# What is the best single serve coffee maker?



## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

What is the best single serve coffee maker?  One of the ones that uses the cups/packets.


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

Mister K-girl asked Santa for one this year
So we went to our nearest Starbucks to take a look at their new machine
Wasn't impressed
Still looking


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## berndy (Sep 18, 2010)

In my opinion the new single serve coffee makers are NOT worth the money at all and I think this is another gimmick to get to your money since you have to use their  far too expensive pre-measured individual coffee-packets.Yes it is very convenient but not worth the cost.You decide-it is your money ?

I use an old fashioned small drip coffee maker( 5 cup) where I can make a single cup of coffee at the time. I did buy the cheapest one and bought a simple timer from Home-Depot to go along with it,and this set-up has not failed me in over 10 years.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I do not like any of them, Water is not hot enough for coffee  plus one of those pre filled cartridges cost about 55 to 75 cent each. Very high cost.


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## thatchairlady (Feb 15, 2012)

SIL swears by her K... I wasn't impressed.  Thought coffee tasted a little "instanty"??  Guess if you TRULY only wanted ONE cup, with not even half a refill, might be OK!?!


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Can't go wrong with this one and if you use good technique it makes excellent coffee! Gotta love the price, just think of all the 'really good' coffee you can buy with the savings!



#1 Cone
White Porcelain
Coffee Filter Holder

$4.99
#120291 2-7/8" high,
Approx. 3-3/4" wide,
Three 1/8" round drain holes,
Fits over cups 2.25" to 3.5" inside diameter,
Uses #1 or #2 filters (we recommend #2, as they stick up a bit and make it easier to remove the filter when done),
Dishwasher safe


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

I use a Melitta one-cup filter cone along with Melitta #2 filters.  Both can be gotten at Kroger or some well stocked super market.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

I boil water and since I live at 4000 ft. elevation it boils at 204.6 degrees which is in the ideal range for coffee brewing, which is a range most coffee makers don't hit. Pour it over my freshly ground beans in a wide mouth thermal carafe and let steep for 6 minutes. Then strain it through.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

cheflayne said:


> I boil water and since I live at 4000 ft. elevation it boils at 204.6 degrees which is in the ideal range for coffee brewing, which is a range most coffee makers don't hit. Pour it over my freshly ground beans in a wide mouth thermal carafe and let steep for 6 minutes. Then strain it through.


CL, what's the name of that device and where can it be gotten??


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

If water is boiling , you could put coffee in a china cap with a filter in it and coffee will taste good. Why spend $100s?  The whole thing is the temp of water, and coffee quality. I like Hawiann Blue Mountain


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

kokopuffs said:


> CL, what's the name of that device and where can it be gotten??


http://browncookie.com/products/cotton-bag-for-straining-coffee-soybean-milk

Actually this is not exactly the one I use, which I got years ago in Costa Rica where it was marketed as a coffee maker complete with a wooden stand and coat hanger device to place the strainer in, but it looks pretty close. I love it, plus it works when the power goes out because I have propane gas in my kitchen. That and a old fashioned hand grinder and I am good to go storm or no storm.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

@ *Kokopuffs*,

i know that as a coffee 'sock' and used them for years as they were found everywhere in the caribbean for peanuts. at the time the only alternative were expensive electric or the old style moka espresso maker which were too small. paired with rich puerto rican or take me higher jamaican coffee, the coffee 'sock' was great. PITA to clean but i'm sure the new ones use a different material which are easier to clean. the old ones were either muslin or flour sacks or something similar.

@*MichaelGA*, i have never seen a porcelain cone filter...ingenious that it has 3 holes! the one hole has always been my biggest complaint about the plastic ones. koko, that would be my choice if you could find one, especially if you don't have the time to linger in the mornings.... an electric water kettle is essential i think for that method, plus it's just so handy for tea. michael where did you find it?....a specialty coffee shop or a BB&B type store? i have never seen one in the supermarket.

as an aside, where i am working for the winter, has a big and beautiful espresso machine so i am becoming very spoiled, very quickly. i practically have to avert my eyes when passing through the beverage station! no fancy 'make mine a double cream mocha latte decaf baby' for me......i'll take a double shot straight thank you....dangerous!

joey


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## allanm (Jan 20, 2011)

Haven't tried one yet but the Aeropress is supposed to be good and uses loose coffee not pods.

Other than that I would recommend a small french press.


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## berndy (Sep 18, 2010)

I was told that there are now empty cartridges for the one-serve coffe-makesr availavle online. This way you can use youe own coffee and this would now make it less costly.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

allanm said:


> Haven't tried one yet but the Aeropress is supposed to be good and uses loose coffee not pods.
> 
> Other than that I would recommend a small french press.


yes the french press reigns supreme in my book... how could i ever have forgotten about them?...so sorry...i loved them for years after i discovered them....we used to use a press almost exclusively, then my husband stared to drink decaf and i wouldn't budge off my dark french or italian roast so i got a small single press for myself, which worked out great for me...not so much for him, so we changed again as compromises do....now i think maybe i will ask st. nick real, real nice (and leave really good cookies) for another press for christmas this year...maybe one for him and one for me...yeah, that's the spirit!

joey

koko, have you ever tried a french press? good cup o joe for sure! go to a coffee shop, where they sell merchandise and ask if they would make you a pot in a frenchpress


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

durangojo said:


> @*MichaelGA*, i have never seen a porcelain cone filter...ingenious that it has 3 holes! the one hole has always been my biggest complaint about the plastic ones. koko, that would be my choice if you could find one, especially if you don't have the time to linger in the mornings.... an electric water kettle is essential i think for that method, plus it's just so handy for tea. michael where did you find it?....a specialty coffee shop or a BB&B type store? i have never seen one in the supermarket.
> 
> as an aside, where i am working for the winter, has a big and beautiful espresso machine so i am becoming very spoiled, very quickly. i practically have to avert my eyes when passing through the beverage station! no fancy 'make mine a double cream mocha latte decaf baby' for me......i'll take a double shot straight thank you....dangerous!
> 
> joey


I'm envious of your situation. I also worked at a place once that had a real 'true' barrista and i'm ever so sad to have moved on from it. I came in every day and had a new wonder / adventure in caffeination, it was truely amazing what that lady did with some beans and water.

I bought my filter holder at the local shop.

The number of holes is very important as they determine the 'brew' or steeping time, too few and you get bitter overbrewed coffee and too many you get weak watery coffee.

You can get them from a number of sources and in many sizes - I have a few and use them depending on how many people I am serving. ( I actually have one of each size... i'm that much OCD)

http://www.fantes.com/coffee-manualdrip.html FANTES is a great store with a ton of history... I can't wait till I get back again. They also do mail order so give it a try.

Amazon also sells them and is probably the best route for you. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=porcelain+coffee+filter

The amazingly cool thing is that they aren't expensive... and they aren't set and forget which is a bonus in my mind.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I agree a French Press is very good.


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

allanm said:


> Other than that I would recommend a small french press.


+2 on the FP. That's about as good as it gets IMO unless you want a Hario but overall their about the same amount of effort. I can't understand the K-cup craze. Expensive and just not very good.

Here's a link to a Company I bought a grinder from earlier this year. They have a lot of good videos demonstrating different gear and IIR they have a Hario/Aeropress video.

Dave

http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

I never did like the French Press thing... maybe i've been doing it all wrong... but it always tasted 'muddy'


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

If your getting a muddy FP then you likely have too many fines in your grind. While it sounds counter intuitive many electric grinders have a very hard time grinding a good FP so you may have to screen your coffee. Save the fines for a  Hario etc if you have one.

Dave


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Ya i've only got a cheepy whirly-bird grinder so until I get better I'll have to stick to the filters.   Cool thing is I still have lots of cash for exotic coffees and no one has ever complained, actually quite the opposite with many great comments.  (i'm also on natural water - deep well moderately hard but no trace metals - deep Canadian shield water right from my tap)


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

Ahh the blade grinders are the pits. Nothing but road gravel. Sadly quality grinders are not cheap. Perhaps the best deals is the Cuisinart burr grinder which runs around $50.


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## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

DuckFat said:


> Ahh the blade grinders are the pits. Nothing but road gravel. Sadly quality grinders are not cheap. Perhaps the best deals is the Cuisinart burr grinder which runs around $50.


I have that one, works great!


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

Costco sold those for years for $25. I wish I would have stocked up!

Dave


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

*Grinders:*

The Cuisinart burr grinder grinds too unevenly (too much of a mix of small and large grinds) to be good for a brewing method like French Press or vac-pot. It's better than a cheap propeller grinder, but not by much.

I did a lot of research on this last year and tried quite a few grinders while looking something for our FPs and vac-pot, and the best deals we could find were the Breville Smart (~$200), and the Baratza Preciso (~$230). Of course, "adequate" depends both on how you brew and how finicky you are. I don't experience a big difference in the cup between expensive and inexpensive grinders when brewing with an ordinary, paper filter, automatic pour-over. On the other hand, there's a huge difference when using an FP or (wait for it) vac-pot. The vac-pot is very revealing while the FP is very sensitive AND revealing.

If you want a grinder which can handle the complete range of grind sizes from espresso to FP, the Baratza Preciso can handle it sort of -- but is barely adequate for espresso, while the Baratza Vario ($500) works pretty well for everything.

On the other hand, when we hit the road we take a $20 propeller grinder with us for our FP, and -- if it's not as good as the Breville, it's a lot better than using a hotel pour-over and fits in the basket my wife has chosen for our traveling circus. So, there you go. Horses for courses.

*Single Cup, "Pod" Coffee Makers:*

The big differences seem to be in the type of coffee they use. None of the pods are really very fresh. On the other hand (how many hands are we up to now?), they make a decent cup, are incredibly convenient, and -- it it's your thing -- make it possible to store a wide variety of flavored coffees in a small place. I'm not sure how much difference there is between single cup coffee makers made by the usual appliance makers -- I suspect very little.

*FP:*

Yes. They're great, come in many sizes -- including "4 cup" which is really a 1 mug -- come in many "looks," and offer a lot of insight into the coffee itself. The problems are that all of that insight means you'll suffer if your beans aren't good quality, freshly roasted, and both freshly and well ground. "Freshly ground" means within two or three minutes of brewing. It doesn't mean sealed in a bag at the "peak of freshness."

BDL


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## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

From what I've heard is the expensive grinders break easily, for example some espresso grinders if you change the grind setting while it is not moving, that will fubar the whole machine and void the warrenty.

Does that hold true with the models you've mentioned?


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Cool thanks for the information guys.

~200+ for a good grinder... ouch

I think i'll stick with my 5$ filter holder and keep buying good coffee, already have a few FP's but mainly use them for 'non-coffee' things now.


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

boar_d_laze said:


> *Grinders:*
> 
> The Cuisinart burr grinder grinds too unevenly (too much of a mix of small and large grinds) to be good for a brewing method like French Press or vac-pot. It's better than a cheap propeller grinder, but not by much.
> 
> ...


My experience with these machines has been a bit different. I've had several of the Cuisinarts and they are much better than the whirly blade grinders. Frankly any burr grinder should be. The added up side is they are so cost effective that there's not a lot of risk buying one. They really don't cost any more (and far less) than many of the whirly blade grinders.

The Breville smart is a complete waste of $$$. I've got a full review of that machine posted here with plenty of photos. The only good thing about that machine was the large hopper (and getting my $$ back after three dead units in a year). It certainly won't grind FP much better than the cuisinart but it does look slick with the digital display. However $230 is a lot of $$$ for counter top bling.

Suggesting the Vario for FP is really going backwards. Not only is that machine $450 but if you want to grind FP your going to want to drop another $200 on ceramic burrs. Even after dropping $650 the Vario still won't grind FP as consistently as the preciso. But then that's not what it was made for.

Abe, There's no real problem moving the grind settings on a Preciso when the machine is not running. For most grinders with fine adjustments the burrs need to be moving to make fine adjustments. These have a row of settings like your grinder and then another row of settings that will let you fine tune in between each coarse adjustment. This helps get a proper grind for espresso as each espresso machine can be very finicky on the exact grind it likes. I've had the Preciso for a year or so and it's a great machine but they run around $300. There's just no need to spend this much on a burr grinder for FP. Go to the Baratza web site and watch for base model refurbs. They often have some pretty good deals. Better yet stick with the Cuisinart. It really is a great little machine and it's easy to clean!

Dave

http://www.baratza.com/


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

abefroman said:


> From what I've heard is the expensive grinders break easily, for example some espresso grinders if you change the grind setting while it is not moving, that will fubar the whole machine and void the warrenty.
> 
> Does that hold true with the models you've mentioned?


Not true. Readjusting the grind setting without the grinder grinding may cause both burrs to make contact, thus affecting their cutting edges. Therefore burr grinders must be adjusted while the unit is grinding.

And btw imho the Baratza Preciso is what I own it it's a monster when it comes to a consistent grind for my Melitta setup. As to my Salvatore Espresso machine (considered the Harley Davidson of home units), I own a Mazzer Super Jolly, a professional/commercial unit; and, what a powdery fine grind it makes. Both are two-burr grinders and when it comes to the grind setting, the same strategy applies to both.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

For your coffee needs and strategies, please check out COFFEEGEEK.COM.


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

kokopuffs said:


> As to my Salvatore Espresso machine (considered the Harley Davidson of home units)


Hey I thought that was the Speedster! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

Dave

http://coffeegeek.com/proreviews/firstlook/speedsterespresso


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

DuckFat said:


> Hey I thought that was the Speedster! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif
> 
> Dave
> 
> http://coffeegeek.com/proreviews/firstlook/speedsterespresso


Well, at least mine is commonly available although delivery might take up to sixty days from when it's ordered.


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

Looks like an awesome machine and made in the USA! Do have the auto or semi?

Dave


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

I have the lever semi and it's truly a steaming monster where capps are concerned.  It draws around twenty seconds using a charge of 19-21 grams of grind.  Tiger striping rules!

EDIT:  Cosmetically my Salvatore Semi Auto Lever resembles a domestic unit but the kicker is that the internal components are all commercial grade.  THAT'S what you're paying for, durability and their five or six year warranty which is probably unnecessary.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

delete delete delete


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

'as seen on tv' coffee magic battery operating frothing mug........stocking stuffer for the coffee geek in your house? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

joey


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

sorry for the triplets......seasoned greetings!

joey


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

Here's an in depth review of the Preciso. Well worth reading for any obne considering a Baratza grinder.

Dave

http://coffeegeek.com/proreviews/quickshot/baratzavirtuosopreciso/details


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

DuckFat said:


> Here's an in depth review of the Preciso. Well worth reading for any obne considering a Baratza grinder.
> 
> Dave
> 
> http://coffeegeek.com/proreviews/quickshot/baratzavirtuosopreciso/details


I used the settings in that review of the Preciso for my Moka pot and the grind is spot on. The Moka pot with that grind setting (14-H) gives me a brew whose strong flavor is what I've been seeking for years. YES YES YES!!!!!!!


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Bialetti Moka Pot coupled with a Baratza Preciso grinder and I've been working at this for over 6 months after selling my Salvatore.  It's a question concerning the grind and the quantity of grinds just as it is with a quality 'Spresso macchina.


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## dauphinkaffee (Aug 3, 2013)

They average anywhere between $30 - $55 per pound.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Posted by *dauphinkaffee* 


> They average anywhere between $30 - $55 per pound.


To what does "They" refer? The pods?

BDL


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Pods are way overpriced, I make my own.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Posted by *chefedb* 


> Pods are way overpriced, I make my own.


Only problem with that Ed is the rule of GIGO.

If you don't source good beans, grind them yourself at their best post-roasting rest, and don't store them in such a way that staling is prevented (if you store them at all), homemade pods mean inexpensive bad coffee instead of expensive mediocre coffee. Hard to say where the value line falls on that one.

As always with these sorts of things, _Good, mediocre, or bad_, depends on how you judge as much as on what you're judging. _De gustibus non disputandum_ (you can't argue with taste), and all that. Of course I'm not saying that your coffee has to meet my standards and/or that those standards count for anyone but me.

BDL


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## galley swiller (May 29, 2013)

While I'm not a big coffee drinker, I do have a single cup solution:  On my boat, I just don't have space for much specialized equipment, unless it's really small.

First, I manually grind the beans fresh in a Hario Mini-Mill grinder, which has a capacity just large enough for one or two cups worth of ground coffee.  Next, I use an Aerobie AeroPress coffee maker, which is a mini French press coffee maker, which pours directly into my cup of choice.  After that, it's drink-up time

The biggest amount of time involved in this operation is getting the water heated up to 165 to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C).  Manually grinding one cup's worth of beans takes less than 1 minute, from the time the beans go into the grinder, to the time the grind is ready to be put into the press.  The AeroPress also takes less than one minute to set up.  Once the water is heated up, I can get my coffee in just a few seconds.

The grinder is about $30, while the coffee press is about $20 or less.  Paper filters are less than 1 cent each, or, if I wanted to, I could buy a fine mesh filter for about $15.

To keep the whole beans fresh, I buy as few beans at a time as possible from a local roaster, and keep them in an airtight, gasketed container.

Let's face it, fresh grind has it everywhich way over pre-packaged.

Galley Swiller


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I do not consider myself a coffee fancier. To my taste its Dunkin or McDonalds. Star $ bucks to me to strong and bitter and overpriced.


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## dauphinkaffee (Aug 3, 2013)

In direct response to the original question, "what is the best single serve coffee maker?" My go to single serve machines are manufactured by Jura. Even at home when I am too lazy to pick up a portafilter, my Jura ENA Micro 9 One Touch produces shot after shot of perfect espresso. I simply fill the water tank, load up my coffee beans (in my case they are literally my coffee brand) and with the push of a button - great espresso. Jura machines are also deployed by my company in restaurant environments where electrical power and plumbing requirements cannot be met easily. In those cases we recommend Jura's Giga 5 superautomatic machine. It's the bigger, richer brother of the ENA Micro 9 One Touch. Hope this information helps.


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