Our picks for the best capsule coffeemakers

A perfect cuppa joe, every time. (Photo: Amazon)

If you’re like us, you count on that first cup of coffee to kick-start your day; the quality of that drink can make or break your morning. But brewing a magic elixir bleary-eyed and barely awake is not easy. Except it is…when you have the right capsule coffee machine. The brains of the operation, a great capsule coffee maker requires practically nothing from its foggy-headed owner to deliver a barista-quality beverage every dang time. Here are our picks for the best. Bonus: Most of these beauties are on sale.

“Works great,” said a five-star reviewer. “Just keep it clean all the time and it’s reliable and fast! More expensive than using a standard drip coffeemaker, but much more delicious and convenient. The little metal pods look nice displayed in the kitchen, too. The milk steamer is a MUST as well…. Really love the whole setup. The only drawback is that I might be drinking more (and stronger) coffee than I used to — but it’s always delicious!”

A shopper says the Vertuo Next is “the best purchase I have ever made! I love Starbucks lattes and speciality coffee, so a Nespresso is ideal for me. I haven’t even thought about Starbucks since I got it…. It’s really easy to order pods and recycle bags from the app! The milk frother is what takes your coffee to the next level. I love to put flavored creamer in it; it is heavenly. Easy to operate and not a super bulky machine…. If you have been thinking about getting [one], do it. You will not regret.”

“The only complaint I have about this is: It’s too good,” said one of 5,700-plus five-star reviewers. “It’s too easy to use. It makes having espresso too convenient. I went from maybe having one espresso ever few months to multiple ones a day. I hear colors. I find myself falling down weird YouTube rabbit holes at all hours of the night. I’ve become nocturnal. So, if you like sleep, this is not for you. If you like random facts about how coldfronts affect catfish, BUY THIS!”

Keurig

K-Classic Coffee Maker

Keurig

$100 $150 at Amazon

Fans of K-Cup pods can’t go wrong with Keurig’s K-Classic — a great machine at a great price. With a 48-ounce water reservoir it can handle after-dinner coffee for the whole gang. There’s an auto-off feature that shuts down the machine if it’s been idle for two hours. Oh, and the java is delish.

This superstar is endorsed by more than 66,000 five-star reviewers! “My first time using this type of coffeemaker, and am I happy!” said one such fan. “It makes delicious coffee, is easy to program and operate, and it is very attractive on the kitchen counter. It comes securely packaged with a user manual that is easy to understand and set up, and very reasonably priced for the excellent quality…. I highly recommend!”

Keurig

K-Mini Coffee Maker

Keurig

$98 at Amazon

The K-Mini is another compact machine that won’t take up valuable real estate in the kitchen. One thing we love: The drip tray is removable, so you can brew directly into a travel mug up to seven inches tall. Incredibly convenient when you’re making a to-go cup for your AM commute.

“Love it,” said a happy shopper. “I ordered this machine to replace the giant one I had before, which finally died…. I like this one a lot better because the color is prettier and it doesn’t take up so much counter space. I like that it only holds one cup of water at a time. My son had a bad habit of letting the water in the big, black Keurig sit around for a couple of days and then using it. Gross. Now I know he can’t do that with this machine. It brews a great cup of coffee and seems quieter than my old machine…. I highly recommend it.”

Keurig

K-Duo Plus Coffee Maker

Keurig

$185 $230 at Amazon

For folks who like the choice of K-Cups or regular ground coffee, there’s the K-Duo Plus. This machine comes with a 12-cup thermal carafe and a reusable coffee filter (nice for the planet). You can brew either a whole carafe or just a single cup, so it’s got you covered.

“This thing is amazing,” said a five-star reviewer. “I love at least four things about it. 1) Easy to use. 2) It replaced a Mister Coffee brewer and a Keurig K-Cup brewer, saving a lot of counter space. 3) The reservoir can be placed right, left or back to suit your counter situation. 4) The Mr. Coffee required you to add the right amount of water for the amount of coffee that you wanted. The K-Duo Plus will use the correct amount of water based on the number of cups (carafe) or ounces (K-Cup) that you select.”

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio

Hamilton Beach

FlexBrew Trio 2-Way Coffee Maker

Hamilton Beach

$105 $120 at Amazon

The FlexBrew Trio lets you brew either regular ground coffee by the pot, or K-Cups. The drip tray on one side can be removed to fit a travel mug. The shape is a perfect fit for many kitchens. This Amazon’s Choice product has nearly 18,000 five-star reviews!

“This is the best multipurpose appliance!” said a review. “To begin with, it’s easy to use — use one side or the other. I normally program my carafe side the night before so my coffee is ready in the morning…. The single-serve, or K-Cup, side works great.”

The size of the FlexBrew Single-Serve is perfect for this happy shopper: “I never wanted a K-Cup coffeemaker. When I saw this one I was intrigued. The size is smaller, and it is flexible for making my favorite coffee or using K-Cups…. I LOVE it….. One feature I like is that you empty the reservoir each time you brew. The coffee-grounds insert comes with the appliance, as does the K-Cup insert. Can’t say enough good things about this product!”

“I love this Coffee Maker!” says one of 12,000+ five-star fans.”I’ve had two now, one of the previous model for nearly 6 years and then this newer version… I REALLY like this unit’s features. For one reason, we drink different brands of coffee which is what makes single serve coffee makers so convenient. For another, I love the added convenience of this particular single serve for the fact that I don’t have to wait for the water to heat up like I do with other brands. You just turn it on, pop in the pod, press the brew button and it INSTANTLY starts brewing without the wait for the water to heat. HELLO, who wouldn’t love that feature?!….”

“I’ve had many coffeemakers over the years, and this is by far the best” said a five-star review. “I love this machine and have not found any issues in the few weeks I’ve had it. I generally make a pot of coffee in the morning and use the single-serve in the afternoon or evening. I have used several types of coffees, and each one tastes great. It is easy to use and clean. Very happy with this.”

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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.