Hamilton Beach Flexbrew Review Best Dual Coffee Maker

When it comes to coffee, you don’t frequently hear the word “flexibility.” The majority of brewing instruments specialize in a single activity. Unless we’re talking about top-of-the-line machines, they rarely allow you to prepare significantly diverse coffee drinks.

The concept of flexibility is not well received in the coffee world.

best dual coffee maker

The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew (Best Dual Coffee Maker) is an exception. It is flexible because it does not require you to adopt a specific way of brewing but instead provides you with two options.

Filtered drip coffee and single-serve pods are both available in the same machine.

This opens up an entirely new world of possibilities for you. The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew uses single-serve K-cup pods, which are ideal for brewing just for you or a couple. When you need a bigger quantity of coffee or have guests around, switching to brew with the filter allows you to make up to 12 cups of coffee.

Yes, flexibility!

Both brewing processes have their own water reservoir, so they are fully distinct and work independently.

Features

When you purchase the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew, you are essentially acquiring two machines in one. With the ability to utilize either filter or pods at any time. This not only increases your flexibility in terms of cup size but also in terms of coffee selection.

There are hundreds of official and compatible K-cups available. With the ability to use ground coffee from any supermarket, the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is a machine that can handle practically every variety of coffee on the market.

How to Brew Using Pods

But how exactly does the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew work? Let’s start with the pods that are brewing.

The brewer does not need you to use one of the two ways to brew a specified cup size. You are free to utilize either. Keeping this in mind, K-cups are designed for a single cup of coffee rather than big mugs. As a result, the pod system will be most beneficial for a single cup and a single person.

For bigger volumes, you’d use the machine’s filter drip coffee setting. Brewing with a K-cup pod is as simple as it gets: push the single-serve button, lift the lid, insert a pod, and close the lid.

Your coffee will be ready in 1-2 minutes.

Convenience is the key advantage of pod-based systems. Making a good cup of coffee does not take long or needs much talent.

How to Brew Using Coffee Pot

Brewing with the filter system is a little more complex, but not impossible. Put a paper filter in the netting and fill it with your favorite ground coffee, possibly just ground for the best scent and taste.

Fill the reservoir to the desired level with coffee. To make a stronger cup of coffee, press the brew strength button. Otherwise, simply click the brew now button and let the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew do its thing.

A 24-hour timer can be used with the filter system to get freshly brewed coffee whenever you wish. Reusable filters are also provided by FlexBrew to avoid wasting too much paper.

Also, keep in mind that the carafe that comes with the machine is not thermal, but rather employs a heating plate beneath it to keep your coffee warm. If you leave the carafe on it for an extended period of time, it may overcook.

Pour the coffee into your mug and understand that it will not stay warm for hours.

Unfortunately, when using the single-serve pod system, there is no way to keep the coffee warm. That shouldn’t be a problem because the brewing equipment is designed for smaller cup sizes, so you won’t have to wait long to drink.

best dual coffee maker

Design and Build quality

A good Hamilton Beach FlexBrew review would be incomplete without mentioning the machine’s actual build quality and design. One advantage is that the machine is fairly small. This is particularly surprising given the dual brewing system and water reservoir.

It stands around 13 inches tall and 11 inches broad. It will fit practically any place a standard small kitchen appliance would. The majority of the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew’s components are easily removable.

The carafe, drip tray, brewing parts for K-cups, and water reservoirs are all detachable. When necessary, these sections can be removed and carefully cleaned. All of the pieces are also dishwasher-safe.

The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is mostly made of hard plastic. That should come as no surprise given the price at which it is being sold.

Pros and Cons

Why would you pick a Hamilton Beach FlexBrew or single-serve system over a filter system? We’ve already discussed the machine’s benefits; now let’s look at its disadvantages.

Because the two brewing systems have different water reservoirs, they may operate independently of one another. If one fails, the other will continue to function. But it’s also a disadvantage because you now have to descale two systems instead of just one.

As a result, more maintenance time is required. After all, the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is two machines in one, so it seems to reason that it would require more maintenance. Both reservoirs are simple to fill.

However, it is possible to utilize only one system to brew for an extended period of time and forget that mold or even calcification has built in the less-used reservoir.

The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew has an unexpected disadvantage in that the pod side can only brew enough for one cup at a time. The reservoirs on most other Keurig machines are larger and can brew as much water as you put in them.

Not so with the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew, which requires you to switch to the filter coffee method if you need a more flexible and larger amount of coffee.

It’s not a significant deal for most people, but it’s something to be aware of.

As with the increased maintenance time, having two machines in one means that two machines may fail. While you can use one machine while the other is down, having two brewing systems means having twice the chance of something breaking down.

Hamilton Beach Flexbrew Review

Hamilton Beach Flexbrew

best dual coffee maker Hamilton Beach Flexbrew Review
  • Brand: Hamilton Beach
  • Capacity: 12 Cups
  • Color: Black
  • Special Feature: Programmable, Permanent Filter, Automatic Shut-Off

How to Clean

It’s important to keep your Hamilton Beach FlexBrew as clean as possible to avoid failures. Regular maintenance will keep it running at peak performance all of the time.

Descaling should be done every few months, or more frequently if you have hard water. Professional descaling products are available on the market, but a simple mixture of white vinegar and warm water is very effective. 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar

This solution can be used in both the carafe and single-serving pods sides. Brew with this descaling solution again and again until it has all flowed through the machine, in both reservoirs.

So, the entire procedure must be repeated again. After that, run clean, warm water through both reservoirs to remove any remaining vinegar or descaling solution in the machine.

Don’t forget to clean the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew’s detachable pieces under hot water or in the dishwasher on a regular basis. Every month or so is ideal.

This contains the carafe, drip tray, K-cup brewing parts, and both reservoirs. Before reassembling the machine, make sure there is no soap remaining on it.

Traditional Coffee Makers vs. Pod Coffee Makers

At this point, some may be wondering why Hassel with a double brewing system in a machine.  If you usually brew filtered coffee, you’ll need double the maintenance and danger of failure.

That makes sense.

The K-cups single-serve system is not for everyone. If you typically brew large mugs of coffee, want it warm for a few hours, and want to save money by buying coffee beans yourself, pre-ground or not, the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is more than enough. Instead, a modest drip coffee machine will serve.

However, if you like to brew smaller cups of coffee without having to worry about grinding your coffee. A pod system machine is a good way to avoid buying filters and calculating how much ground coffee you need to create a coffee that exactly matches your tastes.

You will benefit from great convenience and ease of maintenance (there is no carafe or drip tray to clean). You will have consistency since your coffee will taste exactly the same every time.

With a pod system machine, it is impossible to brew coffee “wrong.” You’ll receive the exact same flavor every time you brew with the same type of K-cups.

Those looking for a simple way to brew smaller amounts of coffee without having to give up their favorite ground coffee will love the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew.

You’ll gain the ability to brew with two systems for a very reasonable price. The FlexBrew guarantees efficiency and versatility while making great coffee every time.

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