Over the last few days, I've collected data on the best single serve coffee pod makers, testing them and combining my conclusions with reviews I've seen online. Here's what I've come up with:
Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System
I won't pull any punches here and just say it: This was my favorite out of the bunch. Keurig continually delivers on its promises of good construction and high quality coffee brewing. Out of all this company's many entries in the market, the B60 comes out on top over and over again, especially considering its advanced feature set. Other reviewers seem to agree with this assessment, favoring the easy configuration which can be performed in one single touch, compatibility with the company's own K-Cup system, and the simple but effective drip tray which makes cleaning a very easy task.
AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
I've wanted to test this one ever since I first saw it on Amazon. What sets it apart is the unique french press design, but of course this old technology is combined with the quality and convenience of the single-serving format. The aesthetic value on the AeroPress products is way off the charts, and I would want to own one just to have it in the kitchen as a piece of industrial art.
However, the real important here is how well it brews coffee, and I'm happy to report that it performs this task more than admirably. The real standout feature for me and the other reviewers was the gentle air pressure process derived from the french press design combined with properly heated water in order to brew a great cup of coffee. The real advantage here, of course, is the lack of lots of automated moving parts. Lots of moving parts mean a higher likelihood of breaking, and the french press design gets around this flaw quite nicely while offering up something heretofore unseen in the single serving coffee maker market.
Breville BKC600XL Gourmet Single-Cup Coffee Brewer
The Breville unit was a surprising contender on the list. I must admit that I'd never heard of the brand until I did the review, but I was really pleasantly surprised. If I had to choose a best feature about this maker beside the quality of the coffee, it would be the impeccable design. In short: The BKS600XL looks great and is built like a tank. Additionally, this unit has a programmable LCD interface, giving the user a nice list of options to tweak his/her individual experience.
Like the other units on this list, the quality of the coffee was the most important factor, and the Breville really delivered for me in a big way, performing admirably in terms of consistency of flavor and minimal waste of water and power.
