Is A 1 Cup Coffee Maker Right For You?

1 cup coffee makers are very popular these days.

But, is it something that would suit your lifestyle?

If you have never owned a 1 cup coffee maker before, some things you are wondering might include:

• Are 1 cup coffee makers really any better than regular coffee makers?
• Do they cost more to buy, are they expensive to maintain?
• Are they a hassle to use?
• Are they a hassle to clean?

We’ll try to answer all these questions and more in this article. In a nutshell, the advantages of a 1 cup coffee maker include:

• Easy to use
• Easy to clean up
• Makes coffee one cup at a time, rather than in big batches
• Very quick to make coffee; most models take around 30 seconds to make a cup
• Easy to try different flavours thanks to the use of coffee pods
• Inexpensive compared to other high end coffee makers

Is a 1 cup coffee maker expensive?

Well, the answer to that question is – it depends.

If you are looking to get the absolute cheapest coffee maker available in the market, then you are better off going for a manual coffee maker such as a French press coffee maker, or a stovetop coffee percolator. A good French press such as the Bodum French press will only cost you about $25 – $35 and will make decent coffee, albeit with a bit more effort than an automatic coffee machine.

However, if you are looking for an inexpensive automatic coffee maker, than a single cup coffee maker is a great option and offers very good value for money. A one cup coffee maker can cost around $80 – $200 dollars, depending on the model and the place you purchase it from. I make no secret of my preference for shopping from Amazon.com, mainly because they have the best prices around.

Regular Coffee Makers vs 1 Cup Coffee Makers

As the name suggests, a 1 cup coffee maker is a coffee machine that makes coffee one cup at a time. Regular coffee machines make coffee in large batches, 10 – 14 cups or more. Some of them have the option to make a smaller brew of coffee, but usually the minimum you can make at once is four cups.

Obviously, this can be a hassle sometimes. If you live by yourself or have a small family, there might be no need to make so much coffee at once. Or maybe you and your significant other like to have different types of coffee.

Another disadvantage of regular coffee makers is the fact that they keep coffee warm for a very long time. Now, this is not particularly bad if you finish all the coffee within a few minutes or so, but if you keep the coffee warm for a few hours, the coffee starts to get burnt and acquires a bitter aftertaste. In addition, the last two cups or so made by a regular coffee maker tend to be too burnt, and need to be thrown out (which actually is a waste of money as well as good coffee).

A 1 cup coffee maker solves all these problems by making great coffee one cup at a time.

1 cup coffee makers make coffee very quickly, usually in around half a minute. So if you ever need to make lots of cups of coffee, it’s simple – you can make around ten cups in five minutes.

Disadvantages of 1 Cup Coffee Makers

Well, nothing in life is perfect, and like most things, the 1 cup coffee makers do have their share of disadvantages. However, these do not apply to everyone, so read through the list and check if this fits your situation:

• Makes coffee 1 cup at a time. If you like making batches of 20 – 100 cups at a time, this coffee maker is not for you. Having said that, it takes about 30 seconds to make one cup, so making 20 cups would take about 10 minutes.
• Not “gourmet”. Some coffee snobs tend to look down at 1 cup machines and prefer lever or steam operated espresso machines.

I can’t honestly think of more disadvantages. If you would like me to add something to the list, please contact me.

The major shortcoming of this machine is simply that is not an espresso machine, and those who love espresso machines would not be happy with this – there is no “art” and effort to making coffee with these machines, there is sheer convenience. We have one of these machines (and a plethora of coffee pod options) at our office, and trust me, nobody minds the convenience!

So Is a 1 Cup Coffee Maker For You?

If you’re looking for something that offers great value for money, a convenient and quick way to make coffee 1 cup at a time and is easy to clean, then a 1 cup coffee maker is for you. If you wish to spend your days loving making shots and perfecting the crema, then a 1 cup coffee maker is not for you, you’re better off going for a high end espresso coffee maker.

The Best 1 Cup Coffee Maker

The most popular brands of 1 cup coffee makers include Keurig, Senseo and Tassimo, with Keurig and Senseo leading the way in terms of popularity. We have reviewed and rated the best 1 cup coffee makers over here: The Best Single Cup Coffee Maker

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