Top 7 Dual Coffee Makers – Review & Buyer’s Guide
Are you looking for the best dual coffee makers? Two-way or Dual coffee makers can make two cups of coffee simultaneously. Typically, people call them two-in-one coffee machines. Not only do you control the size but also use different blends and brew types.
Most 2-way or dual coffee makers come with a single-serve dispenser. Some models have single-serve carafe-size portions. Today, on the market, you will find many coffee machines that use coffee pods and other systems.
Similarly, some models use ground coffee. Also, you will find some machines that independently use both coffee pods and grounds. Dual coffee makers offer more speed and flexibility needed to make multiple coffee cups. This gives you peace of mind, especially when you are in a rush to get to the office in the morning.
Compared to regular coffee makers, dual coffee machines are larger. Therefore, they take more space on your kitchen counter-top. If you are living in a large household where everyone has different coffee preferences, you need to buy a dual coffee machine. However, it solves the need to have two different machines if you are someone who needs to change up their brew methods.
There is a wide range of dual coffee makers available on the market. Choosing the right one according to your preferences or requirements is a daunting task. To make your life easier, in today’s article, we will review some of the top models that work for everyone. Read on!
Best Dual Coffee Makers Reviews
In this section, we will review the best dual coffee makers. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the main topic.
1. Hamilton Beach FlexBrew, Single Serve, Full Pot & K-Cup
A amazing choice for best dual coffee maker is a coffee maker from the Hamilton Beach brand. You will see this brand a lot as you continue down this list.
The FlexBrew allows for greater customization such as from K-cup pods to fresh grounds, this coffee maker offers a wide range of options to please your family members and friends. It allows you to brew all types of coffees with different quantities.
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is a combo coffee machine that allows the user to brew a full pot using his or her favorite grounds on the machine’s carafe side. Likewise, you can brew a cup using a single-serve K-Cup pod on the single-serve side of the machine.
Interestingly, the coffee machine comes with 2 water reservoirs for each brewer. You can easily fill the water reservoir without spilling it. It is because of the water window feature allowing you to know how much water you need to pour in them.
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is the best dual coffee maker for a reason. You can get your favorite brew flavor with 2 brewing strengths – as it allows you to choose from regular or bold. This two-in-one coffee maker can be used as a single-serve or a full 10-cup coffee pot.
What Makes this Dual Coffee Maker Great
- Multiple Brewing Methods
- Easy to Fill Water Reservoir
- Customizable Brew Strength
- Stainless Steel Thermal Carafe
- Programmable to fit four Schedule
- Auto Pause and Serve
Some Complaints I Have
- Does not Brew as Quickly as a Keurig Machine
2. Cuisinart 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker With Hot Water System
The Cuisinart is one of the best brands available on the market. The CHW-12P1 is a programmable coffee maker with the best hot water system, which delivers delicious and fresh coffee.
It is an amazing coffee machine that offers a wide range of features. It provides 24-hour programmability, brew pause, carafe temperature control, and convenient hot water system.
The coffee machine allows you to brew your favorite coffee within 2 minutes. You can also enjoy hot cocoa, soup, and tea. It has glass type carafe. The dimensions of the item are 10.2 x 9.5 x 14.3 inches, which makes it lighter in size and suitable for your kitchen counter top.
What Makes this Dual Coffee Maker Great
- Glass Tyle Carafe
- Sturdy Material
- 12-cup Capacity
- Different Brewing Options
- Progammable
Some Complaints I Have
- Poor Keep Warm Duration
3. Hamilton Beach 2-Way Coffee Maker, Single Serve and 12-Cup Pot
Hamilton Beach 2-way coffee maker is specifically designed for people who are looking for an affordable dual coffee machine. It is a low maintenance coffee machine, which brews both basic and premium-roast coffee in a small amount of time. This 110 volts coffee maker can brew one side at a time. You can switch simply and choose either the right or left side.
It includes a 12-cup glass carafe. The coffee machine has a standard-size water reservoir, which is convenient and requires a one-time filling. It also has a carafe-side water reservoir, which has extra-large capacity. Another important feature of this coffee maker is its brew basket that comes with a mesh filter to perfectly hold ground coffee.
Hamilton Beach 2-way coffee maker has multilevel cup rest stacks that allow you to fill all sorts of mug and cup sizes. The most interesting feature is the brew strength selector, which enables you to brew regular or bold strength or flavor depending on your preferences.
In addition, this coffee maker has an excellent display and control panel. You also get 24-hour brewing time. This makes it one of the best dual or 2-way coffee makers.
What Makes this Dual Coffee Maker Great
- Large Water Reservoir
- Mesh Filter
- Multiple Brewing Options
- Easy to Use
- Affordable
Some Complaints I Have
- Hard to Clean
4. Keurig K-Duo Coffee Maker
The Keurig K-Duo Coffee maker is a perfect machine for any occasion. It uses both ground coffee and k-cup pods. So, you enjoy both types of brewing. The versatility of this coffee machine makes it the best coffee maker for both home and office users. Using this machine, you can brew a full 12-cup pot of your favorite ground coffee varieties.
Keurig K-Duo machine comes with a 12-cup glass carafe, which is enough for a large household. It has a cutting-edge technology heating plate to keep your coffee hot for a longer period of time. The pause/pour feature is incredible and convenient.
Also, you don’t need to wait for the carafe to brew entirely. You can pause it for 20 seconds – i.e. in the mid-brew. This allows you to pour hot and fresh coffee right away. On the other hand, you can set preferred brew time up to 24 hours and enjoy a hot pot of coffee in the morning. Reviews on Amazon show that the programmable auto brew carafe feature is the one liked by many users.
Using the Keurig K-Duo Coffee maker, you can choose hundreds of k-cup pods or ground coffee. It offers versatility and you can enjoy cocoa, tea, coffee, and more. The brew button is easy-to-use and enables you to choose bolder, regular, or more intense single-cup coffee. Lastly, you can brew multiple sizes such as 6, 8, 10, and 12 cup pots for a large family.
What Makes this Dual Coffee Maker Great
- Attractive Design
- Works with Ground Coffee and K-Cups
- Easy and Convenient to Use
- Programmable 24 Hours in Advance
- Warming Plate can Warm Coffee for 2 Hours
- Coffee Maker Has Auto-off Feature
- Comes with Glass Carafe
Some Complaints I Have
- Not Programmable for a Single Cup
- Lack of Temperature Control Feature
5. Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 2-Way (49976)
4/5
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 2-Way is another great dual coffee maker from Hamilton Beach that allows you to enjoy the flexibility of brewing ground coffee and single-serve pods.
This is a cheaper version of the other FlexBrew product by Hamilton Beach that we chose as our favorite dual coffee maker. Have a single-cup of hot coffee, brewed K-cup pod, or grounds with a single press of a button.
It comes with 40 oz. water reservoir and the interesting thing is that you can remove the reservoir or tank for easy filling. A large water reservoir enables you to brew multiple single-serve coffee cups without refilling. The water window has an easy view and has blue water drop light, which illuminates when the machine requires refilling.
Whether it is fresh grounds or a single-serve pod, you just need to use the holder and place the ground or pod, lower the lid, and press brew. The chrome-plated lid is easy-to-operate. This machine has pod-piercing assembly, which lets you clean the device easily and prevent clogging.
Using this coffee maker, you can make small, medium, and large size grounds – i.e. 8, 10, 12, and 14 oz. For K-cup, you can make 8 and 10 oz. Likewise, you can brew your favorite coffee flavor in regular or bold mode.
What Makes this Dual Coffee Maker Great
- Works Great with Ground Coffee
- Compatible with Single Serve Coffee Pods
- Programmable and Flexible Brew Times
- Different Carafe Options
- Has Two Water Reservoirs
- BPA Free
Some Complaints I Have
- Reviewers Say There May be a Water Leaking Issues
- No Programmability for Single Serve Cups of COffee
- Noisy When Brewing
6. CucinaPro Double Coffee Brewer Station
CucinaPro Double Coffee Station is one of the best coffee makers available on the market for the office. There are many reasons why we choose this coffee machine. First, the manufacturer has designed it to inspire creativity as well as broaden your coffee-making experience.
It has an attractive design, lightweight, and compact. With this dual coffee maker, you can make a regular coffee or decaf. You can make two pots of hot coffee, great for brewing high volumes of coffee. This is especially good for a busy office.
CucinaPro has two coffee makers in one and each side of the machine has a separate heating element allowing you to control the temperature of the brewing. The spring out filter baskets is perhaps the best feature of this coffee maker making it easy to fill and clean.
The baskets equipped with state-of-the-art filters enable the user to easily fill the reservoir. You can also remove the baskets and clean them easily. The basket springs right out with a single press of the button. It has two permanent filters along with coffee scoops so much convenience at your hand. Lastly, you can make single-serve or up to 12 cups at a time.
What Makes this Dual Coffee Maker Great
- Comes with Two Permanent Filters
- Comes with Two Coffee Scoops
- Comes with Two 12-Cup Glass Carafes
- Filter Basket has a Spring Out Feature Making it Easy to Fill
- Has Separate Water Windows
- Heating Elements can be Controlled Separately
Some Complaints I Have
- I have nothing bad to say about this coffee maker!
7. Cuisinart Coffee Center 12-Cup Coffeemaker and Single-Serve Brewer
The Cuisinart Coffee Center is another model manufactured by the Cuisinart and features automatic 12-cup and single-serve brewer. It is a two-way coffee maker that brews different coffee including grounds and K-cups. Thus, you can enjoy the great taste. Also, it is a lightweight and smaller product that does not take more space on your kitchen countertop.
The SS-15P1 has a removable water container and a drip tray. The water reservoir has 40 oz. capacity, which you can fill easily. Besides, this 2-way coffee maker has a removable tray for accommodating travel mugs.
It comes with a coffee bar sample pack that features recyclable capsules. You can choose from three varieties of coffee capsules such as French Vanilla, Dark Roast, and Medium Roast.
The machine can brew your favorite roast simply, you just need to brew it and wait for the capsule to cool down. Next, remove the filter from the outer cup and throw it in a trash can to compost the grounds.
Moreover, it has a great control panel and easy-to-use display. This 2-way coffee maker has 24-hour programmability, which is fully automatic. This means you can set the machine before going to bed, set the time, and have a fresh, hot, and delicious coffee in the morning. No hassle!
It offers a temperature control feature, Bold coffee option, self-clean, and 4 hours auto-off feature, thus the device will turn off if remain idle for 4 hours. So much so you can brew both single-serve and carafe (12 cups) for one person and a large group respectively.
The SS-15P1 offers different brew-size options, which are 6, 8, and 10 oz. This coffee machine uses a reusable filter cup.
What Makes this Dual Coffee Maker Great
- Easy to Use Control Panel
- 12-Cup Carafe & Single Serve Feature
- Removable Reservoir & Drip Tray
- Recyclable Capsules
- Brew Coffee Very Quickly
- Multiple Size Options
- Keeps Coffee Warm / Hot
Some Complaints I Have
- Expensive
- Leaking Issues Reported by Users in Amazon Reviews
Dual Coffee Maker Buying Guide
A dual multiple style coffee makers are not only convenient to use but also allows the users to brew their preferred coffee i.e. single-serve or grounds or K-cups. We have reviewed some of the best dual coffee makers that are available on the market. The selection was based on our personal experience and the buying criteria we are going to mention below. Continue reading!
Type of Dual Coffee Maker
As the name indicates, a dual coffee maker is a machine that can brew different quantities of coffee. Some 2-way coffee machines can brew large coffee pots and single serving. Other dual-coffee machines come with brew carafes such as espresso and filter coffee.
Some even come with a hot water dispenser so that you can make instant coffee or tea. When it comes to choosing a dual coffee maker, keep in mind the type of coffee you want or that best suits your needs.
Using a Dual Coffee Maker for Ground Coffee or K-Cups
Today, on the market, you will find a large number of coffee makers that rely on K-Cups for both brewing methods. Also, you will see products that rely entirely on ground coffee. No doubt, coffee capsules are practical and quick. However, they contain stale coffee, which is expensive.
Likewise, coffee capsules have annoying environmental footprints. Simply put, they are not eco-friendly products. When it comes to brewing great coffee, you need to keep the quality into consideration.
We understand the significance of dual coffee makers and instead of single-use capsules, you should go for a coffee maker that comes with both grounds and K-Cup options. This way, you can brew fresh grounds or K-Cups and enjoy a hot, delicious, and eco-friendly cup of coffee.
Customization Options
We are living in a fast-paced tech-filled world. Technology allows us to customize our lives and choose products that best fit our needs, right? Having said that, you need to consider the customization options while choosing the best dual coffee maker.
You don’t want to wait for the usual cup of coffee, you want to press the button and brew your favorite grounds and make K-cups for the rest of the family. So, you need to choose a product that comes with customization options.
The dual coffee makes you choose must allow you to tweak coffee strengths and/or program the coffee machine for frothy drinks. Evaluate the features of each model you compare and choose the one that fulfills your specific coffee requirements.
Thermal or Glass Carafe
Some dual coffee makers come with a thermal stainless steel carafe. Others come with a glass carafe. Both have their pros and cons. The stainless steel carafe is durable and keeps your coffee hot for a longer time.
On the other hand, a glass carafe is the most convenient and economical option. Glass carafes also keep your coffee hot. However, hotness lasts for only 15-20 minutes. We think this is not a problem for the majority of the users.
The products reviewed above have both thermal and glass carafes. Now that you know both types of carafes, it is up to you to choose the one that best fits your needs.
Size of the Dual Coffee Maker
While choosing the coffee maker, you need to consider the size of the product. It is simple to understand. It all depends on the space available on your kitchen counter-top. Will the coffee maker fit on your counter with other kitchen appliances or accessories. It is important to review the dimensions of the product so that any unpleasant situation is avoided.
FAQs
Q: Is the Keurig duo good?
Keurig Duo is very affordable. It is the same price as a single-serve K-select machine. However, it has additional functionalities of a conventional drip machine. So, it is a great device to have around in a large household where everyone has different coffee preferences. Likewise, it is attractive, stylish, and convenient to brew grounds or K-cups within minutes.
Q: What is the best cheap coffee maker?
If you are looking for an affordable coffee maker, we suggest you buy Hamilton Beach FlexBrew 2-Way, model 49976. To check its features in detail, refer back to the review section.
Q: How does a single-serve coffee maker work compared to a dual coffee maker?
A single-serve coffee maker works simply. First, the water heats up to the required temperature. Second, the coffee maker pumps the water through a narrow needle, which increases the pressure. The high-pressure flows through the ground coffee in the pod to release the flavor, thus brewing you your cup of coffee.
Q: Which is cheaper K cups or ground coffee?
It depends on the brand. Compared to ground coffee, K-Cups cost 2-5 times more. Something to one is that K-Cups from the same brand or roaster will still cost around four times more than the regular ground coffee offered by that brand. This is where the convenience of a dual coffee maker comes into play. You can brew both K-Cups and ground coffee.
Dual Coffee Maker Conclusion
Wrapping up, some people prefer drip coffee. Others prefer espresso, single cups, or tea. Whatever is your choice, we appreciate that. So, an excellent dual coffee maker is a brilliant machine that brews different types of coffee. It saves your time, money, and space on the kitchen countertop.
Although there are different types of dual coffee makers with unique features, the ultimate choice is yours. You need to choose a product from the list above that fulfills your needs. If we have to choose a product, we would go for the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Dual Coffee maker.
Now that you have a coffee maker that can brew both ground coffee and K-Cups, you can check the article with my Best Ninja Coffee Bars.