8 Best Dual Coffee Makers: 2 Way Coffee Brewers for More Variety

If you want a two-way coffee brewer, you need to make sure that each of its halves matches your caffeinated needs.

What is the right type of dual coffee maker for you?

Think of all the types of coffee brewers on the market and imagine the number of possible combinations that you can get when you join them! 

We’d be here for hours if we were to list all of them, but here are the most popular ones:

• Drip & single-serve dual coffee makers: one side features a large carafe for traditional pots of joe and the other gives you quicker one-cup servings;
  
  
• Drip & espresso dual coffee makers: next to the usual carafe, you’ll find an espresso machine for more concentrated shots. These two-way coffee makers can sometimes include a steaming wand to make frothy drinks;
  
  
• Drip & hot water dual coffee makers: as well as carafes of coffee, you can use a hot-water-on-demand button to make tea, instant coffee, other warm drinks, or even oatmeal and soups.

Useful considerations for the drip side

Every dual coffee maker in this list includes a drip side. Here are the differences that you’ll encounter and what to consider in order to make your choice easier:

• Paper or reusable filters: the former results in a smoother pot that’s more similar to pour-over coffee, whereas the latter lets the coffee oils into the carafe, achieving a bolder French press-style brew. Paper filters make it easier to clean your coffee maker, but you must also buy new ones every time (duh!);
  
  
• Thermal or glass carafe: stainless-steel models will keep your coffee hot for longer, whereas the hot plate of a glass carafe could lead to over-extraction after a while. If you care about your coffee but love the look of glass models, the solution is to still get one but try and drink your coffee just after brewing it;
  
  
• Do you need any additional features? Some popular options are 24h programmability, brew-pause (to let you drink the first mug before the rest of the carafe is brewed), and strength control.

K-Cups or reusable?

If you choose a dual coffee maker with a single-serve side, you also have to choose between these two options:

• K-Cups and coffee capsules are a popular choice because they’re practical and allow you to enjoy different flavors every time. However, they also contain coffee that was roasted and ground a while ago (=not as fresh and flavorful as beans), they have a bad environmental footprint since they’re not recyclable, and they consist in higher costs over time;
  
  
• Reusable capsules offer less versatility but they reward you with much fresher coffee since you’ll fill them with grounds and you can always experiment with different blends and origins. They’re also a lot kinder to the environment and will save you a lot of money in the long run (1).

“You can brew directly into your mug and have a flavorful taste of any kind of ordinary or gourmet coffee you fancy.” D. Hope, Blue & Green Tomorrow 

Not 100% sure? Some dual coffee makers let you use both, either by including a reusable filter or by being compatible with one that’s sold separately.

The Cuisinart SS-20 is probably similar to what you pictured when you first heard of dual coffee makers.

With a reliable thermal carafe on one side and a single-serve brewer on the other, it’s always guaranteed to match your coffee needs.

It also comes with a few perks, like the 24h programmability, strength control, self-clean, and even a ready alert to let you know when the coffee has been brewed.

While the drip side relies on a gold-tone filter, the other has something for everyone: it’s compatible with the best K-Cups and most coffee capsules, but it also lets you use the included reusable filter. 

Magical!

Bottom line: A versatile dual coffee maker that can match everyone’s preferences.

Practical and convenient, the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer is great value for money.

You can use paper filters to brew up to 12 cups of coffee in its glass carafe or scoop up some grounds with its included filter to enjoy a quick single-serve option.

If you have a travel mug (not included), you can fit it and brew directly into it before heading to work since the single-serve side reaches up to 14 oz.

This model is also programmable and lets you choose between regular or bold when it comes to flavors.

Discover more in our Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer review.

Bottom line: A green option for eco-conscious coffee lovers.

While this company is famous for inventing single-serve K-Cups (2), this Keurig model caters to those who could do with some carafes of joe, too.

In the coffee world, we’re often led to distinguish between people who only drink drip and those who’d never ditch espresso. However, there are also some smart coffee aficionados (like yourself?) who want to make the best of both worlds.

While having an automatic dripper and a separate espresso machine might not leave you a lot of room on your countertop, this DeLonghi model gives you both for half the space… and price!

One side features a programmable dripper with a glass carafe and a reusable filter, the other is a 15-bar espresso machine with a steaming wand for lattes and cappuccinos.

Both the basket and reservoir (with a carbon filter for purer brews) are located in the front, making it a breeze to access them even if you have low cupboards.

Bottom line: From espressos to frothy drinks and carafes of drips, you’ll enjoy the most varied coffee routine.

When it comes to quality, you can’t go wrong with a SCAA-certified brewer:

“The SCA acts as a unifying force within the specialty coffee industry and works to make coffee better by raising standards worldwide.” Specialty Coffee Association 

In fact, only the brewers that meet their specific requirements can flaunt this sought-after certification (3).

The strength of this Braun model is its impeccable consistency, especially when it comes to temperature and water flow speed thanks to its Exact Brew & Temp Sensor System.

As for customizability, you have options like the bold setting, over-ice light gold feature, and various brew sizes, whether you opt for a carafe or a pod-free single-serve cup.

Keep an eye on its freshness indicator to make sure you make the most of your brew’s flavor!

Bottom line: A dual coffee maker that puts quality first but still gives you plenty of features.