Models with no score here brew into single-serve cups or are self-serve models. The latter hold the coffee in a tank; you fill your cup by pressing it against the dispenser lever. The Zojirushi was the easiest to hamilton beach toaster oven use among the machines we tested as it simply has an on-off switch. But it doesn’t automatically shut off, and forgetting to turn it off could result in burnt coffee or—if the carafe is empty—a broken machine.
As with the Ninja, the Cuisinart’s carafe does not have a hinged lid. But instead of screwing on and off, it simply snaps into place, which during our testing made it harder to remove for filling and cleaning the carafe. But we liked that the carafe is replaceable, and the machine comes with a three-year warranty, the best of all the models tested. It’s one of the best single-serve coffee makers—and it doesn’t require paper filters or pricey pods! Here’s everything you need to know about the Hamilton Beach Scoop. The verdict is that we’re pretty amazed by this little machine.
If you’re looking for a full carafe of coffee, a whole whopping 12-cups worth, then this will be your favorite button. Pushing this button brews a large pot of coffee which is perfect if you’re got a long day ahead of you or if you have a large number of guests who are craving a cup of joe. The Cuisinart Brew Central program-ahead brew function is similar to the Ninja’s, and in our testing it was easy to use for setting the machine to brew at a specific time. The small-batch option brewed one to four cups without sacrificing quality. But the borderline retro interface––a combination of dials, buttons, and switches that reminds us of a pre-remote control TV set––is less intuitive than the simple buttons or switches on other models like the Zojirushi Zutto. Cheap coffee makers are designed with both cost and convenience in mind.
Completely unacceptable and the customer service is by far the most in adequate I’ve ever dealt with. Pressing this button lets the FlexBrew know to prepare to brew for a single-serve size cup or coffee. You’ll press this button if you’re brewing with a K-cup, pod, or coffee grounds in a reusable K-cup basket.
Like Ninja, Cuisinart defines a cup as 5 ounces, so a full pot makes about six mug-sized servings. In terms of interface, this model is relatively straightforward, with clearly labeled buttons that are easy to read. Preprogramming a brew for the morning, for example, is easily accomplished by selecting “Delay Brew” and setting hamilton beach the hour of the future batch. For instance, we realized that the machine doesn’t “remember” the brew settings you used last. Instead, we needed to make customized selections for, say, batch size, or rich or classic, before hitting the brew button every time, otherwise the machine would brew to its default settings.