These Coffee Makers Are Small but Mighty

Best Overall

OXO Brew Coffee Maker

$200 at Amazon $200 at Target $200 at Williams-Sonoma

Thermal coffee pots offer three main benefits over glass ones: they're more durable, retain heat better, and subsequently make coffee taste better. Glass coffee pots have hot plates underneath to keep coffee warm, but this essentially "cooks" the coffee, changing its flavor and making it more bitter. Instead, a machine like the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker keeps coffee fresh and delicious for hours by leaving the flavor intact. It's no wonder we were highly impressed with the quality of the coffee that this machine brews.

We found that the brewer's showerhead evenly distributes water over the coffee grounds, leading to a well-balanced cup of joe. The device also has the unique capability to brew one cup at a time when you prefer that over a full 8-cup pot. And if you need one that brews more cups of coffee, OXO makes a 12-cup coffee maker.

The design is slim at 7 inches wide and incredibly simple. The machine has only three buttons: a power button and two brew settings. A major downside to the simplicity, however, is that the OXO 8-Cup Coffee Maker is not programmable. So, if you like to situate your coffee maker at night and set it to brew before you wake up in the morning, you might prefer another option.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Capacity: 40 ounces | Dimensions: 10.5 x 7 x 13.5 inches | Warranty: Two years

Best Keurig

Keurig K-Mini Plus Single Serve Coffee Maker

$85 at Amazon $60 at Target $110 at Wayfair

Keurig is one of the most popular names in coffee. Its K-Cup pods are easy to use and offer a wide range of coffees, teas, and more. The Keurig K-Mini Plus takes the brand's signature convenience and packs it into a 5-inch-wide device, made for those hoping to save space in the kitchen. A pod storage bin holds nine K-Cup pods to keep them handy and slides into the front of the brewer when not in use. If you want your coffee a little stronger, all it takes is the press of a button.

The K-Mini Plus brews 6 to 12 ounces of coffee, simply by adding that amount to the removable water reservoir. If you’re unsure how much coffee your mug holds, you can use that to fill the reservoir, so you’ll never overfill a cup. When the drip tray is removed, you can brew directly into a travel mug up to 7 inches tall.

The coffee maker turns itself off 90 seconds after brewing. If you want to put the coffee maker away between uses, the cord stores neatly in the back of the brewer, so it won’t tangle when the brewer is resting on a shelf in the pantry.

Grounds or Pods: Pods (or reusable K-Cup filter) | Capacity: 6 to 12 ounces | Dimensions: 11.3 x 4.5 x 12.1 inches | Warranty: One year

Best Budget

Black+Decker 5-Cup Coffeemaker

$24 at Amazon $24 at Walmart $38 at Wayfair

This Black + Decker brewer is small, affordable, and doesn’t have many frills, but it simply makes a good cup of coffee. The carafe holds five cups, which is smaller than average but enough to get your fill in the morning. It operates with a simple on/off switch that lights up to let you know that the coffee maker is on. We wish it had an automatic shutoff, but the light makes it easy to see when you've forgotten to flip the switch. The hot plate will keep the carafe warm as long as the coffee maker is on, but there is no auto-off feature.

The carafe is designed for ergonomic handling and drip-free pouring, so you won’t make a mess, and the lid is completely removable for easy cleaning when the coffee is gone. If you can’t wait for the first cup, it has a pause-and-serve feature so you can pour a cup without making a mess. A permanent filter is included, so you’ll never need paper filters. After testing the machine ourselves, we found the coffee quality above average. It isn't the most vibrant coffee we tried, but it's better than one would expect given the budget price.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Capacity: 5 cups | Dimensions: 7.25 x 8.2 x 10.75 inches | Warranty: Two years

Best High-End

Balmuda The Brew Coffee Maker

$699 at Amazon $700 at Williams-Sonoma View on Balmuda.com

BALMUDA automates the pour-over process with this slim coffee maker, simply named The Brew. We tested the machine firsthand and found that it produces coffee with a lot of clarity. Individual flavors stand out better than coffee brewed by a typical drip coffee maker. The coffee is also clean and has no sludge or grit in the last few sips. It's a great choice for the coffee drinker who prioritizes quality over quantity since The Brew has a maximum brewing capacity of 16.5 ounces.

We had to read the instruction manual on first use to understand how to attach the pour-over cone, but The Brew proved simple and intuitive after that. It takes about four minutes to brew a medium coffee and six minutes for a large. That's slower than a drip coffee maker but on par with pour-over brewers. There are settings for iced coffee and a bolder brew, too.

The Brew comes with a thermal carafe that some customers may enjoy, but we don't think it adds much value since the serving sizes are so small you're likely to drink it quickly. It's worth noting that a similar coffee quality can be achieved with a non-electric pour-over coffee maker, which would save several hundred dollars. For customers who don't mind paying more for added convenience and consistency, The Brew is worth splurging on.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Capacity: 16.5 ounces | Dimensions: 11.7 x 5.5 x 14.9 inches | Warranty: One year

Best With Grinder

Cuisinart DGB-850 Burr Grind & Brew Coffee Maker

$220 at Amazon $240 at Kohls.com $230 at Crate & Barrel

A grinder is a great accessory for making fresher, tastier coffee. Unfortunately, it's yet another item that takes up a spot in your kitchen. To save space, you can purchase a coffee maker with a built-in grinder, and one of the best we've tested is the Cuisinart Grind & Brew DGB-850. While it's more expensive than a regular drip coffee maker, it's a great value-for-money buy considering it has a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder. Burr grinders are more consistent and produce less heat, leading to better coffee. This shone through in our taste tests, as the flavor received an excellent score for its strength, smoothness, and temperature.

The Cuisinart Grind and Brew comes with several convenient features, too. There's a 1-4 cup setting when you need a little caffeine but don't want to make a full pot. It's also programmable up to 24 hours in advance and has a self-cleaning function. We found that a full pot of coffee takes a little over seven minutes to brew, which is slightly slower than average. However, the machine has a "brew pause" function that lets users snag a cup of coffee while brewing is in progress.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Capacity: 10 cups | Dimensions: 8.1 x 10 x 15.5 inches | Warranty: Three years

Best Travel

AeroPress Original Coffee Maker

$32 at Amazon $39 at Walmart $32 at Target

A favorite among outdoor enthusiasts and coffee experts alike, the AeroPress is the best travel companion you can find. It's small enough to toss in a backpack or suitcase, and all it takes is access to hot water to make a tasty cup of coffee or even a richer, espresso-like brew.

One question that pops up with the AeroPress is whether it's useful as a primary brewing device—like a drip coffee maker, for example—or if it's more of an occasional, on-the-go gadget. There's no set answer, but we think it's suitable for both. Just keep in mind that it has a small capacity of 8 ounces and requires more hands-on effort than most coffee makers, so some people may tire of using it and cleaning it multiple times a day. Cleaning is quick and easy, though. The four main plastic parts of the AeroPress are top-shelf dishwasher safe, and we found that rinsing them by hand takes no more than a minute. The AeroPress is also reasonably priced. It's similar to other non-electric brewing devices and cheaper than many electric ones.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Capacity: 8 ounces | Dimensions: 4.75 x 4.5 x 11.75 inches | Warranty: One year

Best French Press

Fellow Clara French Press

$99 at Amazon $125 at Walmart $100 at Williams-Sonoma

The Fellow Clara French Press has a compact design, durable materials, and a high-quality filter. After testing the French press ourselves, we found the coffee to have less sediment than average, making for a cleaner, more enjoyable cup. The carafe's temperature retention was above average, too. After 30 minutes, the coffee was nearly just as hot as when we brewed it, making for a fresh second cup. The handle and carafe itself stayed cool to touch the entire time, so you don't have to worry about burning yourself.

It's pricier than most French press but not exorbitant. Plus, the Clara French Press feels more high-end than a budget-priced alternative. The 24-ounce capacity is smaller than average, yet it's still enough to brew multiple servings at once, and this naturally helps the French press stay on the smaller side. We recommend using a wooden spoon when stirring the coffee because metal instruments can scratch the interior.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Capacity: 24 ounces | Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.5 x 7.9 inches | Warranty: 30 days

Best Espresso

Coffee Gator Espresso Machine

$87 at Amazon

Espresso makers tend to be bulkier than other brewing devices, but this Coffee Gator model is among the most compact you can find. It’s just 5.5 inches wide–slimmer than some drip coffee makers on our list–and, at 10.3 inches tall, it fits comfortably below most cupboards. Don’t let its stature fool you, though: The tiny brewer packs a powerful punch. We tasted the espresso and consistently found the shots to have a strong flavor, rich body, and an all-important, golden-brown crema.

Such strong flavor makes the Coffee Gator Espresso Machine a viable option for seasoned espresso drinkers, while the item’s intuitive design and affordable price make it an excellent choice for those new to espresso as well. Once the red display lights stop blinking and turn solid, all you have to do is turn the machine’s lone dial, located on the side, to start pulling espresso shots.

During testing, we didn’t have to wait long for delicious coffee, as the item heats up in roughly 20 seconds. It takes a little longer to froth milk, however, as the steam wand isn’t the strongest that we've come across. That said, the wand is easy to use and still sufficient for lattes and cappuccinos—making it one of the best espresso/cappuccino machines on the market.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds or ESE pods | Capacity: Single serve | Dimensions: 12.4 x 5.5 x 10.3 inches | Warranty: One year

Best Pour Over

Melitta Ceramic Pour Over Coffee Dripper

View on Amazon

Pour-over brewers are, in general, a great option for people looking to save space. We've tested several types over the years and one of our favorites is the Melitta Ceramic Pour Over Dripper. The brewing process is simple and takes about three minutes depending on the quantity of coffee you're making and the grind size you use. All you have to do is place the dripper on a coffee mug, insert a paper filter and coffee grounds, and pour hot water over it. It may require some trial and error to find the perfect coffee-to-water ratio, but once you get it down the flavor is strong, smooth, and devoid of sludge. Since weighing is the most exact method, we recommend 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water.

Melitta sells this pour-over dripper in multiple materials, including plastic and porcelain. They're all budget-priced, but the ceramic version has enough weight to feel solid and durable. One of the few downsides of a pour-over coffee maker is that you go through paper filters fast. Luckily, Melitta's paper filters are sold by many grocery stores and online retailers.

Grounds or Pods: Grounds | Capacity: Single serve | Dimensions: 3.875 x 5.75 x 4 inches | Warranty: One year

Best Nespresso

Nespresso Essenza Mini with Aeroccino Frother

$230 at Amazon $279 at Walmart $200 at Wayfair

The Nespresso Essenza Mini is a reliable and easy-to-use espresso maker. We tested the item over several weeks and found that the espresso consistently had a strong flavor and a rich crema. Throw in an Aeroccino3 Milk Frother and the bundle becomes highly versatile, allowing users to whip up lattes, cappuccinos, and more right from home.

It has most of the drink options you get from an automatic espresso maker (except for an Americano) but in a more compact device. The Essenza Mini is roughly 4 inches wide, so it can slide between anything on your kitchen counters. The separate milk frother, measuring 3.5 inches in diameter, doesn't take up much space either, and it can go in a cupboard when not in use.

This machine has two drink sizes—espresso and lungo—labeled by a pair of top-facing buttons. The capsule container needs to be emptied after six shots of espresso, which is smaller than many alternative Nespresso machines, but that's a natural consequence of such a slim design. While Nespresso products skew toward the pricier end, the Essenza Mini is one of the most affordable, and we think it's an excellent value-for-money option.

Grounds or Pods: Pods | Capacity: Single serve | Dimensions: 4.3 x 8 x 12.8 inches | Warranty: One year