Best Coffee Makers for College Students in Dorms
The 12 best coffee makers for college dorms
Looking for the best coffee maker to take to college? This list of the best coffee makers for college students will help you find the best coffee maker for your dorm or apartment!
If you’re heading off to college, you have to decide what college essentials to take with you. Odds are, when you’re planning what you need in your dorm, a coffee maker is at the top of your list.
Coffee is an essential part of the college experience. In the morning, most college students need some caffeine to start the day.
A cup of coffee makes a great afternoon boost to get you through that last class or lab of the day.
And coffee has helped countless college students get through many late-night study sessions and early morning math classes in college!
If you’re trying to decide which is the dorm coffee maker for you, this post has all the information you need!
The best coffee machine for college for you depends on your preferences for the type of coffee you drink and how easy-to-use you want your coffee maker to be.
Here are 12 of the best coffee makers for college dorms and apartments!
Best dorm room coffee makers
What’s the best coffee maker for a college student? How do you choose from all the different coffee makers?
Here’s a list of twelve of the most popular coffee makers for dorms, to help you power through early morning classes, overnight papers, and everything in between.
1. Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker
Best Features
The Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker is a classic Keurig pod coffee maker. It offers multiple cup sizes and a strong brew button.
The hot water feature allows you to make tea, instant soup, or instant oatmeal, as well as coffee. You can even make iced coffee.
Summary
This Keurig is a great machine! The Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker has all the great features that Keurig pod coffee makers are known for, including great coffee, brewed almost instantly.
This Keurig would is the perfect coffee maker if you want to refill the water reservoir as infrequently as possible or if more than one person will be using the machine.
This is our top pick because it’s quiet, offers a variety of brew settings and sizes, and can brew into travel mugs.
2. Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee and Espresso Machine
Best Features
The Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee and Espresso Machine makes a single cup of coffee or espresso with the convenience of coffee capsules.
Nespresso offers more than 30 different coffee capsules to try. This personal coffee maker offers luxuriously good coffee at the touch of a button.
If you’re trying to decide between the best espresso machines, I think this Nespresso machine is the best espresso machine for college students.
Summary
The Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine is a fan favorite. Users of Nespresso machines swear by the quality of the espresso and the coffee. This is a very good coffee maker!
This is a great machine to buy for any college student who got addicted to espresso while studying abroad in Europe and just can’t go back to regular coffee.
(You can also purchase the Nespresso Vertuo Next with the Aeroccino milk frother. Use the Aeroccino to froth hot or cold milk of any type in seconds, for the perfect latte or cappuccino.)
3. Cuisinart 12-Cup Coffeemaker
Best Features
The Cuisinart 12-Cup Coffeemaker with a thermal carafe is a great coffee maker for any college student who wants to drink a lot of coffee or wants to make a big pot of coffee to share with friends.
Because this Cuisinart coffee maker comes with a thermal carafe, instead of a glass carafe warmed by a hotplate, the coffee maker is dorm-approved.
You can program this coffeemaker to make your coffee at a specific time. Also, your coffee with stay hot for several hours without tasting burnt.
This is the best drip coffee maker for anyone who prefers drip coffee to pod coffee or espresso.
It’s perfect if you prefer having a full carafe of coffee, so you can instantly top up your mug, pour a fresh cup of coffee, or know you’ll have enough coffee for your friends or roommates.
Summary
The Cuisinart 12-Cup Coffeemaker with a thermal carafe is great for college students who want to avoid the packaging of coffee pods and capsules in favor of ground coffee. It has a filter basket and can brew whichever types of coffee you prefer.
It’s also perfect for students who want to drink a lot of coffee and who want to share coffee with friends!
A 12- cup coffee maker means you’ll have multiple cups of coffee hot and ready when you want it. This drip machine the best choice for anyone who plans to host study groups or have the hangout room!
4. Aeropress Original Coffee and Espresso Maker
Best Features
The Aeropress Original Coffee and Espresso Maker is perfect for coffee lovers who don’t mind doing a little bit of work to get a delicious cup of coffee.
With a compact design, it’s easy to use and makes excellent coffee!
Summary
The Aeropress Original Coffee and Espresso Maker is a great choice! It’s the perfect dorm coffee maker for college students who care about coffee quality and don’t want to dedicate a large amount of counter space to a coffee maker.
It’s my top choice for students who want to make their own coffee on the go–whether that’s camping on the weekends or while studying on the quad. And it’s great for students who just want an occasional cup of coffee.
5. BLACK+DECKER Single Serve Coffeemaker
Best Features
The Black + Decker Single Serve Coffeemaker brews directly into a 16 oz. travel mug (included), so your cup of Joe is ready to grab and go.
Note that this single-serve coffee maker uses ground coffee, not pods or capsules–this will be a pro for some and a con for others!
Summary
The Black + Decker Single Serve Coffeemaker is an inexpensive choice for college students who want to coffee ready to go. It works well for students who want to use ground coffee and prefer to drink from a travel mug.
6. Hario Ceramic Pour Over Cone Coffee Maker
Best Features
The Hario Ceramic Pour Over Cone Coffee Maker is a cool way to make great coffee.
You place the Hario Ceramic Coffee Maker on top of a coffee mug, line the cone with a paper coffee filter, add coffee grounds, get the water temperature just right, then pour in hot water.
The process is a bit more labor intensive than a push-button coffee maker, but fans say the effort is worth it.
Summary
Pour over coffee is quite popular with coffee experts!
If the ritual of making coffee is important to you, you want to participate in the brewing process, or you prefer the taste of pour over coffee, the Hario Ceramic Pour Over Cone Coffee Maker is your best option.
If you want your coffee to be ready with the press of a button, this is not the coffee maker for you.
7. Keurig K-Slim Coffee Maker
Best Features
The Keurig K-Slim Single Serve Coffee Maker makes great coffee almost instantly, just like a traditional Keurig, but takes up much less space.
You can use a coffee pod or fill the K-cup coffee filter with your own freshly ground coffee beans.
Summary
The Keurig K-Slim Single Serve Coffee Maker is a great option for a dorm room because of its compact size and the fact that it can make coffee quickly. It wins points for ease of use and easy cleaning, like all Keurigs.
This is the perfect choice for the college student who just wants a great cup of coffee quickly, doesn’t have much space, and doesn’t have time to clean up coffee grounds.
If you don’t have much space, this is the best Keurig for college.
8. ESPRO French Press Coffee Maker
Best Features
The ESPRO French Press Coffee Maker is double insulated so your coffee stays hot. Because the carafe is stainless steel, it won’t shatter like glass models.
French press coffee is known for being rich and robust, and the ESPRO provides that flavorful brew without the grit and bitterness that some French presses leave behind.
There’s also an ESPRO Ultralight French Press, so you can brew your coffee in the ESPRO travel coffee mug. Both the ESPRO regular and travel coffee press are available in a variety of fun colors.
Summary
The is perfect for a college student who likes the ritual of making coffee with a French press, who can allow a few minutes for the coffee to brew, and who likes the full-bodied flavor of French press coffee.
9. Cuisinart Single serve Coffee Machine
Best Features
The Cuisinart Single Serve Coffee Machine is a fantastic coffee maker. It is fully programmable, makes coffee in various sizes, and has a 72 oz. water reservoir.
It’s perfect for roommates who both love coffee and don’t want to constantly refill the water reservoir.
Summary
I’ve had this coffee maker and loved it so much I gave it as a gift. If you want an easy way to make coffee and don’t mind dedicating a little space to the machine, the Cuisinart Single Serve Coffee Machine is a great choice. It’s especially nice if you intend to drink a lot of coffee, but it’s inconvenient to refill the water reservoir.
10. Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Machine
Best Features
The Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Machine is the ultimate machine for college students who want cappuccinos and lattes. The best feature is a built-in milk frother!
This semi-automatic machine takes a bit more effort, but once you master the steps, you’ll get coffee shop drink in the comfort of your dorm room.
Summary
For college students who love milky coffee drinks, Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Machine is a delicious option. The included milk frother is a great feature.
This Mr. Coffee coffee maker does require a little more effort and a place to store a container of milk. But if you want lattes and cappuccinos without the expense of going to a coffee shop, this machine is an excellent choice.
11. Keurig Mini Coffee Maker
Best Features
The Keurig K-Mini Plus Coffee Maker makes great coffee almost instantly, just like a traditional Keurig, but takes up much less space.
A nice feature of this mini coffee maker is that it comes in lots of bright colors. Plus it sells for a reasonable price.
Summary
The Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker is cute and adorable, but also makes good coffee quickly. This little coffee maker is efficient, portable, and a bright spot in anyone’s day!
12. Cuisinart Single Serve Coffee Maker + Coffee Grinder
Best Features
The Cuisinart Single Serve Coffee Maker + Coffee Grinder allows you to use single cup coffee pods or fresh-ground coffee beans!
Summary
The Cuisinart Single Serve Coffee Maker + Coffee Grinder is perfect for anyone who wants to use their favorite coffee beans. With the touch of a button, the built-in grinders will perfectly grind the coffee beans, before effortlessly brewing your coffee.
And, you’ll still have the option to use coffee pods.
Why buy a coffee maker for your college dorm?
Save money with a dorm coffee maker
All coffee drinkers know that buying coffee at a local coffee shop can be expensive. Coffee shop drinks can easily cost up to $6 per drink.
But making your own coffee in your dorm room costs just pennies. Investing in a coffee machine for your college dorm room is totally worth it.
Save time by making coffee in your dorm
Some mornings you won’t have time in your busy schedule to make it to your school cafeteria for breakfast or even to grab a cup of coffee. And you don’t want to wait in a long line at a coffee shop either.
Being able to make great coffee in your dorm room means you can get ready for class while your coffee brews. You’ll being able to make it to class on time and still have your caffeine.
Drink better coffee at college
The coffee you’ll find in your school dining hall may not be your cup of tea. If you want amazing coffee, you should just make it yourself.
What to look for in a coffee maker for college?
College dorms are notoriously tiny! Many colleges have rules about what types of appliances students can have in their dorm rooms.
And let’s face it—the best coffee maker for college students is one that makes coffee quickly and easily.
So here are some features to consider in a coffee maker for a college dorm:
Makes delicious coffee
The most important feature of a coffee maker for college is that it makes delicious coffee that you enjoy drinking.
Every coffee drinker has different preferences regarding their coffee, so find a machine that makes the perfect cup of coffee for you.
Small size
You will need a coffee maker with a small footprint. Dorm rooms just don’t have much room, and surface area is at a premium.
Even when you move to an off-campus apartment with friends, you still won’t have much space. You’ll appreciate having a small coffee maker for college.
No hotplate
Most colleges don’t allow students to have appliances with hotplates in their dorm rooms because hotplates are fire hazards.
But not to worry, there are plenty of alternatives to a traditional coffee pot. All the coffee makers for dorms featured in this article do not have hotplates!
Fast brew time
Coffee students have places to be and things to do, so you’ll need your coffee to be ready when you’re ready to go. Fortunately, single-serve coffee makers are almost always quick.
Single-serve option
You probably aren’t making coffee for a crowd, just for yourself. You want a coffee maker that will make a single (or, if you’re really craving caffeine, a double) serving.
Your favorite single-serve coffee maker can always make more rounds if you want to make coffee for friends too!
Easy to use
Coffee doesn’t have to be complicated. And now there are lots of easy-to-use options available.
The simplest allow you to have great coffee just by adding water, inserting a coffee pod, and pressing a button. It doesn’t get any easier.
Easy to clean
You don’t want to have to spend a lot of time cleaning your coffee maker, so look for one that’s easy to clean.
Programmable
If you get a programmable coffee maker, you can wake up to the smell of coffee.
If you want to have hot coffee ready the second you roll out of bed, you’ll need a programmable coffee machine for college.
Automatic shut off
This safety feature is important because it’s one less thing for you to have to remember to do! An automatic shut off will save energy too.
Portable
If you want to take your coffee with you across campus, you might want to brew your coffee directly into a travel coffee mug.
Or you may want a lightweight, portable coffee machine that you can take with you to a study session with friends.
Coffee accessories for college students
Want to make your dorm room coffee more fun? Add in some of these extras to up your coffee game!
Milk Frother
The Zulay Milk Frother comes in so many bright colors. Use it to whisk milk for your latte or cappuccino. It’s also handy for making matcha tea or hot chocolate!
Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler
The Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler is a really stylish travel mug.
The 20 ounce mug is 6.6 inches tall, so it’s compatible with most of the one-touch coffee makers featured in this article (as are the 12 and 16 ounce mugs).
Hydro Flasks feel good in the hand and keep drinks at the correct temperature for hours.
Stackable Coffee Mugs
This set of four stackable ceramic coffee mugs is perfect for a dorm room because it takes up almost no space. This is an easy way to upgrade your dorm coffee drinking experience.
Keurig K-cup Reusable coffee filter
Upgrade your Keurig experience by using the K-cup Universal Reusable Filter and your own ground coffee to customize your coffee experience. Having the reusable filter allows you to use coffee from local vendors and to be more environmentally conscious about your morning java.
Torani Syrups
For a delicious treat, add Torani flavored syrups to your coffee. We like this variety pack, so you can sample four flavors.
FAQs about dorm coffee makers
What coffee makers are allowed in dorms?
Most college campuses allow coffee machines in dorms. However, there is usually one key rule about which coffee makers are allowed in dorms—the coffee maker cannot have a hot plate or warmer burner.
If you think about a traditional coffee maker with a glass carafe, those are the coffee makers not allowed in college dorms.
Single serve coffee makers or espresso makers or coffee machines with an insulated thermal carafe are completely okay for college dorms. These are the best coffee makers for college students.
Should I bring a coffee maker to college?
If you drink a lot of coffee, you should definitely get a coffee machine for your college dorm.
Having a coffee maker in your dorm room save you money, because you’ll get your caffeine fix without paying coffee shop prices.
You’ll also save time because you can make your coffee while you’re getting ready in the morning and not spend a long time waiting in lines at a coffee house.
Is buying your own coffee maker for college worth it?
Absolutely! Making your own coffee can save you a lot of money over four years of college.
Whether you’re treating yourself to a fancy cold brew or a plain black coffee, regularly buying coffee from coffee shops will get expensive quickly!
Should I bring a kettle to my dorm?
If you are going to make coffee with a press or a pour over cone and need to heat the water, you should bring an electric kettle to your dorm as well.
How much coffee do I use in a coffee maker?
This depends on your personal taste. The standard is to use two tablespoons of coffee for each eight ounces (one cup) of water when making traditional drip coffee. You may prefer your coffee to be stronger or weaker.
Don’t forget to put the right coffee filter in the brew basket before adding the coffee!
If you’re using a pod coffee maker, you will use one pod for each cup of coffee.
What if I don’t like the coffee my coffeemaker makes?
First, before you give up on your coffeemaker, experiment to find a brew you do like. The flavor of your coffee depends greatly on the
- Type of roast (mild, medium, dark)
- Brand of coffee
- Freshness of the beans
- Extras (milk, syrups, etc.)
If you try a different roast level and another brand of coffee, experiment with different milks, and try some flavored syrups.
If you are using a Keurig or Nespresso machine, experiment with different pods.
Then if you still don’t like the coffee your coffeemaker makes, then try a different type of coffee maker.
Final thoughts on the best coffee makers for college students
What is the best coffee maker for a college student?
The best dorm coffee maker for you will be the one that makes coffee you love to drink!
There are many great coffee machines for college dorms that will quickly make delicious coffee to help you start you day or maintain your energy to keep going.
The best dorm room coffee maker will add a bit of joy to your day as you rush off to class or tackle late nights at the library.
Whether you want to make that first cup of coffee to start your day or a full pot of coffee to share with friends, you’ll find the best coffee maker for dorm life on this list!
Choose the best single-serve coffee maker or carafe-style coffee maker for your dorm room won’t be hard after reading this list of the best coffee makers for college!
