Side by Side Comparison of: Hamilton Beach vs Simple Cups

We are loving this flexible coffee machine. We've had it for about a month and so far, it's exactly what we wanted. We use it daily on the pot side and a few times a week on the single side.There was a plastic smell when we took it out of the box and while we were running the first batch of water through both sides, per instructions. But we never tasked plastic in the coffee and it hasn't smelled like plastic after that first day. We always use filtered water, so maybe that helps?On the single side, we have used K-cups and they work well (as long as we follow the "press down" instructions). We have also used ground coffee on the single side using the included mesh basket, but we do find it's a bit annoying to have to clean that basket out, so we tried soft pods and they work well (although they are harder to find).We don't mind having to fill the water each time we use it, for the amount that we want to brew. It's quick and simple..We're very happy customers!** Addition 2 days later ** After I wrote this, we had the problem others had experienced on the single side where almost no coffee comes out (the water just evaporates through the top, and the machine gets very loud). I'm told this is similar to a Keurig pot, and the solution for Keurig also works for this... open up a paper clip and use it to clean out the little metal opening that pokes down into the kcups. This gets clogged with grinds and no water can get through, so it backs up and then evaporates. I plan to proactively clean this out every so often.

People complain about the littlest things. This is a great machine. K cups don't leak when you remove them. The carafe plate being hot is not an issue, don,t touch things that don't need to be touched. No funny taste that I could detect. Just a good machine all around.

This coffee maker works well if you understand how the design works. To help everyone I have decided to provide this review in hopes that more information will provide a better experience for all. To clairify I dont work for nor am i affiliated with the manafacture in anyway shape or form nor have i been given any compensation for my time. That being said lets move on. I have read reviews of people where they complain about the pot being turned on when they brew on the single serve side and how it takes longer to brew, well for those of you that are unaware all traditional coffee brewers have a channel inside the heating element for the carafe that they pump the water through to heat it prior to it being drawn back up and deposited onto the coffee grounds so when your using the single serve side i would recommend that you keep about 2 cups of water in the carafe or remove it so you dont burn your pot. Obviously on kcup only models the heating element is placed elsewhere due to the fact that there is no carafe thereby making the travel for the water much shorter and resulting in a faster brew. Secondly people have complained about the kcup not being punctured on top well if you dont press down on the flap on the front of the single serve side which says press down it wont lift the cup enough to fully puncture it and you will end up with water coming out of it. Also if you put a kcup in there but dont select the kcup option and leave it on grounds the coffee pot will pump the water too fast for the little cup and it will cause an overrun of water resulting in a spill. So please make sure that you select all of the options correctly as this coffee pot needs your input for it to do its job correctly. For the few people who have stated that there is a plastic taste to the coffee some watersheds have minerals or other things in them naturally that can have an adverse effect on certain types of plastic. As this plastic is listed as BPA free and for those that are unaware BPA is utilized as a plastic hardener so BPA free plastics are going to be a bit softer and thus more prone to being affected by the many trace pollutants that are in our water supply. So for those of you who are experiencing this issue i would reccomend trying bottled or distilled water and see if that doesnt make a difference for you. To address the concerns regarding having to put the exact amount of water in for the single serve side you you have to understand that in order to save your counterspace the company made this coffee pot with one main resovouir and one main pump so that is something you will have to learn to live with and really the only major trade off that you will experience in this machine at least from my perspective. So in conclusion this is a great machine if you are willing to understand that multiple functionalities will require a little more information as well as input from the end user. Thanks for reading my review to the end and have a great day.

My mom has this coffee pot so I decided to get one as well because I loved it. I love the fact you can make a single cup OR a big pot of coffee all in one machine. Serving you as a keurig and your average coffee pot was such a good idea. Brews a good tasting coffee, I have had no problems with mine. My coffee did not smell like plastic what so ever. I was super excited I saved $30-$40 by ordering online vs buying at Walmart. Only downside to this coffee pot is that it seems to take a bit longer to brew. However, I would highly recommend this coffee pot, I love it!!

Husband's review (not Wendy's);There aren't too many things in life in which I say to my parents "hey mom/dad that was a good quality product you bought there"; we just have different mindsets when it comes to buying things. My parents mentality seems to be quantity over quality and just replace it in a few years, I want mine to last a long time. I was surprised one day when I looked at my parent's kitchen to see a new coffee maker that replaced the old GE coffeemaker that belonged to my grandparents (model B1SDC-1) that has been in service since the 1970s (yes that thing was built to last!). I thought this must be some type of coffee maker that will not make it past 1 year with the amount my dad drinks along with his buddies that stop by on the weekends working on old cars and talking whatever it is they talk about.I gave this coffee maker a few tries and even used it k-cup function. I was pleasantly surprised by its quality and durability. This machine just keeps brewing and brewing. After seeing the thing perform its duty of brewing coffee for 3 months for my parents and my dad's friend, I jumped the boat and decided to purchase one for my wife as she is a heavy drinker of coffee.To this date, not one single complaint and she and I absolutely love it. One particular program I like about it is the ability to brew coffee "Bold" as I like my coffee strong and not taste like water. Good job Hamilton Beach.

After 10 yrs, my Cuisinart coffeemaker quit, and since we don't drink as much coffee as we used to, I really wanted the single serve, but still needed the carafe option for the same reasons others have mentioned. (I appreciate the reviews as they answered questions I didn't even think to ask.) Admittedly, I was a Cuisinart snob, but have come to my senses after using this coffeemaker for a month. It has surpassed my expectations.The only concern was reading a consumer report stating the carafe burner also turns on while using the single serve side. (FYI - 20k sold and 0 reported injuries from same report.) So, to avoid accidental burns, I fill the carafe 1/4 full with very warm water, (so I don't crack the glass) and set in on the burner while making single servings. The next trip to the kitchen, it's cooled, and I empty and rinse the carafe.To me, that's a minor issue, and I love the duo feature. HB thought through so many little details and gave us a lot for the price. Carafe doesn't leak while pouring, easy to read water measurements, clock has a blue 'night light', and it has a surprisingly small footprint. Easy to move while cleaning the kitchen. Other reviewers have already hit the majority of high points.Our favorite coffee comes from the Coffee Beanery, and while we've always purchased their whole bean to grind fresh, they've added single serve, which we ordered, and found it's as good as fresh. Highly recommend this coffeemaker to anyone who likes hot drinks.

I have a Keurig but wanted something that would make more coffee on occasions. I love the coffee ground thing that comes for the single serve side, you can put more coffee in to get a strong brew. I dislike you can only put 14 oz in at a time, annoying but doable. There is definitely a "taste" that comes out on both sides but the Keurig did that too. After 3 pots on the pot side, the taste is almost gone. It is still on the single serve side but I imagine it will disappear too. The device for the K-cup is different and it has kept a piece of plastic that I needed to remove but again doable. It does take awhile to do a single serve owing to the fact that it does not have heated water in a reservoir. But it takes time for the first brew on a Keurig also. Nothing is perfect but I think this system is better then the Keurig because it is a Flexible Brewing System. Also I would never get a Keurig again due to the licensing farce.

This would easily be a 5 star review except that the carafe packaging was open at the bottom and the carafe was loose in the FlexBrew when it arrived. When I took the FlexBrew out of the box, which was difficult because of no place to take hold of it, as soon as it was clear of the box the carafe fell on the floor and shattered. I have contacted the manufacturer's support but it is too soon to have gotten an answer. I just want the carafe replaced. The FlexBrew is fine. I will update this when/if I hear from them.I did try the single cup feature and it worked very well and brewed a nice cup of coffee in under 5 minutes.Update: Quick response from Hamilton Beach. Carafe was replaced within five days. Rating increased to 5 stars.

I was so nervous to order this because I saw a lot of bad reviews. It had the features I was looking for, so when my Keurig died last week I decided to give it a try. So far, I am so glad I did! It makes a great cup of coffee, and I had absolutely NO PLASTIC TASTE OR SMELL in mine at all. I had no problem with an Error message--just fill your mug up and dump it in! You definitely need to read the directions because you need to push the K-cup firmly down (unlike the Keurig where you just set it in) until you hear a click, and then push the other lever down too before you brew.Features I love: Makes both pot of coffee or single cup I have the option of using a K-cup or coffee grounds--that is FANTASTIC! Coffee is good! I can program it to automatically start brewing a pot at a certain time Looks nice Washes easilyFeatures that I don't love: Hot plate gets warm even when I'm only using a K-cup (although the pot shuts off right after so it only gets hot for 2 min It is plastic...so it feels a bit cheaper--but it is; I got it for a great price!! I have to put water in each time for a K-cup (not really a big deal to me, but inconvenient for some probably)All in all I am very happy! As long as it keeps working, it gives me everything I need and want! Don't be afraid to purchase!

Like most of the reviewers I bought this for the versatility and lower price than a Keurig. I have been using it for several months now and very pleased with it. It brews pots and singles very fast. I have used both k-cups and loose fill on the single side and it works well with both.Pros: Very versatile and easy to use, heats and brews fast. Baskets and k-cup holder are dishwater safe for easy cleaning. Auto shut-off means no worries you left the unit on and no burned up pots of coffee. Water level sensor keeps singles from running over if you load too much water.Cons: Heating element comes on carafe side even when using single side (this needs to be fixed and could be a safety hazard). Don't leave empty carafe on heater if making single cups. Some hot chocolate k-cups spill powder through into cup so make sure your cup is under the k-cup holder when you insert it. Larger travel mugs like the Contigo 24 oz will not fit. Use the carafe side and then pour into the mug.Overall this is a great value coffee station and takes up minimum space. I recommend it to my friends, but the heating element coming on the carafe side even when using the single side was a cheap cost saver to the manufacturer and needs to be fixed. So for this I took off one star.

Mind you, I just got this the day before Christmas (2014), so problems may arise. However, out of the box and onto my counter, it's a winner. My boyfriend has been more than satisfied with the full carafe side. Coffee is always hot, smooth and done in an efficient amount of time. As for my side, the one cupper, I am also very satisfied. I have not, to date, had any error messages due to water levels and my coffee of choice has always brewed a nice, hot cup of Joe. The set up is fairly simple and straight forward and clean up (i.e. removing the pod and rinsing the basket) is just as easy and quick. I only refrained from a 5 star rating because I don't like that the carafe heating element heats as my one cup is brewing. Just to prevent any possible damage to the plate or carafe, we keep a little water in the pot.I also want to note that we bought a variety pack of pods that contained two different makers of pumpkin spice - one brewed very weak and the other was delicious. My point is, it wasn't the pot, it was the brand that was weak. If you have the means and opportunity, get the variety pack and learn what brands, and flavors within those brands, are good or bad per your taste. Don't blame the coffee maker.

Everything we wanted at a great price, our main concern was the plastic infusion in the coffee as other product reviewers stated. Upon looking into the more recent reviews, no one had mentioned they had a problem. Nonetheless I did of course follow with a vinegar 30 min soak with 3 carafes and 3 single serve flushes. I did not smell any plastic residue much before and definitely after. I'm used to my cuisinart (that finally conked out after 14 years. That was a good run) it had hard shell plastic and wouldn't leach BPAs so Being concerned now with the thin pliable plastic lid and basket I wondered about BpA in my beverages and all the disease I might get from drinking toxin BpA. Why people aren't more concerned about this I don't know, maybe they have good insurance, but I rather keep my body in good working condition instead. Anyway beyond my personal opinion, I researched and found out that through a good soul who took time to research BpA free coffee makers That this one was on the list. So I'm happy about this.Taste: it's so good coffee! Tasting better than the cuisinart but that was older. I put it on the strong setting and it's just right. 6 scoops (2 per cup, 12 cups) of trader joe coffee fits the basket with coconut creamer and it's delishioso!Love the fact I can run through for a single cup and it came with its own basket or you can use the special insert provided for the k cup.Directions were easy to follow. Gosh hurray!The only thing I have to get used to is the lid flips open easily pouring coffee all over. This happens when your trying to get the last out. I'm not sure I haven't tried it but maybe cuisinarts carafe will work it's a screw on.It should come with a plastic measuring scoop.If this review is helpful let me know by giving me a thumbs up helpful review I like to know if it's worth my time reviewing stuff, and if it's helpful to you

Even tho it should not leak once you take out the carafe to pour a cup, about 5 drops of coffee fall each time onto the burner. My burner on the carafe side is now warped and I can't clean the burnt coffee off very easily. The single serve brew side sometimes leaks water all over my counter while brewing, as if the water didn't make it down into the pod area and just pours out the top of the kcup holder. this happens once every 15 times I use that side. If you use the single brew basket with grounds, it does make a great single to 4 cups of coffee in a travel mug but the bottom of your cup will be full of grounds.

I believe some compromises were made in the design to keep the price point where it is. The first thing noticed after unpacking is a bright warning label to use 14oz or less for single serves, otherwise you get an error with an 800 number to call if you can't clear it. The whole single serve side is finicky, with parts to swap out for K-cups or grounds. I got a nasty surprise the first time I poured out coffee from a full carafe: the channel on top of the handle funnels hot steam right back onto your thumb. I almost dropped the carafe.It takes about two minutes for the single serve side to brew your coffee, once the K-cup is in place and the (14oz or less) water has been dumped in. I've only made one full carafe and was distracted from my timing of it.

We bought this because our Mr. Coffee machine broke (after years). We also have a Keurig sitting next to it on the counter. When shopping for for new machine, came across this. Thought 2 for 1 and more counter space. Read reviews, and decide to purchase. Gave Keurig to my dad. The coffee side brews fine. We like strong coffee and it gets the job done. (you may have to add an extra scoop). The 1 cup side I'm sad to say is like all the reviews stated. It brewed with K-cup fine the first time...not so much after that. Did all the troubleshooting from the reviews read. Would get 1 good brew, and then it would slow brew. (troubleshoot, get 1 brew, rinse, repeat....) Not the same amount of water I put in would brew out. Where does that water go? I tried 1 cup "brew" basket. I was very generous with my scoop, and it brewed very weak. :-( The 1-cup side ends up being more work than it's worth. The regular pot works great! I really wanted this to work and gave it my all... but it's now been 60 days and too late to return... Forced to keep for now... Trying to get the Keurig back from my dad. Still searching for that perfect coffee machine. Please let me know if anyone finds it! ;-)

We wanted a machine that would make single servings as well as pots for when we have a crowd. The pot side works fine with no problems. But the single serve side is lacking a little. It's a little complicated fixing the K-cup in the holder and the holder comes loose sometimes from the arm it hooks into, which hooks into the big drawer that you see in the picture. If you insert the cup holder backwards, it makes it very difficult to remove the drawer to make another cup because the K-cup gets pushed up and sticks the drawer in place. It does make a stronger cup of coffee than the Keurig, but it takes 4 minutes for the water to heat up and brew. And you have to pour water into the reservoir each time for a single serving. Going from a Keurig to this was kind of a let down. I really want it to work so that we can take the other coffeemaker off the counter. But since you can't depend on it, the Keurig has to stay. I'm considering sending it back.

I read just about every review on here for this before purchasing. Totally not convinced, I ordered it anyway for my new office. I really just wanted the ability to make a pod of coffee and a whole pot and not have to buy 2 machines.It came quickly because amazon is boss. That really has nothing to do with the machine but is noteworthy.Yes- the coffee has a plastic taste. Not the worst coffee ever but not the best either. Probably fully of BPAs....sigh. Im hoping that fades with use.It took me like 6 tries to figure out why the coffee wasnt brewing. It turns out that the part that pierces the top of the K-Cup didnt go all the way through even though it looked like it did. So i poked it with a knife and stuck it back in there. Then it worked. I read about this happening...seriously Hamilton Beach, make the razor like 5 millimeters longer and take care of this problem....Other than that, it looks nice. Its going to do the job. I am thankful i chose a spot really close to Starbucks for my new office location so that i have the option for better coffee when I want it however. Shame.

I purchased this product to replace a Keurig single cup brewer that had died. I chose this model because I also need to make a full pot of coffee on occasion. If I could give this machine two separate ratings (one for the single cup side and one for the full pot side) I would rate the single cup side with one star and the full pot side as 5.Over all the machine functions as described. I've had no problems with regard to the way it operates. I haven't noticed any off flavors or plastic taste that some others have reported. My main problem is that it uses way too much coffee to brew a single cup. On the full pot side I am using about 1/2 cup of coffee to make approximately 8 cups (not a full 12 cup pot). This is about what I usually use in other drip coffee makers. However, the single cup side uses about 3 tablespoons to make a 12 oz cup of rather weak tasting coffee. This is about double what I used in the Keurig to make a decent (but not great) cup. I've tried using a finer grind, but that doesn't help much. After two weeks of experimenting I gave up brewing coffee in the single cup side and now I just use the full pot side and make my standard 8 cup pot each morning. Now I use the single cup side only to heat water for tea. I'll probably use it until it stops working, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

So So many Cons with this machine. Ok so chain of events: I buy what I think is going to be a wonderful machine for single use as well as company use. Once I get the machine I wash all the parts as stated in the directions and brew my first cup of coffee. TERRIBLE. It tasted of such strong plastic and chemicals I felt sick just after the one sip. I should have noticed the smell but I chalked that up to it being a new machine. I decided to run a few cycles of vinegar to clean the machine out and hopefully put an end to this taste. I kid you not I used the entire gallon of vinegar and the taste did not change at all. It was so strong I thought it could be harmful so I decided I was going to return it. After a bit with Amazons customer service (they are the only reason this review gets 2 stars the machine gets a fat 0) I was refunded but told to keep the machine because they didn't want it back. I decided it was a free machine now so I was going to try everything I could possibly try to get this to work. Over the course of about a month I cleaned it every single day sometimes twice a day. Needless to say I now have a French press and I will never buy another coffee machine made out of plastic after my experience with this machine.

Well, I didn't get a plastic smell but it was extremely loud when I tried to brew a kcup. It didn't brew the full amount I poured in so I had to add more, thankfully I had a larger mug. After brewing, I thought it was done, but then it started up again despite the lights being off. I also had grounds in my coffee. I was so excited but this just does not live up to my expectations.

I love the convenience of the single serve side, and having the option to do a full pot of coffee when I have guests. But the single-serve side only worked for about a year. I'm not sure what happened, but when on the single serve side, it started dumping grounds into the coffee, not pumping all the water out of the reservoir and/or only giving a partial cup of coffee. Of course, it was out of warranty by then. I still use it as a regular coffee pot, but may just go buy an inexpensive regular pot as it would take up less counter space. Definitely disappointed that it stopped working, as I loved it up until then. I would not recommend this.

I bought this primarily so I'd have the option of a full pot or a single cup at a time. It does do that, BUT it takes too many steps and too much time in order to have just one cup. I went back to my Keurig....I put the cup in, press the button, and 20 seconds later I have a fresh, hot cup of coffee. With the FlexBrew, here are the steps: Make sure there is a little water in the carafe because that plate heats while the single cup is brewing. Run water into the cup you want to use so you'll have the right amount of water in the tank. Pour into tank. Insert k-cup into cup holder and press it down flush. Push cup holder into the FlexBrew. Turn the switch to singe brew. Press down hard so that the cup gets punctured. Wait 1 1/2 minutes for coffee to brew. Wait another 30 seconds for dripping to stop. I gave it two stars mainly because it does brew a good full pot of coffee, but I don't recommend it for a single cup of coffee.

I don't like this brewer at all. You would think FlexBrew would be a Great thing. But, this doesn't reach GOOD. When you use single brew, you have to fill reservoir individually, which is a mess, dribbling all over, then the cup fills and splatters all over the machine, the counter top etc., there a beep to tell you it's done. But wait, it NOT done. It still drips for an minute, if you take your cup away when the find her beeper s off, you'll have huge mess. Another CON, the warmer plate for full pot is activated every time you use even the single brew. Which means you have to have water in the Pot at all times. Which also means, the pot sweats, so you have to clean the single brew system and the coffee pot when finished. And, when the single cup filter is finished, it drips all over after you dump the grounds, the holder is dripping on the floor, the counter, I've done more wiping up from splatters, dripping, it's a mess..I don't like this machine at all.

Tried to like the HB Coffee Brewer for a few days, it leaks coffee and does not brew properly. No matter the ground size or amount of coffee grounds- the single serve was way too weak, it runs clear and too fast. Tried it on Pod setting and tried it on the ground setting- No Difference. I thought the carafe side did a decent pot on Bold Setting, which slows the flow rate. Thank goodness for Amazon A Rated return service, I will be loyal to buying items that are high risk, mixed reviews, because Amazon backs the customer. There are a multitude of reviews, mixed, good and bad. I wanted a carafe/k-cup/single serve machine, this was the closest thing I could find for counter space. We are back to our Starbucks single serve and Keurig... If you need a coffee pot, that does all- This is not it.

The water lines are insufficient for hot water. We have only had this unit for two months when the water line came disconnected under the reservoir letting all the water run out on to the counter top and our new hardwood floor. I removed the bottom of the unit and it was obvious that the line was off. There is noway possible that I can reattach the line without a blow torch, jackhammer . I hope you get the picture.It's a piece of crap. Save your money and keep shopping. Questions? edgmon43@hotmail.com

Purchased this coffee maker and have had nothing but problems it takes forever to brew a pot of coffee the bottom leaks and the k cup will not work it gets plugged up was told to use a paper clip to unclog it no luck DO NOT BUY tried to return and Amazon sends you to a page to have tech call you no call received and still trying to figure out how to return had less than a week and it stopped working piece of junk!!!!! Was forced to give one star otherwise would not have

I thought this would be the perfect Christmas gift for my husband since he would have the choice between one cup or a whole pot of coffee. It worked fine for about a month and then it broke, now it is just collecting dust in our kitchen. I wish I would have just dished out the cash and purchased him a Keurig. I would not recommend this product. It was not good quality.

I bought this back on February 4th. The single serving side died on me last week, 1st week of April. Thankfully I bought the Canopy Protection, they promptly sent me out my refund. I had liked it up to that point, although there were a couple of occasions where it didn't work the first time I hit the brew button; but then worked on the second attempt. This time here I have no idea what happened but the single serve side just died and I could not get it to work at all. I tried to unplug it, hoping it would reset itself, I tried with the K-cup, without the K-cup, nothing. I could no longer get water to come through that side, but it still worked on the carafe side.

Second unit received while I was away from hom. The return policy states that it had to break BEFORE 1/31/15 although the unit was not even put into use until the 15th of Jan when I returned home from holiday travels. First unit was blowing water and grounds all over the place like it was clogged. I returned it no problem. Yesterday this unit no longer will brew a single at all. The pump is working but again it is like something is clogging the tubing to flow the water through and out into the cup! My daughter has had this same pot for almost 3 years with no problem at all so I THOUGHT it was going to be great! NOT! Must be seconds that are being sold and I don't care what anyone says it has to be! I will go to Hamilton Beach's website a buy through them. Man Amazon is starting to look like Walmart. Sell seconds at full price...Done!

At first I thought this was the perfect coffee maker. I received it on 11/26/14 and yes, there was a strong plastic odor but I expected it from any new maker. I ran 2 pots of water through the carafe side and 3 cups in the k-cup side. It worked fine and the coffee tasted good. Then on 11/28/14, 2 days later the K-cup side stopped working. I tried everything in the manual to no avail. I honestly only used that side 3 times and 3 times at start up just running water to clean it. Very disappointed but I'm willing to try a second one and awaiting it's arrival. Stay tuned for part II of this review.