Hamilton Beach 2-Way Programmable Coffee Maker – Single Serve & 12-Cup Drip Machine
The Hamilton Beach 2-Way Coffee Maker offers unmatched brewing versatility, letting you brew a full pot (up to 12 cups / 1.8 liters) or a single-serve cup using your favorite ground coffee. This dual-function coffee maker is perfect for households with different coffee needs—all while saving on waste and cost by avoiding plastic pods.
- 2 Brewing Options: Brew a single cup or a full carafe (12 cups / 1.8 L) using ground coffee only.
- Eco-Conscious Design: No plastic pods required – helps reduce waste and operating cost.
- Customizable Strength: Select between regular or bold flavor profiles to match your taste.
- Programmable Functionality: Set brew time up to 24 hours in advance for wake-up-ready coffee.
- Auto Pause & Pour: Pour a cup mid-brew without drips or mess.
- Dual Water Reservoirs: Separate, easy-fill reservoirs for each brewing method with water windows for accurate filling.
Technical Specifications
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Hamilton Beach |
| Model | 49980R |
| Color | Black |
| Dimensions | 10.63 x 12.2 x 13.7 in (27 x 31 x 34.8 cm) |
| Water Capacity | 12 cups (1.8 liters) |
| Coffee Compatibility | Ground Coffee (Not compatible with K-Cup® pods) |
| Special Features | Auto Shut-Off, Timer, Permanent Filter, Programmable |
| Coffee Maker Type | Drip Coffee Machine + Single Serve |
Note: K-Cup® is a registered trademark of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. This product is not affiliated with or endorsed by Keurig.
DoorMats Verdict: A reliable and budget-friendly coffee maker with flexible brewing modes for every type of coffee lover.
Works great
My favorite coffee maker
only negative is the single serve is really slow to drop into the cup and if you don’t wait the full time it overflows in the drain. But honestly, the cup of coffee is worth the wait. I actually had someone come by and asked me what type of coffee it was because it was the best cup of coffee they’ve ever had and it was just a standard coffee.
The programmable timer worked like a charm. Coffee is hot! 🥵. Right now I would recommend. Hopefully it functions the same over time.
This coffee maker is a fantastic value for anyone who loves flexibility in their coffee routine. Highly recommend! ☕
I love the coffee pot because it doesn’t leak when you pour, and it feels sturdy enough to, possibly, survive a fall. The machine itself is also attractive and complements my kitchen counter.
This one takes a smidge longer but my coffee is hot and stronger like I like it, thanks to the "Bold" button.
So far, I cannot say enough good things about this coffee maker. I love it!
This version is slightly different with the 2 separate reservoirs. I like the fact that they are now separate. Also, you can flip over the inserts on the cup size to use either a travel mug or coffee cup. We mostly use the single serve size as my wife is the only one who drinks coffee. The carafe is nice to have when we have guests.
Our old Hamilton Beach would beep once the brewing was complete. This one does not beep. Not a deal breaker, but was nice to have that.
Overall, a good coffee maker and we obviously bought again. Probably will buy the same kind in another 10-15 years. Would definitely reccomend.
The best part? It's so versatile! You can brew a whole pot, a single cup, or even fill a travel mug. It even has a filter for the single cup side, so you can use regular coffee grounds. I've always liked the idea of those little coffee pods, but they're expensive and create so much waste. This solves that problem completely - I can make flavored coffee without brewing a whole pot!
Honestly, we couldn't be happier. It's stylish, affordable, makes great coffee, and lets you brew exactly what you need. Plus, it's lightweight and easy to fill. If you're looking for a new coffee maker, I definitely recommend checking this one out!
I started making my own coffee in an attempt to minimize waste with reducing the times I grab coffee outside (reusing same mug) and was not sure if I could get that same coffee taste I was used to. I also wanted to recreate that atmosphere with the smell and sound of coffee in the house 💕
I have been using the single cup several times per day for over a month now and I can only say "why I did not buy this coffee machine before?"...
I am very happy about that option with mesh scoop instead of pods due to the plastic waste.
I fill up my mug with water - so I get the exact measure I need - and pour it in the reservoir. The single serve brew basket has 2 markings: for 8oz and 14oz of coffee but I find them also helpful to remember how much ground coffee to use - I like it just in between the 8oz to 14oz for a large mug.
I like the automatic shutoff and I find the coffee maker very easy to clean, I just wipe it with a well wrung out microfiber cloth and that's it.
So far, I have not used the full pot. I will update if I use it or there are any other comments to add.
It's very straightforward, without complicated extra frills. Although it DOES have the option for a stronger brew, which is always a must have for me.
The single serve option works really well! Just use your coffee cup to measure how much water to add to the reservoir, scoop some grounds and brew. Easy peasy. One thing I noticed, however, is that the coffee splashes back and can make a bit of a mess when using a shorter cup. I remedied this to some extent by inverting the drip tray, so the cup sits higher, and therefore closer to where the coffee is coming out. It does not take k cups, nor is there any fancy contraption to put your grounds in. It's literally just a little mesh filter.
For the carafe side, measure how much water you need with the carafe and pour it into the reservoir. Some might prefer a removable reservoir, but I've had issues with those leaking in the past, so I'm a fan of this.
All in all, we are pleased with the simplicity of the machine and the quality of the brew. I've seen similar coffee makers at higher prices, so I think this one was definitely worth giving a try!
We love the efficiency and hassle-free nature of brewing a cup at a time. An added benefit of the single serve is no filter is needed, just the built in-screen. Multiple times daily, we'll dump the grounds, backwash the screen with water, pop in fresh grind, refill the reservoir and about 3 minutes later, a cup of coffee is ready. Oh, and at least a couple times a week the screen goes through the dishwasher on the top rack and has not deteriorated in any way.
I've seen a few reviews indicating splashing on the single serve - this is the case if you don't stack the pedestal as intended / available. Whether it's a tall mug or a short mug, you should be able to stack the base in such a way as to fit your cup and keep any splattering to a minimum.
And on the rarer occasions we need a pot of coffee - it's there and works great. Kind of a standard coffee maker experience in that regard. It does what it is supposed to in an unremarkable but very consistent manner.
I must say it's difficult to find appliances that have durability and are easy to live with day-in and day-out and continue to function as expected at this price point, but this is one of them. Even though I'll be paying probably 25% more than I paid in 2017, this is still a good value and I suppose I'll be having 2 of these units soon.
This maker can be used to brew single cups on one side or a full pot on the other side. Typically, I am the only coffee drinker in my house. Sometimes we have guests. This coffee maker allows me to serve both situations easily.
To use the single serve side, I fill the cup that I'm planning to use with the correct amount of tap water and add it to the single serve side of the maker. This is accessed from the top under a small lid that flips up. This side is designed to only hold enough water for a single serve amount of water. I don't use manufactured pods as I prefer fresh grounds but this maker apparently can handle pods too. I grind my beans or use pre-ground coffee and add that to the slide out tray on the single serve side just above the cup location. There is a metallic mesh screen that holds the grounds on the single serve side and I find that I waste less coffee than when I try to make only 1 or 2 cups in a large pot. The single serve side has a nested set of plastic circles that sits under a tall mug when not needed. These little circular risers can be un-nested and stacked to allow a shorter cup to be closer to the dripping coffee (see photos). This allows the maker to accommodate a variety of sizes of cups. The single serve side takes about 2 minutes to brew. I think the coffee tastes great and I can control the strength of the brew based upon how many grounds I add.
The full carafe side is much like any basic drip-coffee maker. There’s a small reservoir that holds enough water to brew a full pot of coffee. There’s a flip lid and a basket for coffee grounds. You can use paper filters or buy a separate metallic, re-usable mesh filter that fits inside this basket. I like these baskets as it’s less wasteful than using paper filters daily and I don’t have to remember to constantly purchase filters. I’ve used the same mesh filter for over 7 years now. It doesn’t filter as finely as paper filters do and the last sip of coffee contains a small amount of grit / sediment but this seems normal to me now. If someone doesn’t like this idea than I would warn them not to drink the last sip. It’s pretty easy to avoid.
The coffee maker has a very obvious and easy to use manual switch that selects whether you are brewing a full pot or a single serve. Only one side can be used at a time. You simply move the switch to the left or right as the illustrations show to select which side you wish to utilize.
I frequently use the timer feature. Prior to work I have one 16 oz metal travel mug filled, warm and waiting for me when I wake up in the morning.
The display is bright when you touch a button and dims to normal again after about 30 seconds so it doesn’t light up the kitchen at night like a beacon. There is a single bright green LED light that indicates that the timer is set and ready to go. Personally, I like this feature as it is an obvious acknowledgment that the timer is ready to go at the time that I programmed in. Some might find this too bright but it’s hard to imagine it being a nuisance to most people.
Other reviewers have indicated the their carafe broke instantly upon the first use. I’ve used my carafe several times without issues. I also noticed that a new pot is around $10 so if it does break down the road, I can probably replace it easily. Some said that it tastes like plastic, I haven’t experienced this. Some said that it leaks after 3 months – I’ll try to update this review later but so far so good – no leaks. Others say it takes too long to brew. I think it takes about as long to make coffee as every other coffeepot that I have owned and if you set it up the night before, you won’t have to wait for it. It can be ready for you whenever you tell it to be ready. I even read that some people were annoyed that they had to slide the coffee pot out from under a counter in order to add water to the top of the coffee maker. I once added felt pads to the bottom of a coffee maker to make this process easier. Without a dedicated water line and a commercial coffee apparatus, I’m not sure how the manufacturer would avoid this overly burdensome task. You have to add water somehow; that’s how coffee works.
I have not had any negative issues at all with this coffee maker and I’ve been using it daily for over 1 month. It’s easy to use, it’s easy to program and I like that I can make a full pot or single cup depending on my needs. I definitely recommend this unit.
This model is NOT compatible with K-cups, but since I haven't used them I don't miss that feature. There is another similar model that now also works with the K-cups, if you're looking for that.
This machine uses regular grounds - which is what I use - or also the Senseo pods on the single serve side. I love that I can use either the full pot or the single serve, and that I've finally stepped into the 21st century with a programmable coffee pot. I can't tell you how amazing it is to have coffee ready by the time you wake up! The programming feature works with either side of the pot - you just have to flip the switch to the side you want to run. (Side note: You can't run both sides at the same time.)
A couple of notes and tips about this coffee maker:
1. It does come with a reusable filter for the single-serve side, but not for the full pot side. They offer it for sale, and it does come with a couple of paper filters, but otherwise, you're on your own for filters on the full pot side. (I may purchase the reusable filter for that.) Using the reusable filter is more eco-friendly and saves a little money. (More to spend on coffee!) I just rinse it out after use and let it air dry for a few hours before popping it back into the machine and resetting it for the next morning.
2. The instructions for raising up the cup on the single serve side aren't entirely clear. There's a two-piece insert that you can flip over and stack to get your mug higher if it's a shorter coffee mug, or drop into the bottom in one piece if it's a larger mug. For extra-tall mugs, remove the inner piece and place the mug directly into the opening. I didn't understand how the riser worked and thought I was missing a piece, so hopefully someone else will benefit from my fail.
3. If you use coffee syrups like I do, you have two options for adding them to the single serve side without splashing hot liquid all over the place: a) pump the syrup into the mug directly before placing it below the drip, or b) pump syrup into a different glass and then pour it into the mug. Here again, I hope you can learn from my (painful) fail. I didn't want to leave syrup in the mug overnight to collect dust, so I pumped it into the mug after the coffee brewed - and the result was a hot, sticky mess. And not the good kind.
4. After brewing, I open the lids to the water reservoirs to let them air dry. Leaving them closed all the time can lead to mold or other ick forming on the inside.
5. It does take up a little more counter space than my old dumb coffee pot, but if you've got the space, it's worth it!
I love the "Bold" brew setting. Adds a unique flavor to my coffee. It takes a little bit longer to brew on that setting but worth it. The timer function works fine and the clock keeps its time so you don't have to worry about it changing unless it gets unplugged.
Cleaning is pretty easy. Just need some distilled white vinegar and you run it through the system and let it sit for 30 mins then rinse with a few cycles. You're supposed to do that once a month on each side. The filter baskets come out and can be hand washed. I hand wash the pot but I think its dish washer safe. The top opens up for easy access and can even be pulled apart and snapped back together. The mug it comes with is useless to me so I threw it away pretty quickly.
The single serving side does not use K-Cups. I use a paper filter I fold the right way to act like your typical drip coffee maker. I love the auto stop when removing the pot to pour a cup while the coffee is still brewing. This works by a spring and a gasket that closes when you remove the pot and opens when the pot is in place. I did however forget to put the top of the pot back on after cleaning once so this gasket was closed while it was brewing and it over flowed and grinds got everywhere. This was a pain to clean but I haven't done it again.
I'm very clumsy and have hit the pot against things and dropped it with out any cracks or chips so it's built well.
There are a few negatives but nothing that ruins the coffee maker for me, but for the review I'll go over them.
-The power cord is a little short. I think it's about 3 feet long so if you don't have an outlet near where you will put the coffee maker you'll need an extension cord.
-The mug is useless. It can easily spill and doesn't keep the coffee hot for much longer than a regular ceramic mug.
-You can't use the single serve and the pot side at the same time. Switching from one side to the other turns off the other side.
-The coffee pot is glass with a plastic brim. Fluid gets caught up on this brim so you'll never get the last little bit of coffee.
-The reusable filter on the single serving side wasn't very good. Too many grinds got through and would give a funky taste. I instead would use a regular paper filter folded the right way.
-If you are going to use a regular mug in the single serving side it splashes quite a bit. To prevent that, the base comes apart and you can stack up the pieces to raise the cup closer to the drip so there is less splash and less space for it to escape the cup. Depending on the mug it can become a scary balancing act. I try to use a tall mug instead of the balancing act when I can.
These little issues are worth it for the quality of the cup of coffee the machine brews. I would buy again whenever this finally gives out on me.