The carafe side brews up to 12 cups of coffee grounds with an automatic Pause-and-Serve function so you can help yourself to a cup of coffee before the machine is done brewing. With regular grounds, and can accommodate a regular coffee cup or travel mug. Choose between regular or bold brew for either side of this two-way machine. Most of the top picks offer two or more brew strengths to accommodate different personal preferences.
Brew a pot of rich and flavorful coffee to regular or bold brew strength. The single-serve system is compatible with K-Cup® packs or ground coffee, and brews up to 14 oz. Dispense 10 cups of drip coffee into the spill-proof glass carafe, and use the 24-hour programmable timer to set the brew cycle in advance.
This is really neat – you’re not limited to a pod if you just want a single cup – and you can use your favorite grounds instead. This means that the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is essentially two separate coffee makers packaged keurig single cup drip coffee makers into a single machine, with each side independent of the other. Make either hot or cold coffee and tea using the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System. This machine actually offers two options for cold beverages.
Unlike other machines, the manufacturer doesn’t even recommend buying any special, expensive cleaner—they just recommend using white vinegar. Each brewer has its own water reservoir that’s easy to fill and features a water window, so you always know which brewer has how much water. The carafe is the perfect size for a good size family or for entertaining your favorite guests. It is easy to switch from using a pod to using your favorite ground coffee by pulling out the holder, removing the single-serve pack part, and putting the ground coffee basket in. Just like the 49980A, you can use 49980Z to brew coffee of different strengths – regular or bold. It comes with a pod holder that can brew soft pod coffee and give users an awesome sensory experience with freshly ground coffee without any messy grind.
Curiously, Hamilton Beach advises that you use less ground coffee when brewing decaf or flavored coffees. While the standard ratio is 1 tablespoon of ground coffee per cup, the recommendation is 25% less when brewing decaf or flavored coffee. The process is exactly the same for single-serve machines, but with one cup of vinegar instead of two. The FlexBrew will need you to perform both of these processes, one for each side.
It has a large, removable water reservoir so you can make multiple mugs without refilling and removing the cup rest gives room for a decent-sized travel mug. It also doubles as storage for whatever filter you’re not using, either the K-cup or reusable mesh filter . The full pot is programmable, has a digital clock, auto pause, auto shut off, and a 2-hour warm cycle. The single serve side of things lets you use K Cups, has a cup rest, and easy cleaning features.
Another important factor is the aesthetic appeal and Hamilton Beach 49980A scores good points for both. You will get digital access to reviews and ratings for over 8,500 products and services to help you make keurig single cup drip coffee makers better choices for life’s big moments and the everyday ones in between. Reflects the ability to produce weak to strong brews using controls and varying the amounts of water and the number of beverage packets.