We’re not going to be original when we say that our days (and our brains) are powered by coffee. So, if you relate to that sentiment, you probably understand how crucial a reliable coffee maker is as part of your morning routine. After numerous rounds of testing, we think we found that in the Keurig K-Mini Mate Plus Coffee Maker.
For Shop TODAY’s Ranked series, we put several single-serve coffee makers up to the test of brewing pods and grounds (where applicable) and measured them for ease of use, brew quality, brew speed, noise level and ease of cleanup. Here’s what made the cut.
Best for espresso$undefined$125.99
Best for all coffee habits$99.94$129.99
Best overall single-serve coffee maker
Ease of use: 5/5 | Brew quality: 4.5/5 | Brew speed: 5/5 | Noise level: 4/5 | Ease of cleanup: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.67/5
It’s no surprise that the OG single-serve coffee maker came out on top during our testing. While it’s not the most technologically advanced, it was intuitive and extremely easy to both use and clean (the pod holder remained clean after several uses, which isn’t something we could say for some of the other machines we tested). It also only has four buttons — 8, 10 and 12 ounces, and strong.
Even on the normal setting, the coffee came out with a solid taste and not watered down at all. Temperature wise, it brewed a pod at about 162 degrees in just under a minute and a half. It was slightly noisy, but nowhere near disruptive at a noise level you’d expect from most standard coffee machines.
It didn’t take more than five minutes from opening the box to brewing the first cup of coffee, which is really what made this one a cut above the rest. Plus, the compact size is definitely a benefit.
More single-serve coffee machines, tested by editors
Best for a hot and strong brew:
Ease of use: 5/5 | Brew quality: 5/5 | Brew speed: 3.5/5 | Noise level: 4.5/5 | Ease of cleanup: 4/5 | Overall average score: 4/5
Expectations were admittedly low for this budget-friendly coffee machine, but it surprised both of us during testing. It’s a no-frills option with three buttons: size, K-cup and ground. You click the size button to adjust your brew size between 6 and 14 ounces, then click the type of coffee you’re using to start the brew.
Where this machine really shined is how strong and hot it brewed both pods and grounds. Each cup came out at about 174 degrees, one of the highest temperatures from any of the machines in these tests. Both brews also tasted really strong, not tasting watered down at all. It was also surprisingly quiet, earning one of the highest scores for noise level.
The one thing we did notice is that there’s a bit of splash back when brewing, so be sure to adjust the tray up so that your cup is closer to the brew dispenser to avoid this.
Best for espresso brews:
Ease of use: 4/5 | Brew quality: 5/5 | Brew speed: 4/5 | Noise level: 4/5 | Ease of cleanup: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4.33/5
If espresso is your caffeinated beverage of choice, you can’t go wrong with a Nespresso machine. The Vertuo models are compatible with pods that can brew single or double espressos, as well as full-sized 7-ounce cups of coffee.
It brewed a double shot of espresso at 148 degrees in less than a minute and a full cup of coffee at about 168 degrees in about a minute and a half. We had a few guests (aka other editors) come taste test the brews and they described the temperature as perfect. Partnerships deputy managing editor Francesca Cocchi Zabloudil even said, “For someone who rarely drinks black coffee, this tastes good enough that I can drink it black.”
One of the best features of Nespresso machines is the built-in pod collector so you don’t have to touch hot pods to change them out. When you open the lid, the old pod just slides right out.
Similar to the Keurig, the machine made about the amount of noise you’d expect from a coffee maker. It’s worth noting, though, that you need to run a full rinse cycle before the first use.
Best for all types of coffee:
Ease of use: 5/5 | Brew quality: 5/5 | Brew speed: 3/5 | Noise level: 3.5/5 | Ease of cleanup: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4/5
This slim Ninja coffee maker is the perfect workhorse for the multiple-cups-a-day coffee drinker. It makes both iced and hot coffee up to 24 ounces (the largest brew size of all the machines we tested) and it even has a specialty 4-ounce brew setting so you can also make espresso!
The buttons on top were easy to decipher, so you can customize your brew without ever needing to consult the guide, but we appreciated the quick start guide that walks you through what everything does. The guide also has a coffee measurement chart that shows you how many scoops of grounds to use (with the included measuring scoop) based on how much coffee you want to make.
It was easy to switch from pods to grounds because of the handle that keeps you from having to make direct contact with the warm part. Each holder has a symbol that indicates pods or grounds so you know without opening the machine which one is installed. There’s even a compartment built in to the machine to store the holder that’s not in use.
Other standout features include the built-in frother that neatly folds into the side of the machine and how little noise it made, even at the end of the brewing cycle when most machines get louder.
One thing to note about this machine is that, during our testing, it took a little over four minutes to brew a 10-ounce cup of grounds immediately after turning it on the first time. However, it only took just under a minute and a half to brew a 10-ounce cup from a pod.
Best for a sleek look on your coffee bar:
Ease of use: 4/5 | Brew quality: 5/5 | Brew speed: 4/5 | Noise level: 3/5 | Ease of cleanup: 5/5 | Overall average score: 4/5
The first thing we noticed about this machine was how sleek it looked. The slim, compact size would work in even the smallest of spaces. You can brew both iced and hot coffee with pods or grounds — up to 12 ounces for pods and up to 14 ounces for grounds.
The buttons on the screen aren’t as self explanatory as some of the other machines we tested, so we’d definitely recommend reading the instructions completely before use so you know which ones to click for your desired settings. That aside, it’s very easy to understand in all other ways. There’s also a carrying handle that discreetly sticks out of the side so you can change from pod holder to grounds holder to keep from touching the hot part directly.
It brewed a 10-ounce pod at about 167 degrees in just over a minute and a half and 10 ounces of grounds at 176 degrees in a little over two minutes.
Best with a built-in grinder:
Ease of use: 5/5 | Brew quality: 5/5 | Brew speed: 3/5 | Noise level: 3.5/5 | Ease of cleanup: 5/5 | Overall average score: 3.83/5
While this is the largest coffee machine in our testing, the size doesn’t come for nothing. There’s a stainless steel conical burr mill inside which grinds your beans on demand for each brew, so you’re left with a fresher, hotter cup of coffee. Be sure to read the instructions beforehand, though, otherwise you may end up putting the coffee beans in the wrong place like we did (not to worry; it was an easy fix).
Since it’s grinding the beans freshly, that part can get a little loud, but the actual coffee brewing volume is what you’d expect from any other machine.
If you prefer pre-ground coffee, don’t fret! It has a built-in reusable gold tone filter that you can use on its own or add a paper filter on top, if you’d like. It also comes with a coffee scoop and cleaning brush that has a discreet home in the side of the machine where it sits flush when not in use.
This machine was also on the slower side, taking about three minutes to brew a 10-ounce cup from grinding beans and taking a little over two and a half minutes to brew a 10-ounce cup from grounds. Despite that, the quality of the brew is so good, we’d say the wait was worth it.
Frequently asked questions
According to experts we've previously consulted, here's how often you should be cleaning each part of your Keurig:
- Exterior: Once a week
- Water reservoir: Every week, if used every day
- Drip tray: Every week
- Pod holder: Every week
Plus, you should be descaling every 3-6 months, or when day-to-day brewing starts to slow down.
According to experts we've previously consulted, you should be descaling your Nespresso typically every 3 months or around every 300 capsules.
One expert recommends running a basic cleaning cycle somewhere between daily and weekly, depending on how much you use the machine.
Ned Semoff, VP of brand at Joe Coffee Company, says most machines nowadays have an indicator that will tell you when it's time to clean.
For example, "If you buy a Nespresso machine, after three or six months, they make you go through a bathing setting...called descaling," he says.
Tanner Jones, owner of Easy Luck Coffee & Bodega, says the grind size and quality are the most important parts.
It can be hard to achieve the most superior version of this outside of professional equipment, but there are several products and machines on the market designed to get you as close as possible.
Some of the other things Jones says you should keep in mind for making a good cup of coffee at home is learning how to maintain your equipment and choosing a machine that maintains heat. "Making good coffee is making sure that heat doesn't escape because you need hot water to extract the beans and a lot of machines that have all these features leak heat pretty well," he advises.
How we tested single-serve coffee makers
We curated a lineup of eight different single-serve coffee makers spanning brands you already know and love, new launches and different price points. We evaluated each machine in the following categories, scoring them on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the worst, 5 being the best):
- Ease of use: Is the machine itself easy to use? Are the buttons intuitive? When applicable, is it easy to swap between using grounds and using pods?
- Brew quality: What does the coffee it produces actually taste like? Does it taste strong or is it watered down? How hot is it?
- Brew speed: How long does it take to brew a cup of coffee from a pod? How long does it take to brew a cup of coffee from grounds or beans?
- Noise level: How loud is it? Is it louder than the average coffee machine or loud enough to be distracting?
- Ease of cleaning: How easy are the individual parts and the machine as a whole to clean? Does it make an internal mess when brewing?
Why trust Shop TODAY?
Kamari Stewart-Jackson is an editor who started out writing and reporting for Shop TODAY back in 2021. She’s no stranger to covering Ranked, previously testing reusable paper towels, handheld vacuums, dishwasher pods and she has also conducted a taste test on protein drinks.
Meet the experts
- Ned Semoff is the vice president of brand at Joe Coffee Company, a New York City-based roaster and cafe.
- Tanner Jones is the owner of Easy Luck Coffee & Bodega in Orlando, Florida.
