Best Coffee Maker for College Students 2022 ¦ Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

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College students always stay under stress—for instance, the stress of morning class, exams, and paper writing. Nothing can beat a cup of coffee in relieving this stress and providing energy. Sometimes they can’t have this booster due to closed campus cafes and dining halls. It’s where the best coffee maker for college students becomes essential

Are you a student? Well, you might understand very well what I am saying.  So, we tried our best to help you find the best coffee maker for your college dorm. We’ve kept in mind the functionality, size, and affordability while reviewing the 10 best single cup coffee makers for college students. Let’s begin.

image of coffee cup on table- best coffee makers for college students

10 Best Coffee Makers For College Students [Reviews]

Before reviewing the best coffee makers for college students in detail, Let’s have a quick overview of all the coffee makers in this comparison chart. 

S.NOPRODUCT NAMEFEATURES
1Cuisinart Coffee Maker 12-Cup Single-Serve Brewer24 h programmability
Self-cleaning
Auto-off
12 cup coffee 
2Keurig K-Select Single Serve Coffee MakerEasy cleanup
4 brew sizes
Quiet brew technology
Large 52 oz reservoir
3Ninja Programmable Classic & Rich Brews Coffee Maker 4 brewing sizes
Large reservoirs
Temperature warming plate
Mid-brew-pause
The large and removable water reservoir
4Single-Serve Mixpresso K-Cup Coffee Machine Instant coffee maker
48 oz removable reservoir
The removable and adjustable drip tray
Powerful motor
Auto shut off after 15 minutes
5Nostalgia Retro Red Programmable Coffee MakerPause and serve feature
Keep warm feature
Auto-off function
12 cups coffee at a time
6. Bonsen Kitchen 12 Cup Programmable Stainless Steel Drip Coffee Maker Machine.Fully automatic machine
keep coffee maker clean
user-friendly design
BPA-Free Plastic & SUS 304 Stainless Steel
7Cuisinart DCC-3000 Coffee on Demand12 cups of coffee at a time
Keep warm button
24h programmability
60 oz water reservoir
Removable drip tray
8KitchenBro Single Serve Small Size Coffee Maker6-14 oz brewing size
Auto-shutdown feature
Compact size
Fast brewing
Self-cleaning option
Two-way brewing
9iMiGoo Portable Single Serve White Coffee MakerCan boil up to 17 oz water
A consistent power supply is required
Portable and Lightweight
2 types of coffee- lightly roasted coffee and dark roasted coffee
10 Mr. Coffee Steam Espresso Coffee Maker With Milk Frother4-cup coffee maker
Can make espresso, cappuccinos and lattes

1. Cuisinart Coffee Maker 12-Cup Single-Serve Brewer

The Cuisinart ss-15 watt the best coffee maker for college. It is the coffee maker that most college students love due to its high programmability. The remarkable thing about it is that you can program it 24 hours before use. For instance, if you get busy at your coffee time, it’ll remember. So, you would never miss your cup of joe at the decided time.

Another shining feature of this coffee maker is that you can also make 12 cups of coffee with it. It has Single serve coffee maker on one side and 12 cups coffee maker on the other side. So, it can be the best coffee maker for a college dorm with up to 12 students. Above all, you don’t have to worry much about the payment. You can buy it by contribution from all your dorm mates. 

Other programmable features of this exceptional coffee maker are brew size and brew strength. You can enjoy a select “bold” if you want to have a strong cup of joe. Moreover, you can customize the brew size in three sizes— the 6oz, 8oz, and 10 oz. 

You can also program it to “auto-off.” This feature allows your coffee brewers to shut down whenever it’s not in use. Besides, it’s easy to clean. So, you don’t have to save extra time for its cleaning during your busy study schedule.

Aesthetically, its silver-white colour will look fabulous in your dorm. Moreover, it comes with a glass carafe and a stainless steel handle to make it beautiful. Indeed, It is one of the best coffee maker for a college dorm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmxWe3Wlctw
Pros
  • Two in one coffee brewer
  • Auto-off feature
  • 24-hour brew start
Cons
  • Small spot to pour water into the coffee maker

2. Keurig K-Select Single Serve Coffee Maker

In Keurig vs regular coffee maker comparison, Keurig is the best. There is no alternative for durability, functionality, and quality to Keurig K- select among other Keurig models. The best thing about Keurig K-select is that you will get the filter and a water filter handle. Thus, Keurig K-select ensures a strong taste of coffee in no time. At last Keurig k is the best Keurig coffee maker for college students.

You can make coffee with 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12 oz with diverse brewing sizes. Moreover, its quiet brewing technology will ensure that there is no noise while brewing. So, you can brew your coffee in the dorm without disturbing your other fellas.

Thanks to its large water reservoir of 52 oz in size, you don’t have to run to refill it again and again. You can enjoy up to 5 cups of joe before refilling its reservoir. After the reservoir is empty, you can easily remove it to refill it. Thus Keurig aims at providing you with a hassle-free cup of coffee.

If you want to know how to use this Keurig machine, it’s button controlled. You just have to insert the K-cup, select the brew size, and leave it to the machine. The Keurig will get your coffee ready within a minute. It is one of the best coffee machines for college.

When it comes to its cleaning, it’s straightforward to clean. You can quickly drain water from the Keurig for storage. Just have to learn it effectively. As a result, The Keurig K select is the best k cup coffee maker for college.

Pros
  • Large reservoir
  • Fast brewing
  • Quiet brewing technology
Cons
  • Compatible only with K-cups

3. Ninja Programmable Classic & Rich Brews Coffee Maker 

Looking for the best coffee maker for a college dorm? Look no further! Ninja offers another best coffee maker for college students. It’s a programmable coffee maker that can make 12 cups of coffee for the dorm students. Classic and strength features are its winning features to provide you with coffee having an exceptional taste.

Thanks to its hot brewing technology, you can enjoy a boiling cup of joe. With its 24 hours programmable feature, you can set a brewing reminder a day in advance. Additionally, an adjustable warming plate will keep your coffee flavourful and fresh for up to 4 hours. 

A mid-brew-pause makes it the best of both worlds. So, if you’re in a hurry, you can press this button to have coffee before brew completion. 

With its 60 oz water reservoir, you can enjoy more cups of coffee without refilling. Best of all, you don’t have to buy the filters again and again for this coffee maker. Actually, it comes with a Gold-tone permanent coffee filter, making it the cheapest way of making coffee. This makes Ninja the best coffee maker for college dorm rooms.

Pros
  • Hot brewing technology
  • 24-hour advance brewing program
  • Mid-brew-pause for instant coffee
  • Permanent Gold-tone coffee filter
Cons
  • Bulkier than its competitors

4. Single-Serve Mixpresso K-Cup Coffee Machine 

Mixpresso is among the single-serve coffee makers that can brew at 200 degrees. It’s effortless to use. Just press a button and wait for 30 seconds to have a strong cup of coffee in your hands. So, it can be the best choice if you’re looking for the best single cup coffee maker for college. 

It’s compatible with almost all types of K-cups. So, you would not find any issue in finding a coffee cup for the machine. Moreover, you can also use a reusable coffee filter with it. Thanks to its 1420 W motor, you can get the coffee instantly after loading the K-cup.

You can clean it easily. Just wash its pods and nothing else. Another feature that makes it easy to clean is its removable reservoir. Besides, a removable drip tray will make the coffee machine compatible with other larger cups up to 7.5″. 

If you were in a hurry and forgot to shut-off the machine, it’ll also take care of it. Its auto shut-off feature will help it to shut off automatically after 15 minutes. Thus, you can also save energy with this unique machine. Hence, it is one of the best single serve coffee maker for college students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhUWzm0Obyw
Pros
  • High power motor for an instant cup of coffee
  • Compatible with all K-cups
  • Removable tray
  • Removable reservoir
Cons
  • Less durable

5. Nostalgia Retro Red Programmable Coffee Maker

If you’re exploring the best coffee maker for college students, you can pick the Nostalgia. The reasons are high programmability and ease of use. Thanks to its “delay timer” and “24-hour clock”, you can schedule your hot cup of coffee. 

Since it can make up to 12 cups of coffee, it’s the best coffee maker for the dorm students. Whenever you’re in a hurry, you can use its “pause& serve” feature to have coffee during brewing. 

Above all, it will stay protected if you forgot to shut it off. Its automatic “shut-off” feature makes it possible. Moreover, if you’re busy with some work, your coffee will stay warm for two hours. The reason is its automatic “keep warm” function. You can enjoy all these features with nostalgia retro red coffee maker, one of the best coffee machines for college.

With its anti-drip design, you can make coffee without messing your place. What are you looking for? Go and buy this excellent coffee maker to make your college life enjoyable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh-eKeDzqsk
Pros
  • The automatic warm function make coffee warm
  • Anti-drip design prevent messing
  • Highly programmable
Cons
  • A cheap plastic body makes it less durable

6. Bonsen Kitchen 12 Cup Programmable Stainless Steel Drip Coffee Maker Machine.

Bonsen coffee maker is another addition to our best coffee maker for college dorm reviews. It comes with several features that are worth every penny. 

First of all, you can select the brew strength of your choice. If you want to drink a regular coffee, pick that one. However, you can also choose strong brew-strength if you are craving that. 

Its advanced warming plate will keep the coffee warm for up to 4 hours. Don’t worry about coffee burning; these plates will never burn your coffee.  The carafe of this coffee maker is large, and you can make up to 12 cups with it. The stainless steel handle of the carafe will make the serving process easy for you. Bonsen kitchen is the best coffee maker for college dorm rooms

When it comes to usability, it’s straightforward to use. You can use the brew-pause button whenever you want. Moreover, you can easily detect the low water level in the machine with an easy-view water window. 

Pros
  • 60 oz large water reservoir
  • 24-hour advance brew scheduling
  • Advanced warm plate for keeping coffee warm
Cons
  • Little bit difficult to program

7. Cuisinart DCC-3000 Coffee on Demand

Cuisinart DCC-3000 is another coffee maker offered by Cuisinart. You can also consider it if you’re looking for the best coffee maker for a college student. It’s best to use in a dorm because of its 12 cup brewing capacity at a time. 

The best thing about it that the temperature of the coffee will stay maintained until you brew the next cup of coffee. Moreover, you can also program it 24 hours before you want coffee. Consequently, this machine will offer you a hot cup of joe when you wake up. You can buy this amazing single serve coffee maker online with swift home delivery.

Moreover, this coffee maker comes with 60 oz water reservoir. This reservoir is enough to brew the coffee for your whole day. Another unique feature you will see in this coffee maker is the light indication when it needs cleaning. So, it never allows the mineral to build up in it. 

Pros
  • Cleaning function to help you to maintain it
  • Keep warm feature to keep the coffee warm
  • Programmable feature to set brewing 24 h earlier
Cons
  • Can be expensive

8. KitchenBro Single Serve Small Size Coffee Maker

With this exceptional coffee maker by Kitchenbro, you can brew your coffee in two ways. You can enjoy either a coffee pod or a cup of coffee by switching simple buttons. 

Further, the fast brewing option allows you to make coffee within 3 minutes. Just follow a few steps, such as fill the water tank, insert the coffee pod or grounds, and hit the button to start brewing. Amazingly, you’ll get a hot brew in no time. 

The self-cleaning and auto-shutdown features make this coffee brewer shine, among others. The self-cleaning option saves your time, making it one of the best coffee makers for college students. 

You can also control the brew strength of your coffee with it. You can add water into your cup by selecting brewing size from 6oz to 14 oz. 

In the last, let’s talk about the feature that makes it the best coffee maker for a college dorm. It’s the compact size of this single-serve coffee maker. Moreover, it’s easy to carry; you can take it anywhere you want.  Thus, it offers you a delicious cup of coffee in a narrower space.

Pros
  • Compact size
  • Self-cleaning button
  • Diverse brew sizes
Cons
  • Sometime drip after brewing coffee

9. iMiGoo Portable Single Serve White Coffee Maker

The space-saving iMiGoo coffee maker can be the right choice if you want to make an instant cup of coffee. Besides coffee, you can also use it for brewing tea and boiling water. You can boil about 17 oz of water with it. And while brewing coffee, it can consume a maximum of 10 oz water.

You can automate different things in this stunning coffee maker. For instance, you’ll get the option for power adjustment, temperature control, and brewing time control. After programming your brewer properly, you can have a brew with complete extraction. The coffee from this coffee maker will be more fragrant with a better taste. 

Thanks to its portable design, you can carry it to your dorm.  Moreover, while cleaning, you don’t have to remove the filter basket. All the residual operation goes on automatically. 

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • A better taste of coffee
  • Portable and lightweight
Cons
  • Not suitable for paper percolator filter

10. Mr. Coffee Steam Espresso Coffee Maker With Milk Frother

If you are looking for the best coffee espresso combo machine, this machine by Mr. Coffee is a perfect choice. With its steam heat feature, you can enjoy rich and dark espresso. 

Moreover, you can also make cappuccinos and lattes with a frothing arm. This frothing arm allows the formation of creamy froth over your cup of joe. However, if you want to use heavy cream, don’t forget to check can you use heavy cream in coffee or not?

This machine allows you to have espresso without getting disturbed. However, you should make sure that the water reservoir is fitted properly and is complete. Besides, you can serve 4 cups of coffee with its easy to pour glass carafe. 

It has a removable drip catcher for collecting drips to provide you with a spick and span brew area. The feature of the drip catcher to be washable is another plus. 

Pros
  • Washable drip catcher
  • Relatively noise-free machine
  • Versatile 3 in 1 combo machine
Cons
  • Plastic design

Best coffee maker for College Dorm ¦ Buyer’s guide

Every student has some things in mind while buying the coffee maker for the college dorm. For instance, they want an affordable, high-performance, and durable coffee maker. Here we have enlisted some things to consider while buying the best single cup coffee maker for college. 

image of cup of coffee being filled
  • Easy to clean:

While exploring for a dorm coffee maker, make sure it’s easy to clean. So, you don’t have to save time from your tight schedule for cleaning it. The best coffee maker for a college dorm should have the following features. 

First of all, it should have a removable water reservoir and other parts. Secondly, if it has an automatic cleaning feature, it would be best. 

  • Easy to use:

A coffee maker that brews coffee just by pressing a button is the best coffee maker for college students. Such coffee makers save your precious time so that you can invest in your studies.

image of cup of coffee in hands of a women.
  • Space: 

Do you live in a dorm? Well, the first thing you must consider is the space in your dorm. Usually, the dorm has limited space. So it might be difficult for you to place and store a large coffee maker. 

In such a situation, always choose a coffee maker with a compact size that can fit your dorm. 

  • Price:

If you’re in college, you might not be rolling on money. That’s why it’s essential to buy a coffee maker for your college dorm that’s not heavy on your pocket. But, make sure the coffee maker is not of poor quality. It should be a mix of quality and performance.

image of two white cup of coffee place on a newspaper- best coffee maker for college students

FAQ’s 

  1. Should you bring a coffee maker to college?

Well, it depends on your priorities. If you’re the one who doesn’t want to spend some bucks on a coffee cup, take a coffee maker with you.

However, if you’re among those who want to save time and don’t want to wake up early, never take a coffee maker with you. 

  1. Can you have a coffee maker in my dorm room?

Well, It depends on the coffee maker you want to carry with you in the dorm room. If your coffee maker comes with a hot element, your dorm’s administration will never allow you to take it.

Normally, dorms allow you to have a coffee maker with an internal heating element in your dorm room. So, a Keurig coffee maker with an internal heating element can be the best coffee maker for college students.

  1. Which Coffee Maker is better than a Keurig?

If you don’t want to buy a Keurig coffee maker, you can look for the best espresso machine. In Nespresso Vertuoline vs. Evoluo comparison, Nespresso VertuoPlus comes with strong heating element. It makes coffee with frothy cream. It brews strong-tasting single-serve coffee within no time. Thus it can beat Keurig in functionality. 

  1. Does the college dorm have stoves to make coffee?

It usually depends on the dorm in which you’re living. For instance, if you’re living in a Self-catered dorm, you will be allowed to use an electric stove in the kitchen area. Thus, you can make coffee without a coffee maker in such dorms.

However, living in a catered college dorm means you would not be allowed to carry a stove. 

  1. How loud do single-serve coffee machines operate?
    Usually, a single-serve coffee maker does not make much noise. Still, there might be some noise that’s enough to disturb you while studying. That’s why it’s always better to buy a coffee maker that comes with inbuilt quiet brewing technology. Such coffee machines have much less noise as compared to other coffee makers.
image of white cup of coffee placed on a tray-best coffee maker for college students

Final Thoughts:

The best coffee maker for a college dorm is essential if you want to have a quick cup of coffee in the morning. I hope you find the one for your college dorm after reading this article. However, we would advise you to buy the one which is not heavy on your pocket and has a compact design.  Rest is up to you; whether you want the one with extraordinary features or the one with the standard features is Ok for you.

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