Mark MorphewSpending three bucks for a coffee multiple times a day can quickly add up if you’re a college student, and your average student budget can vanish pretty quickly.
You don’t have to be majoring in mathematics to work out that as a student, spending that kind of money on coffee isn’t doable, not in the long run anyway.
Instead, we suggest investing in a coffee maker for college that will effortlessly brew coffee on the cheap and will last you through two or even three years of college.
Our Top Pick: Best Value
For any college student, time is often in short supply, and between running to classes and lectures, getting that much-needed caffeine fix can be a challenge.
That’s why having a coffee maker in your college dorm is a must. With a push of a button, you can grab a coffee a take it with you; no more queuing in lengthy lines at your overpriced coffee shop.
What to Look for in a Coffee Maker for College?
There are many coffee makers in the market that are great options for a dorm room brewer, but some key characteristics make some better than others.
The best coffee maker for college needs to be:
- Straightforward and cheap to use.
- Easy to clean and maintain.
- Brews enough cups for your friends.
- Makes the kind of coffee beverages that you want.
- Last through all the years you’ll be in college.
Taking these key factors into consideration, let’s take a look at some of the best coffee brewers for your college dorm that can churn out great-tasting coffee at a fraction of the cost of your campus coffee shop.
Top-Rated Coffee Makers to Take to College
The brewer needs to be simple to use, functional, and ideally be able to knock out enough coffee for not only you but your fellow students who come round for late-night study sessions.
I have done the “homework” on this for you and compiled a list of six machines that tick all of the boxes for a perfect dorm room coffee maker.
Cuisinart PerfecTemp 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
It’s tough trying to find a coffee maker that will fulfill everyone’s needs, but I think that the Cuisinart PerfecTemp will meet almost all.
The Cuisinart DCC-3200 is one of the newer models in their popular lineup of consumer coffee brewers. Even though from the outside, this coffee maker looks simple, don’t let its simple looks fool you because the DCC-3200 has some great features under the hood.
The Cuisinart PerfecTemp doesn’t come with anything out of the ordinary, and for a coffee maker that just comes in under $100 (at the time of writing), it has a great feature set.
The front LCD lets you easily control all of the brewing needs, and with full 24-hour programmability, you can set and forget the brewer and be safe in the knowledge that you’ll have piping hot coffee whenever you need it – early morning or in-between classes.
Like many of the other popular coffee makers in the market these days, the 3200 doesn’t use paper filters; instead, it utilizes a reusable filter that can be washed after use.
Similar to other Cuisinart coffee makers, you can also sneak a cup of coffee mid-brew, so if you are in a hurry, there’s no need to wait until the full brew cycle has finished.
As a college student, time is valuable, and spending 30 minutes cleaning out your coffee maker isn’t at the top of your list when allocating time to your busy schedule.
Thankfully the Cuisinart PerfecTemp has a built-in cleaning function that will even let you know when it needs to be cleaned; just press a button, and your machine is as good as new.
What We Love
- High capacity brewing.
- Hot plate with temperature control.
- Comes with both a metal filter basket and paper filters.
Take Note
- It can be challenging to fill the reservoir using the carafe.
Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
Want a fast coffee maker for your dorm room, look no further than the Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Programmable (49467).
It takes less than 10 minutes to churn out a fresh pot of coffee, and priced in the ballpark of $25 (at the time of writing), it costs less than one week’s worth of takeout coffee from your campus coffee shop!
The Hamilton Beach is super easy to use and doesn’t come packed with the bells and whistles found on the more expensive brewers.
But what it does come with are the essentials such as automatic shut-off, set and forget feature, so you are always guaranteed to wake up to a fresh pot of coffee, and an auto-pause feature so you can grab a cup of coffee mid-brew, perfect if you in a hurry.
For the money, this coffee machine is a no-brainer and a great option for any college dorm.
What We Love
- A programmable clock/timer allows you to set your morning coffee in advance.
- The auto pause function lets you pour a quick cup before the brew cycle is complete.
- Automatic 2-hour shut-off.
Take Note
- A removable plastic coffee filter can be a little difficult to put back correctly.
KitchenAid 12-Cup Glass Carafe Coffee Maker
We love the design of the KitchenAid KCM1202OB coffee maker, and it looks great sitting on any kitchen counter and takes up hardly any space making it an excellent choice for the dorm or apartment dweller.
The KitchenAid comes with almost identical features found on similarly priced coffee makers, such as programmable settings up to 24 hours in advance, different variations on strength and flavor settings, and a backlit timer.
But what makes this brewer stand out from the competition is the display on the front of the unit, which is one of the bigger ones we’ve seen. The water tank on this particular brewer can be removed, which makes it super easy to clean, and filling it with water is also a piece of cake.
A good coffee maker for a college student, the KitchenAid doesn’t confuse you with unwanted features and buzzers and timers you’ll never use; what it does do is brew a good cup of coffee efficiently as possible.
What We Love
- Modern, sleek digital LED display.
- Simple variable brew strength selector.
- Programmable brew timer with automatic shut-off functions.
Take Note
- No temperature adjustment for the hot plate – can get very hot.
Mr. Coffee Café Barista Premium Cappuccino System
You’ll be the envy of your college buddies with this coffee maker. The Mr. Coffee ECMP1000 Café Barista is like having your very own barista in your dorm room, and it can churn out espresso, cappuccino or lattes, and even a Macchiato if you’re feeling adventurous – all at a push of a button; this is all made possible with the built-in milk frother.
Unlike some of the other push-button coffee makers, Mr. Coffee ECMP1000 does require a bit more of a hands-on approach but nothing that’s overly complicated.
Fill the water tank, add your ground coffee to the portafilter and tamp your coffee, fill up the milk reservoir, and that’s basically it; the machine will automatically froth your milk and pull the perfect shot of espresso.
If you want to take your coffee with you, the cup tray is adjustable so you can fit your thermal flask and drink your coffee on the move.
The Mr. Coffee machine lets you enjoy gourmet espresso-based drinks at a fraction of the cost of expensive high street offerings.
What We Love
- 6 beverage programs (2 espresso sizes / 4 milk drinks).
- Automatic milk frother.
- Simple to use and easy to clean.
Take Note
- A lot of plastic parts and components.
Cuisinart Coffee-on-Demand 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker
The Cuisinart Coffee-on-Demand dispenses one cup of coffee at a time; it’s like having your very own canteen coffee machine, minus the money slot. When the coffee maker is ready, simply place your cup or travel mug under the reservoir, press the lever, and you’re all set.
The coffee gauge on the front of the machine shows you just how much coffee you have in the brewer and when it’s time to make some more.
Super easy to clean thanks to the clean setting that tells you when it’s time to clean your coffee maker.
From turning on the machine to filling up the entire 12-cup reservoir with freshly brewed coffee takes under 10 minutes.
With the fully programmable timer, you can literally set and forget this brewer, and you’ll always have piping hot coffee when you need it, and there’s enough to share!
What We Love
- High-capacity coffee brewing.
- It uses a unique “Coffee on Demand” technology to brew cup by cup.
- Coffee Gauge counts down the cups of coffee remaining.
Take Note
- The electrical cord is too short compared to other models.
Black+Decker Single Serve Coffee Maker with Travel Mug
This is the best coffee maker for busy college students who spend most of the day out of their dorm room and are stuck in lectures. Thanks to the travel thermos mug, which you can brew your coffee directly into, you’re guaranteed hot coffee for almost all of your morning classes.
In roughly 5-minutes you’ll have a full travel mug ready to take with you. The only trade-off with this convenience is the actual brew performance which isn’t as good as many of the larger, full-sized automatic drip machines.
Using a multi-purpose basket filter, the Black+Decker can brew coffee from freshly ground coffee and at just over a foot in height and only 7 inches wide, this is a real space saver.
What We Love
- Completey programable.
- It uses either loose, freshly ground coffee or coffee pods.
- A removable thermal coffee cup can be taken to lectures.
Take Note
- The brewing cycle can take up to 4-minutes.
When he's not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you'll find him busy doing DIY projects around the home and taking his German Shepherd for a walk, who funnily enough is called Kona!
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Since the creation of the Bean Ground coffee blog in 2014, Mark and a small circle of coffee hobbyists have rigorously tested, reviewed, and researched coffee gear. In most cases, they have purchased the items themselves with the sole intention of rating and evaluating.
In that time, they have built up a list of quality points to look for and what makes specific equipment better than others. They cut through the noise and marketing hype that often surrounds products to give you their unbiased opinions so you can make clear decisions on your next purchase.
