During the Cold War, secrecy was paramount for any agent. The Soviet KGB famously took it to the extreme with a plethora of gadgets just like spy bolts built to disguise their intentions and deceive their enemies. Why should your EDC kit be any different? With Shomer-Tec’s Spy Bolt, it doesn’t have to. The hollow bolt is based on “dead drop” bolts used by Cold War KGB agents. Its head detaches to reveal a secret, waterproof stash spot.

If you carry secret messages or small but priceless valuables like precious mineral fragments or microchips storing crypto codes, the Shomer-Tec Spy bolt is the war-tested way to secure them. Add it to your home safe for a portable security option.

Spy Bolt Specs

First things first: the Spy Bolt is a substantial tool, at 3 ½ inches long and ¾ inches in diameter. Shomer-Tec builds it to be big enough to conceal a considerable payload, without being overly conspicuous. Usable space in the interior compartment measures about 2 ¾ inches long x ½ inches in diameter.

Thinking about my typical secret stash needs, that’s plenty of room to fit various organic substances such as leaves, oils, and powders. Shomer-Tec advertises it under “specialty police & military equipment,” but I’m gonna set the record straight: those are actually the people bolt’s designed to outsmart.

It’s equipped to do so with reverse threads on the bolt head for added security. The head also features an embedded O-ring to make it waterproof (critical for some sensitive materials).

Considerations for Carrying

The Shomer-Tec Spy Bolt is about the size of a lipstick. It’s a lot heavier because it’s made of steel.

One thing to consider is, if you intend it for serious clandestine work, you’ll need to somehow look the part. I don’t generally carry around large fasteners, nor do I know anyone who does so. Regarded by the right (or wrong) pair of eyes, the Spy Bolt could seem pretty conspicuous.

I’d recommend wearing a disguise; mechanic? Train engineer? Door-to-door fastener salesperson? The possibilities are endless.

Of course, you can also use the Spy Bolt for funzies, or as a decoy! What if they frisk you and open the Spy Bolt, but there’s nothing inside? Instead, maybe it’s tattooed on your retinas, stashed inside your tactical pen, or shoved up your…well. You get the picture.

Cop Covert Hardware: Purchasing

Shomer-Tec’s outstandingly unique Spy Bolt costs $27 MSRP. In our opinion, that seems like a low price for all kinds of KGB-inspired secret EDC fun.

Purchase

The new Victorinox Swiss Classic Trends Colors breaks the lauded brand’s mold — and in more ways than one. Not only has the famed Swiss Army knifer segued into the home goods department with a fresh set of affordable cutlery, but it’s also broadening its classic red-cross crimson color palette, too.

Read on for details on the surprising release from the esteemed brand that brought us the original Swiss Army knife in 1897. Developed and trusted by adventurers around the globe, this new Swiss Classic Trend Colors line brings Victorinox history, quality, and usefulness to culinary conquests.

Swiss Army Gets Cheffy & Affordable

The company takes to the kitchen this week, dropping its Swiss Classic Trend Colors line of chef knives and peelers. The fresh pastel palette “pairs Victorinox’s award-winning steel blades with soft-hued handles.” Victorinox says the marriage yields an impressive and good-looking set of dishwasher-safe essentials that “inspire confidence in hand.”

The Victorinox knife set targets a price-conscious market without sacrificing the quality and convenience baked into Victorinox’s reputation.

Victorinox Swiss Classic Trends Colors Lineup

The new Victorinox Swiss Classic Trend Colors collection offers the following carbon stainless-steel tools in light green, light orange, light red, and rose colorways:

Paring Knife Set of 3 (MSRP $18): includes three varied blades, 8-cm straight edge, 10-cm wavy edge, and 11-cm wavy edge

Paring Knife Set of 2 + Tomato and Kiwi Peeler (MSRP $18): 8-cm straight edge, 11-cm wavy-edge, and a horizontal micro-serrated peeler

Universal Peeler (MSRP $7): vertical micro-serrated blade, integrated potato eye remover

Tomato and Kiwi Peeler (MSRP $7): horizontal micro-serrated blade, integrated potato eye remover

Legendary Swiss utility, clean design, and uncompromised precision, all in the kitchen. And Victorinox branches out aesthetically with a new pastel color scheme.  Spruce up your kitchen by placing orders today at Victorinox’s site.

No one likes getting ready to head out the door only to begin a frantic search for a wallet, phone, keys, or even all three. The gear we carry every day and often need at a moment’s notice, treats us well, so shouldn’t we treat it well too? That’s the idea behind the Dango EDC Tray with DTEX pads. Instead of tossing your most essential items throughout your home or office, the tray offers a well-organized alternative to keep the items you need all in one place.

Dango EDC Tray Construction

The American-made EDC Tray is cast from a burly, solid piece of aluminum designed to keep all of your daily essentials in one place. The tray is carved out to include four different cavities to hold just about anything that will fit into your pocket, including jewelry, headphones, money clips, coins, or knives. It’s also outfitted with anti-slip rubber fittings on the bottom to protect furniture and prevent slipping. Stick-on DTEX pad inserts also provide a layer of protection between the tray and gear.

DTEX pads are water-resistant, anti-slip inserts custom fitted to the EDC Tray.

The tray is more than a simple storage option, it also includes a machined indentation underneath to hide a charging cord, and multiple stands to prop up pens, phones, or tablets if the tray is being used at a desk.

Tray Dimensions

Overall, the Dango EDC Tray is about the size of a piece of paper, 8.4 inches wide and 11 inches in length. The four cavities range in size from 7.7 x 3.6 inches to 3.5 x 2.5 inches and are able to accommodate items ranging from even larger phones and folding knives, down to watches and rings. It’s got a slim profile at three-quarters of an inch tall and weighs 2 pounds.

How Much?

The tray comes in options with or without DTEX pads included. Without the pads, it goes for $129. WIth pads included, it costs $149. Pads can be purchased separately for $25. Buying with the pads included saves $5.

Whether on a nightstand, entry table, workstation, or desk, Dango’s EDC Tray is a tough, stable platform that will keep your gear organized and look great while it’s doing it.

Caring for your headphones is key to making them last longer. If you own a high-quality pair of over-ear headphones, you are likely already aware of how crucial this care is. A proper headphone stand not only helps care for your headphones but also adds an extra bit of flair to your desk. Why keep your headphone stand basic? Let’s get funky with it. The Udrik Design Headphone Stand in Nor-Man is a unique, well-crafted headphone stand designed to look like a caricatured take on a man’s face.

This stand is a sturdy oak attached to two pieces of powder-coated steel cut to give us the silhouette of the “Nor-Man” figure. This stand will easily blend into your décor. Nor-Man is classy, funky, and adds just enough flair without getting too carried away. This stand is sturdy enough to stand with the cat perusing your desk without getting knocked over and keeps your headphones out of dusty, cramped bags or off the floor.

Our friend Nor-Man is from Estonia. Well, his creators are from Estonia. Udrik design is a design company based in Estonia that started with rope hooks that hold wet or dirty clothes without taking up a precious wall or floor space. From there, they moved to other home goods such as a mirror and headphone stands. Udrik’s mission is to create fresh yet functional products, and we think they captured this idea well in the Nor-Man headphone stand.

If you are ready to bring home a headphone stand with as much character, flare, and soul as your favorite tunes, you can purchase the Nor-Man stand via Etsy for $109. Depending on where you live,  shipping and processing can take as little as ten days or as many as 30 days. If you have questions about your order in the process, you can also reach out to Udrik directly via Etsy.

Not that you would ever cook tough steak (you aren’t that kind of person), but let’s think hypothetically. If you somehow managed to create a tough porterhouse, dry chicken breast, or gristly pork chop, you are gonna need some high-end, razor-sharp table knives to saw through those bad boys. Check out the Benchmade Table Knife Set — four American-made knives with clean lines and reliable Benchmade construction.

Benchmade Table Knife Set: Bring on the Butterfly

It’s worth noting that these knives are table knives, not kitchen knives. You shouldn’t prep meals with these bad boys — merely set the table with them.

That said, this knife set is a thing of beauty. The blades are the clip-point style with a handsome stonewash finish. Each knife is about 5 inches long and weighs just over 3 ounces. Big enough to get the job done, but not so large as to scare your dinner guests. The tang runs the entire length of the handle; three openings perforate it for balance and looks. The resin handle is textured for easy gripping, even if your hands are slippery with wing sauce.

There’s just a touch of serration towards the tip for those especially tough food items, and each blade is laser engraved with the iconic Benchmade Butterfly, so your dinner companions won’t help but notice your good taste. On top of the individual embellishments, the set comes with a red birch wood case for convenient and befitting storage.

The Price of Functionality

We’ll be honest. It’s hard to imagine dropping $600 on a set of table knives — particularly if you are truly a master of the grill (at least a few of your meat dishes should be fork-tender, shouldn’t they?). But Benchmade is renowned for the quality of their knives, and American-made craftship is still hard to beat in this product category.

Benchmade will also service and sharpen each knife for free, so you can consider this table knife set an investment that keeps its edge.

Purchase

It’s 2021, and your grandma needs her canna-cookies. Her chronic arthritis is getting worse with the colder months, and your anxiety is through the roof. I can picture the scene: fans on full blast, windows thrown open, the most heavily scented candles you can find to mask the scent of your canna-butter prepping on the stove, and eventually, the smell of your coveted cookies throughout your apartment building — anxiety about the smell teetering between manageable or throwing in the towel. And you repeat this…every time grandma needs her cookies. Makers of the LĒVO II automatic infuser think it’s time to give yourself a break.

Why an Automatic Infuser?

With an automatic infuser, the skittish college-esque scenes never need to unfold again. The LĒVO II streamlines infusing — not just for canna-crazies, but for cocktail connoisseurs, adventurous foodies, and candle or cosmetic DIYers.

Among the aroma disbursement technology, personalizable settings, the LĒVO app, and other features, you’ll be able to control your infusions fully, so Grandma’s cookies don’t end up sending her to the moon.

How Do You Make Cookies?

LĒVO II infuser is simple to use. Turn on and pack your herbs into the herb pod. The LĒVO II’s herb pod is double the pod’s size in the LĒVO I — double the herbs, double the flavor. Slide the pod into the top of the LĒVO II, dry and activate the ingredients to optimize your infusion, set the time and temperature, and start the infusion process.

With three different settings — dry, activate, and infuse — and programmable temperatures and times, the LĒVO II allows you to experiment with your experiments and then save settings for consistency and repeat recipes. The LĒVO app connects to the unit so you can monitor your infusions throughout the process.

Icing On the Cookie

Adding icing to this already delicious cookie are the features that have nothing to do with the infusions. Clean up in a snap with the automatic infuser’s all dish-washer safe components!

The 19-ounce reservoir is slanted and coated in ceramic. The slanted reservoir dispenses every last drop of your infusion, and the ceramic coating ensures your rosemary-infused olive oil tastes like rosemary olive oil and not rosemary-canna-olive oil-butter.

With the aroma disbursement feature, you’ll enjoy the smell of the wild orange candle you made last week instead of your mother finding out you’re making Grandma cookies again.

Buying the LĒVO II Automatic Infuser

The LĒVO II automatic infuser is about the size of a Mr. Coffee Maker, measuring 14 x 8 x 7 inches, and easily stores in the corner of a counter or a cupboard. It is available in five colorways: Jet Black, Robin Blue, Cayenne Red, Alpine White, and Meyer Yellow.

A LĒVO II purchase includes a 3-year warranty and a 100-day risk-free trial. So, there’s no harm in trying out different methods on Grandma’s cookie recipe. Just make sure she doesn’t find out until after her cookie has settled. Old traditions die hard, you know?

The LĒVO II herbal infuser is $249. That’s some solid coin if you’re just fiddling around with infusions, but for kitchen fanatics, DIY beauticians, a those with a penchant for holistic medicine, the LĒVO II is a gift that consistently gives back.

Purchase

If you’re the type of sleeper who likes to stay cool throughout the night, you know that finding a supportive mattress that also gets the temp just right is a struggle. The Gravity Ice Hybrid Mattress is a foam and coil hybrid mattress with a gel cooling layer that keeps you comfortable all night long.

Let’s dig in and see why this mattress is king — or queen.

What is a Hybrid Mattress?

A hybrid mattress combines technology from coil mattresses and foam mattresses. When these two elements are in the same mattress, you get more airflow throughout, which keeps it cooler than the average foam mattress and imbues it with more support than the average coil mattress.

Foam mattresses begin to sag over time, and while they may be comfortable at first, they lack ample support for your spine and hips. Many people like hybrid mattresses for their pain relief as well as the combination of comfort and support.

Why the Gravity Ice Hybrid Mattress?

The Gravity Ice Hybrid mattress not only has cooling features because of its blended foam and coil design; it has an extra gel cooling layer for even more temperature regulation. If you’ve got a busy bed laden with kids or pets, the temperature of your bed will rise quickly. And you know how important keeping cool in that cuddle puddle can be.

The mattress is available in full ($1250), queen ($1450), and king ($1750) — pricetags that are on the lower end of the hybrid mattress spectrum. Each purchase comes complete with a 100-day return policy and a 10-year warranty.

Are you ready for a cool and comfortable night’s sleep on your new Gravity Ice Hybrid Mattress? If so, you can roll on over to the Gravity website. Alternatively, find a local retailer via Gravity’s store locator page or visit any one of Bloomingdale’s stores across the USA and Canada to give it a socially-distanced pat before you decide to bring it home.

Purchase

On NASA’s International Space Station, astronauts have a gas problem. Before you break out the fart jokes, though, we should explain that it’s a natural gas problem — specifically, ethylene gas, which emits from fresh-cut produce. Too much ethylene creates premature ripening and rot, among other issues. This problem created an incredible solution: an FDA-medical-grade air purifier that removes more mold spores, viruses, bacteria, and VOCs (or volatile organic compounds) than even HEPA filters. Enter in the Airocide air purifier, just in time for winter during a global health crisis.

The brainchild of NASA’s problem uses a filter-less system to weed out harmful particles and airborne illnesses. Trusted by everyone from hospitals to wineries to keep bad things out of the air, you can trust any Airocide filter to help you breathe the cleanest, healthiest air possible. You don’t win an Edison Gold Award without earning that spot on the podium.

Airocide Purifier = NASA Technology

Each Airocide air purifier uses a fan that draws the air from your home into the unit. The fan pulls the air across catalyst-coated, hollow glass tubes. The catalyst coating produces photocatalytic oxidation, cleaning your air on contact. This process doesn’t produce strange byproducts, is super efficient, and utilizes the exact process NASA uses on the International Space Station. These air purifiers run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to keep your clean air circulating.

Airocide air purifiers are used in health care facilities worldwide and are becoming increasingly popular as coronavirus concerns continue into the winter months. Place one in your home, office, or classroom to feel more confident about your air quality. These air purifiers are even used in wineries to mitigate mold growth on and in the wine barrels, preserving the correct flavors while eliminating the detrimental ones.

APS-200 – $899

The baseline model will still run you a pretty penny, but we’d say it’s worth every one. Airocide rids the air of close to 100% of harmful pathogens, including allergy triggers and harmful gasses from cleaning products, paint, and even air fresheners. No filter needed for this space-age technology, but it’s quiet enough to not disturb your daily routine.

APS-200 PM 2.5 – $1049

If you experience wildfire smoke or urban pollution, then this upgraded air purifier is for you. In addition to the Airocide PCO catalyst that already eliminates bacteria, viruses, mold, and more, this model uses two advanced filters in the cartridge to eliminate particulates (called PM 2.5 and PM 10), smoke, dust, and dander from your air. The cartridge lasts for about 1 year, but the warranty lasts for 2 years. The APS-200 PM 2.5 is one of the most popular products from Airocide, thanks to its supreme environmental filtration system.

APS-1000 – $1499

For larger, open spaces, the APS-1000 conquers all. It uses a powerful filter to remove airborne particulates yet still takes care of even the smallest harmful particles. You can wall-mount the unit to save floor space and keep it discreet. The filter must be replaced every 3 months, and the lamps replaced once a year. This product carries a 2-year warranty, as well as an unconditional 60-day money-back guarantee.

Purchase

The word ‘levitation’ often conjures images of witches and wizards…maybe even exorcisms. However, magic isn’t the only way to make levitation happen! Opposing magnets can make items levitate as well — it’s aptly called magnetic levitation (or maglev). Today, we’re sharing a maglev gadget called the Volta Lightbulb with you.

It’s an exciting blend of science and contemporary design. Utilizing magnets, Volta creates an electromagnetic field that causes an LED shatter-proof lightbulb to levitate and spin above a wooden base. Volta makes an excellent gift; it is a beautiful adornment for your home office desk, office space, or home. It also provides warm and inviting light in whatever area it occupies.

Volta’s Design

Volta’s design is a blend of elegance and practicality. LED lights in the bulb itself will help keep electricity costs down — this device won’t skyrocket your electric bill.

The bulb is reinforced, durable, and shatter-proof, and it protects contact wires that are ten times stronger than that of a regular lightbulb.

Opposing magnets housed in the dark wooden base make the bulb float in midair and cause it to spin, putting on a mesmerizing show for any viewer.

Let’s Get Started

First, you’ll need to plug Volta into an outlet. A simple tap on the button in the corner of the wooden base turns it on. To get started, hold the lightbulb about an inch above the base until it feels balanced, then slowly release your grip.

It may take a few tries before you master the technique and maglev science takes over. But once it does, it’ll be the perfect distraction during boring phone meetings or a great way to procrastinate that dreaded report.

If you’ve got the ideal home for Volta, you can pick up yours for $99 (a massive discount off the regular MSRP of $349) via the Floately website. Reviewers rave about what a fun and unique housewarming gift this is. There’s bound to be someone on your list who’d love Volta — even if that person is you!

Purchase

I pulled more than a few all-nighters in school fueled by Keurig coffee. The small single-serve blue unit surrounded by mugs and loose k-cups sat on my desk, always available, easy to fill and maintain. It did the trick. I passed.

My Keurig was the epitome of my diet, similar to Top Ramen: just add water. Also like Top Ramen, the poster-child for pre-packaged noodles, Keurig is synonymous with single-serve coffee brewers. But there are alternatives to Keurig coffee makers and Keurig-like machines that offer the same features with a similar price tag, if not less.

People have been sniffing around for the best Keurig alternatives for a minute now. If you’ve been looking for a way out of your Keurig and need a change in your morning routine, stay tuned for the 10 Best Keurig Alternatives.

The Best Keurig Alternative

Cuisinart SS-10P1 Premium Single-Serve Coffeemaker

The popular Keurig alternative Cuisinart SS-20P1 Premium Single-Serve Coffeemaker takes our best choice as an alternative to Keurig coffee makers. The BPA-free plastic, silver and black coffee maker not only looks great in any kitchen but expedites making coffee and cleaning it up. The Cuisinart SS-10P1 features a removable drip tray and a thorough rinse cycle for a quick clean up between every cup.

A 72oz water reservoir is enough for the whole family in the mornings, and with five different settings ranging from 4oz to 12oz, each family member gets what they want. Use the LCD control panel to control the auto on/off and the brew temperature and size. It comes with a reusable HomeBarista filter cup for your favorite coffee and fits regular K-cups, so you don’t need to toss your K-cups when replacing your coffee machine.

Breville-Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine

For a retro-looking machine with modern tech, the Breville-Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine. It reminds one of an old milkshake machine you’d see in Grease. But, instead of dessert, it’s breakfast. The machine has five different brewing sizes, from espresso or double-shot to a tall cup of joe. Each Nespresso capsule has a barcode around the capsule’s rim, and the machine reads the barcode for parameters on temperature, brew size, pressure. All you need to do is push go.

The patented centrifugal extraction process used in the Vertuo creates the perfect crema for a quick pick-me-up espresso. With only a 15-20 second pre-heating, you’ll be back to work in no time. As your sipping your morning brew, the Vertuo will automatically discard the k-cup alternative capsule into the waste storage. It’ll fit up to 13 larger recyclable capsules.

Hamilton Beach Scoop Single Serve Coffee Maker

Smaller households will love the Hamilton Beach Scoop Single-Serve Coffeemaker. It’s compact, easy to use, and users can choose their own coffee beans. Pick your favorite, or try something new! The reusable 2-in-1 scoop filter makes it quick and easy to get started on your morning medicine. The Scoop Coffee Maker comes with two filter scoops labeled with measurement lines.

The maximum brew size is 14oz, and the machine fits travel coffee mugs up to 8-inches in height. The L-shaped platform raises when brewing 8oz into a cute mug to avoid splashing on the counter. Two settings, bold and regular, will control the strength of your coffee, depending on how you like it. The automatic shutoff will kick in after a short two and a half minute brew time. A medium grind coffee is recommended, and avoid overfilling the scoop unless you’re looking for a messy cleanup.

BLACK+DECKER Single-Serve Coffeemaker

The Black and Decker Single-Serve Coffeemaker is ideal for on-the-go lifestyles. The quick one-stop-shop for your morning commute coffee. With the included 16oz travel coffee mug, you’re all set for work! It’s not exactly versatile, but it serves its desired purpose well as a cheap Keurig alternative.

Use your favorite coffee and brew 16oz of heaven directly into the travel mug. The heated water is precisely the right temperature for a flavorful brew. Automatic shutoff and the easy-to-clean reusable mesh filter will have you out of the door in record time.

Mixpresso Single Cup Coffee Maker

Studio dwellers, workaholics, students, listen up. The Mixpresso Single Cup Coffee Maker is efficient while living solo in smaller places. Use compatible K-cups and reusable mesh k-cups with your own coffee in the Mixpresso. Easy cleanup consists of rinsing the reusable cup or tossing the used capsule and refilling the water tank for next time.

This coffee maker has a programmable brew size ranging from 4oz to 10oz, a less than one minute brew time, and an automatic shutoff function. A reusable water filter sits above the coffee basket in the brew chamber for great tasting coffee.

Mueller Ultimate Single Serve Coffee Maker

Another practical option for compact spaces is the Mueller Ultimate Single-Serve Coffee Maker, although the 4-inch mug clearance won’t do for travel mugs. The Mueller option is those who live alone and work from home. Use in a bigger household would work, but with the waste from k-cups, investing in a batch brew machine is something to consider.

The maximum brew size is 10oz and will take about 3 minutes. While you wait is a perfect time for a morning stretch or quick clean up around the kitchen. A simple process of choosing any flavor, literally as the Mueller Ultimate Single-Serve Coffee Maker is compatible with any 1.0 and 2.0 capsules. Then pushing go and waiting, the cleanup should be simple as well. Pop-out the used capsule, discard and wipe the removable drip tray to finish.

Our guide to the best coffee percolators offers more top-quality products for coffee lovers. Check them out.

CHULUX Single Serve Coffee Maker

Give your kitchen a pop of color with the CHULUX Single Serve Coffee Maker. Available in five bright colors, this small coffee maker packs a serious punch. This single-serve coffee maker brews coffee from all 1.0 and 2.0 capsules in five to twelve ounces, depending on how much water users put into the brewer.

The one-button operation and absence of clean up offer quick solutions for mid-day drowsiness without skipping a beat. In three minutes, hot coffee awaits along with afternoon WFH meetings and assignments. And the auto-shutoff means you can work while you wait.

THLAND Single Serve K Cup Coffee Maker

If you need a machine with a high clearance or narrower base, take a look at the THLAND Single-Serve K Cup Coffee Maker. It uses most coffee capsules and reusable k-cup capsules if you’d like to reduce waste. Users can also use the included reusable mesh filter for loose ground from their favorite local coffee roasters. Two buttons on the side, k-cup or ground coffee, determine how the brew proceeds.

The THLAND brews servings from 6oz to 14oz determined by the amount of water dispensed into the water tank that sits behind the brew basket. If you push the two brew buttons simultaneously, it starts a self-cleaning process for hassle-free upkeep.

Take a look at these excellent cold brew coffee makers from our list, as well, and pick the one for your home.

Chefman Instabrew Single Serve Coffee Maker

With a 7.6-inch clearance, the Chefman Instabrew Single-Serve Coffee Maker is perfect if you’re consistently on the go. Brewing into travel mugs and your favorite ceramic mug, whether it’s Sunday morning or Monday morning, the Chefman fits the needs of a simple lifestyle. It fits into any modern kitchen with a slim black and stainless steel design.

This cheap Keurig alternative screams for a place in a couple’s household where two 14oz (max) cups of coffee are enough and easy cleanup is necessary. The brewer instantly reboils. Just replace the k-cup or coffee capsule, and it is ready to go round two right after brewing your wife’s cup, so you’re not playing catch-up while the kids come down for breakfast.

Casara Single Serve Coffee Maker

The Casara Single Serve Coffee Maker is a top Keurig alternative, especially if you’re not into the plastic coffee capsules needed to brew with them. A reusable mesh filter with 8oz, 10oz, and 14oz measurements for the amount of coffee keeps your brews consistent and precise. A quick rinse in the sink and the filter is ready for the next cup.

The coffee basket measurements match the options for the water tank and brew sizes. Use the programmable 24-hr timer on the LCD to wake up to coffee wafting through your nose and automatic shutoff. Roll out of bed to hot coffee. The included 14oz double-walled stainless steel travel mug will keep it hot until you’re down for breakfast.

You may also be interested in these top coffee grinders from our list. Don’t miss them.

Features to Look for in Keurig Alternatives

In coffee makers similar to a Keurig, you’ll find similar features. It makes you wonder why there are so many variations of the Keurig-like machines. Read the following features to look for in Keurig alternatives. It’ll get the ball rolling on what you need in your household or office. Aspects you didn’t think of or angles not yet explored.

Size – When considering your single-serve Keurig alternative, think about size, not only as of the brew size but also counter space and the mugs or travel mugs you’d like to brew into directly. Suppose you live in a smaller apartment or studio or are looking for a Keurig alternative for office space. In that case, the dimensions and size should reflect what counter space is available or if you’re planning on putting it in a cupboard, ensuring it is not too tall. Alternatives with bigger water reservoirs will take up more room, but most of our choices had an average of 12oz reservoir. And if you consistently brew coffee on your way out the door, the alternative should fit travel mugs under the brew head.

Strength – Strength is an interesting word in the realm of coffee. Strength can refer to the flavor of coffee or caffeine content, usually concerning the amount of water and coffee grounds used. Unless you’re using a Keurig alternative with a reusable filter, the coffee capsules are pre-filled with a standard amount of coffee. Still, some Keurig alternatives have various brew time settings and flavor settings, usually ‘bold’ or ‘regular’ that controls how much and the rate of water goes through grounds, determining the strength of the coffee.

Quality, Maintenance, and Ease of Use – Most Keurig alternatives will be plastic or stainless steel. Generally speaking, the cleanup and maintenance of Keurig alternatives are next to nothing. Reusable coffee capsules create the most cleanup but usually just a rinse. Some units will have automatic cleanup and rinse cycles for the interior. Those units actually have loose grounds instead of only taking the coffee cups, making maintenance more extensive but never outrageous. With regular cleaning, both plastic and stainless steel machines will last.

Brew Time – Pay attention to your morning routines before committing to a coffee machine. Do you literally stop in the kitchen only to grab your coffee, or do you spend time with the kids during breakfast? Brew time on Keurig alternatives ranges from 20 seconds to three minutes, depending on the pre-heating process and brew size.

Programs – Man of habit or moody coffee drinker? A programmable single-serve machine allows you to change the brew size, brew temp, and coffee strength. There are also one-button brewers for a stop and go cup of joe. Practicality and consistency show with the one-stop brewers, but programmable single-serve brewers are great for households with multiple people enjoying different types of coffee.