Best K-Cup Coffee Makers of 2025
Some people may prefer the convenience of single-serve coffee makers even if they don’t yield the best-tasting brew
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.
No pod coffee maker brand is more ubiquitous than Keurig, which accounts for 73 percent of all single-serve coffee makers purchased by Consumer Reports members from 2022 through the first three-quarters of 2023, according to our latest member survey. The whole category of single-serve brewers that use the Keurig-style pods is often referred to by the “K-Cup” moniker even when the appliances are made by other brands. Despite Keurig’s popularity, our tests show that the best K-Cup coffee makers aren’t always made by that brand.
“Keurig models are a bit slower to brew the second cup of coffee compared to the top-rated pod coffee makers,” says Ginny Lui, who leads coffee maker testing at CR.
Keep in mind that pod coffee makers don’t yield the best-tasting brew, despite their convenience. On top of that is the environmental cost of the pods themselves. Although Keurig’s pods are recyclable, billions have ended up in landfills over the years.
Below are the best K-Cup coffee makers from our tests, listed in alphabetical order. Check out our complete coffee maker ratings for more top-performing pod machines, including those that also take Nespresso capsules or loose grounds. If you need help finding the best type of brewer for your needs, start with our coffee maker buying guide.
The Cuisinart Premium Single-Serve Brewer SS-10 boasts a stellar convenience rating, meaning it’s easy to use, refill, and clean. Plus, from cup to cup, you can expect volume and temperature to be consistent, which isn’t always the case with this type of machine. This Cuisinart model also packs a ton of features, including an auto-shutoff function, a removable water reservoir, a built-in water filter, a height-adjustable drip tray, and programmability.
The Instant Dual Pod Plus is compatible with both K-Cup and Nespresso capsules. It delivers coffee quickly, receiving top ratings for both first-cup speed and repeat cup speed. It also receives a very good score for convenience, meaning it’s easy to use and clean, plus you can adjust brew size and strength. This coffee maker comes with an auto-shutoff function, a removable reservoir, and a height-adjustable drip tray.
You can expect the Instant Solo Single Serve to deliver a quick first cup. This model received an excellent score for that measure. Repeat cup speed was also very good. Plus, it lets you keep your options open: It accepts loose grounds, so you’re not limited to coffee that comes in a K-Cup. But it received just a passable score for brewing range, meaning there were fewer options for adjusting brew size and strength.
The Keurig K-Café Smart performs excellently, delivering the first cup of coffee (and subsequent cups) especially quickly and dispensing a uniform amount of coffee across multiple cups. It’s easy to use, has six brew temperature settings, and five brew strengths. But there’s more to this machine than coffee. It comes with a built-in hot and cold milk frother for café-style foam to top your drinks. This Keurig machine also has programmability and WiFi connectivity.
For those who prefer their coffee cold but want the convenience of a pod, the Keurig K-Iced gives you a cold option along with the hot. In our tests, it received an excellent score for first cup speed and size consistency. Temperature, though, is less consistent. The “brew over ice” setting produces a strong brew to make up for dilution from ice. It’s half the size of a regular hot cup, and we measured the temperature at just 10 percent lower than a hot brew.
With a width of just 5 inches, the Keurig K-Slim should be easy to fit on even small countertops. Its first-cup speed was impressive, earning it an excellent score in that test. Consecutive cups were also very quick, and the size of each cup was consistent. It’s a simple model, though, with few options to control brew size and strength. Temperature consistency from cup to cup was just satisfactory, something to be aware of, especially if you’ll be pouring cold milk into your coffee.
The Keurig K-Supreme Plus Smart earns excellent marks in first-cup speed, size consistency, and convenience. It also delivers subsequent cups quickly after the first—important if you plan to serve multiple cups. Its settings allow you to easily adjust the brew’s strength, too. Like many K-Cup machines, this coffee maker’s features include auto-shutoff, a removable reservoir, and a height-adjustable drip tray. Programmability and WiFi connectivity add to its convenience.
BEST TIME TO BUY:
