Gone are the good old days of just getting up from your desk and walking to the break room to have a cup of joe ready at the press of a button.
Ever since the onset of the pandemic, coffee lovers have been finding ways to soothe their cravings, especially since travel has been significantly lessened.
No matter how creative you can get, it’s always better to have coffee ready with just one press of a button, which is why many coffee lovers now opt for a coffee maker.
Keurig coffee makers are some of the most famous coffee makers, but they’re not always available!
Thus, this article gives 10 products that serve as a good alternative to Keurig.
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The Best Keurig Alternatives
- Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker
- Breville Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine
- Hamilton Beach 49979 FlexBrew
- Cuisinart SS-10P1 Premium Single-Serve Coffeemaker
- Nespresso
Essenza Mini - Sunvivi Single Serve Coffee Maker
- Nespresso Creatista Uno by Breville
- CHULUX Single Cup Coffee Maker
- Mixpresso – Single Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker
- Wirsh Programmable Single Coffee Maker
Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker
The Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker (CM401) is one of the most versatile and easy-to-use coffee makers in the market.
It can help you make any cup of coffee you like, especially with its large 50 oz carafe that can serve as many as 10 cups of coffee.
The Specialty Coffee Maker has six different brew sizes, allowing you to have just as much coffee as you want in a day.
Along with this feature, it also allows you to brew your coffee in four different ways, with an added milk frother to help with making lattes, macchiatos, and more!
Lastly, the machine does not make use of pods, claiming to be environmentally friendly and even more versatile.
This feature can help you brew the coffee you like with the grounds of your choice!
Pros
- 6 different brew sizes
- Does not use pods
- Built-in fold-away milk frother
Cons
- Low brewing temperature
- The glass carafe is extremely fragile
Breville Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine
The Breville Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine is another coffee maker that is easy to use.
Much like the other Breville coffee makers, it produces barista-grade coffee – perfect for coffee lovers who prefer their coffee in a specific way.
It has a quick-heat feature that produces hot water perfect for brewing in as fast as 15-20 seconds.
It can also be easily adjusted to produce coffee in five different-sized cups, which are espresso (1.35 oz), double espresso (2.7 oz), a gran lungo (5 oz), coffee (7.7 oz), and alto (14 oz).
The Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine also employs a centrifugation extraction technology, which rotates as much as 7000 rpm to blend coffee and water perfectly.
It is also quick and easy to use as all you need to do is insert the coffee capsule, press the brew button, and wait!
Pros
- Unique centrifugation extraction technology
- One-touch operation
- Adjustable cup sizes
Cons
- Only uses pod coffee
- Water temperature not adjustable
Hamilton Beach 49979 FlexBrew
FlexBrew by Hamilton Beach is another single-serve coffee maker that is suited to serve your needs.
FlexBrew allows you to choose between coffee pods or your own grounds, choose your own brew strength, easy cleaning, and more!
Flexibility is not an issue with the FlexBrew, as you can choose to brew your own freshly ground coffee or from single-serve packs.
Additionally, you also have the option to brew up to 10 oz from a K-Cup coffee pack or 14 oz for your own mug!
Brew strength is also an option with the FlexBrew, with regular brew being a lighter, tasteful brew, and bold brew being the more bitter and stronger option.
Cleaning up the FlexBrew has also been made easy, especially since most of the parts can easily be removed and washed.
Pros
- Easy Cleaning
- Energy Saving
- Flexibility of choice
Cons
- Lack of maintenance leads to problems
- Small water reservoir
Cuisinart SS-10P1 Premium Single-Serve Coffeemaker
Cuisinart has made a greatly user-friendly single-serve coffeemaker.
Although its front panel can look intimidating, it’s never too much to learn about this machine’s functions!
It has a removable water reservoir, a self-cleaning program, and even an option that allows you to brew different drinks!
Cuisinart SS-10P1 is proud of its 72 oz removable water reservoir. This reservoir allows you to keep water in it until you are ready to brew!
Furthermore, this machine ensures that you are drinking quality water with its attached charcoal water filter!
Its hot water option allows you to brew hot chocolate, tea, or other drinks that you would need hot water for.
It also has a rinse option that easily cleans the brew chamber for you, all to keep maintenance easy!
However, that’s not all on the front panel, as it also allows for other options when brewing coffee!
Pros
- Great water capacity
- Hot water option for other drinks
- User friendly
Cons
- Display and button issues
- Loud operation
Nespresso Essenza Mini
The Essenza Mini makes every coffee lover's dream come true. Energy efficient, one-touch operation and includes an Espresso Original Capsule welcome kit.
The
It is much like the other Nespresso by Breville coffee makers, but all in a smaller package!
Get barista-style coffee with the
This machine is programmed to produce cups of coffee of the same quality every single time, just so you won’t easily get tired of its taste!
You can also choose how much coffee you want, with an Espresso or Lungo mode.
The
When nine minutes of inactivity have been reached, it automatically switches off to prevent both overheating and wasting of electricity.
Pros
- Energy-saving
- Small and compact: Easily portable
- High-pressure pump and quick heat feature
Cons
- Only uses pod coffee
- Possible leaking issues
Sunvivi Single Serve Coffee Maker
The Sunvivi Single-Serve Coffee Maker is one of the heavy duty and flexible coffee makers in the market.
It is made of durable material to help you brew the perfect cup of coffee in the morning!
This coffee maker can easily be programmed to brew a cup of coffee of the perfect size for you. Just pour in some water in its reservoir, press the button, and wait.
In just three minutes, you’ll have a great cup of coffee in your hands!
Additionally, this coffee maker will help you save the environment with its automatic shut-off feature.
After a few minutes of inactivity, the coffee maker will turn off to prevent unnecessarily consuming energy and overheating.
Pros
- Brews in just 3 minutes
- Automatic shut-off feature
- Uses either pods or grounds
Cons
- Can’t hold larger mugs
- Coffee may have bad odor
Nespresso Creatista Uno by Breville
Brands Nespresso and Breville have collaborated to create what is allegedly the best single-serve espresso machine in the market.
It boasts a premium design, versatility, ultimate coffee quality, and more!
Nespresso Creatista by Breville is said to be as good as professional barista coffee, despite being a machine.
It’s programmed to create the perfect coffee with every touch of its button; a coffee made specifically for you.
Versatility with this machine is easily achieved too, since users can easily decide how much coffee they want with just the touch of a button.
Two sizes are available, which are Espresso (1.35 oz) and Lungo (5 oz).
Furthermore, Nespresso Creatista was made to be environmentally friendly with its energy-saving feature!
Once the coffee maker has been inactive for nine (9) minutes, it is programmed to turn off to avoid using excess energy.
Also Read: Breville Creatista Plus Review – Powerful Home Coffee Machine
Pros
- Energy-saving Feature
- Fast Water Heating
- Versatile Cup Sizes
Cons
- Can be complicated to operate for beginners
- Water may not be at the desired temperature
CHULUX Single Cup Coffee Maker
CHULUX coffee maker is claimed to be one the safest single-serve coffee makers in the market.
Despite its compact design, it is capable of serving the coffee and cup of your choice.
It also has a feature that prevents overheating to keep you safe while you brew!
CHULUX Single Serve has a small and compact design to help you save space on your kitchen island and prevent any messes when brewing.
To add to this, CHULUX allows for a detachable drip tray so when you brew coffee, you can place any-sized mug to prevent splashing.
The coffee maker also has an automatic shut-off program, where it automatically turns off after every brew to prevent overheating.
Additionally, it also allows you to brew quickly, as CHULUX has added a rapid brewing program to prepare your cup quickly.
Pros
- Easy operation
- Space-saving design
- Safe to operate
Cons
- Requires a specific amount of water
- Brew may not be strong enough
Mixpresso – Single Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker
The Mixpresso coffee maker is another easy-to-use and versatile coffee machine. It is fully automatic and easy to operate.
Apart from its massive water reservoir, it has an easy-cleaning feature together with an automatic switch-off system that helps you conserve both your home’s and your energy!
Its large water reservoir can fit up to 45 oz of water, allowing you to brew as many as six cups of coffee before having to refill it.
Cleaning it is also quite easy, as all you have to do is remove the coffee pod and water reservoir to wash them!
This programmable coffee maker also helps you brew the perfect cup of coffee, as you can easily choose how it brews your coffee.
It also has an automatic shut-off feature that turns the machine off after 15 minutes of brewing, to ensure your safety and save your energy!
Pros
- Programmable coffee maker
- Energy-saving feature
- Removable components for cleaning
Cons
- Water temperature not adjustable
- It May be complicated to operate for beginners
Wirsh Programmable Single Coffee Maker
When talking about smart coffee makers, you should never leave out the Wirsh Programmable Single Coffee Maker.
This machine can easily be programmed to your desire, and it can be very easy to use!
The coffee maker comes with a digital display that shows 24-hour time.
This then, can be easily programmed to have a preset for whenever you want your coffee.
You no longer have to worry about forgetting to turn on your coffee maker, as it will be ready with your cup in just the time you want it!
The machine’s water tank also has clearly visible labels that will allow you to quickly determine how much water is in it.
You can easily adjust the strength of your coffee without having to pre-measure from a cup.
Pros
- Digital timer attached
- Clearly visible markings for water level
- Can be preset to prepare coffee at a certain time
Cons
- Only uses coffee grounds
- Does not keep the coffee warm after dispensing
Buying Guide
With all these kinds of coffee makers in the market, it can be very difficult to choose one that would suit your needs.
There are a bunch of features to consider, yet all of these are not always on the same machine.
Thus, here is a breakdown of all the possible features of a coffee machine to help you choose.
Budget
It’s always best to pick a product that’s well within your budget.
Some of the machines on the market can be quite expensive, sometimes costing thousands of dollars.
Although you can say that you save much more from a coffee machine, will it really benefit your current situation?
Grounds or Pods?
Coffee makers these days use either pods or grounds, and rarely both.
It is really up to your preference how you want your coffee sourced, whether you want to take the extra time to measure your fresh grounds or you want to speed through the prep time with pods.
Pick a coffee machine that best suits your preference.
Eco-friendly
A lot of coffee machines these days are advertised to be eco-friendly.
This manifests in its energy-saving mode, where it consumes less power the longer it is inactive.
This feature will also help you prevent any fires from occurring in your homes, as the chances of overheating are significantly lessened.
FAQs
Why shouldn’t you use a Keurig?
Keurig machines are allegedly dangerous for the environment.
They are advertised to be easy-to-use, but break and malfunction easily.
This leads to the production of more waste. Furthermore, Keurig coffee is not particularly for everyone’s taste, as it can be quite weak and bland.
Are Keurig machines unhealthy?
Keurig machines are unhealthy for the environment, especially since they use non-recyclable K-cups that leave a major carbon footprint.
However, despite the alleged lack of taste from a Keurig, there is no evidence that drinking from Keurigs leads to health issues.
Are Keurigs sanitary?
Keurigs claim to be one-touch single-serve coffee makers. They often take pride in the fact that most of their coffee makers can brew in less than a minute.
To maintain their sanitation, cleaning measures need to be taken.
This can be achieved by removing and cleaning certain components or using a cleaning solution.
Are Keurig K-Cups biodegradable?
No, Keurig K-cups are not biodegradable.
They are mostly made from plastic, which takes years, sometimes centuries, to fully decompose.
Apart from that, these K-cups are non-recyclable, which means that the K-cups you’ll use will eventually end up in the landfill or the sea, contributing to the massive waste in those places.
Are Keurigs bad for the environment?
Keurigs are extremely bad for the environment because they only use K-Cups. These K-cups take years to decompose and are non-recyclable.
Furthermore, there have been complaints that a lot of Keurig machines break easily, and when they do, they are easily dumped in the trash.
Does a Keurig get hot enough to kill bacteria?
The WHO has claimed that water at the temperature of 149°F can inactivate most pathogens like bacteria.
Keurig machines often heat the water up to 191°F, which is almost at boiling point.
So yes, Keurig machines get hot enough to kill bacteria, but are not always hot enough to satisfy most taste buds.
Conclusion
There is not a single coffee machine in the market that will satisfy everyone’s needs.
You can have a different preference from your partner or your family, so it’s not always best to consult others.
The best thing you can do is to read the reviews and features of a coffee machine to determine if it will be perfect for you.
And that being said, our recommended keurig alternative is the Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker.
Same as Keurig coffee makers, it can make great single-serve coffee. Best of all, it’s available!
