Keurig made a name that had been sweeping the nation by storm. When most people go into business, they are told not toreinvent the wheel. Apparently, Keurig missed that lecture because they went and did just that: they reinvented the way we make coffee. Not that there was anything wrong with the traditional method; in fact, the traditional way of making coffee is still used every day.
So what did Keurig do? They created a sophisticated and simple brewing system. Begin by putting your cup (not a glass carafe), under the spout of the K-Cup coffee maker. Open the lid, pop in a coffee pod, and close the lid. Press start, and wah-lah! Within a few minutes, you have a fresh cup of coffee, right in your coffee mug, without any extra dishes to wash (like the traditional glass carafe!)
Not about to let Keurig get all the glory, other home appliance giants got onboard and started making their own versions of these single-serve coffee makers. Here, we take a closer look and scrutinize some of the K Cup coffee makers. Keurig is not off the hook here; we are also reviewing one of their own.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00AQ9NIO0″ locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”B00AQ9NIO0″ locale=”US” src=”http://coffeemakersparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/51Y6OAQVp4L.SL160.jpg” tag=”cafe049-20″ width=”160″]The Keurig K45 is sleek. As the father of the single-cup brewing systems, Keurig mastered this convenience machine. That is the entire point of it. Keurig reinvented the coffee machine in the name of making things easier and faster for people. The apparatus is not complicated. The handle makes the lid easy to open, pop in a pod, and press start. There are various settings on it to make adjustments the way you want. For example, if you want a stronger coffee, it is yours with a few button presses. What if you have a travel mug you use to take coffee with you on your way to work? Keurig thought of that too, with the abilities to make six, eight, or ten-ounce cups.We were impressed when we took this machine out of the box. There was some splashing as the machine made the first cups, but the instructions stated this was normal. It was incredibly easy to set up and use, and using the little pods was fun. Moreover, it was FAST. It brewed just enough for one cup very quickly without the waste. I could see me getting used to it very soon.
It is helpful to note that this is considered a Keurig 1.0 machine. As such, just about every third party K-Cup fit, whether it was a disposable, refillable or commercial pod.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00CJ1HF7O” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Mr. Coffee Single Serve Coffee Brewer[/easyazon_link]
Mr. Coffee hopped on the Keurig train, and not by accident. This bad boy uses Keurig brewing technology and isn’t 
afraid to say so. Mr. Coffee joined up with Keurig to make this coffee machine. It uses the same brewing methods of Keurig under the Mr. Coffee name.
The machine is priced cheaper than the official Keurig ones, but that is okay. It has a 40-ounce water reservoir for making sure that your cup of coffee brews in under a minute. This is one of the features that made Keurig so attractive. Most people are quite busy in the morning, and the idea that you can save up to 10 minutes every morning sold plenty of people on the idea. Put your cup under the machine press a button. Less than one minute later your coffee is ready.
There are fewer features on this one compared to the original Keurig machines. Simplicity is what makes this machine so attractive. Select your cup size, insert your pod, and press start. Between 45 and 55 seconds, your cup will be ready to drink. No wasted extra coffee, no carafe to wash.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00KX04LPW” locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]Hamilton Beach Single-Serve Coffee Maker[/easyazon_link]
This one from Hamilton Beach sports an incredibly simple design. The machine is still extremely handsome. The simple design is made up for in price. It is about half the price of machines that offer the same amount of features.
There is an attachment that works well here. The design of the attachment is meant to cater to the size of cup you put in the machine. Normal ceramic mugs will need this attachment while taller travel mugs need more room, so you remove the attachment. The device features the ability to brew K-Cups, grounds, and soft pods. For such a cheap machine, it brews incredibly well, and it has genuine stainless steel accents.
The water reservoir is small, but this is apparent by its smaller size. This means you’ll need to fill it up with water for each cup you brew. This may take some of the convenience out of it, but at the same time, this is a space-saver. The smaller footprint makes this an ideal choice for dorms, small offices, and even desks.
We will say this about our experience: always use the removable basket when using ground coffee. Otherwise, grounds will come out. The beautiful thing about this is the wide variety of choices we have to brew with.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B009PLQ5H2″ locale=”US” tag=”cafe049-20″]BUNN Single Cup Coffee Brewer[/easyazon_link]
This one is a bit more expensive, but then again, it carries the BUNN name. BUNN has a long history in providing commercial coffee makers usually privileged to restaurants. Most of the machine is made out of stainless steel, which contributes to the price a bit.
One of the conveniences that add to the expense of this coffee maker is the drawers. This machine can brew every 
type of hot drink out there ~ or plain hot water if that is what you need. There are four different drawers to use with this machine, and each one has a different purpose. One drawer is for coffee grounds, another for K-Cups, a third one for coffee or tea pods, and a special drawer for brewing plain hot water ~ ideal for oatmeal, instant coffee, or traditional tea bags. In keeping up with the rest of the single-serve brewing machines, each cup is ready in under a minute flat. The drawers eliminate another hassle; you do not need refillable or reusable K-Cups. There’s a drawer for that.
The brewing capacity goes up to 14 ounces; more than the average comparison. With the drawer design, the larger brewing capacity, and the stainless steel design, we think $159.99 is a fair price. It is more expensive than other models, but it is jam-packed with high-quality features not found anywhere else.
Conclusion
When your Keurig machine reaches the end of its life, it might be a good idea to look elsewhere for a new model. The first Keurig K-Cup coffee machine did not come out yesterday. Plenty of manufacturers have hopped on the Keurig train, coming out with their own versions of single-serve brew machines.
Is one better than the other? Depending on what you are looking for, sure. If you are on a budget and need a small footprint—we are talking to those hard at work in college—then the Hamilton Beach model might be perfect for you. If it’s features you want, you’ll pay a higher price and the BUNN machine is right up your alley. We can give you details about coffee machines that you cannot find anywhere else, but only you can know what you are looking for. Despite its apparent high cost, the BUNN machine has to be my favorite.
