Top 6 Best On-Demand Coffee Makers (with No Carafe) Reviewed
Quick summary
 Cuisinart DCC-3000 Coffee On-Demand 12-cup Programmable Coffeemaker An excellent mid-range machine designed for the average coffee drinker.  best overall |
 Hamilton Beach BrewStation 12 Cup Coffeemaker with Removable Reservoir A brewer for the whole family that will keep drinks fresh for hours due to the in-built heater.  |
 Krups KM9008 Cup on Request Programmable Coffee Maker Stylish programmable coffee maker that keeps your coffee hot for up to 4 hours |
Everyone likes their coffee a certain way. When you go abroad, you find that entire cultures and countries have certain ways of brewing coffee.
Today, you can get any coffee you want on-demand, so logically, you should be able to have your coffee on-demand as well. That’s where on-demand coffee makers come in. They give you the ability to load up the coffee grounds in the morning and then get steaming hot coffee any time during the day with the press of a button.
In this review, we’ll look at the best no carafe coffee makers.
Let’s dive in!
What Is The Best Cup On-Demand Coffee Maker To Buy? - Our Pick
Here are our Top-6 coffee makers without carafes. After we show you the best of the best, we’ll go through the differences between on-demand and single serve machines as well as a checklist of what to consider when buying an on-demand coffee maker.
Cuisinart DCC-3000 Coffee On-Demand 12-cup Programmable Coffeemaker
- 12-cup capacity (5 oz cups)
- Double-wall coffee reservoir that keeps your coffee hot
- Removable drip tray
- Permanent basket-style filter
- BPA Free
- 3-year limited warranty
- Some customers note that the coffee reservoir is hard to clean and the machine can only truly be cleaned using a coffee machine cleaning product
The DCC-3000 is at the top of our list for a reason. It’s one of the highest-rated on Amazon and has glowing reviews across the board. This beautiful machine comes with everything you need to brew right out of the box — including a charcoal water filter, permanent coffee filter, and even paper filters if you have a particular dislike of coffee silt.
Is this the best coffee maker without carafe?
Almost. It’s almost perfect. The Cuisinart can make up to 12 cups (5 oz cups) at a time, and it keeps your coffee hot and fresh with its internal heater. Every part, including the water reservoir is removable, so you can easily take it apart to clean it.
Plus, there are awesome features like the dispenser light, which comes on when you press the coffee dispenser lever. Perfect for groggy mornings or late nights — no overspill!
This machine is fully programmable, with a max 24-hour advance brew start, a self-cleaning (descaling) feature, and auto-shutoff.
Hamilton Beach BrewStation 12 Cup Coffeemaker with Removable Reservoir – 47900
- Brew up to 12 cups of coffee
- Removable water reservoir
- Easy to clean
- 4 brew options — bold, regular, 1-4 cups and iced coffee
- Can be hard to keep clean
Another great option for on-demand coffee. The BrewStation comes in two models: one with an internal water reservoir (48464 — see #5 on our list) and one with an external, removable reservoir (47900). The model with the external reservoir is available in black and black/stainless steel.
Both models are popular and brew full-flavored coffee, much like drip coffee machines. And like the Cuisinart above, this coffee maker brews up to 12 cups of coffee and comes with an internal heater that keeps your coffee hot for up to 4 hours.
The beauty of a carafeless coffee maker is two-fold — no spillage or the possibility of breaking/shattering the carafe and most customers prefer the taste of internally heated (enclosed brewing) systems.
Hamilton Beach made sure to include programmable features, so you can set it up to brew at a certain time. There are four brewing options – bold, regular, 1-4 cups and iced coffee.
This coffee maker can also reheat your coffee if it gets too tepid. To reheat, all you have to do is press and hold the on/off button for 3 seconds.
Krups KM9008 Cup on Request Programmable Coffee Maker with Precise Warming Technology
- Precise Warming Technology keeps your coffee hot for up to 4 hours
- 12 cup capacity
- Programmable auto-brew feature that can be set for different times on weekdays and weekends
- Stylish design
- Discontinued
- Pricy
Although the Krups KM9008 is currently discontinued, we regard it as one of the best on-request coffee makers ever made.
Brew up to 12 cups of coffee and keep it nice and hot with the Krups Precise Warming Technology. Unlike other models on this list, the Krups machine shows you a countdown timer to let you know how long your coffee has been in the internal coffee reservoir. The Precise Warming Technology ensures your coffee is hot for up to 4 hours.
You can program the Krups to auto-brew at a specific time of day. And what’s great about the Krups compared to other options is the ability to set different times for weekdays and weekends.
Another excellent feature is variable dispensing. Choose from three options — large cup, small cup, or manual — and you can program the machine to dispense a certain amount of coffee.
The Krups is easy to clean because most parts are removable, including the drip tray, which has 3-levels that can be adjusted to fit any size cup or mug. Or you can remove the drip tray altogether.
BLACK+DECKER Single-Serve Coffeemaker
- Personal coffee maker
- One-button operation
- Permanent metal mesh filter
- Very affordable
- Quality of materials could be better
- Not possible to stop the brewing process once it’s started
Ok, I know what you’re thinking — this isn’t exactly an on-demand coffee maker. It does fit the coffee maker without carafe description though. We added the Black & Decker because it’s perfect for people that don’t need a 12 cup coffee machine.
It’s a super-compact, personal coffee maker that brews single-serve coffee. The maximum capacity you can brew is 16 oz. The design is sleek and ideal for a kitchen with little counter space. You get a free 16 oz travel mug, which fits most cup holders and is dishwasher safe.
Eco-friendly folks will love that this coffee maker doesn’t require paper filters — a permanent metal mesh filter keeps the grounds from getting into your cup. This is also a great feature for coffee lovers that want to experience a flavor explosion in their mouths because as we all know, paper filters do trap some of the essential oils.
Only one button to press, so no fussing around with instructions and confusing manuals. It also has an auto-shutoff feature that shuts off the coffee maker once it's done brewing.
Hamilton Beach 12-cup Coffee Maker, Programmable Brewstation Summit Dispensing Coffee Machine – 48464
- Brew up to 12 cups of coffee
- Easy to clean
- 4 brew options — bold, regular, 1-4 cups and iced coffee
- Can be hard to keep clean
- No external water reservoir, but the coffee reservoir doubles as a water reservoir
We looked at the 47900 model (#2 on our list) with the external water reservoir. This model has more or less the same features; however, the brewing process is slightly different. Since the water reservoir on this model is internal, you have to pour water in somehow.
Well, Hamilton Beach makes this as easy as possible. Once you remove the coffee filter basket, you can reach into the coffee reservoir and pull it out using a convenient handle. You can then either pour water into the machine (clearly says on the coffee maker) or use the coffee reservoir as an ad hoc water reservoir. Once you fill the 12-cup capacity water tank, you can assemble the machine again in three simple steps.
Just like the other model, this is a coffee maker without a pot. It has an internal heater and programmable functions to ensure you get your coffee hot, on-demand and on your terms.
Cuisinart DCC-2000 Coffee on-Demand 12-cup Programmable Coffee Maker, Brushed Metal
- 12-cup capacity
- Programmable auto-start and shutoff
- 1-4 cup brew setting that heats water twice
- No internal heater
- Can be clunky to use
And to round off our list of no carafe coffee makers, meet the Cuisinart DCC-2000. One of the most stylish-looking on-demand coffee makers in its price segment. While the description states it’s made of “brushed” stainless steel, it’s actually a high-quality faux stainless steel. However, it does look great sitting on the counter.
Like other similar models, this coffee machine brews a maximum of 12 cups of coffee (5 oz cups). In Cuisinart style, you get a free charcoal water filter, measuring spoon and permanent coffee filter to ensure your coffee is packed with flavor.
The DCC-2000 allows you to set up programmable features like 24-hour brew start, auto-clean and auto-shutoff. Both the coffee and water reservoirs are removable.
Like our #1 pick, this model has a coffee gauge that shows you how much coffee is left in the reservoir. And speaking of the coffee reservoir, it’s double-walled, so your coffee stays hot. But it should be noted that there’s no internal heater. To make up for it, Cuisinart included the 1-4 button for smaller pots of coffee. With this setting, the water is heated twice before brewing to keep your coffee hotter for longer.
Differences between On Demand Coffee Makers and Single Serve Coffee Makers
Let’s demystify the differences between your standard coffee on demand coffee maker and single serve coffee makers.
1. Brewing Process
On-demand: Grind up as much coffee as you want and put it into either a paper or metal mesh coffee filter. Pour in your desired amount of water to match the amount of coffee or your preferences and then pour yourself a cup, on-demand, whenever you want one.
Single serve: You put in enough coffee for a single serving (or use a coffee pod). After choosing your preferred brewing option (depending on the model), you have fresh coffee in a single serving.
2. Internal Reservoir
There are different models for both types of coffee makers. Some have internal reservoirs while others have removable (or external) reservoirs. The biggest advantage of a removable water reservoir is that you can thoroughly clean it.
3. Type of coffee
On-demand coffee makers predominantly use ground coffee. Single serve machines can accommodate either coffee pods or coffee pods and ground coffee. The difference is the amount you put in — on-demand coffee makers typically have a 12-cup capacity, which equals more coffee.
The advantage of single serve with coffee pods is you can buy a variety of pods.
Cost
On demand coffee makers are generally more expensive than single serve coffee makers. However, it depends on which brand you choose — Keurig single serve machines are fairly expensive and so are Krups on-demand machines.
Things To Consider When Buying An On Demand Coffee Maker
Of course, reviews and ratings will sway your decision more than any features will, but we think you should consider the following:
Quality of Internal Coffee Tank
The internal coffee reservoir can make or break an on-demand coffee maker. If you want your coffee to stay hot for hours, make sure the machine has an internal heater. If that’s not a concern, or you only plan on brewing a few cups at a time, you can go with a simple double-walled coffee reservoir.
Obviously, it’s a no-brainer that the coffee tank shouldn’t leak — and any reviews with leakage issues should be thoroughly read to make sure it’s a defective unit and not a common problem.
Are the coffee & water reservoir removable?
If you want to clean your coffee and water reservoir regularly, look for removable reservoirs. Internal reservoirs are notoriously difficult to clean, and if not done regularly can be a breeding ground for nasty bacteria and fungi. Also, a removable water reservoir makes it easy to brew quickly and you don’t have to go through the extra step of first pouring water into a different container.
Brewing Capacity
With the exception of the Black & Decker personal coffee maker, our list comprises machines with a 12-cup capacity. Appliance manufacturers measure coffee in 5 oz cups, so you’re really getting a 60 oz maximum capacity coffee machine.
Other Features
Many coffee on demand coffee makers have additional features like programmable functions (auto-start, shutoff, clean, etc.). If you don’t want to fiddle with measurements, look for a machine with different brewing options for stronger or lighter brews.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned with coffeelikeapro!
FAQ
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How to clean Cuisinart On Demand Coffee Maker?
Ideally, refer to your model’s user manual. If your Cuisinart On Demand Coffee Maker has a self-clean button, you can clean it by filling the reservoir with a mixture of ⅓ white vinegar and ⅔ water. Press the clean button and wait for the machine to run through the self-cleaning cycle.
Renat Mamatkazin
Founder and owner of Lion Coffee and 3ChampsRoastery, 1st place winner of Ukrainian Barista Championship 2017. Interested in travelling, football and Formula-1 (besides coffee, of course).