10 Best Single Cup Coffee Maker No Pods: Quality & Expert Picks

Customer Review: “I received this about a week ago and it has been PERFECT. When I first received it, I fell in love with the color (as it is my favorite) and size. It was nicely packaged and in perfect condition. I ran the first cycle through with just water and wiped it down like the manual said. I only made one cup each day using the tumbler included I used cold bottled water and poured it in the tumbler leaving space for creamer. Because I wanted to make sure I have the right amount after fully brewed.*Today I went to make a cup as usual since ive had it.. And noticed the water I was pouring in was coming out of the bottom fast but not all of it. It was about 2 inches or so less of water that I initially poured into the Tumbler that was leaked out. I wiped it up and continue to press the blue power button. And it brewed fine (minus the amount leaked in the beginning) without any more leakage. I will make another cup later on today and do a update.* Tumbler is very nice to have and keeps coffee hot/warm for a hour+ …As long as you keep the lid locked after you sip. Easy to clean, I like the reusable filter it comes with. I just dump the used grounds in a plastic sack and toss it. Rinse filter quickly and dry fast. Long as you don’t use super fine grounds then the filter is perfect!.**All in all I LOVE this and recommend for occasional coffee drinkers. Especially with limited space and no need for full size…. I’m just waiting to see if it leaks again later today when I update!****Another update: I have had this for a while now. I usually only make one cup per day. I clean it right after I am done and I make sure it is unplugged. This is a great machine for someone who is maybe just a single coffee drinker in the home or if it’s just two people. It has not leaked since that one first time. Which I do think now the only reason there was water was because it dripped from the cup and I didn’t notice. So I think this actually didn’t leak on me as I thought. I’m still using it everyday and it is wonderful.***Well OVER 1 YEAR UPDATE***So this little single coffee maker is the best!!! I use to almost everyday, once a day. And it is still working just as good as when I first got it. I love this thing and definitely definitely recommend!!! Just make sure to always unplug it when you’re done and don’t make a bunch of cups back to back. At least I wouldn’t recommend that. But if you are on the fence of ordering this and you only have one coffee drinker in the house, this is the perfect one!!! ✨☕”

Customer Review: “I’ve had mine for about 9 months . I originally bought if for my tea but in my pantry I flounder some coffee pods . I put them in the filtered basket and it makes the perfect cup of coffee . Can’t wait till I buy some good freshly ground coffee! QIt’s very quick and it makes it for my taste the perfect temp for a cup of Joe .Reasonable pricing is a good incentive but good performance is what makes me a fan”

Customer Review: “I love how small and convenient this coffee maker is. It fits perfectly on my desk at work, and I can quickly make a hot cup or a refreshing iced coffee whenever I need a boost. The reusable filter for grounds works really well, and I haven’t had any issues with sediment.”

Customer Review: “This little machine is surprisingly powerful for its size. The iced coffee feature is fantastic for summer, and it brews my ground coffee exactly how I like it. It’s a great choice for my dorm room, highly recommend for students or anyone with limited space.”

Customer Review: “I was looking for an inexpensive coffee maker that didn’t use pods and this one is perfect! It’s so quick and easy to use in the mornings before work. I just put in my grounds, add water, and press the button. It’s exactly what I needed without breaking the bank.”

Customer Review: “This coffee maker has been a lifesaver for my small office. It makes a decent cup of coffee from my favorite grounds, and the fact that it reminds me to descale is a huge plus because I always forget. Great value for the money.”

Customer Review: “This will not turn itself on at 5:57 AM on Wednesday morning, keep your coffee hot, grind your beans, iron your shirts, or draw your bath. If you want that, hire a butler. What this does do is make a darned good cup of hot coffee in a quick amount of time.The footprint on this is tiny, which is a requirement in my studio apartment with it’s 34″ x 27″ of counter space. The water volume tank is easily filled and clearly measured, so if you try to put more water in than your cup will hold, the spillage is your fault. I’m not having any sputtering problems. It’s easy to access the coffee area. The water is hot enough unless you prefer burned-tasting coffee. I don’t buy the individual serving cups, but I do buy the disposable filters by Perfect Pod and use them inside the metal filter to avoid sediment. Using 1.5-1.75 T of coffee in the filter with 8 oz water makes a rich and sturdy cup and doesn’t overflow the paper filter, so you can just tip the metal basket into the trash and not have one ground to clean up. You can use more grounds if you don’t mind cleaning the basket. I enjoy the ritual of making the coffee, so making the cups one at a time isn’t a down side for me.On to the first world problems people seem to have.Yes, it drips. Never met one that didn’t. There’s no drip tray. But I’ll bet you’ve got paper towels or a washcloth or a fancy paper doily you can put beneath the mug to catch that drip. If you’re old enough to drink coffee, you’re old enough to figure this out. If you put in 12 oz of water and a 10 oz mug, it will overflow. Your mug cannot be larger than 3.5″ across and 5.25″ high. If you want 20 oz of coffee, make two 10 oz cups (or a 12 and an 8 — do the math) and pour them into your monster mug. Or stop drinking so much coffee; it’s bad for you and it costs way too much money. Listen to Mom. Put that money into savings, along with everything you save by not buying avocado toast or fancy coffee drinks at coffee shops. Soon you’ll be a millionaire. But I digress. You cannot set it for a dark or a light brew, you have to adjust the amount of coffee to water.So buy this inexpensive coffee maker that makes a good cup of coffee. You’re still going to have to clean beneath the drip tray in one that costs more. And remember — you’ve come so far from having to perk coffee in the metal basket on the stove for 20 minutes, which actually made wonderful coffee and made the house smell yummy, plus you had to develop the ability to delay gratification until it was ready. It built character. Ah, for the days of bacon and eggs and percolated coffee…”

Customer Review: “I love this little coffee maker! It has been a lifesaver for me while I was in transition and living in an Airbnb. The unit only had a regular coffee pot and I found it wasteful so I bought this on a whim with little expectations and now that I’ve moved into my real home, I’m still using it.It only makes one cup at a time, so be mindful of filling it with just the amount of water that you need to use for that cup of coffee.It is a little slow and a little splashy but that should not prevent you from buying it. It’s quiet easy to use and I’ve had it now for almost 5 months and it is held up very well.I use regular K cups and it also includes a separate cup if you want to fill it with regular coffee. Perfect item for travel, camping or just a small area.Looks just as pictured and fits almost anywhere with its compact size. Highly recommend.”

Customer Review: “I was looking for a single serve coffee maker that could really do it all, and the Ninja PB051 does not disappoint. I mainly use grounds, and the ‘Rich’ brew setting makes an incredibly strong and flavorful cup. The Over Ice option is also fantastic for hot days.”

Customer Review: “This machine is a marvel! I love being able to switch between a classic coffee in the morning and a specialty brew in the afternoon with my own grounds. It’s super easy to clean, and the different brew sizes are perfect for any mug I choose. Definitely worth the investment.”

Customer Review: “Fast brew, right size for my 12oz mugs. I ran plain water through it twice to clean before using, and making a 2nd cup right away for another person will be no problem. I first tried a K cup for tea, and it worked wonderfully last night. This morning I used the loose coffee filter thingie, and coffee tasted just like from my larger coffee maker. I first wished the cup plate was heated, but why? You will be making this right before drinking one cup, not like having a carafe sitting around for a couple of hours. The coffee is hot enough when made, but since I put refrigerated creamer in it, that cools it down so I need to nuke it for 30 seconds after the creamer. You do have to be careful to position the loose coffee filter cup perfectly sideways, and snap all parts tightly in place. No grounds leaked for me. So far this little gadget is up to expectations, but I’ve only used it twice, I do have hard water so will have to see how the cleaning cycle works for me.”

Customer Review: “This simple, small coffee maker is the best one cup maker I have owned, including much more expensive, name brand, multi-featured makers. First, it is fast! Two minutes after pouring the water in and pushing the single button, an 8 oz. cup is ready and the machine shuts off. Then, it has the smallest footprint possible, which is important to me with my limited counter space. It of course accepts K cups, which I use, but also has a permanent filter cup for loose ground coffee which my husband uses. This filter cup has a hinged lid that snaps tightly and does an excellent job of preventing grounds from spilling out. A 5 1/2″ thermal mug holding 25 oz. will fit under the dispenser, but taller will not. The maximum amount that you can brew at once is 12 oz., which is about all you would want to brew using just 1 k cup. After I had been using the coffee maker for about 6 months the red light came on indicating it needed the descaling run. I ran the descaling solution through it one time and the red light went off and has stayed off for the 3 months since. At no time did it sound like it was straining to get the water through the tube. The sound of brewing is louder than some previous brands, but softer than others. It is not so loud as to be annoying.This pot does not have a clock or the ability to set it to come on before you get up. It does not have a resevoir to catch the coffee in case you forget to put your cup in place. It does not have a platform so you can use an extra tall thermos. I do not miss any of these features you can pay more to get in other models. It has only one button. Press and release to start the brewing, and a light on the button comes on to show it brewing, and the light goes off when it is finished. Press and hold the same button for 3 seconds to run a descaling cycle. Simple and just right for me!”

Customer Review: “I was unsure about this coffee maker after finding it a year ago bc of all the negative reviews. I’m especially particular about cleaning things so I was worried, but this little guy went on sale so I thought I would give it a try to create my very own coffee station. I LOVE this machine. I’m not a coffee connoisseuse, but I like having a cup in the morning with my breakfast. I’m familiar with keurigs and nespressos but I don’t like the concept of single-use cups, so I wanted something easy I could use with my own coffee that was also more eco-friendly. This one checks all the boxes, and is also super simple to clean. There are two filters (scoop + filter) that I rinse under water before filling the scoop again, and occasionally I will also rinse the gasket ring thing at the top when it accumulates buildup. Two notes: 1) yes, there is some splatter but I find it minimal and manageable, 2) the instructions are super clear that you should NOT fill the scoop above the “max” line, or the water above the “max” line. If you follow the max lines, you will not have issues lol. Or at least, I haven’t had any issues in the past year that I’ve been using it. Overall it’s a steal! Totally would recommend!!!”

Customer Review: “I love it! It is made just for me. It is easy to clean and it brews me a cup immediately. It isn’t noisy, looks nice; it is not heavy , and it is easy to operate. I don’t know what functionality is but it functions well and I hope it lasts me about 6 to 5 years. There is no need to use paper filters because the scoop where the grains go in has aa mesh and the other where this scoop goes in has also a mesh which will not let any grains go into the cup of coffee. Also, I like the two sizes for cups of coffee and the platforms. That is really neat!”

Customer Review: “I was unsure about this coffee maker after finding it a year ago bc of all the negative reviews. I’m especially particular about cleaning things so I was worried, but this little guy went on sale so I thought I would give it a try to create my very own coffee station. I LOVE this machine. I’m not a coffee connoisseuse, but I like having a cup in the morning with my breakfast. I’m familiar with keurigs and nespressos but I don’t like the concept of single-use cups, so I wanted something easy I could use with my own coffee that was also more eco-friendly. This one checks all the boxes, and is also super simple to clean. There are two filters (scoop + filter) that I rinse under water before filling the scoop again, and occasionally I will also rinse the gasket ring thing at the top when it accumulates buildup. Two notes: 1) yes, there is some splatter but I find it minimal and manageable, 2) the instructions are super clear that you should NOT fill the scoop above the “max” line, or the water above the “max” line. If you follow the max lines, you will not have issues lol. Or at least, I haven’t had any issues in the past year that I’ve been using it. Overall it’s a steal! Totally would recommend!!!”

Customer Review: “I love it! It is made just for me. It is easy to clean and it brews me a cup immediately. It isn’t noisy, looks nice; it is not heavy , and it is easy to operate. I don’t know what functionality is but it functions well and I hope it lasts me about 6 to 5 years. There is no need to use paper filters because the scoop where the grains go in has aa mesh and the other where this scoop goes in has also a mesh which will not let any grains go into the cup of coffee. Also, I like the two sizes for cups of coffee and the platforms. That is really neat!”

Customer Review: “Decent coffee maker, quick brewing , easy to use and set up, reservoir for water is mid size. Better value than my last two keurig machine that both broke. Will update if anything goes wrong, but so far, I love it!!”

Customer Review: “Great product. … Love my new coffee maker, works great and makes great tasty hot and I ed coffee. I like that I can make coffee different sizes and can use multiple cups and mugs for it. Also great space saver because it’s skinny and not big fat Coffee maker.”

Customer Review: “This the best coffee pot I’ve ever owned, seriously. I appreciate good coffee and regularly buy beans from a local roastery. I am not a barista nor do I claim to be a coffee expert. I enjoy good coffee and a drip coffee maker is good enough for my daily habit.This maker can be used to brew single cups on one side or a full pot on the other side. Typically, I am the only coffee drinker in my house. Sometimes we have guests. This coffee maker allows me to serve both situations easily.To use the single serve side, I fill the cup that I’m planning to use with the correct amount of tap water and add it to the single serve side of the maker. This is accessed from the top under a small lid that flips up. This side is designed to only hold enough water for a single serve amount of water. I don’t use manufactured pods as I prefer fresh grounds but this maker apparently can handle pods too. I grind my beans or use pre-ground coffee and add that to the slide out tray on the single serve side just above the cup location. There is a metallic mesh screen that holds the grounds on the single serve side and I find that I waste less coffee than when I try to make only 1 or 2 cups in a large pot. The single serve side has a nested set of plastic circles that sits under a tall mug when not needed. These little circular risers can be un-nested and stacked to allow a shorter cup to be closer to the dripping coffee (see photos). This allows the maker to accommodate a variety of sizes of cups. The single serve side takes about 2 minutes to brew. I think the coffee tastes great and I can control the strength of the brew based upon how many grounds I add.The full carafe side is much like any basic drip-coffee maker. There’s a small reservoir that holds enough water to brew a full pot of coffee. There’s a flip lid and a basket for coffee grounds. You can use paper filters or buy a separate metallic, re-usable mesh filter that fits inside this basket. I like these baskets as it’s less wasteful than using paper filters daily and I don’t have to remember to constantly purchase filters. I’ve used the same mesh filter for over 7 years now. It doesn’t filter as finely as paper filters do and the last sip of coffee contains a small amount of grit / sediment but this seems normal to me now. If someone doesn’t like this idea than I would warn them not to drink the last sip. It’s pretty easy to avoid.The coffee maker has a very obvious and easy to use manual switch that selects whether you are brewing a full pot or a single serve. Only one side can be used at a time. You simply move the switch to the left or right as the illustrations show to select which side you wish to utilize.I frequently use the timer feature. Prior to work I have one 16 oz metal travel mug filled, warm and waiting for me when I wake up in the morning.The display is bright when you touch a button and dims to normal again after about 30 seconds so it doesn’t light up the kitchen at night like a beacon. There is a single bright green LED light that indicates that the timer is set and ready to go. Personally, I like this feature as it is an obvious acknowledgment that the timer is ready to go at the time that I programmed in. Some might find this too bright but it’s hard to imagine it being a nuisance to most people.Other reviewers have indicated the their carafe broke instantly upon the first use. I’ve used my carafe several times without issues. I also noticed that a new pot is around $10 so if it does break down the road, I can probably replace it easily. Some said that it tastes like plastic, I haven’t experienced this. Some said that it leaks after 3 months – I’ll try to update this review later but so far so good – no leaks. Others say it takes too long to brew. I think it takes about as long to make coffee as every other coffeepot that I have owned and if you set it up the night before, you won’t have to wait for it. It can be ready for you whenever you tell it to be ready. I even read that some people were annoyed that they had to slide the coffee pot out from under a counter in order to add water to the top of the coffee maker. I once added felt pads to the bottom of a coffee maker to make this process easier. Without a dedicated water line and a commercial coffee apparatus, I’m not sure how the manufacturer would avoid this overly burdensome task. You have to add water somehow; that’s how coffee works.I have not had any negative issues at all with this coffee maker and I’ve been using it daily for over 1 month. It’s easy to use, it’s easy to program and I like that I can make a full pot or single cup depending on my needs. I definitely recommend this unit.”

Customer Review: “I recently got the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Programmable Coffee Maker, and it has honestly been a game changer for our morning routine. What I love most is the flexibility. I can brew a single flavored cup just for myself, and then turn around and make a full pot for the rest of the family without any fuss. It’s perfect for households where everyone drinks coffee a little differently.Another big plus for me is that it uses ground coffee instead of K-cups. That means less waste, no plastic pods, and a more traditional, better-tasting cup of coffee. It just feels simpler and more practical—the way coffee was meant to be made.I’ve also been really impressed with the day-to-day performance. It doesn’t leak, it’s easy to fill, and it brews quietly, which is a blessing on early mornings. The single-serve side takes about 2½ minutes, which is quick enough when you’re trying to get out the door.I’ve been using it with my favorite beans from Bulletproof Coffee, and the flavor has been excellent every time. If you’re curious, this is the coffee I’ve been using 👉 https://amzn.to/4cBGfuq Between the convenience, the cleaner brewing method, and the great taste, this machine makes me feel like I’ve finally stepped up my coffee game. If you want one nice-looking machine that can handle both a quick single cup and a full pot, this one is a fantastic choice.”