Large pots and one-button cups of coffee? Drip and espresso? Who says that you have to choose between two of your favorite things on earth?!
The best dual coffee makers allow you to enjoy either of them depending on what you’re craving that specific day.
Bonus points because they also result in a smaller countertop footprint than investing in two separate brewers!
However, dual coffee makers aren’t all the same.
Before reading our reviews, don’t forget to check our buying guide to understand what type of two-way coffee brewer you need in your life.
Dual Coffee Maker Buying Guide: Two Birds with One Stone
If you want a two-way coffee brewer, you need to make sure that each of its halves matches your caffeinated needs.
What is the right type of dual coffee maker for you?
Think of all the types of coffee brewers on the market and imagine the number of possible combinations that you can get when you join them!
We’d be here for hours if we were to list all of them, but here are the most popular ones:
- Drip & single-serve dual coffee makers: one side features a large carafe for traditional pots of joe and the other gives you quicker one-cup servings;
- Drip & espresso dual coffee makers: next to the usual carafe, you’ll find an espresso machine for more concentrated shots. These two-way coffee makers can sometimes include a steaming wand to make frothy drinks;
- Drip & hot water dual coffee makers: as well as carafes of coffee, you can use a hot-water-on-demand button to make tea, instant coffee, other warm drinks, or even oatmeal and soups.
Useful considerations for the drip side
Every dual coffee maker in this list includes a drip side. Here are the differences that you’ll encounter and what to consider in order to make your choice easier:
- Paper or reusable filters: the former results in a smoother pot that’s more similar to pour-over coffee, whereas the latter lets the coffee oils into the carafe, achieving a bolder French press-style brew. Paper filters make it easier to clean your coffee maker, but you must also buy new ones every time (duh!);
- Thermal or glass carafe: stainless-steel models will keep your coffee hot for longer, whereas the hot plate of a glass carafe could lead to over-extraction after a while. If you care about your coffee but love the look of glass models, the solution is to still get one but try and drink your coffee just after brewing it;
- Do you need any additional features? Some popular options are 24h programmability, brew-pause (to let you drink the first mug before the rest of the carafe is brewed), and strength control.
K-Cups or Reusable?
If you choose a dual coffee maker with a single-serve side, you also have to choose between these two options:
- K-Cups and coffee capsules are a popular choice because they’re practical and allow you to enjoy different flavors every time. However, they also contain coffee that was roasted and ground a while ago (=not as fresh and flavorful as beans), they have a bad environmental footprint since they’re not recyclable, and they consist in higher costs over time;
- Reusable capsules offer less versatility but they reward you with much fresher coffee since you’ll fill them with grounds and you can always experiment with different blends and origins. They’re also a lot kinder to the environment and will save you a lot of money in the long run (1).
“You can brew directly into your mug and have a flavorful taste of any kind of ordinary or gourmet coffee you fancy.” D. Hope, Blue & Green Tomorrow
Not 100% sure? Some dual coffee makers let you use both, either by including a reusable filter or by being compatible with one that’s sold separately.
Best Dual Coffee Makers of 2024 for More Brewing Options [Top 8 Reviews]
From espresso to drip, here are the very best dual coffee maker to choose from:
Ready to check the best dual coffee maker reviews? Let’s see which one ticks all the boxes for you!
1. Cuisinart SS-20 – Top Pick
Features:
- Type: Drip & Single-serve
- Quantity: Up to 10 cups / 6, 8, 10 oz
- Best for: Households that require both large carafes of joe and quick single-serve cups depending on the day.
The Cuisinart SS-20 is probably similar to what you pictured when you first heard of dual coffee makers.
With a reliable thermal carafe on one side and a single-serve brewer on the other, it’s always guaranteed to match your coffee needs.
It also comes with a few perks, like the 24h programmability, strength control, self-clean, and even a ready alert to let you know when the coffee has been brewed.
While the drip side relies on a gold-tone filter, the other has something for everyone: it’s compatible with the best K-Cups and most coffee capsules, but it also lets you use the included reusable filter.
Magical!
Bottom line
A versatile dual coffee maker that can match everyone’s preferences.
2. Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer – Best Value
- Budget-friendly
- Includes reusable filter
- Programmable and customizable
- The travel mug is not included
- The glass carafe may compromise flavor over time.
Practical and convenient, the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer is great value for money.
You can use paper filters to brew up to 12 cups of coffee in its glass carafe or scoop up some grounds with its included filter to enjoy a quick single-serve option.
If you have a travel mug (not included), you can fit it and brew directly into it before heading to work since the single-serve side reaches up to 14 oz.
This model is also programmable and lets you choose between regular or bold when it comes to flavors.
Discover more in our Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer review.
Bottom line
A green option for eco-conscious coffee lovers.
3. Ninja Hot & Cold Brewed System – Most Versatile
FEATURES
Type: drip, single-serve & other drinks
Quantity: up to 12 cups / 6 sizes
Best for: those who prefer a varied coffee routine
Features:
- Type: Drip, Single-serve & other drinks
- Quantity: Up to 12 cups / 6 sizes
- Best for: Those who prefer a varied coffee routine.
Saying that this is a dual coffee maker doesn’t do it justice: the Ninja Hot & Cold Brewed System makes all kinds of coffee!
First of all, it brews in 6 different sizes, from the smallest capsule-free cup to a large carafe.
But that’s not it! It can do so in 5 brew styles (including an over-ice option to create iced coffees), and you can use the frother to make lattes and cappuccinos, too. Or how about a tea, for a change?
Thanks to the auto IQ one-touch intelligence technology, this dual coffee maker finds the best settings for your chosen drink.
All you have to worry about is enjoying it and deciding which drink you’re going to brew next!
Bottom Line
If two types of coffee aren’t enough for you, this brewer will spoil you with many more delicious options.
4. Keurig K-Duo Plus Coffee Maker – Most Compact
Features:
- Type: Drip & Single-serve
- Product Dimensions: 7.68"D x 15.88"W x 14.9"H
- Capacity: 12 ounces
- Quantity: 6, 8, 10, or 12 cup
- Best for: Those who want both drip and single-serve coffee but for whom space isn’t a luxury.
While this company is famous for inventing single-serve K-Cups (2), this Keurig model caters to those who could do with some carafes of joe, too.
The K-Duo Plus is one of the best Keurig coffee makers thanks to its versatility and simplicity of use.
Your brewing options are 6, 8, 10 and 12, which can either refer to cups or, if you’re opting for single-serve coffee, ounces.
On top of that, you can try the strong-brew option, program your dual coffee maker up to 24h in advance, and make the most of its brew-pause feature.
The drip side relies on a reusable filter basket, whereas for its other half you can either choose the best K-Cups or invest in the compatible reusable K-Cup filter.
PRO TIP: Really tight on countertop space? Move the multi-position reservoir of this Keurig dual coffee maker to adapt it to your kitchen’s layout!
Bottom Line
The most space-optimizing solution to enjoy both large carafes of joe and quick single-serve options.
5. Hamilton Beach FlexBrew – Most Budget-Friendly
Features:
- Type: Drip & single-serve
- Quantity: Up to 12 cups / up to 14 oz
- Best for: Those who want two birds with one budget-friendly stone.
Who says that you can’t have a few perks for a lower price tag? Certainly not Hamilton Beach!
Their FlexBrew model brews both drip (with paper filters) and single-serve coffee (either with K-Cups or the included reusable filter) in different sizes.
Pretty standard, right? However, you can also choose among regular and bold, program your brew, and drink the first cup before the rest is ready with the brew-pause feature.
Should you want to brew into your travel mug, just remove the handy cup rest to fit it.
This dual coffee maker is available in black and white.
Bottom Line
Lots of features for a fraction of the price. Nice one, Hamilton Beach!
6. DeLonghi BCO430 Combination Pump Espresso – Best for Espresso
Features:
- Type: Espresso & Drip
- Quantity: Espresso / up to 10 cups
- Best for: Those who love both drip coffee and espresso.
In the coffee world, we’re often led to distinguish between people who only drink drip and those who’d never ditch espresso. However, there are also some smart coffee aficionados (like yourself?) who want to make the best of both worlds.
While having an automatic dripper and a separate espresso machine might not leave you a lot of room on your countertop, this DeLonghi model gives you both for half the space… and price!
One side features a programmable dripper with a glass carafe and a reusable filter, the other is a 15-bar espresso machine with a steaming wand for lattes and cappuccinos.
Both the basket and reservoir (with a carbon filter for purer brews) are located in the front, making it a breeze to access them even if you have low cupboards.
Bottom Line
From espressos to frothy drinks and carafes of drips, you’ll enjoy the most varied coffee routine.
7. Cuisinart CHW-12P1 – For Hot Water
Features:
- Type: Drip and hot water
- Quantity: Up to 12 cups
- Best for: Those who’re mainly interested in drip coffee but are intrigued by extra features.
Maybe you don’t need a single-serve option, but you could do with the occasional tea, hot cocoa, instant coffee, or even a little help with your breakfast?
Then this Cuisinart model is the best dual coffee maker for you.
As well as a large carafe with a 1-4 cup option for whenever you need less coffee, it includes a side with hot water on demand. Easy.
You can also program the dripper and use the brew-pause feature whenever needed.
This Cuisinart model comes with a gold-tone reusable filter and a charcoal one for purer water.
Bottom Line
As well as giving you both small and large pots of joe, this coffee maker can simplify the preparation of other drinks, too.
8. Braun MultiServe Coffee Machine – Best SCA-Certified
Features:
- Type: Drip & single-serve
- Quantity: Up to 12 cups
- Best for: Those who never compromise on flavor.
When it comes to quality, you can’t go wrong with a SCAA-certified brewer:
“The SCA acts as a unifying force within the specialty coffee industry and works to make coffee better by raising standards worldwide.”
Specialty Coffee Association
In fact, only the brewers that meet their specific requirements can flaunt this sought-after certification (3).
The strength of this Braun model is its impeccable consistency, especially when it comes to temperature and water flow speed thanks to its Exact Brew & Temp Sensor System.
As for customizability, you have options like the bold setting, over-ice light gold feature, and various brew sizes, whether you opt for a carafe or a pod-free single-serve cup.
Keep an eye on its freshness indicator to make sure you make the most of your brew’s flavor!
Bottom Line
A dual coffee maker that puts quality first but still gives you plenty of features.
FAQs
1. What is the Best Dual Coffee Maker?
The best dual coffee maker is the Cuisinart SS-20 which brews both large carafes of drip coffee and smaller single-serve cups.
Still, the best dual coffee maker for you is the one that matches your specific preferences and needs. That’s why we always recommend using our buying guide before committing to a purchase.
2. What is the Best FlexBrew Coffee Maker?
The best FlexBrew coffee maker is the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew dual brewer because it offers you lots of features and options while also having an eye for sustainability. In fact, it doesn’t involve single-use plastic pods but comes with a reusable one-cup filter instead.
3. Can Ninja Coffee Bars use K-Cups?
No, Ninja Coffee Bars and other Ninja models do not use K-Cups. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t use them to make single-serve coffee: they usually include a reusable filter to let you scoop up the grounds and brew them.
References
- Hope, D. (2020, February 9). Are Biodegradable K-Cups The Solution To The Coffee Landfill Crisis?. Retrieved from https://blueandgreentomorrow.com/environment/are-biodegradable-k-cups-solution-to-coffee-landfill-crisis/
- (n.d.). A brief history of Keurig. Retrieved from https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/a-brief-history-of-keurig
- (n.d.). About SCA. Retrieved from https://sca.coffee/about
