Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer Coffee Maker
Last updated: December 30, 2020
Many coffeemakers force you to choose between a full carafe or single cup, but this coffee and espresso machine gives you the best of both worlds. You can brew single-cup one day and a carafe the next, or brew a carafe and then make your own single cup, all in the same morning. You can program the carafe to brew up to 24 hours in advance, and it automatically shuts off after two hours of inactivity. During our testing, we loved the versatility of this maker and found it to be intuitive and simple to use.
We looked at the top Coffee and Espresso Machines and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Coffee and Espresso Machine you should buy.
Product Details
Key Takeaway: Whether you want a single cup or a full carafe of coffee, this coffee and espresso machine has you covered.
In our analysis of 66 expert reviews, the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer Coffee Maker placed 3rd when we looked at the top 11 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.From The Manufacturer
For all the coffee drinkers and aficionados in search of an affordable, low maintenance coffeemaker that can brew a basic or premium roast coffee in a fraction of the time and cost as the coffeehouse: Meet the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer. Voltage 110 volts. The 2-Way Brewer unit will only brew one side at a time. For a particular preference, simply switch the lever left or right. Any soft pod coffee brand, available in the coffee aisle of your local grocery store, or any loose coffee grounds can be used. The 2-Way Brewer is not compatible with the K-Cup pack.
Our Expert Consultant
Julie Chernoff
Culinary Expert
Culinary Expert
Julie Chernoff is a long-time member of Les Dames d’Escoffier (past president of the Chicago Chapter, and current co-chair of the LDEI Legacy Awards Committee), the Association of Food Journalists (AFJ) and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
Chernoff is the dining editor of Better, a lifestyle website and print magazine. Her journalism started in the test kitchens of Weight Watchers Magazine. She holds a BA in English from Yale University and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She has spent the last few decades styling, photographing, teaching, developing recipes, editing, thinking and writing about food.
Expert Reviews
What reviewers liked
Plenty of useful features. Multiple brewing options: carafe, single cup, pod.
On the carafe side of this drip coffee maker, you can either brew coffee at once or program the clock on the front as much as 24 hours in advance so you wake up to freshly made coffee in the pot.
One thing that I sure enjoy about this machine, because I am definitely not a morning person, is its drip coffee system. I can enjoy those extra minutes of sleep in the morning since I can prepare and program it well in advance (the night before).
This machine makes great tasting coffee and the options of pod, single serve ground coffee or a large carafe of coffee is a brilliant innovation.
One of the most frequently cited benefits of the Hamilton Beach Two Way Brewer is its ability to produce hot coffee. That is, comfortably hot coffee.
In a challenging test of coffee makers, we also brewed a full pot using a filter filled nearly to the top, as some consumers might. In this test, this model did not overflow.
I just love the Hamilton Beach 2-way Brewer because it’s simple, cost effective, looks good and brews great coffee.
I also liked how the single serve side of the 49980A comes with a mesh basket filter which eliminates the need for filter papers. This filter is also compatible with both coffee grounds and coffee pods. The drip tray is also adjustable to fit different cup sizes.
One of the better features on the carafe side is its automatic pause and serve. If you remove the carafe to pour yourself a cup of coffee before it finishes brewing, it will pause, so that coffee doesn’t drip out onto the heater until the carafe is returned.
Carafe design prevents spilling.
If you are looking for ways to brighten up your morning routine, then it would be a good idea to get this single serve Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker. It will serve you with a delicious coffee in a standard-size as well as in a travel size coffee mug.
If you want to sleep in for five more minutes, you can take advantage of the pre-programmable feature. Even better, our tasting panel thought coffee from this Hamilton Beach model was better than average.
It’s made out of stainless steel and much more durable than other coffee makers while also being cleaner overall.
This is one of those straight down to business coffee makers that you will appreciate. No frills, no random options, just to the business of coffee.
The Hamilton Beach 49980A single serve coffee maker is versatile. You can use it for parties where up to 12 people need a great cup of coffee, or just one. You get a glass carafe included, which is unique, and saves you a few bucks.
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There’s also a user-friendly control panel and display along with the ability to program the machine to brew up to 24 hours before. Other features include a programmable timer and auto shutoff.
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There are other nice features too. For those who like robust flavors, there’s a brew strength function for regular or bold coffee.
This coffee maker is perfect for people who intend on making smaller cups of coffee time to time.
Pouring from the carafe is a dream. So many drip coffee makers fail roundly here and you end up with a kitchen surface covered with coffee. Whatever the speed of pour, it’s spillage-free with this excellent drip coffee maker.
Can be programmed to brew coffee within 24 hours
If you are a big mug drinker, then just don’t worry, it brews up to 14 ounces in the travel mug and can adjust shorter if you want.
You will most probably fall in love with the practical functions on this coffee maker because they work like a charm. Being a two way brewer means you have the convenience of using this splendid appliance as a single serve coffee machine when you are solo. This is made possible by the single serve side water reservoir that you can take advantage of for an easy one time filling.
This Hamilton Beach coffee maker is not only highly affordable, it’s also immensely useful, thanks to the dual operation of both the full pot and thermos settings.
It also features a small, blue display screen with the time and offers a button-operated control panel. The Hamilton Beach 49980A is convenient in that it has an automatic shutoff, safely shutting down your machine even if you forget after brewing.
This machine has a programmable timer so you can sleep in and wake up to your perfect cup, as well as an auto-shutoff feature that turns off after two hours.
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It is an excellent choice as you can use this 2-way brewer as a full pot machine that brews 12 cups or choose the compact single-serve option.
This is potentially a great machine for one or two coffee drinker homes because of its convenient single-serve brewing option designed to make it easier to brew straight into a travel mug.
Soft pods remove the guesswork of getting the perfect cup of coffee. This feature has a pod holder that brews any brand of soft pod coffee, while still delivering the experience that you expect from freshly ground coffee.
The model features stainless steel sturdiness and plenty of brewing utility, the 2-Way Brewer normally multiplies as a compacted single-serve device for daily personal gratification and a packed 12-cup vessel device.
Another common feature present on the Hamilton Beach Flexbrew, the warming plate, ensures that your coffee stays hot for hours. Keep in mind, however, that coffee left out for more than hour begins to stale, decreasing in brightness and increasing in bitterness.
What reviewers didn't like
Occasional consumer complaints about durability.
Some consumers might be disappointed they cannot do a variety of things with it
Be careful not to overfill the coffee filter. The extra coffee will not add to the flavor, but it may cause leakage and also impair the specially designed flavor extraction process.
The only real downside to this machine is that the pod holder isn’t compatible with Keurig K-cups which are probably the most popular and easiest pods to get hold of. The machine is compatible with Senseo pods.
Ironically, one of the number 1 complaints about this coffee maker is that the coffee it makes it not hot enough.
The pod holder is not compatible with Keurig K-cups.
Unfortunately, the single serve side brews a weaker, colder cup of coffee than the carafe side.
Bulky, too tall for low cabinets.
Not Compatible with the K-cup pods is a major drawback itself since it’s the most used coffee pods at all homes.
Doesn’t brew at an optimal temperature for producing good-tasting coffee
Takes up a lot of space and brews coffee slowly.
Can be very slow to brew a full pot of coffe
One of the downsides to the Hamilton Beach is that it doesn’t make super strong coffee.
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Loud at the end of a cycle
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Single serving side only uses soft pods or ground coffee. You can only use one side of the machine at a time.
Like I said earlier it does not serve well when many guests are coming over but when you have a range of K-cups available with you
The power of the hot plate is questionable. If you make a full pot and intend to leave it hanging around you might be disappointed.
The carafe side has no permanent mesh filter. But you can overcome this by getting a permanent one or purchasing paper filters
Lid attached permanently so cleaning is difficult sometimes
The only conceivable downside to this machine is that it is not compatible with K-cups which are fairly popular, however it is exclusively compatible with Senseo pods
However, it’s important to note that this model can only brew one side at one time – you’ll have to switch back and forth between carafe and cup, so it’s best to fill the carafe first.
But some reviewers wish it had a permanent filter.
One thing to know: the single serve side has a permanent mesh basket but the carafe side requires that you use disposable paper filters.
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Glass carafe side does not have a reusable filter so you'll have to use paper
There is no permanent mesh filter in the carafe. You will need to purchase a permanent mesh filter compatible with Hamilton Beach 49980A.
Internal and external cleaning is done separately
Low brewing temperatures
View our Coffee and Espresso Machine buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.