For a lot of people, a coffeehouse is a great place to start the day. But if you want a quick cup of coffee at home, a single-serve coffeemaker is an easy option. Just pop in a pod … and you can brew a cup to go. Consumer Reports has tested more than two dozen single-serve coffeemakers from brands such as Keurig, Mr. Coffee, and Starbucks. They cost anywhere from $25 to $300.
No one wants a cold cup of coffee, so testers measure the temperature to make sure it’s always hot. Speed is also important. Testers record how long it takes for the first cup to brew and each cup after that. Some machines keep you waiting a lot longer than others. One of the slowest to deliver that first cup was the $300 Bunn MyCafé MCP. And the $35 Gevalia G-90 had a tough time getting started. It produced a lot of steam and noise before it began making coffee.
The DeLonghi Dolce Gusto Genio EDG455T came out on top. At $130, it delivers a fast, hot cup of coffee every time. But it uses Nescafé-brand capsules, so you only have 16 varieties from which to choose.
Consumer Reports also sized up taste quality. Unfortunately, trained experts found none of the single-serve systems brewed top-quality coffee. For that you might just have to stand in line.
Another option for a good, strong cup of coffee is to use a traditional drip coffeemaker. Consumer Reports says you can find a top one for well under $100, such as the Mr. Coffee BVMC-SJX33GT, which is a Best Buy at $40.
