (top rack).

Keurig aficionados love the convenience of K-Cup pods, but if you’d rather use your own blend of ground coffee, then simply opt for the K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter.

Don’t try to use K-Carafe pods, K-mug pods, Vue pods, or Rivo pods, though – they won’t work.

You get a choice of 6, 8, 10 or 12-ounce serving sizes. Strong Brew will give you a more robust-tasting beverage. It measures 17.3 by 14.2 by 14.4 inches and weighs 13.25 pounds.

The auto-off feature turns the brewer off if it hasn’t been used for 2 hours; and what’s more, it’s programmable and there’s even a high altitude setting for those living above 5,000 feet.

While you’ll get excellent espresso-style drinks, the K-Café doesn’t make espressos as it doesn’t use pressure when it’s brewing the K-cup pods. The K-Cup pods are the same ones used in other Keurig machines, but the 2-ounce SHOT size means you get a more concentrated drink.

Wondering about other sizes and drink types? A cappuccino is around 4 ounces of milk with the frother supplying a ratio of 50% milk, 50% froth. A latte, meanwhile, is a little larger, at around 6 ounces of milk, but with less froth – around 20 to 30%.

We’ve found that fresh, icy cold milk works best for the frothy foam that gives your coffee that finishing touch. That’s regardless of whether you’re using dairy, almond, soy, or any other kind of milk in your coffee.

 

Pros & Cons

 

Mixpresso Magic

Meet a single-serve K-Cup coffee maker that’s compatible with 1.0 and 2.0 pods. There’s a 45-ounce water tank, a rapid brewing time, and an auto shut-off feature. You can whip up a coffee at a single touch of a button. Color options include red and black or white and gray.

Strong coffee just what the doctor ordered? The 6 ounce K-Cups will give you the boldest brew. You don’t have to stick just to coffee, you can also use the machine to dispense hot water for tea or dehydrated snacks.

 

Mixpresso also have their own single-serve cups. With the drip tray in situ, a 5.5-inch high travel mug or cup will fit nicely, and with the tray removed, a 6.5-inch tall cup will fit.

You get a good choice of beverage serving sizes: from 4 ounces to 12 ounces, with 6, 8, and 10 the other options. The pre-heating time is around 30 seconds. When the machine is turned on the water gauge lights up in a rather pleasing shade of blue.

If it hasn’t been used for over 2 hours, the Mixpresso doesn’t waste time by throwing a tantrum or having an attack of the sulks. It just calmly and quietly turns itself off.

There’s a lot of power packed into the Mixpresso’s surprisingly compact frame. Weighing just 7.9 ounces, it measures 15.5 by 14 by 9.5 inches. The water reservoir is removable, as is the filter basket with the permanent filter. Cleaning couldn’t be simpler, you just give the capsule holder a rinse to keep clogging to a minimum.

As an additional extra, it typically ships in a gift box. Like to treat the coffee lover in your life? Then this is a great option.

 

Pros & Cons

 

Mr. Coffee Makes Coffee

Mr. Coffee has partnered with Keurig to bring you Keurig Brewed tech at Mr. Coffee prices. It takes under a minute for a single-serve coffee. With over 250 different flavors in the Keurig range, you’re sure to find one to suit your palate and your mood.

coffee machine comes in black or red, with 3 serving size options. So if you’re in the mood for a concentrated 6-ounce coffee, a standard(ish) 8-ounce cup, or a longer 10-ounce beverage, give the Single Serve a whirl.

 

The removable drip tray means it deals easily with larger cups or travel mugs. The sampler pack of 5 K-Cups gets you off to a flying start. We did find it was happier with K-Cup pods when we plugged the machine in and switched it on before we added the pod.

Without the drip tray in place, cups up to 7.25 inches high will fit comfortably. The largest drink it brews is 10 ounces, so practically, most cups will be smaller than this. Mr. Coffee’s offering weighs 8.3 pounds and measures 10 by 13 by 12.5 inches.

There is a 2-hour auto-off on this model: hold the Brew and Start buttons simultaneously. You’ll see the blue lights blink twice before returning to a one-light display. In practice, we found the auto-off a little erratic and didn’t always kick in, but it’s simple enough to turn the machine off manually. Just hold the Brew/OFF button and the unit will obediently fall asleep.

It’s an easy machine to clean – use vinegar, then rinse with water. We also learned that if you use very finely ground coffee you’re likely to need to clean it more frequently.

 

Pros & Cons

 

Better Buying Tips

We’ve looked at five excellent coffee makers with K-Cup capacity. They’ve all got great and not-so-great features. To help you make up your mind about which one is your best match, we decided we’d put together a question tip sheet.

Picking the right K-Cup compatible coffee maker will be as easy as pie. (And if you’re asking, we’re quite in the mood for pumpkin today. Goes great with coffee too.)

 

What Coffee Can You Use?

Firstly, what type of K-Cups are you likely to use? Some of our options will take compatible capsules as well as the originals. How large a beverage do you want from the single-serve side of the brewer? Is it important that you have a wide range of sizes, or will 2 or 3 be enough for your needs?

On the carafe side of the brewers, does the machine of your choice come with a permanent filter, and how many cups of coffee can you make at once? What about the hot plate functionality?

Then there are the pods. You might want to take into account how easy it is to recycle the K-Cups you’re using, or if the machines are compatible with the K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter.

 

Operation And Maintenance

Do you need a brewer that has a pause feature, and how long an auto-off do you need? Is it important to be able to set a program to have your coffee produced just as you like it?

How large a water tank do you need, and is it important that it’s removable? Do you want separate reservoirs, or combined? And do you need a top-fill machine or one where the tank is at the back or on the side? While we’re on the topic, how much time do you need to spend cleaning? Mostly, it’ll take less time if you can remove at least some of the components.

 

Can You Use K Cups In A Regular Coffee Maker?

You might be wondering whether it’s possible to use K-Cups in a regular coffee maker. Well, the answer’s no, unless the coffee maker has a special fitting for the K-Cups. Or unless you’re using a filter machine and you empty the contents of the K-Cup pod into the filter, then brew as normal.

That also applies to the My K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter. It’s universal – for machines that take the Keurig K-Cups, or have an adapter fitted or available. If you try to use K Cups as they are in regular coffee makers, you’re likely to damage the machine.

 

Sizing It Up And Special Features

And then there are the dimensions. How much counter space do you have? Need to start the day with a travel mug of coffee? How tall a cup can you use with the brewer of your choice?

Think about other factors, too. How easy will it be to obtain replacement or additional parts? And what about any warranties that might be thrown in? We also know it’s not the be-all and end-all, but the choice of colors and aesthetics might also feed into your choice.

Give a little thought to miscellaneous quirks too, like the lights, beeps, and noise. And are there any unique combinations of buttons you might need to employ to activate, for instance, the auto-off. Every coffee maker has its own idiosyncrasies. How much time do you want to spend dealing with them when you’re bleary-eyed in the pale glow of dawn?

 

What Is The Best K-Cup Coffee Maker?

Our Winner: Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 

Just summing up, then, our top three choices from this selection were as follows. came out on top in terms of Best Value. Top Performer was  with a perfect Budget Choice.

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  Last update on 2023-05-31 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API.