Are you sick of making cup after cup of coffee? Do you drink one cup of coffee in one day, and then eight cups in another? Or, are you tired of brewing a pot, only to find that in-between cups the coffee has become cold and stale-tasting? If you answered yes to any of the above, then it sounds like a dual coffee maker is the answer to your problems.
Dual coffee makers, also known as two-way brewers, are essentially two machines crammed into one that provides you with the option to make a single cup of coffee or a whole pot of up to twelve cups in one go.
With common features like 24-hour programmability, carafe temperature control, auto shutoff, pause & serve, and the option to use pods or grounds, there are many machines out there for everyone—it’s just a matter of finding the right one for you.
Dual Coffee Maker — 6 Top Picks of 2020
We know that the coffee lovers of today are simply spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding which two-way brewer to buy. While we agree that variety is the spice of life, sometimes having too many options to choose from can lead to you picking the wrong one.
We’re going to help you make the right choice by sharing our list of the best dual coffee makers available.
1. Hamilton Beach 49980A 2-Way Brewer Coffee Maker
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Coffee fiends around the world will agree that Hamilton Beach sure know how to make a great coffee maker. The 49980A can be programmed 24 hours in advance, meaning you can wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air, grab your cup of coffee and begin your day. With a warming plate to keep your coffee hot, two brew strength options to choose from, adjustable cup size settings and pause & serve functionality—it’s easy to see why the 49980A is a firm favorite amongst users.
Dimensions: 10.6 x 12.2 x 13.7 inches
Coffee pot: 12 cup carafe
Materials: Stainless steel and glass
Brew size: adjustable—up to 14 oz
- Auto pause and serve technology
- Auto shutoff
- Multi-level cup rest
- Not compatible with K-Cups
2. Cuisinart SS-15 Maker Coffee Center 12-Cup
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The Cuisinart SS-15 Coffee Center is a sleek, K-Cup compatible, easy to use & clean that is fast gaining in popularity. With features like self-cleaning, 24-hour programmability and auto-shutoff, this ideally sized machine will meet the needs of most people. It also comes with a reusable filter cup and recyclable capsule sample pack of three roasts
Dimensions: 10.4 x 14.2 x 10.1 inches
Coffee pot: 12 cup carafe
Materials: Stainless steel and glass
Brew size: 6, 8 and 10 oz
- Charcoal water filter
- Includes reusable filter cup
- K-Cup compatible
- Auto shutoff
- Splatter when using shorter cups has been reported
3. Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus 12-Cup
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The easy to operate Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus is for people who want their coffee maker to do more than just make coffee. On top of features like 24-hour programmability, self-cleaning, carafe temperature control, and Brew Pause, this coffee maker also boasts a separate hot water system that can be used to make tea, hot chocolate and other hot beverages—either in unison with coffee brewing or on its own.
Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.5 x 14.3 inches
Coffee pot: 12 cup carafe
Materials: Stainless steel and glass
Brew size: 12 oz
- Charcoal water filter
- Auto shutoff
- Brew Pause technology
- Limited 3-year warranty
- Noisy compared to other options
- The separate hot water system cannot be programmed
4. Hamilton Beach (49976) FlexBrew Coffee Maker
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Hamilton Beach has done it again with their 49976 FlexBrew Coffee Maker. Boasting an easy to operate userface, simple design and a variety of attachments & accessories—this coffee maker is mega-popular among homebrewers. The one thing worth mentioning is that, even though the attachments have distinguishing colors, there are quite a few of them so a beginner may feel overwhelmed.
Dimensions: 11.4 x 12.2 x 13.7 inches
Coffee pot: 12 cup carafe
Materials: Plastic and glass
Brew size: up to 10 oz with K-Cup and 14 oz for ground coffee
- Auto-off feature
- K-Cup compatible
- Attachments are dishwasher safe
- Bigger size means it will take up extra counter space
- Slower brewing time when compared to other two-way brewers
5. Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Thermal Coffee Maker
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The Hamilton Beach 49966 FlexBrew Thermal Coffee Maker is packed with features like strength selectors, 24-hour programmability, auto shutoff, and auto-pause & serve technology. But what makes it stand out is its stainless steel thermal carafe. The thermal carafe ensures that coffee stays hot and fresh and is said to be more durable than standard glass carafes. With a built-in K-Cup holder, as well as a brewing basket for coffee grounds, this is an ideal option for someone who likes changing up their coffee preferences up every now and then.
Dimensions: 13.6 x 14.5 x 15.1 inches
Coffee pot: 10 cup carafe
Materials: Plastic and stainless steel
Brew size: up to 10 oz with K-Cup and 14 oz for ground coffee
- Thermal carafe
- K-Cup compatible
- Auto shutoff
- Auto pause and serve technology
- Multi-level cup rest
- 10 cup carafe
- Noisy compared to other options
6. Hamilton Beach (49950C) FlexBrew Coffee Maker
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The Hamilton Beach 49950C includes all the features you would expect to find in a Hamilton Beach product. The main difference between this model and other Hamilton products is the addition of a permanent gold-tone filter to reduce the need for paper filters and the risk of staining. Choose between two strength options, use its 24-hour programmability, enjoy its auto-pause & serve technology and appreciate the quality that is synonymous with Hamilton Beach coffee makers.
Dimensions: 13.7 x 11.4 x 12.2 inches
Coffee pot: 12 cup carafe
Materials: Plastic and glass
Brew size: up to 10 oz with K-Cup and 14 oz for ground coffee
- Permanent gold-tone filter
- K-Cup compatible
- Auto pause and serve technology
- Auto shutoff
- Multi-level cup rest
- Bigger size means it will take up extra counter space
The Advantages of Dual Coffee Makers
If you need a little more convincing as to why a two-way brewer is the perfect coffee solution for you, we won’t just give you one reason: we’ll give you four.
- Quantity: You can make multiple cups of coffee in one go. Need we say more?
- Programmable: Most two-way brewers are programmable, which means that you can wake up in the morning and have your coffee already waiting.
- Freshness: When you’re brewing a pot of coffee, it isn’t always immediately consumed, so it can turn cold and stale-tasting quickly. With this coffee makers, you can keep your coffee fresh and hot for longer.
- Does the job of two machines: Buying a dual coffee maker means you don’t need to buy two machines to meet your needs which will save you money, time and space.
The Disadvantages of Dual Coffee Makers
Even products as great as dual coffee makers have their downsides.
- Counter consumption: Because they incorporate two machines into one, they tend to take up more counter space than regular coffee makers. In saying that, they’ll take up less space than two coffee machines would.
- More expensive than regular coffee makers: Generally, this type of coffee makers are more expensive than regular coffee makers. But when you consider the added functionality, technology and convenience that dual coffee makers provide you’ll see that they are a worthwhile investment.
6 Factors to Consider when Buying a two-way brewers:
When you’re looking for a dual coffee maker to meet your needs, make sure you know what those needs are.
From brewing size to the size of the machine itself, here are six factors to keep in mind when deciding which two-way brewers to opt for.
1. Counter Consumption
It’s important to remember that a dual coffee maker is essentially two machines in one, so it makes sense that they would be a little bigger than other coffee machines. In saying that, some two-way brewers are larger than others, so it’s important to make sure you have enough counter space and storage space available for when it is not in use.
2. The Carafe
If you’re going to be using the carafe a lot, make sure you pick a good one that can withstand your intended usage. Do you want a glass carafe, a thermal carafe or one that’s made from plastic? Thermal carafes are fantastic because they have the ability to keep your coffee hot for longer, however with many dual coffee makers offering warming plates for glass carafes, that might not be a concern for you.
3. Convenience and Ease of Use
Making a good cup of coffee at home shouldn’t be an overly complicated or time-consuming process. You want a coffee maker that is easy to use, brews quickly and doesn’t require too much maintenance. Some dual coffee makers consist of multiple parts, attachments and accessories that need to be cleaned and maintained, so depending on your coffee maker knowledge, you might want to pick a model that doesn’t have a lot of additional parts.
4. Added Brewing Functionality
Some people want a dual coffee maker, like the Cuisinart CHW-12, that makes more than just coffee. If you need a machine that can also brew tea, hot chocolate, espressos or gourmet coffee drinks, then you’ll need to factor this additional requirement into your budget.
5. Brew Size
Even though it may not seem like it, brew size is a very important factor to consider when buying a dual coffee maker. Considering the size of your cups or mugs that you currently own, will you be able to use these, or will you have to purchase all new ones to fit your coffee maker? Or, if you know that there are 12 regular coffee drinkers who you’ll probably be making coffee for, why would you go for a carafe option that only accommodates 10 cups? Also, if you’re a ‘get up and go’ kind of person or someone who travels frequently, you’re more likely to make use of a travel mug than other coffee drinkers. Make sure that the coffee maker you pick can accommodate the length of your travel mug.
6. Price
This kind of machines have different functionalities, are made from different materials and by different manufacturers—therefore they’ll have different prices. It’s important to shop around for different prices and make sure that what the price is and what the functionalities are line up. In some cases, you may end up paying more for a dual coffee maker that offers less functionality than other options, but comes from a more reputable manufacturer and is covered by a better warranty.
The Bottom Line
After learning what to look for, the advantages of using them and hearing all about the best dual coffee makers available, we’re sure you’re wondering which one is the best of the best?
While they are all great products that each offer their own unique functionalities, you can’t go wrong with a Hamilton Beach model.
More specifically, the Hamilton Beach 49980A 2-Way Brewer Coffee Maker. If you can look past its incompatibility with K-Cups, this coffee maker ticks all the boxes in terms of aesthetic appeal, size, adjustable brew size, and innovative functionality.
Without question, the runner up would be the Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus because of the sheer convenience of the added brewing functionality that comes with the hot water system.
We trust that you’ll pick the right dual coffee maker and will be enjoying your cup (or pot!) of coffee in no time.
