The Single Cup Coffee Maker You Should Avoid, According To Reviews

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Single cup coffee makers have become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional machines that brew a full pot. But with so many brands and choices available, which one should you buy? You can start with knowing which ones to avoid. Surprisingly, we found that one of the worst single cup coffee makers according to reviews was the Cuisinart Single-Serve Coffee Maker and Coffee Grinder. At first glance, this coffee maker looks appealing: it has a 48-ounce removable water tank with a charcoal filter, and its built-in conical burr grinder seems like a nice convenience that can step up your morning brew. 

Unfortunately, according to the reviews, this coffee maker is simply a mess ... literally. For one, customers had significant complaints about water leaking from the unit. Multiple buyers noticed water on their counter after they had set up the coffee maker and even claimed that it continued to leak hours after making their coffee. Buyers also pointed out another messy component: the coffee grinder. One customer stated that it was "unavoidable that coffee grinds will end up everywhere, every single time you use it." 

Some buyers were also unimpressed by the brew strength, describing the coffee that came out of the machine as weak and watery. Some reviewers also claimed their coffee maker broke after an alarmingly short time, with some saying it lasted eight months or less. It's not clear why the build quality of this coffee maker seems so poor from a brand that's otherwise well-regarded.

So which coffee maker should you buy instead? The reviews are clear that the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker is the gold standard. With over 18,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating on Amazon, this coffee maker continues to please far more customers. With its 40-ounce removable reservoir, this machine can make a full carafe of coffee in addition to a single cup. Plus, it comes with a built-in frother. Reviewers found the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker easy to use and easy to clean, and overall it's reported to make a great-tasting cup of coffee. 

To be fair, some customers did not find the coffee maker's build quality to be up to standard, with one person stating that it lasted them less than two years. However, the negative opinions of build quality on the Ninja appear to be few and far between, especially compared to the Cuisinart Single-Serve Coffee Maker. Of course, if you want to skip over the debate and liberate yourself from having to rely on a machine to brew coffee in the first place, there are also many ways to make coffee without a coffee maker.