# 1 Cup Coffee Makers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [December 10, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694 "2010-12-10T20:09:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/21 "2010-12-11T02:50:25Z")
I drink 2 cups a day. My cup is 24 ounces though. A 6 oz cup is a waste. ---
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/22 "2010-12-11T05:21:54Z")
> [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](#): > > I don’t make coffee much at home, but it’s mostly because I don’t feel like making a whole pot for 1 or 2 cups - so I’m thinking maybe if I get one of these I might make myself a cup more often. > [@norinew](#): > > My sister has a Flavia; yes, you have to buy _their_ packets, and they’re pricey (about $1.00 per cup of coffee), but hey, it’s no more expensive than making a whole pot and then throwing out most of it, right? You guys do realize that you can use a regular coffee maker to make just one cup’s worth of coffee, right? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/23 "2010-12-11T07:04:57Z")
> [@sundog66](#): > > You guys do realize that you can use a regular coffee maker to make just one cup’s worth of coffee, right? I’ve experimented with the amount of coffee and the amount of water - but I can never get it to come out just right. I have a can of coffee in the fridge that is over a year old because I never make coffee. My coffee maker is old and ugly. I’m moving to a new place and would like to get something newer, nicer and better. Why not just get one that is designed to make one cup at a time if that is what I drink? Thanks for all the replies everyone. No one has any experience with the Tassimo though? ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/24 "2010-12-11T07:11:01Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Consider getting a French Press instead. They make great coffee and it’s really cheap and easy to clean. > > The amount of waste these one-cup coffee makers produce is staggering. I’ve just recently convinced my office to get rid of theirs and move towards a whole bean/grinder machine. This. We have a Bodum Chambord 8-cup french press, and love it. We do not miss the burned taste of coffeemaker coffee at all, and we only use 5 tablespoons of coffee per 8 cups. If you were to get a smaller french press I would imagine it would only take 2-3 tablespoons for a good-sized mug of coffee. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/25 "2010-12-11T07:16:10Z")
If you want tea through your k-cup system, it might be a problem. Maybe with regular cleaning it wouldn’t be so bad, but all the tea I ever got out of that thing tasted like coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Waterman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Waterman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waterman)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/26 "2010-12-11T10:13:02Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > This. > > We have a Bodum Chambord 8-cup french press, and love it. We do not miss the burned taste of coffeemaker coffee at all, and we only use 5 tablespoons of coffee per 8 cups. If you were to get a smaller french press I would imagine it would only take 2-3 tablespoons for a good-sized mug of coffee. I will wholeheartedly third a French Press except I use 5 tablespoons of coarse ground coffee per 10-12 ounce cup of coffee! ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/27 "2010-12-11T14:31:58Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > One thing about the cones – As I mentioned, they take a lot of grinds to make one cup. Like 4 tablespoons. > [@sachertorte](#): > > The bottom line is, you need a good amount of grounds to make good strong coffee. I use the exact same amount of coffee for the cone as I do for anything - the rule of thumb is one scoop per 6 oz water. I like my coffee strong, so i use a heaping scoopful per 6 oz cup. Unless you’re one of those people who put 3 scoops per pot or something, a cone shouldn’t use significantly more coffee than any other method. A scoop is a tablespoon, I just measured. And 6 oz is a tiny cup - even a small coffee cup holds 8 or 9 oz - so adjust accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/28 "2010-12-11T14:45:16Z")
> [@Waterman](#): > > I will wholeheartedly third a French Press except I use 5 tablespoons of coarse ground coffee per 10-12 ounce cup of coffee! French press coffee is delicious. However, those who need to watch your cholesterol, beware: A chemical in unfiltered coffee (like French press coffee but unlike drip brewed coffee), [cafestol](https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Cafestol), will raise your cholesterol. As for drip brewers, I still use the little 4-cup Mr. Coffee I originally bought for my dorm room. Perfect size for morning coffee, and you don’t have to buy any expensive oddball formats of things, just regular coffee and 4-cup sized filters. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/29 "2010-12-11T15:01:52Z")
**Melitta** It is cheap, less than 5 bucks, and the filters are very cheap. It uses any ground coffee. It is practically unbreakable, and never wears out and never breaks. Melitta is VERY!!! fast and great for traveling, all you need is hot water. It is the easiest coffee maker to clean, although all you gotta do is rinse it if you want to rinse it. I can boil water in 3 minutes, and it then drips for less than 30 seconds. In just 3 1/2 minutes you get great fresh cup of coffee. I would buy more of them, but I only need 1. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/30 "2010-12-11T15:51:58Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > **Melitta** > It is cheap, less than 5 bucks, and the filters are very cheap. It uses any ground coffee. It is practically unbreakable, and never wears out and never breaks. > Melitta is VERY!!! fast and great for traveling, all you need is hot water. It is the easiest coffee maker to clean, although all you gotta do is rinse it if you want to rinse it. > I can boil water in 3 minutes, and it then drips for less than 30 seconds. In just 3 1/2 minutes you get great fresh cup of coffee. > I would buy more of them, but I only need 1. Oh Yeah, and **Melitta** is very lightweight, and is very small, small/smaller than a coffee cup, so it is great for backpacking and easy to pack. ---
**Author:** ![tpatsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tpatsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tpatsfan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/31 "2010-12-11T15:52:41Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I had a Keurig in my office for several years. You do NOT have to buy the special (and expensive) cups for it. Keurig sells an insert (or you can buy it after-market) into which you can place your own fresh grind. When you buy the insert can you make more than one cup of coffee? I always wondered about that. My dad has one of those and I never knew the answer to that. Or does it still stop you from doing that if you were to have guest over and wanted to make coffee for everyone??. But he does have the insert and loves it and finds it much less inexpensive. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/32 "2010-12-11T16:01:15Z")
> [@tpatsfan](#): > > When you buy the insert can you make more than one cup of coffee? I always wondered about that. My dad has one of those and I never knew the answer to that. Or does it still stop you from doing that if you were to have guest over and wanted to make coffee for everyone??. But he does have the insert and loves it and finds it much less inexpensive. No, you have to dump and refill it for each cup. These machines aren’t really designed to make a lot of coffee at once. I have a Keurig B60. It’s great when I want a cup in the morning, but I kept my old drip coffeemaker after purchasing the B60 in case I need to make a pot’s worth of coffee. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/33 "2010-12-11T16:18:24Z")
> [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](#): > > Thanks for all the replies everyone. No one has any experience with the Tassimo though? Oops. Sorry. I should have answered that yesterday. My mom has one. I like it. I enjoy the novelty of having a barcode scanner so that the machine does different things depending on what you are making. Whether or not this makes a difference is unknown to me, but I like the _concept_. The coffee is acceptable. Starbucks makes pods for Tassimo. My mom likes those. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/34 "2010-12-11T17:31:00Z")
[Melitta drip cone.](https://shop.melitta.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=64+007&Cat=)$3. Why pay more? ---
**Author:** ![tpatsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tpatsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tpatsfan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/35 "2010-12-11T18:05:57Z")
> [@Cleophus](#): > > No, you have to dump and refill it for each cup. These machines aren’t really designed to make a lot of coffee at once. I have a Keurig B60. It’s great when I want a cup in the morning, but I kept my old drip coffeemaker after purchasing the B60 in case I need to make a pot’s worth of coffee. Thanks! I have a regular coffee maker because we are heavy coffee drinkers. But that was a fact I always wanted to know. He loves his. He will have a cup of coffee and then hours later make another cup. While we are have several cups withing the first hour of the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/36 "2010-12-11T18:10:14Z")
> [@Cleophus](#): > > No, you have to dump and refill it for each cup. These machines aren’t really designed to make a lot of coffee at once. I have a Keurig B60. It’s great when I want a cup in the morning, but I kept my old drip coffeemaker after purchasing the B60 in case I need to make a pot’s worth of coffee. This is correct. Using the insert does not change the engineered design of the machine. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/37 "2010-12-11T18:23:04Z")
I’m the only coffee drinker in my household, and I use a [Bodum French press](http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/group_lines.asp?MD=1&GID=3&CHK=&SLT=&mscssid=3H623NJ4TFDB8JLLRS50KHU4PXA15L07) for ordinary coffee, and a [Bialetti](http://www.bialetti.it/uk/catalogue/scheda.asp?id_cat=24) for espresso-type coffee. Granted, the Bialetti can’t make “real” espresso with the thick crema, but the mocha it makes is pretty good. ETA: The coffee from the Bialetti also a good basis for _café au lait_ Both of these are easy to stack away in a cupboard and they won’t take up any bench real estate, like a coffee machine will 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/38 "2010-12-11T19:08:26Z")
Another vote for the simple little cone. If you feel a desire to spend $15 or $20 a pound for coffee, you can buy higher quality beans instead of paying for a little bitty pod filled with cheap coffee. And if you need to make coffee for two, buy two cones. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/39 "2010-12-11T19:52:30Z")
> [@Waterman](#): > > I will wholeheartedly third a French Press except I use 5 tablespoons of coarse ground coffee per 10-12 ounce cup of coffee! I believe our press stated that 8 tablespoons of coffee grounds would make a full 8-cup carafe. So it sounds like you are making it at like 5-times strength (based on the directions), or 7 times as strong as we make it! Have you tried using smaller amounts? We started at 8 and I used less and less each time until we found an amount that produced coffee strong enough for our tastes. I wonder if you’re actually using all 5 tablespoons efficiently. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694/40 "2010-12-11T20:56:33Z")
Moved thread IMHO-\>CS. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-cup-coffee-makers/563694.md?page=3)