Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Review 2024

Single-serve coffee or a full pot of coffee? Well, how about both of them from a handy coffee maker? Pretty interesting, huh?

Today, we are going to share the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Review. This is a great cutting-edge coffee maker as it has both the single serving and carafe brewing system. A button-based control panel makes it super convenient to use therefore it has become one of the top picks among coffee connoisseurs.

We will write an in-depth review of this top-notch coffee brewer; along with that, we will share how you can use it, its advantages and disadvantages, and lastly, some informative frequently asked questions that will quench your curiosity.

The FlexBrew two-way coffee maker from Hamilton Beach is an easy-to-use and functional coffee maker. Whether you need a single cup of coffee or even several cups, FlexBrew is on your way to help.

It has some cool features such as the auto-pause, visible water level, removable cup rest for placing long travel mugs, and many more. Both the single and carafe brewing side have separate water reservoirs.

You can use a K-cup or ground coffee on the single-serve side. Brewing on the carafe side needs the right amount of ground coffee. A pod holder and ground coffee basket are included with the packaging for trouble-free brewing.

Who doesn’t love advantageousness?

In the case of quality brewing output, pretty looks, and convenience while brewing this could be a great coffee maker to pick. Hence, some folks find it a great giftable option.

• With this coffee maker, you can brew both single cups of coffee and even a full pot for serving several cups of coffee at a time
• The Single-serve side is compatible with both K-cup pods and ground coffee
• The cup rest is removable, therefore, you can place a long coffee mug in that place
• The button-based control panel gives it a super convenient functionality for brewing
• You can choose the strength of the coffee just by pressing the brew strength button

Now, it’s time to look a bit closer at this coffee maker. We will mention some of the key features of this nifty coffee maker. Also, we will share how you can use it in making coffee effortlessly. So, make sure to read thoroughly in order to get a clear concept.

Two-Way Brewing

This is the primary feature of this machine. Plenty of single-serve and carafe brewing machines are available on the market. Some folks face trouble while making several cups of coffee at a time with their single-serving machine.

In that case, this handy coffee maker offers you both the carafe as well as single-brewing condition. You can control the strength of coffee regularly or boldly just by pressing the Brew Strength button.

Ease of Use

The button-based control panel makes this coffee maker super convenient to brew excellent cups of coffee. Some pressable buttons are available for doing certain activities. You can control the strength of coffee by pressing the Brew Strength button.

Likewise, a programmable button is available for brewing carafe coffee at a later time. Note that, this programmable feature is only for carafe brewing. It seems like anyone who can place ground coffee or coffee pods into the right place, he/she can brew excellent cups of coffee with the help of these buttons.

Auto Pause

This is an interesting feature of this coffee maker. If you replace the carafe from its place while brewing, the flow of coffee will stop automatically. This feature is pretty helpful when you need more than a single cup of coffee at a time, but you won’t wait until the carafe is full.

Usually, 12 cups sized thermal carafes tend to take 10-12 minutes to fill. With the help of this feature, you can serve your needed cups of coffee without letting them fill.

Separate Reservoirs

Both the single and carafe brewing sides have their own water reservoir. When you have to brew a single cup, you can add the needed amount of water to the single-serve reservoir. Though this coffee maker has two ways of brewing, you can use only one side at a time. Hence, make sure to fill the right reservoir when brewing.

Drip Tray with Storage

The cup rest is removable and can be placed in a long travel mug in that place. Inside the cup rest, you can store a ground coffee basket or pod holder. The cover of the storage is removable and can hold a little bit of drip in it.

Let’s look at some technical aspects of this machine. First off, dimensions. The FlexBrew coffee maker is 13.66 inches tall, 12.24 inches wide, and 11.42 inches deep. Definitely, It will take some valuable counter space but your coffee is more valuable than that, isn’t it?

Besides, it has a long cord that comes 24 inches in length. The carafe is made of glass which can hold up to 12 cups of coffee. Each cup means 5.5 ounces of coffee. It has a flippable lid which is pretty comfortable. A well-made handle gives it a sturdy feel.

The whole body of this coffee maker is made of plastic. However, silver and black colors altogether give it a premium look. With the single-serve side, you can brew 10 oz. of coffee with K-cup pods and 14 oz. with ground coffee.

After brewing coffee with the carafe side, the machine goes to the Keep Warm mode; meaning the warming plate keeps the carafe warm for the next 2 hours.

You have to pour the right amount of water that is needed to brew coffee. Some other coffee makers are out there that will let you add more water for later brewing. But with this machine, if you brew coffee with the single-serve side, pour a maximum of 10 ounces (for K-cup) or 14 ounces (for ground coffee) of water into the reservoir.

And of course, the button-based control panel gives a comfortable brewing environment without much effort. You can control brew strength regularly to boldly by just pressing the Brew Strength. Moreover, you can program just only the carafe side to brew at a later time. For doing that, you will find the PROG button on the control panel.

Now, it’s time to know how to use a FlexBrew coffee maker. Well, to be true, the process is pretty straightforward. Before you use it for the first time, make sure to wash the removable parts with warm soapy water. And then run a cycle with just water. In order to keep it simple, we will go through step by step.

Brewing with K-Cup

First, open the lid and pour 10 ounces of water. Now, put the K-cup in the black funnel. Close the lid and you will hear a snap sound. It’s the sound of piercing the K-cup with two needles located at the top and bottom part of the lid.

After closing the lid, press the Single button to select the single-serve side and then press the ‘Brew Now’ button. Within two and a half minutes you should get your full-bodied and hot cup of coffee.

Brewing with Ground Coffee

In order to brew with the single-serve side using ground coffee, first, open the cover and pour a maximum of 14 ounces of water into the reservoir. Now, open the lid and place the black funnel in its proper place and then add your desired amount of ground coffee to the basket.

Put the basket in the black funnel and close the lid. Press the Single button and the Single Brew icon will be displayed. To start the coffee flow, press the Brew Now button located at the top of the control panel. That way, you will get a cup of full-bodied coffee in no time. Brewing time will be somewhere between 2.5 – 3 minutes.

Carafe Brewing

Open the lid and pour the needed amount of water to brew. Now, place 8-12 cups size paper filters in the brew basket. Add your desired amount of coffee. Put the basket in the proper place and close the lid. After placing the carafe on the plate press the carafe button and you will see the carafe icon will appear on the display.

It’s time to start brewing. To do so, just press the Brew Now button, and the flow will start within a short time. For brewing 6 cups of coffee, we found it takes exactly 6.5 minutes. And that’s pretty much it of brewing with the carafe side. The machine will go into Keep Warm mode for the next two hours. After that, the machine will automatically shut off.

Pros

1. Single-cup or full-pot coffee brewing capability
2. Easy button-based control panel
3. Auto pause and serve system
4. Programmable carafe brewing system
5. Brew strength controlling feature
6. Inside the cup, the rest can be used as storage for a brew basket or pod holder
7. Removable parts are dishwasher-safe
8. Included a ground coffee basket and pod holder

Cons

1. Plastic-made body
2. Takes more time in brewing than some other coffee makers

Undoubtedly, the FlexBrew coffee maker from Hamilton Beach is a convenient option for those who are looking for quality output with flexibility. Specifically, if you are on a budget but don’t want to compromise the quality then you can pick this nifty coffee maker. Its two-way brewing system will let you brew a single cup or even a full pot.

The warming plate underneath the carafe takes the responsibility to keep the carafe warm for two hours after finishing the flow of coffee. You won’t need any separate coffee maker for a single-serve or full pot. Besides, with all the beneficial features, the FlexBrew coffee maker comes with an affordable price tag. Therefore, you don’t necessarily break the bank.

Most purchasers think that this is the best multipurpose coffee maker. Both the single-serve side and carafe brewing side work pretty well in delivering quality cups of coffee. Some people loved the programmable carafe brewing feature so that they can program the carafe side at night, and can get fresh cups of coffee in the morning.

However, some buyers mentioned the plastic body of this coffee machine, but they think that at this price point, this is a worth buying coffee maker.

FlexBrew coffee maker is made with plastic, hence, comes with a pretty affordable price tag. However, you won’t have to compromise the coffee brewing output with this coffee maker. The effortless control panel, two-way brewing system, and programmable brewing feature make it stand out and become one of the best budget coffee makers.

Carafe Cleaning

To clean the carafe side of the FlexBrew coffee maker pour 2 cups of white vinegar into the reservoir and then press the Brew Now button. Make sure the carafe is placed on the warming plate.

Now, press the Brew Now button and after passing 30 seconds press the Brew Now button again to stop the flow and let the vinegar clean. After exactly, 30 minutes press the Brew Now button again to finish the brewing cycle.

After finishing the brewing, clean the carafe and then run 2 or 3 cold water cycles through the machine. Now the carafe side is completely ready to brew coffee.

Single-Serve Side Cleaning

The cleaning process of a single-serve side is quite the same as the carafe side cleaning. Start the cleaning process by pressing the Single button. Now, add 2 cups of white vinegar into the reservoir and press the Brew Now button.

30 seconds later press the Brew Now button again to stop the brewing and vinegar will take the responsibility of cleaning. After 30 minutes press the Brew Now button again and let the coffee maker finish the brewing cycle.

Clean the mug and then run 2 to 3 cold tap water cycles before brewing coffee. Now your FlexBrew is ready to brew excellent cups of coffee.

Hope this comprehensive Hamilton Beach FlexBrew review will help you to get a clear concept about this nifty coffee maker. We have tried to keep this whole guide simple so that everyone can understand it.

If you have followed all the way through this guide you shouldn’t face any more trouble in operating, cleaning, or even understanding different aspects of this amazing budget-friendly coffee maker. After all, if you are looking for a durable and sturdier coffee maker, consider spending a bit more bucks and getting a durable material-made machine.

However, if you are on a budget and looking for good quality coffee then FlexBrew won’t let you regret purchasing it.

Happy Brewing!