What is the Best Single Serve Coffee Maker for Dorm Rooms?

Awe the memories of the first years of college life in the dorm.  All night study sessions, parties, saving all my pennies to get something to eat. Coffee and caffeine pretty much ran through my veins during those years.  Well, it’s that time of year again when school is about to start and you need to find the best single-serve coffee maker for dorm room living.  Coffee is so important in a college student’s life because it can keep a student awake to study late at night or help wake them up for morning classes.  So why is a single-serve coffee maker the best choice for college students in a dorm room?

First of all is size.  Single-cup coffee machines are much smaller than full-sized coffee makers and size is important in a dorm room.  Also, most students are not only on a monetary budget but a time budget as well.  This is where a Single-serve coffee maker comes into play.  Full-sized coffee makers can take up to 10 minutes to brew a full pot whereas a Single cup coffee maker can brew a quick cup in around a minute or two.

The majority of college students are on a budget and paying a few dollars for a cup of coffee several times a day can add up very quickly.  Over the school year, this caffeine habit can cost $1000-$2000 depending on frequency and cost.  Therefore one doesn’t have to be an economics major to see it’s more cost-effective to buy a coffee maker than to go out and buy coffee every day.

We have researched thoroughly the best single-serve coffee maker for dorm life and below are our opinions and reviews of the best we found.  When reviewing the best single-cup coffee makers we take into consideration things such as cost, versatility, appearance, and size in our ratings.

If you don’t want to read our whole page we have selected the Breville Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine as our top pick.  We chose the Breville  Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine because we felt it was the best combination of value and versatility without any concerns about appearance and size.  Please take a look at our thorough review below.

Our picks for best single serve coffee maker for dorm rooms

Breville Nespresso Coffee&Espresso Machine

Item Dimensions: 11.94 x 8.31 x 11.94 in

Item Weight: 9.8 lbs

Material: Plastic

Color: Black

Water Reservoir: 54 oz

Cup Sizes: 1.35 oz, 2.7 oz, 5 oz, 7.7 oz, 14 oz

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Keurig K-Elite K Single Serve K-Cup Pod Maker

Item Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.5 x 11.1 in

Item Weight: 6.6 lbs

Material: Plastic

Color: Black

Water Reservoir: 75 oz

Cup Sizes: 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, 12oz

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Keurig K250 Single Serve, K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker

Item Dimensions: 15 x 9 x 13.7 in

Item Weight: 7.5 lbs

Material: Plastic

Color: Variety

Water Reservoir: 40 oz

Cup Sizes: 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz

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Hamilton Beach (49975) Single Serve Coffee Maker

Item Dimensions: 16 x 12.25 x 12.9 in

Item Weight: 7.8 lbs

Material: Plastic

Color: Black

Water Reservoir: 40 oz

Cup Sizes: 8 oz, 10 oz, 14 oz

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Full Reviews for the best single cup coffee makers

Breville single serve Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine

The Breville Nespresso Vertuo single-serve Coffee and Espresso Machine can create barista grade brewed single-serve coffee or espresso cups at the touch of a button.  This machine is designed for use with Nespresso Vertuo capsules only therefore k-cups won’t work with it.

Also, the Breville Nespresso Vertuo single-serve Coffee and Espresso Machine is the only coffee maker we reviewed that can make both espresso and regular coffee.  There are many other single-cup coffee makers with the same capability to brew both espresso and regular coffee but no where near the price point.

This coffee machine is very versatile because it can brew espresso in espresso (1.35 oz.), and double espresso (2.7 oz.) sizes.  It brews coffee in gran lungo (5 oz.), coffee (7.7 oz.), and alto (14 oz.) sizes.  The Breville Nespresso Vertuo single Coffee and Espresso Machine can also automatically detect what coffee to brew for you using Nespresso’s CentrifusionTM technology which uses barcodes to deliver the best in-cup results including the perfect crema for larger coffee cup sizes.  When Centrifusion is activated, the capsule spins up to 7,000 rotations per minute, blending ground coffee with water therefore producing the perfect crema to enjoy your favorite freshly brewed Coffee or authentic Espresso.

In our opinion, the Breville Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine is the best combination because of all the factors we take into consideration.  This single-serve coffee maker uses an intelligent extraction system that recognizes each Grand Cru blend. Thanks to a barcode on the rim of the capsule, the brewing parameters are adjusted by the machine depending on the selected Grand Cru. Therefore, this delivers the best in-cup result for your chosen variety, all at the touch of a button.

PROS:

• Able to produce both single-serve espresso and coffee cups.
• Automatically brews the perfect cup every time due to the barcode on the capsule
• 2 sizes of espresso, and 3 sizes of coffee brew size
• Large 54 oz water tank for multiple uses
• Comes with 12 single-serve coffee capsules with unique aroma profiles
• Price compared to other espresso/coffee single-serve makers
• Very well reviewed by consumers

CONS:

• Coffee can be lukewarm if cold milk/cream is used
• Can be a little loud when brewing
• Price point for college student

Keurig K-Elite K Single Serve K-Cup Pod Maker

Keurig probably makes the most recognizable single-serve coffee maker.  The Keurig K-Elite K Single Serve K-Cup Pod Maker comes with a bonus 6-count K-Cup Pod variety pack, one water filter handle, and one filter to help ensure your beverages taste their Absolute best. This coffee maker can also blend with most kitchen décor as it comes in brushed silver and brushed slate colors.

The Keurig K-Elite K Single Serve K-Cup Pod Maker is versatile with many features. This single-serve coffee maker can brew multiple cup sizes in 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12oz cup sizes.  Has a strong brew button that increases the strength and boldness taste of your coffee.  This machine also comes equipped with an iced setting button which can brew coffee hot over ice for a fully flavored Iced Coffee.  There is also a Hot Water on Demand button that is perfect for tea, oatmeal, and instant soups.

In our opinion, the Keurig K-Elite K Single Serve K-Cup Pod Maker is a good choice for a single-serve coffee maker for dorm life because of its size compared to other Keurig models.  The smaller size and large 75oz water reservoir brewing make it a good choice if space and time are limited.  This single-serve Keurig can brew K-cup pods in under a minute and comes with a tray in case of any accidents.

PROS:

• Smaller and lighter in size than comparable Keurig models
• LED light that illuminates the water reservoir
• Features such as Iced Coffee, Brew Strength, Hot Water on demand buttons
• Large 75oz removable water reservoir for fewer trips filling it up
• Can brew multiple cup sizes 4, 6, 8, 10, 12oz
• Fast brew time in under 1 minute

CONS:

• UNIT has no touch screen as some customers prefer
• Harder to operate for some customers than previous Keurig models
• Price point on the higher end for single-serve coffee makers we reviewed

Keurig K250 Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker

Another Keurig makes our list of best single serve coffee makers for your dorm.  Most people have or have had or used a Keurig so we are not going to go into great detail on the actual product.  Besides that, our goal is to give you the information on why this single-serve coffee machine could be a good fit for dorm room life.

The Keurig K250 Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker is slim and sleek and can brew a rich, smooth, delicious cup of coffee every morning with the quality you expect from Keurig.  This unit comes equipped with a strength control setting so you can adjust the coffee strength to your own personal tastes.  Also compatible with K-Cup, K-Mug, and K-Carafe pod brew sizes therefore you can customize your setting to get your perfect cup of coffee.

This single-serve coffee maker also is very versatile due to its size and many features.  The Keurig K250 Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker comes equipped with an easy-to-use touch screen, a 40oz water reservoir, and a Carafe option (Carafe sold separately).  This unit also comes in a variety of colors to complement almost any décor.  Each Keurig machine comes with 4 K-Cup pods, a water filter handle + 2 water filters, and a bottle of descaling solution to help extend the life of the brewer.

In our opinion, The Keurig K250 Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker is another solid choice for use in the dorm room.  It’s smaller in size and the price point is cheaper than the Keurig K-Elite we reviewed earlier and has a lot smaller water reservoir if that’s important to you.  Most importantly another difference between the two models is this single-serve coffee maker has a touch screen and can brew for a Carafe (Carafe sold separately).

PROS:

• Lighter and smaller than most Keurig models
• The price point for Keurig models
• Can brew cups and for Carafe (Carafe sold separately)
• Touch screen
• Variety of colors to match décor

CONS:

• Smaller water reservoirs than other Keurig models
• Some customers have needle issues
• Some customers have NON-Keurig K-cup issues with brewing

Hamilton Beach (49975) Single Serve Coffee Maker

Our last review is the Hamilton Beach (49975) Single Serve Coffee Maker.  Hamilton Beach is a known maker of affordable coffee machines and this unit is no different. This single-serve maker can brew K-Cups as well as grounds (grounds basket included).  Therefore, using K-Cups can brew an 8oz or 10oz cup of coffee whereas using grounds can brew up to a 14oz cup.

The Hamilton Beach (49975) Single Serve Coffee Maker has some neat features as well.  This coffee maker automatically shuts off when brewing is complete therefore saving energy.  With the included cup rest one can store the included brew basket when not in use.  The pack-piercing needle removes therefore cleaning is as easy as detaching and running it under the water faucet.

In our opinion, the Hamilton Beach (49975) Single Serve Coffee Maker is a decent single serve coffee maker choice for your dorm room.  It’s similar in size and weight to the other Keurig models we reviewed earlier and besides that has many of the same features as well.  This single-serve coffee machine has a brew strength option, a removable 40oz water reservoir, and K-Cup compatibility.  If the price point was lower we probably would rank a little higher.

PROS:

• Compatible with most K-Cups
• LED light in the water reservoir
• Comparable size to Keurig models
• Automatic shutoff feature
• The pack-piercing needle removes for easy cleaning

CONS:

• Smaller water reservoir than most reviewed models
• Some customers have issues using K-CUP option
• The price point in our opinion should be a tad lower

Our Final Thoughts on Choosing the best single cup coffee maker for dorm rooms

We have spent countless hours researching 100’s of single-serve coffee machines that we felt would be good for college dorm rooms.  We then narrowed it down to the top 5 best single-serve coffee makers for dorm rooms.  Our reviews started with our choice of the best single-serve coffee machine and then went in order of preference.  We took into consideration what a student or parent of a student might value such as price, quality, features, and size.  We would love to hear what you have to say about the best single serve coffee makers for dorm life therefore we encourage you to leave a comment telling us what you think.