We love small and compact machines that help to produce less waste, and a 4 cup coffee maker can help you do just that. These machines are equally useful for couples, small families, singles and retirees or for those of us who are the only coffee drinkers in the family. Unless your extended family drops by without notice, then perhaps you might want to consider a bigger coffee maker.
A smaller machine can also be a helpful addition to an extensive coffee gadget arsenal, options are always good to have as not every day has to be an espresso or French press day, right?
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Our Top Picks for the Best 4 Cup Coffee Maker
A Note on Cup Size for 4 Cup Machines
When choosing a machine keep in mind that most of the small coffee makers listed as 4-cup machines will realistically produce around 2 standard modern-day cups of 10oz or 280ml with an overall machine capacity of 20oz.
To compare these sizes to coffee house cups, the Starbucks Grande size is 16 oz, the tall 12 oz and the short 8 oz. Generally, cup size for these machines is counted as 5 oz, which can confuse things a bit.
Our Picks for the Best 4 Cup Coffee Maker
1. Gevi 4-Cup Coffee Maker
- Capacity: 4-Cup / 20oz
- Machine type: Drip
Gevi’s 4-Cup Coffee maker easily operates with a single touch. It will pause automatically if you grab a cup while the machine is brewing, which is super handy. With the 120 min “keep warm” function you can brew two cups and keep the second warm for two hours.
The machine has boil-dry protection so you can’t damage it if you forget to check the water level before you start – this is particularly helpful if you’re a little forgetful as the machine will turn itself off rather than overheat.
It comes with a dishwasher safe reusable filter, so no filters to buy or throw away just pop it in the dishwasher! The brew basket swings out so is easy to clean. We tend to prefer machines with reusable filters as it produces a lot less waste so help you to do your bit for the planet too.
Pros:
- Auto shut off
- Easy to clean
- Reusable filter
Cons:
- Don’t break the carafe as replacements are hard to find
2. Mr Coffee Simple Brew Coffee Maker
- Capacity: 4-Cup / 20oz
- Machine type: Drip
Make rich-tasting, expertly brewed coffee with very little effort. This machine has an auto-pause function, allowing you to interrupt the brew cycle to pour a quick cup while it’s still brewing.
The filter lifts out easily which makes cleaning and filling a pain-free task. For this model, the filter isn’t reusable but you can buy a reusable filter separately here to turn this model into a more eco-friendly machine and save on buying filters all the time.
Unfortunately, the machine does not have an auto shut off function. But you can add a smart plug to control the timings of your morning coffee quite easily. It’s nice and compact making it perfect for a small kitchen.
Pros:
- Compact size
- Brew pause function
- Super quick, doesn’t take long to brew a cup
- Reusable filter available to buy separately
Cons:
- No auto shut-off function
3. KRUPS Personal Café Grind Drip
- Capacity: 4-Cup / 20oz
- Machine type: Bean-to-Cup Drip
The KRUPS Personal Café 4 cup machine sports an integrated grinder, making it a bean-to-cup machine at an affordable price. Grinding your beans right before brewing is always the best option as it gives you the most flavour possible.
The grinder is adjustable to fine or coarse, helping you fine-tune the perfect level of extraction regardless of roast level or the origin of the beans. You can even choose regular or bold brewing to personalise your cup of coffee even more.
It comes with a permanent stainless-steel brewing basket and coffee spoon. The machine’s shut off function will keep your coffee warm for up to 30 mins, another good eco feature as it won’t waste any unnecessary electricity this way. But you’ll have to make sure you drink all of your brew before the machine shuts off.
Pros:
- Choose between pre-ground coffee or beans
- Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
- Reusable filter
Cons:
- On the noisy side
4. Bonavita 5-Cup One-Touch Coffee Maker
- Capacity: 5-Cup / 25oz
- Machine type: Drip
The Bonavita brews the perfect cup of coffee at just the right brewing temperature. It provides the right duration of saturation to ensure uniform flavour and extraction, avoiding bitterness.
This machine offers a range of features that mimic artisan pour-over brewing. If you follow the recommended instructions closely, you will be able to brew a Golden Cup Standard coffee at home. If you’d like to learn more about the Golden Cup Standard you can read more here.
Bonavita uses a wide showerhead design to evenly distribute water over the coffee grounds, which helps to extract flavour in a more uniform way. The showerhead design works really well with the flat-bottomed filter basket giving you great flavour every time.
Pros:
- Brew Colden Cup Standard Coffee at home
- Showerhead design for even extraction
- Comes with a thermal carafe
Cons:
- Replacement carafe is relatively expensive
5. Brentwood Coffee Maker
- Capacity: 4-Cup / 20oz
- Machine type: Drip
The Brentwood 4 Cup Coffee maker is compact and a great space saver. It comes with a reusable screen filter which means you don’t have to keep buying paper filters that add the ever-growing waste problem. This mighty little machine makes a good cup of coffee, comes standard with a warming plate and has a handy water level window.
The machine is super easy to clean, without much fuss. However, it’s a bit manual without any programmable features or auto shut off, but if you add a smart plug into the mix you can make it programmable. It’s a good value coffee gadget for anyone who would like an occasional cup of drip coffee.
Pros:
- Good value machine
- Easy to clean
- Reusable filter
Cons:
- No auto shut off
6. Cuisinart 4-Cup Coffeemaker
- Capacity: 4-Cup / 20oz
- Machine type: Bean-to-Cup Drip
The Cuisinart 4-Cup coffee maker comes with a stainless steel carafe, which won’t break if dropped and is crafted with a dripless pour spout and knuckle guard. We’ve had a few drip coffee makers with glass carafes and once you break the carafe you’ll usually struggle to find a replacement. So this machine is perfect if you’re on the clumsy side.
This compact machine does not compromise on features as it includes a brew-pause function allowing you to pour a cup while the machine is still brewing. It has an auto shut-off after 30 minutes making it a more eco-friendly option than some of the other machines.
Pros:
- 30-min auto shut off
- Brew pause function
- Stainless-steel carafe
Cons:
- Getting the lid off the pot is a bit tricky
7. Zojirushi Zutto 5-Cup
- Capacity: 5-Cup / 25oz
- Machine type: Drip
Technically this is a 5-cup machine, but worth mentioning as the cup sizes are relatively small in the greater scheme of things so is a good option if you drink large cups of coffee. This coffee maker features an impressive removable water tank and a charcoal water filter that will last up to 2 years under normal use. The filter helps to create better-tasting coffee, that’s for sure!
This machine uses a cone type filter housed within the carafe that is not reusable. The slightly weird design and filter position does take a bit of time to get used to. Even though it does have a keep-warm function it, unfortunately, doesn’t have an auto shut off.
Pros:
- Comes with a charcoal water filter
- Compact design
- Removable water tank
Cons:
- No auto shut-off function
8. KRUPS Simply Brew Compact Filter
- Capacity: 5-Cup / 25oz
- Machine type: Drip
This is another 5 cup machine, it’s a nifty little drip coffee maker that we featured in our best coffee maker under 50 post. It is perfect for couples or singles who don’t need to make lots of coffee and it allows you to pour your first cup of coffee while it’s still brewing the second. The pot has a no-drip spout and an automatic keep-warm function to keep your brew nice and toasty.
Krups is an expert german coffee machine maker who has been around since 1846. They have great quality products that should last for many years.
Pros:
- The small size makes it great for couples or singles
- Compact design
- Auto keep-warm function
Cons:
- No programming option
9. SAKI Turkish Coffee Maker
- Capacity: 4-Cup
- Machine type: Turkish Coffee Maker
Turkish coffee is one of the oldest coffee brewing methods. When it comes to Turkish coffee it’s not about the type of beans, but rather the ritual of preparation that counts. We wanted to include this machine as it makes a great cup of balanced coffee with a beautiful aroma and flavour.
The machine has a smart sensor that detects the heat of the water, avoiding overflows through an automatic shut down function. This means that you don’t have to wait by the machine while it brews.
If you’ve not tried Turkish coffee, it’s definitely worth the effort. Remember that you’ll need a very fine grind of coffee that resembles cocoa powder to make Turkish coffee, general espresso coffee won’t suffice.
Note that the cup sizes for this machine are specifically Turkish Coffee Cup size which is similar to an espresso.
Pros:
- Makes great Turkish Coffee
- Smart sensor to ensure perfect brewing temperature
- One-touch operation
Cons:
- On the expensive side for the functionality
Last update on 2022-07-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API