You may want to consider one of the popular, single-serve machines that brew up a cup at a time.
Consumer Reports put to the test more than two dozen of the 'pod' single-serve machines.
For people who want a quick cup of coffee at home, a single-serve coffeemaker is an easy option. Just pop in a pod and you can brew a cup to go.
Consumer Reports has tested more than two dozen single-serve coffeemakers from names like Keurig, Mr. Coffee, and Starbucks. They cost anywhere from 25 to 300 dollars.
No one wants a cold cup of coffee. So testers measure the temperature to make sure it's always hot.
Timer speed is also important.
"Testers record how long it takes for the first cup to brew, and each cup after that," said Dan DiClerico of Consumer Reports. "Some machines keep you waiting a lot longer than others."
One of the slowest to deliver that first cup is the $300 Bunn MyCafé M-C-P.
And the $35 Gevalia G-90 had a tough time getting started. It produced a lot of steam and noise before it began making coffee.
When all the tests were done, the Dolce Gusto Genio from DeLonghi came out on top. At $130, it delivers a fast, hot cup of coffee every time.
"The only thing is it uses Nescafé-brand capsules so you only have 16 varieties to choose from," said DiClerico.
Consumer Reports also sized up taste quality. Unfortunately, trained experts found none of the single-serve systems brewed top-quality coffee. For that you might just have to stand in line at your local coffeehouse.
Another option for a good, strong cup of coffee - use a traditional drip coffeemaker. Consumer Reports says you can find a top one for well under 100 dollars, like the Mr. Coffee BVMC-SJX33GT.
It's a Best Buy at $40.
