Top picks
One fast cup at a time, from Keurig and Nespresso.
By the New Coffee Makers editors · Updated
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Pod machines trade some flavor for speed.
Best overall
Keurig
Keurig fans who want a compact, inexpensive machine with a Strong button. Wirecutter says it stood out among the Keurigs it tested: space-saving, fast, easy to use, with a strong-brew function that improves flavor. Source.
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Popular pick
Keurig
Households that want more cup sizes, iced coffee and temperature control. We found no recent hands-on expert pick for this model. It's here because it is one of Amazon's best-selling single-serve brewers; Wirecutter's Keurig guide prefers the simpler K-Express. Source.
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Best for split households
Keurig
Homes where some people want pods and others want a full pot. Wirecutter calls it a handy machine for households divided by coffee preference: the pod side matches its top pick, and the drip side makes a solid carafe fairly quickly. Source.
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Best for espresso drinkers
Nespresso (De'Longhi or Breville)
Espresso drinkers who want a tiny, simple machine. Wirecutter says it brews balanced, consistent espressos that are more mellow than other Nespresso machines it tested, with little cleanup. Source.
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Best for coffee and espresso
Nespresso (Breville or De'Longhi)
People who want both espresso and a full cup of coffee from capsules. Wirecutter's also-great Nespresso pick: smooth espresso plus an 8 oz cup of (strangely foamy) coffee that beat anything it tried from a Keurig. Source.
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We started from Amazon's best-seller lists and recent hands-on reviews from Wirecutter, Serious Eats, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Eats and WIRED, then kept models that are current and widely sold. We didn't test these machines ourselves. What reviewers found is paraphrased, with a link to the source.
Prices and ratings are what the maker or retailer showed on its own product page on Oct 28, 2026. They change, so check before you buy. We don't show Amazon prices or star ratings; the Amazon button lets you check them there.
Photos are Creative Commons photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one. Where we couldn't find a licensed photo, we show an illustration.
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