A dual coffee maker is a coffee brewer that serves as the poster child for convenience. This is because when it comes to appliances, it can be seen as the embodiment of “killing two birds with one stone”.
Editor’s Pick For Best Dual Coffee Maker: Cuisinart SS-20
Build Quality – 4.5/5
Brew Quality – 5/5
Features – 4/5
Pricing – 3.5/5
The Cuisinart SS-20 is a durable dual coffee maker that can brew a great-tasting full carafe or a convenient single-serve cup by using grounds, pods, or K-Cups.
Chances are that if you have multiple coffee drinkers in your household, everyone won’t have the same preferences when it comes to what type of brew they like best. This puts the entire household at a crossroads; either some people are going to have to compromise and forgo their preferred brew or you’re going to have to get multiple coffee makers so that everyone’s brewing needs are covered.
This is why dual coffee makers are great – they provide the potential to brew coffee in a variety of ways all in one machine. Not only does this mean that your kitchen won’t have to be cluttered with multiple coffee makers but you’re also saving money because you’re potentially getting two (or more) for the price of one.
Dual coffee makers are also great for offices (and other types of workplaces) for similar reasons as well. Sure you’re not going to be able to please every single person and satisfy their brewing preferences but a dual brew coffee maker will definitely be more versatile than your average drip coffee maker.
Our 4 Best Dual Coffee Makers At A Glance
| Dual Brew Coffee Maker | Pros, Cons, and Caffeine Fiend Award |
|---|---|
Cuisinart SS-20 Check Latest Price | Editor’s Pick + Automatic thermal coffeemaker and a single-serve brewer + The single-serve brewer can use grounds, pods, or K-Cups + Two carafe sizes; 10 cups or 12 cups + Built-in brew strength controls + Programmable timer and alerts + Removable 40oz reservoir + Reusable filter – The differently sized carafes are made from different materials –10 cup is stainless steel; 12 cup is glass – Relatively expensive |
 De’Longhi BCO430BM Check Latest Price | Best For Espresso + Brews 15-bar espresso, cappuccino, and latte + Built-in active carbon water filter + Has an easy to use steaming wand + Programmable timer and shutoff + 10 cup glass carafe – Fairly expensive – Great dual coffee and espresso maker, but certainly not the best home espresso maker that you can get |
 Cuisinart CHW-12 Check Latest Price | Best For Both Tea And Coffee + The advanced hot water system makes it incredibly versatile + In addition to carafes, can brew instant coffee, tea, cocoa, and other hot beverages + Two options: 12-cup glass carafe or 10-cup thermal carafe + Temperature control and auto-shutoff capabilities + Charcoal filter and water reservoir. – 10 cup carafe is made from plastic and not glass (like the 12 cup carafe) |
 Keurig K-Duo Plus Check Latest Price | Best Compact Maker + Works perfectly with Keurig’s K-Cups + Slender build (under 8 inches in width) means that it can fit in virtually any kitchen + Compatible with Keurig Water filters + Comes with a gold-tone mesh filter + 12 cup stainless steel carafe + Programmable timer and auto-shutoff – Built with a strong focus on K-Cups, which may not be to everyone’s liking – Not the best at keeping coffee hot for extended periods of time |
A Detailed Look At The Best Dual Coffee Makers
When selecting our top 4 dual coffee makers, we primarily wanted to focus on variety, brew quality, and supplementary features. We’ve already touched on what makes each of these dual coffee makers the best in their category but now let’s take a closer look at what they have to offer. One of these dual coffee makers is bound to have the features that will best meet your particular needs.
Cuisinart SS-20 — Best Overall Dual Brew Coffee Maker
Let’s start off with our heavy hitter, the Cuisinart SS-20. The main reasons why this dual brew coffee maker earned our award for “Best Overall” are its reliability, the consistent quality of its brew, and its ease of use.
Coffee drinkers who love a more hands-off approach will appreciate the fact that the Cuisinart SS-20 is compatible with K-Cups and also other popular brands of single-cup coffee pods. However, coffee aficionados will also be pleased to know that they can use their own coffee grounds with the reusable filter. Also, when it comes to convenience, the Cuisinart SS-20 really shines, being fully programmable and fully automatic. In fact, it gives you the ability to set up your brewing up to 24 hours in advance.
If you are planning on buying the Cuisinart SS-20, you should be aware of the fact that it has two carafe sizes – a 10 cup size and a slightly larger 12 cup size. All things considered, the difference between these two sizes isn’t significant enough to be truly noteworthy; however, there is another important factor here to consider. The carafes are not made from the same materials. If you purchase the 12 cup Cuisinart SS-20, you are going to get a thermal stainless steel carafe. On the other hand, if you purchase the 10 cup Cuisinart SS-20, you are going to instead get a glass carafe. This is the only gripe that we have with the Cuisinart SS-20. Ideally, we would have preferred to see both carafe sizes being made from both materials so that customers would have a more comprehensive range of options.
De’Longhi BCO430BM — Best Dual Coffee Maker For Espresso
When it comes to brewing quality and features, the De’Longhi BCO430BM is without a doubt the best dual brew coffee maker for espresso lovers. Seasoned espresso drinkers already know that you need a minimum of 9 bars of pressure to brew a proper espresso. The De’Longhi BCO430BM delivers this and then some, being capable of brewing at 15 bars of pressure. This dual coffee maker also features a built-in steaming wand, which means that it is also proficient at creating delicious lattes and cappuccinos.
Although the drip side is overshadowed by the espresso side, it is still nothing to scoff at as well. It has a hot plate and a 10 cup glass carafe that is capable of brewing a great-tasting cup of joe.
Cuisinart CHW-12 — Best Dual Coffee Maker For Both Tea And Coffee
If you happen to be a coffee drinker that also has a penchant for tea, the Cuisinart CHW-12 is definitely a dual brew coffee maker that you should take a closer look at. No, this dual brew coffee maker doesn’t actually have a compartment that is equipped to take tea bags (or tea leaves), it simply has a high-quality hot water dispenser.
This hot water dispenser is what allows the Cuisinart CHW-12 to technically be classified as a dual brew coffee maker because it can be used by individuals who appreciate the convenience of instant coffee. However, instant coffee is just the tip of the iceberg and really shouldn’t be what you’re using the Cuisinart CHW-12 for – just buy a kettle if instant coffee happens to be your caffeinated beverage of choice. The Cuisinart CHW-12 is great for coffee lovers that also want a device that is capable of helping them brew tea or make cocoa.
The Cuisinart CHW-12 also has a few convenient features to help it in this regard; including auto-shutoff capabilities and temperature control.
Keurig K-Duo Plus — Most Compact Dual Coffee Maker
If you’re shopping around for a dual brew coffee maker, you’ll quickly realize that compactness is not a feature that you can easily find. Dual brew coffee makers are usually bigger than regular coffee makers but they technically take up less space than if you had two separate machines. Enter the Keurig K-Duo Plus.
The Keurig K-Duo Plus is one of the most compact dual coffee makers on the market that is still capable of delivering a great-tasting cup of joe. This dual coffee maker can brew coffee into its 12-cup stainless steel carafe but as its name would suggest, its main appeal is its compatibility with K-Cups. We are well aware that K-Cups are definitely not for everyone. There are countless people who are passionately in love with these little pods of coffee but on the flip side, there is a comparable amount of people that vehemently loathe K-Cups as well.
All in all, if you’re a K-Cup fan who still wants some variation in your coffee brewing routine, the Keurig K-Duo Plus is a no-brainer. That being said, if you aren’t a fan of K-Cups but still want to have a high quality and compact dual coffee maker, it is worth mentioning that you can use your own ground coffee with Keurig’s reusable filter (instead of K-Cups).
How To Choose The Best Dual Coffee Maker: A Buyer’s Guide
Even though you’ve now seen our top 4, you may still be confused about what you should be looking for in a dual brew coffee maker. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this in-depth dual coffee maker buyer’s guide.
What Type Of Coffee Do You Want?
Yes, the versatility of a dual brew coffee maker is the reason why you’re planning on getting one but that versatility has obvious limits. So, it is important that you know ahead of time what types of coffee (or hot beverages) you are going to want to get out of your dual coffee maker.
It’s a given that the dual brew coffee maker that you choose will most likely have the capability to brew a large quantity of coffee in a carafe. However, some dual coffee makers will pair this with a mechanism for single-serve coffee as well. On the other hand, there are some dual brew coffee makers that can be used to specifically make espressos and lattes. There are even models out there that simply have a hot water dispenser that can be used to brew instant coffee, tea, cocoa, and other hot beverages.
What Type Of Carafe Do You Prefer?
What we mean by this is do you want a dual coffee maker that has a glass carafe or a thermal carafe. The answer to this question will depend somewhat on your personal preference; however, there are advantages to using each option.
One of the clearest benefits of going for a glass carafe is the price. On average, you will usually find that coffee makers that use glass carafes are cheaper than their counterparts that use thermal carafes. Another advantage of glass carafes is that they are considerably easier to clean and it is only in rare cases that you will find that they are not dishwasher friendly. In contrast to this, thermal carafes are not usually dishwasher friendly, so you will have to manually clean them and they are overall not as easy to clean. Lastly, glass is well-known for being a fairly unreactive material and so you won’t have to worry about any unwanted flavors making their way into your cup.
The primary benefit of thermal carafes is right there in the name. Like glass carafes, thermal carafes are great at conducting heat; however, unlike glass carafes, thermal carafes are also great at retaining heat as well. This means that you’ll end up with less wasted energy and coffee that stays hotter longer. In addition to this, thermal carafes are prone to overheating like glass carafes and they are obviously more durable as well. If you drop a thermal carafe it will probably just have a few scratches; however, if you drop a glass carafe it is highly likely that it won’t survive.
What Are You Going To Be Using To Brew?
We are well aware of the fact that K-Cups and other similar coffee capsules are a controversial subject among coffee aficionados; however, the fact still remains that they are an immensely popular means of brewing coffee. If you are a fan of K-Cups then you are obviously going to want to get a dual brew coffee maker that is compatible with them. However, if you are a fan of using your own ground coffee, then you are obviously going to want to get a dual coffee maker that better suits your preferences.
How Customizable Do You Need The Experience To Be?
For a lot of people, coffee is simply fuel for their day to day activities. So, as a result of this, they care less about the taste or flavors of their coffee and instead care more about the coffee’s effects {i.e. energy, alertness, etc.). If this sounds like you, then you will probably prefer a hands-off dual brew coffee maker that can give you a cup of coffee with just a push of a button. If this is the case then looking for a dual brew coffee maker that has fewer customization options will not only be more inexpensive but it will also make your mornings smoother as well.
On the other side of this, if you are a coffee drinker that is particular about the taste, body, and flavor of the beverage that you are putting in your cup, you may prefer a dual coffee maker that is more customizable. In addition to this, it is also worth considering that some dual coffee makers also have features that are focused more on conveniences and ease of use. Some features that fall under this category include:
- Temperature control
- Auto-shutoff capabilities
- Programmable timer
- Strength selector
Does Size Or Appearance Matter?
Dual brew coffee makers are generally more about features and functionality and less about aesthetics and appearance. That being said, there are definitely still some good looking dual coffee makers on the market, if appearance is a factor that you care strongly about.
Another factor that you will need to consider is the space that you have available and the size of the dual coffee maker that you choose. When it comes to dual coffee makers, size is usually a two-way street.
What do we mean by this? Well, more often than not you will find that a dual brew coffee maker will take up less space compared to if you had two coffee makers that served its purpose. However, the flip side of this is that a lot of dual coffee makers still end up being relatively bulky because they essentially need to perform the functions of two different machines.
