Looking for the best small drip coffee maker is a smart move for those who want to enjoy big flavor without compromising space, but will be a hard task at a time due to the vast market. Need some experts’ advice? Here we have it!
Here are the best small drip coffee makers you can buy in 2024:
- Easy To Fill (Single-Serve Drip Coffee Maker): KRUPS KM204D50
- Durable (Single-Serve Drip Coffee Maker): Hamilton Beach 49981A
- Fast Brewing (Single-Serve Drip Coffee Maker): Single Serve Coffee Maker Brewer
- Quiet (Multi-Cup Drip Coffee Maker): Gevi GECMD008-U
- Easy To Clean (Multi-Cup Drip Coffee Maker): Mr. Coffee DR5-RB
- Quickly Brewing (Multi-Cup Drip Coffee Maker): Capresso 426.05
| 6 Best Small Drip Coffee Makers | ||
|---|---|---|
Easy To Fill | KRUPS KM204D50
| |
Durable | Hamilton Beach 49981A
| |
Fast Brewing | Single Serve Coffee Maker Brewer
| |
Quiet | Gevi GECMD008-U
| |
Easy To Clean | Mr. Coffee DR5-RB
| |
Quickly Brewing | Capresso 426.05
| |
Easy To Fill: KRUPS KM204D50
- Easy to fill – large door opening
- Travel-friendly - a 14-ounce insulated travel tumbler included
- Allowing you to measure the desired amount of coffee at shorter time - a measuring spoon and a permanent filter
- No auto-shutoff function
- Unable to control coffee strength
"Compact", "sleek", and "travel-friendly" are the nice words that came to our mind after testing this wonderful drip coffee maker.
Just kick off the Start button and the machine will brew a perfectly balanced cup of coffee for you, just in a minute or two. Not only simple to use, but the unit is also easy to fill thanks to the large door opening design.
It comes with a 14-ounce insulated travel tumbler to keep your coffee hot on the go. Moreover, it leaves the perfect space for creamer if needed.
There's also a measuring spoon and a permanent filter for saving your time on measuring the desired amount of coffee to brew for the day.
| KRUPS KM204D50 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2.4 pounds |
Dimension | 5.91 x 5.31 x 12.32 inches |
Material | stainless steel |
Capacity | 14 Fluid Ounces |
Highlight Features | large door opening a 14-ounce insulated travel tumbler included a measuring spoon and a permanent filter |
If you are looking for an easy-to-fill drip coffee maker for yourself, then look no further than the KRUPS KM204D50
Durable: Hamilton Beach 49981A
- Able to adjust the coffee strength - the Bold and Regular buttons
- Durable & easy to clean - the seamless stainless-steel construction
- Energy-saving – auto-shutoff function
- Wish the paper filters were more quality
We love Hamilton Beach 49981A. It's compact, flexible, and can brew to the desired boldness through the Bold and Regular buttons - something that those lower-end drip coffee makers don't have.
But what truly sets it apart from the similarly-priced counterparts is the seamless stainless-steel construction for superior durability. The clear proof is its weight. While most other models weigh around 2.5 to 4 pounds, this one is at 5.05 pounds despite the minimal footprint – which brings a hugely sturdy hand-feel.
It's also easy to clean.
Last but not least, this unit automatically shuts off once complete, which saves energy.
| Hamilton Beach 49981A Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 5.05 pounds |
Dimension | 8.35 x 6.7 x 8.67 inches |
Material | Stainless Steel |
Capacity | 14 Fluid Ounces |
Highlight Features | the Bold and Regular buttons the seamless stainless-steel construction auto-shutoff function |
For a durable and energy-saving single-serve drip coffee maker with an incredibly low price, the Hamilton Beach 49981A is a worthy contender
Fast Brewing: Single Serve Coffee Maker Brewer
- Fast-brewing within 3 minutes
- Highly customizable – 2 brewing styles & 4 water measuring marks
- Low-maintenance – self-cleaning function
- Not as durable as the stainless-steel models
- The seal on the lid could be tighter
This petite drip coffee maker helps you optimize your time for morning brew to the minute. One cup takes less than 3 minutes we would say and the coffee is brewed at up to 170 degrees F for the perfect taste.
Additionally, it allows you to choose two brewing styles of ground coffee or K-cups and four coffee quantity options of 6, 8, 10, or 14 ounces, which saves your expensive grounds.
The self-cleaning capability is also our favorite feature. Press the two buttons simultaneously to kick off this function.
| Single Serve Coffee Maker Brewer Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 3.69 pounds |
Dimension | 13.74 x 9.45 x 6.73 inches |
Material | Plastic |
Capacity | 14 Ounces |
Highlight Features | Fast-brewing within 3 minutes 2 brewing styles & 4 water measuring marks self-cleaning function |
For busy people, shelling out some extra cash in exchange for a fast-brewing drip coffee maker can be worth it. The Single Serve Coffee Maker Brewer is a typical example.
Quiet: Gevi GECMD008-U
- Very quiet when grinding coffee
- Safe to use - the overheating protection function
- The most affordable
- The lid is difficult to open
This Gevi multi-cup drip coffee maker can brew 4 five-ounce cups in minutes without noisily waking up the whole household.
It's quite a basic model but does its jobs pretty well, which is perfect for budget-conscious shoppers.
It features a 600ml water reservoir, an on/off button, a reusable filter, a warming plate, and a 30-second Pause & Serve button.
Though it's affordable, you don't have to miss out on one of the safety functions to develop in the coffee maker market - the overheating protection. Accordingly, it helps prevent dry burning.
| Gevi GECMD008-U Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2 pounds |
Dimension | 9.10" H x 6.90" W x 5.50" D |
Material | Hard plastic |
Capacity | 20 ounces |
Highlight Features | Very quiet the overheating protection function |
If quiet operation is the top priority for you when it comes to small multi-drip coffee maker, then our favorite pick is the Gevi GECMD008-U
Easy To Clean: Mr. Coffee DR5-RB
- Easy to clean – dishwasher-safe construction & stain-resistant warming plate
- Sturdy – made of glass and stainless steel
- Overfilling prevention – a visible water reservoir
- The pot is hard to empty
- No auto-shutoff function
This option is on the expensive side but will definitely be a worthwhile investment for those who want a sturdier and higher-quality multi-cup drip coffee maker.
The entire machine is made of glass and stainless steel, which gives heavier hand-feel compared to those plastic ones. It also features a stain-resistant warming plate. So, the whole thing is dishwasher-safe, although it's super-easy to hand wash.
Another notable feature is the visible water reservoir for preventing overfilling and spillage.
| Mr. Coffee DR5-RB Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2.87 pounds |
Dimension | 10.1 x 7.25 x 11.8 inches |
Material | stainless steel and glass |
Capacity | 32 fluid ounces |
Highlight Features | dishwasher-safe construction & stain-resistant warming plate made of glass and stainless steel |
We tested the Mr. Coffee DR5-RB, and we were pleasantly surprised by how sturdy and easy to clean it was.
Quickly Brewing: Capresso 426.05
- Fast-brewing – the brew time of 5 minutes for 5 cups
- Energy-saving – auto-shutoff after two hours
- Let you wake up to your hot coffee – a built-in 24-hour programmable timer
- The Pause function could be smoother
The Capresso 426.05 is the fastest-brewing option in this review.
To help you get a better idea of its incredible speeds, most other drip brewers take around 6-10 minutes to brew 5 five-ounce cups, but this one cut the time by half. That means its brew time is only 1 minute per cup.
There's more!
It comes with a built-in 24-hour programmable timer that will automatically brew at the set time plus its warming plate keeps your coffee hot for two hours, then automatically turns off.
So, you can wake up to your hot coffee every morning when using this model.
| Capresso 426.05 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2 pounds |
Dimension | 8 x 6.25 x 10 inches |
Material | Stainless Steel |
Capacity | 40 fluid ounces |
Highlight Features | the brew time of 5 minutes for 5 cups auto-shutoff after two hours a built-in 24-hour programmable timer |
For a smart, quickly-brewing multi-cup drip coffee maker with a justified price, the Capresso 426.05 is a worthy contender.
How To Choose The Best Small Drip Coffee Maker?
Single-Serve Or Multi-Cup?
We would say the choice is up to the number of coffee cups you want the machine to make in one brew.
Accordingly, a single-serve drip coffee maker is suitable for single people while a multi-cup model is perfect for family, dorm room, office, or couple.
Brewing Time
This is a crucial consideration for those who do not have a programmable brewer and usually take their coffees on-the-go. Accordingly, the shorter the brewing time, the better.
But you should also know that too short brew time of the brewer will decrease the coffee flavor.
In general, a conventional drip coffee maker needs 4-8 minutes to make a 5-ounce cup of coffee.
If you want something faster without scarifying the coffee flavor, the brew time sweet spot is 1-2 minutes/cup. Or, choose a machine with a programmable timer, so you can wake up to hot coffees.
Ease Of Use
Here are some typical features to help you easily evaluate the ease of use of a drip coffee maker:
- Ease of cleaning the carafe
- Auto-shutoff function
- Keep Warm option (and how long it keeps your coffee warm)
- Readability of the water reservoir (is it see-through and does it have markings?)
- Is it easy to fill water into the tank?
- Is the instruction manual clear and easy to follow?
Which Brands Make The Best Small Drip Coffee Maker?
KRUPS
We appreciate the meticulousness in finishing and details of all the KRUPS’s coffee makers for bringing an optimal user experience. They are one of the pioneers in the brewer industry that provide high-quality products with self-cleaning function.
Hamilton Beach
In the kitchen appliance industry, Hamilton Beach is the giant. In terms of coffee makers, this 1910-founded brand is known for providing a wide range of options with extraordinarily high quality and practical functionality at reasonable price ranges.
Gevi
From our experience, a brand that’s dedicated to manufacturing coffee machines always provides superior products than others. Gevi once again has proven our saying is true. Their coffee makers always satisfy customers’ needs plus attitudes: trendy, intelligent, and dynamic.
FAQs
Are drip coffee makers good?
Yes, they are. Although drip coffee makers are not considered making the best cold brew, they do well in hot coffee without taking up as much countertop area as other types.
How long do drip coffee makers last?
Drip coffee makers last around 5-10 years depending on the brand and how you care for it.
Why is my drip coffee maker so slow?
If you find your drip coffee maker is so slow, it is probably because of mineral and calcium buildup inside the machine. You should clean it.
Why do my coffee makers keep breaking?
If you coffee makers keep breaking, the potential reasons could be:
- Poor and/or improper maintenance
- Poor-quality water filter
- You use a too high water temperature
How do you clean an automatic drip coffee maker?
To deep clean an automatic drip coffee maker, pour 2-3 cups of pure vinegar into the water tank and let it sit for 30 minutes. Next, run the liquid through a brewing cycle, then 2-3 fresh water cycles until there’s no vinegar smell.
Conclusion
There’s no “one small drip brewer for all”, unfortunately. Instead, our team can help steer you towards the right option that fits your budget, kitchen countertop, and demand. Hopefully, you liked our review list of 6 best small drip coffee makers. Thanks for reading!
