Coffee & Espresso
The Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
We compared four single-serve coffee makers on pod and grounds flexibility, brew sizes, reservoir size, iced options, footprint and mug clearance, using each maker's published specs.
The short version
The Ninja PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve is the best overall: it brews pods or grounds, offers seven grounds sizes from 6 to 24 oz, has a 56 oz removable reservoir, four brew styles including Over Ice, and a fold-away milk frother. The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Iced & Hot (49921) is the value pick, with pods or grounds, iced or hot coffee, a removable 50 oz reservoir and an 8 oz cup in about 90 seconds. The Keurig K-Mini suits a dorm, office desk or tiny kitchen, since it is under 5 inches wide, but it takes only K-Cup pods and you pour in fresh water for every cup. Skip the Mr. Coffee Single-Serve Iced and Hot Coffee Maker: it is grounds-only, Mr. Coffee quotes a brew time of under 4 minutes, and the Hamilton Beach does the same iced-and-hot job with pods as well. Best for: Ninja if you want café-style drinks and big travel-mug brews, Hamilton Beach if you want pods and grounds, hot and iced, without paying for a frother.
Our picks at a glance
- Ninja PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker - Buy. The most flexible single-cup brewer here: pods or grounds, seven grounds sizes up to 24 oz, an Over Ice style and a fold-away frother.
- Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Iced & Hot Coffee Maker (49921) - Buy. Pods or grounds, iced or hot, with a removable 50 oz tank and an 8 oz cup in about 90 seconds, for less than the Ninja.
- Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker - It depends. A K-Cup brewer less than 5 inches wide that fits almost anywhere, as long as you are happy filling it for every cup.
- Mr. Coffee Single-Serve Iced and Hot Coffee Maker (BVMC-IHCMBL) - Skip. A widely sold grounds-only iced and hot brewer that is slower and less flexible than a similar Hamilton Beach.
The verdict in 30 seconds
What mattered most
- Pods
- Grounds
- Brew sizes
- Water reservoir
- Iced option
- Extras
A single-serve machine is supposed to make one good cup fast without a pot going stale on the burner. The catch is in the details: whether it takes pods, grounds or both, how much water it holds, how many cup sizes it really offers, and whether a travel mug fits under the spout. We picked a do-everything pods-and-grounds machine, a cheaper hot-and-iced brewer with a big tank, a tiny pod brewer for small spaces, and a popular grounds-only iced brewer that most people can do better than.
The most flexible single-cup brewer here: pods or grounds, seven grounds sizes up to 24 oz, an Over Ice style and a fold-away frother.
Best for: Anyone who drinks a mix of quick pod cups, big travel mugs of fresh grounds and the occasional milk drink.
- Brews pods (with the included Ninja Pod Adapter) or grounds, with 6, 8, 10 or 12 oz pod sizes and 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18 or 24 oz grounds sizes.
- Four brew styles, Classic, Rich, Over Ice and Specialty, where Specialty makes a concentrate for lattes and similar drinks.
- A 56 oz removable reservoir, a permanent filter in the box, room for a travel mug up to 8 inches tall, and a removable fold-away frother.
- Ninja's page does not name which pod brands fit the pod adapter, so check your usual pods before you commit.
- The biggest unit here at 15.08 x 7.36 x 16.14 in and 7.8 lbs, so it needs real counter space.
- Pod brews top out at 12 oz; the larger sizes are grounds-only.
- Ninja lists a 1-year limited warranty.
Pods or grounds, iced or hot, with a removable 50 oz tank and an 8 oz cup in about 90 seconds, for less than the Ninja.
Best for: A household that wants pods on busy mornings, grounds on slow ones, and iced coffee in summer without a big outlay.
- Takes pods (Hamilton Beach names K-Cup pods as an example) or ground coffee, with a pod holder and a single-serve brew basket included.
- The removable 50 oz reservoir covers up to 6 servings before a refill, according to Hamilton Beach.
- Brews an 8 oz cup in about 90 seconds, and the cup rest lifts out for a tumbler or travel mug up to 7-1/2 inches tall.
- Hot sizes are limited: 8, 10, 12 or 14 oz with grounds and only 8 or 10 oz with a pod.
- No frother, no concentrate setting and no strength setting listed on this model's page.
- Hamilton Beach does not publish the iced brew size or the warranty on the product page.
A K-Cup brewer less than 5 inches wide that fits almost anywhere, as long as you are happy filling it for every cup.
Best for: One person in a dorm, office or small apartment who drinks one or two K-Cup coffees a day and is short on counter space.
- Keurig lists it at 12.1 in tall, 4.5 in wide and 11.3 in deep, the slimmest machine in this group.
- Brews any size from 6 to 12 oz by how much water you pour in, so there is no tank of stale water sitting in it.
- Turns itself off 90 seconds after the last brew, has cord storage, and works with Keurig's My K-Cup reusable filter if you want to use your own grounds.
- No standing reservoir: Keurig says you add fresh water for each brew.
- Brews K-Cup pods only; Keurig says it does not brew K-Carafe, K-Mug, Vue or Rivo pods.
- Maximum brew is 12 oz, Keurig lists no iced or strength setting, and grounds need the separate My K-Cup filter.
A widely sold grounds-only iced and hot brewer that is slower and less flexible than a similar Hamilton Beach.
Best for: Only someone who drinks grounds exclusively and wants the bundled tumbler; most buyers should get the Hamilton Beach 49921 instead.
- Comes with a reusable tumbler with lid and straw, a reusable filter and a dual-sided scoop.
- Hot sizes of 6, 8, 12 or 16 oz and a 22 oz iced coffee, according to Mr. Coffee.
- Compact at 9.8 x 5.6 x 13.2 in and 5.3 lb.
- Grounds only: Mr. Coffee markets it as pod-free, so there is no quick pod option on rushed mornings.
- Mr. Coffee quotes a brew time of under 4 minutes, while Hamilton Beach quotes about 90 seconds for an 8 oz cup on the 49921.
- Iced coffee is hot coffee brewed directly over ice, the same basic method the Ninja and Hamilton Beach use, so the iced feature is not a reason to pick it.
- A 24 in cord and a 1-year limited warranty.
| Criteria | Ninja PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker Top pick | Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Iced & Hot Coffee Maker (49921) | Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker | Mr. Coffee Single-Serve Iced and Hot Coffee Maker (BVMC-IHCMBL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Buy it | Buy it | It depends | Skip it |
| Best for | Anyone who drinks a mix of quick pod cups, big travel mugs of fresh grounds and the occasional milk drink. | A household that wants pods on busy mornings, grounds on slow ones, and iced coffee in summer without a big outlay. | One person in a dorm, office or small apartment who drinks one or two K-Cup coffees a day and is short on counter space. | Only someone who drinks grounds exclusively and wants the bundled tumbler; most buyers should get the Hamilton Beach 49921 instead. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget | $ · budget |
| Pods | Yes, with Ninja Pod Adapter | Yes (K-Cup named as example) | K-Cup only | No, grounds only |
| Grounds | Yes, brew basket and permanent filter | Yes, single-serve brew basket | Only with My K-Cup reusable filter | Yes, reusable filter |
| Brew sizes | Pods 6-12 oz; grounds 6-24 oz (7 sizes) | Pods 8 or 10 oz; grounds 8-14 oz | 6, 8, 10 or 12 oz | Hot 6, 8, 12, 16 oz; iced 22 oz |
| Water reservoir | 56 oz, removable | 50 oz, removable | None, add water each brew | Not published |
| Iced option | Over Ice brew style | Yes, iced or hot | Not listed | Yes, brews over ice |
| Extras | Fold-away frother, Specialty concentrate | Cup rest storage for holder and basket | Auto-off, cord storage | Tumbler with lid and straw, scoop |
| Tallest mug | Up to 8 in travel mug | Up to 7-1/2 in tumbler or travel mug | Not published | Not published |
| Size (published) | 15.08 L x 7.36 W x 16.14 H in | 13.7 H x 6.6 W x 11.8 D in | 12.1 H x 4.5 W x 11.3 D in | 9.8 L x 5.6 W x 13.2 H in |
Which one is right for you?
- Anyone who drinks a mix of quick pod cups, big travel mugs of fresh grounds and the occasional milk drink. Buy it Ninja PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker
- A household that wants pods on busy mornings, grounds on slow ones, and iced coffee in summer without a big outlay. Buy it Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Iced & Hot Coffee Maker (49921)
- One person in a dorm, office or small apartment who drinks one or two K-Cup coffees a day and is short on counter space. It depends Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker
- Only someone who drinks grounds exclusively and wants the bundled tumbler; most buyers should get the Hamilton Beach 49921 instead. Skip it Mr. Coffee Single-Serve Iced and Hot Coffee Maker (BVMC-IHCMBL)
How we judged the field
Five things decide whether a single-serve machine fits your mornings. First, format: pods only, grounds only, or both, because that sets your cost per cup and how locked in you are. Second, brew sizes, especially the largest size with grounds if you fill a travel mug. Third, the reservoir, since a removable tank you fill once a day is a different routine from pouring in water for every cup. Fourth, iced and specialty options, which only matter if you will use them. Fifth, footprint and mug clearance, because these machines live on the counter and a mug that does not fit is a daily annoyance.
The field splits into pods-and-grounds hybrids, pod-only brewers and grounds-only specialty brewers. We picked the Ninja PB051 as the most capable hybrid, the Hamilton Beach 49921 as the cheaper hybrid that still does iced coffee, the Keurig K-Mini as the smallest pod brewer for tight spaces, and the Mr. Coffee iced and hot brewer as a popular grounds-only machine that the Hamilton Beach outdoes. If you want a full pot rather than one cup, our drip coffee makers comparison covers that, including why we skip the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio there.
The Ninja PB051 is the machine to get if you want one brewer to cover nearly every coffee habit. It takes pods through the included Ninja Pod Adapter, at 6, 8, 10 or 12 oz, or grounds in a brew basket with a permanent filter, at seven sizes from 6 to 24 oz. Four brew styles sit on top of that: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, and Specialty, which Ninja describes as a super-rich concentrate for lattes, macchiatos and cappuccinos. The removable fold-away frother handles hot or cold milk, and the 56 oz reservoir lifts off for filling. A travel mug up to 8 inches tall fits under the spout. The trade-offs are size and a short warranty: Ninja lists 15.08 x 7.36 x 16.14 in, 7.8 lbs and 1 year of limited coverage. Ninja’s page also does not name which pod brands fit the adapter, so check before you stock up. For anyone who switches between pods, big grounds brews and milk drinks, it is the best pick here.
The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Iced & Hot (49921) is the value pick because it keeps the two features most buyers care about, pods or grounds and a proper tank, and adds iced coffee. It comes with a pod holder and a single-serve brew basket, and Hamilton Beach names K-Cup pods as an example of what fits. The removable 50 oz reservoir is good for up to 6 servings before a refill, and Hamilton Beach quotes about 90 seconds for an 8 oz cup. The cup rest lifts out for a tumbler or travel mug up to 7-1/2 inches tall and has storage for whichever holder you are not using. What you give up compared with the Ninja: hot sizes stop at 14 oz with grounds and 10 oz with a pod, there is no frother or concentrate mode, and the page does not list a strength setting, an iced brew size or a warranty term. For a household that wants flexibility and iced coffee without paying for extras, it is the smart buy.
The Keurig K-Mini is the right machine for a narrow set of buyers and the wrong one for everyone else. Keurig lists it at 4.5 inches wide, 12.1 in tall and 11.3 in deep, and it has cord storage, so it fits on a desk, a dorm shelf or the corner of a tiny kitchen. It brews 6, 8, 10 or 12 oz depending on how much water you pour in, and it switches off 90 seconds after the last brew. The catch is the routine: there is no standing reservoir, so you add fresh water for every cup. It brews K-Cup pods only, and Keurig says it does not take K-Carafe, K-Mug, Vue or Rivo pods. You can use your own grounds through Keurig’s My K-Cup reusable filter, but that is an add-on, not a built-in basket. For one person making one or two pod coffees a day in a small space, it works well; for a family or a travel-mug commuter, the Hamilton Beach is a better fit.
The Mr. Coffee Single-Serve Iced and Hot Coffee Maker is widely sold, and it bundles a tumbler, lid, straw, reusable filter and scoop, and the iced pitch is appealing. Look closer and it is the least flexible machine here. It is grounds-only, so there is no pod fallback when you are in a hurry. Mr. Coffee quotes hot sizes of 6, 8, 12 or 16 oz and a 22 oz iced coffee, but the brew time it quotes is under 4 minutes, while Hamilton Beach quotes about 90 seconds for an 8 oz cup on the 49921. The iced method is hot coffee brewed straight over ice, which is the same basic approach the Ninja’s Over Ice style and the Hamilton Beach use. Add a 24 in cord and a 1-year limited warranty, and the case for it narrows to the accessories. If you like the idea of iced and hot coffee from one compact machine, the Hamilton Beach 49921 does that with pods as well as grounds and a removable 50 oz tank.
Ninja PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker vs Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Iced & Hot Coffee Maker (49921): which should you buy?
The Ninja PB051 and the Hamilton Beach 49921 both brew pods or grounds and both do iced coffee, so the choice comes down to range and extras. The Ninja reaches 24 oz with grounds, has four brew styles including a concentrate mode, includes a fold-away frother and a 56 oz tank, and takes a travel mug up to 8 inches tall. The Hamilton Beach stops at 14 oz with grounds and 10 oz with pods, has no frother, but still carries a removable 50 oz tank and a cup rest that lifts out for a 7-1/2 inch mug.
Pick the Ninja if you regularly fill a big travel mug, want milk drinks at home, or like having Rich and Specialty strengths to play with. Pick the Hamilton Beach if your coffee is a standard mug, sometimes iced, and you would rather keep the money and the counter space. Both beat the Keurig K-Mini on flexibility, and both beat the Mr. Coffee on speed and format choice.
What to look for
- Pods, grounds or both: A machine that takes both formats lets you use cheaper ground coffee most days and pods when you are rushed.
- Largest grounds size: If you fill a travel mug, check the biggest grounds setting, since pod sizes usually top out lower.
- A real reservoir: A removable tank you fill once covers several cups; a pour-in-each-time design suits one cup a day at most.
- Published mug clearance: Look for a stated travel mug height, like the Ninja’s 8 inches or the Hamilton Beach’s 7-1/2 inches, and measure your mug.
- Pod compatibility in writing: Make sure the maker names the pod type it takes, or check its adapter page, before buying a box of pods.
- Iced mode expectations: Brew-over-ice modes make strong hot coffee to melt onto ice; they are not cold brew.
Our final take
Buy the Ninja PB051 if you want one machine that handles pods, grounds, 24 oz travel mugs, iced coffee and milk drinks, and you have the counter space for it. Buy the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 49921 if you want pods or grounds and iced or hot coffee from a removable 50 oz tank without paying for a frother. Choose the Keurig K-Mini only if space is tight and you are fine pouring in water for each K-Cup. Skip the Mr. Coffee Single-Serve Iced and Hot: it is grounds-only and quotes a slower brew time, and the Hamilton Beach covers the same iced-and-hot idea with more flexibility.
Questions, answered
Is a pods-and-grounds machine worth it over a pod-only brewer?
For most people, yes. Pods are quick and tidy, but they lock you into one format and the cost per cup adds up. A machine like the Ninja PB051 or the Hamilton Beach 49921 lets you use pods on rushed mornings and your own ground coffee the rest of the time. You also get larger cup sizes with grounds on both machines than with pods. A pod-only brewer like the Keurig K-Mini makes sense mainly when space or simplicity matters more than flexibility.
Do single-serve machines make good iced coffee?
The machines here make iced coffee by brewing hot coffee onto ice, which works if the brew is strong enough to survive the melt. Ninja has a dedicated Over Ice style, Hamilton Beach sells the 49921 as an iced and hot brewer, and Mr. Coffee brews a hot concentrate straight over a tumbler of ice. None of them is a cold brewer, so do not expect the smooth, low-acid taste of a true cold brew. If iced coffee is your main drink, fill the cup with ice before you start and use the strongest setting your machine offers.
Can I use my own coffee in a Keurig K-Mini?
Keurig says the K-Mini works with its My K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter, which you fill with your own grounds. That filter is a separate accessory, not a grounds basket built into the machine. Expect a bit more mess than with a pod, and rinse the filter after each cup. If you plan to use grounds most days, a machine built for both formats, like the Hamilton Beach 49921, is less fiddly.
How big a travel mug will fit?
Check the maker's stated clearance before you buy, because tall mugs are a common frustration. Ninja says the PB051 takes a travel mug up to 8 inches tall. Hamilton Beach says the 49921's cup rest removes for a tumbler or travel mug up to 7-1/2 inches tall. Keurig and Mr. Coffee do not publish a clearance figure on the pages we checked, so measure your mug against the machine's spout height in store or ask the seller.
Should I pick a single-serve brewer or a Nespresso?
They solve different problems. A single-serve drip brewer like these makes a mug of regular coffee from pods or grounds, often in larger sizes. A Nespresso uses its own capsule system to make espresso-style coffee, and on Vertuo models larger cups too. If you mainly want espresso drinks, see our Nespresso machines comparison. If you want a mug or travel cup of regular coffee, stay with a machine on this list.
Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Ninja PB051 Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker vs Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Iced & Hot Coffee Maker (49921).
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