The single-serve function lets you brew directly into a cup or even a tall travel mug. The Hamilton Beach 2-Way held its own for the most part when facing our strenuous consistency tests. To test the differences in acidity, temperature, and the time it took for the 2-Way to brew — we made five pots of coffee back and measured each metric repeatedly to find the deviation.
To help save power throughout the day, this coffee maker comes with an automatic shutoff. This is also important to prevent overheating and fire hazards in a hotel environment. While Hamilton Beach does not sell metal mesh filters for the carafe side brew basket, you may be able to find a third party mesh filter basket that fits. Saving money, time and the environment are all important when it comes to coffee. While K-Cups are still working on providing entirely recyclable options, you do get to use a ceramic mug or steel thermos when you make your own coffee at home.
I just love the Hamilton Beach 2-way Brewer because it’s simple, cost effective, looks good and brews great coffee. I’m PCMag’s expert on fitness and smart home technology, and I’ve written more than 6,000 articles and reviews in the 10-plus years I’ve been here. I unbox, set up, test, and review keurig k mini coffee maker a wide range of consumer tech products from my home in Florida, often with the help of my pitbull Bradley. I’m also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. The Hamilton Beach 2-Way is one of the easiest coffee makers to keep clean.
We look at the overall value for money on top of this; we have found that the best performers really do range widely in price. We test each coffee maker by assessing how intuitive it is to operate and how user-friendly the overall design is. We take into account the number of programs on offer and how customizable the results are — from strength settings to the types of drinks available.
Swap out the reusable filters for paper filters and increase the cup quality. Paper disposable filters create more waste but do a better job of filtering out coffee oils. The result is a much brighter cup, both in appearance and flavor. One thing to note is that the single serving side’s brewing time is longer than a Keurig or other single serve coffee makers.
You won’t be able to make an espresso shot and your cup isn’t going to have the complexity of a slow drip, but it’s going to make you a consistently good-tasting brew every morning. These one-cup wonders are perfect for those who drink a single cup in the morning or prefer to take their joe on the road. The Single-Serve FlexBrew® also allows you to use either a single-serve pack or grounds for maximum brewing flexibility.
When not in use, the non-dominant filter can be stashed in the cup rest. That same cup rest can also be removed to handle travel mugs, an entirely underrated characteristic. With a K-cup and 14 ounces with freshly ground beans, you can pick how much caffeine your morning needs with ease. It also accomplishes the task in 3 minutes flat, so it’s ideal for those who may hit the snooze one or two too many times in the AM. Most Mr. Coffee machines are programmable, allowing you to set a time for the coffee to brew. These models may also allow you to toggle brew strength and pause the brew to let you pour a quick cup.
For carafe-based coffeepots, you’ll need to buy paper filters, but some come with mesh baskets that serve as eco-friendly alternatives. One of the better features on the carafe side is its automatic pause and serve. If you remove the carafe to pour yourself a cup of coffee before it finishes brewing, it will pause, so that coffee doesn’t drip out onto the heater until the carafe is returned. I also liked how the single serve side of the 49980A comes with a mesh basket filter which eliminates the need for filter papers. This filter is also compatible with both coffee grounds and coffee pods. You can also use your voice or the Alexa app to change your coffee maker’s brew strength.
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PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. To keep your devices organized, Alexa gives you the option to add your coffee maker to a group; I added it to my Kitchen group. If mornings are rough, having a quality brewer to help you…