If you just want hot coffee with minimal drama, these five brewers all get it done—but they suit very different lives.
Owners use the BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Easy On/Off Switch as a super-basic, full-pot machine for everyday family coffee or a simple house coffee station.
The Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mini Brew Switch Coffee Maker is the tiny workhorse: perfect for singles, couples, campers, classrooms, and small kitchens where 2–5 cups is plenty.
The BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Digital Coffee Maker shows up as the “set it and forget it” programmable pot for people who want to wake up to ready coffee and like a few more buttons.
The Hamilton Beach 2-Way Programmable Coffee Maker is the flexible one—a dual brewer for households that sometimes need a full pot and sometimes just one mug, without K-cups.
And the Mueller 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker – Borosilicate Carafe is a simple but slightly more refined 12-cup drip maker: auto shutoff, reusable filter, clean pour, and fun color options.
At-a-Glance Comparison
More t-a-Glance Comparison
How They Feel to Use (From Owners)
BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Easy On/Off Switch (simple full-pot workhorse)
Owners bought this when they wanted a cheap, reliable coffee maker that “just makes coffee.” It’s praised as a basic, quiet, fast 12-cup machine with a clear water window and a carafe that pours easily.
There’s no clock, no timer, and crucially, no auto shutoff: if you forget to flip the switch, the hot plate just stays on. Some people have come home to baked-on coffee on the bottom of the pot and now make a point of unplugging it when they leave.
The “sneak a cup” pause feature exists but isn’t perfect; a few owners say the brew basket lifts up instead of fully sealing when you remove the carafe mid-brew, so you can get a drip or two. Overall, though, it’s described as “great basic coffee maker… works well” for someone who values simplicity over features.
One owner quote (≤25 words):
“Great price, quiet and quick. Just remember it doesn’t turn itself off, or your coffee will cook on the bottom.”
Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mini Brew Switch Coffee Maker (compact small-batch brewer)
This little Mr. Coffee is the go-to choice for people who don’t need a huge carafe. Owners mention using it for one or two mugs in apartments, dorms, RVs, and classrooms.
It’s extremely simple: fill, flip the switch, and wait about 10 minutes for up to 5 small “coffee maker cups” of hot coffee. The coffee itself is described as hot, tasty, and surprisingly good for such a small unit.
The trade-offs: no auto shutoff, and the filter situation is fussy. Standard filters tend to be too big and can fold or collapse, letting grounds escape. Once people switch to the smaller 2–4 cup filters that really fit, the overflow problem mostly disappears.
One owner quote (≤25 words):
“Perfect size for one person. Makes hot coffee, looks modern, and doesn’t hog my tiny counter.”
BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Digital Coffee Maker (programmable daily workhorse)
Compared with the simple on/off model, this BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Digital Coffee Maker adds the features many people expect: a clock, auto-brew timer, auto shutoff, and better controls. Owners love being able to set it up at night and wake up to hot coffee.
It’s described as easy to program, intuitive, and consistent. People talk about “reliably having great coffee every morning” and appreciate that the hot plate keeps coffee warm without scorching for the two hours it stays on.
On the downside, the brew basket design draws criticism. Several owners mention paper filters collapsing or water not draining properly if the basket or carafe aren’t seated just right. There are also scattered reports of units dying earlier than expected (around six months), even though others have used it daily for over a year.
One owner quote (≤25 words):
“Straightforward to use, intuitive controls, brews consistently good coffee—perfect for daily use at this price.”
Hamilton Beach 2-Way Programmable Coffee Maker (flexible dual brewer)
Owners who are juggling different coffee schedules or tastes really gravitate to the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Programmable Coffee Maker. The big selling point is right in the name: one side brews a full 12-cup pot, the other brews a single mug using regular ground coffee or soft pods—no K-cups.
People mention using the single side daily for their own cup, then switching to the carafe when guests are around. The programmable timer, bold mode, and auto shutoff all get high marks, and there are a lot of long-term owners (six to twelve years) who’ve bought the same model again.
You pay for that flexibility with size and a touch of extra fuss: it takes more counter space, the single-serve cup stand needs adjusting to avoid splatters, full pots brew a bit slower (especially on bold), and a few people find the top water opening for the carafe awkward.
One owner quote (≤25 words):
“Best coffee maker I’ve owned—single cup or full pot, easy timer, and I’m not stuck buying pods anymore.”
Mueller 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker – Borosilicate Carafe (no-nonsense 12-cup with auto shutoff)
The Mueller 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker – Borosilicate Carafe is what a lot of owners buy after getting tired of fancier machines. They repeatedly say they wanted “a simple 12 cup drip coffee maker” without complicated programming, but still with auto shutoff and a reusable filter.
Reviews rave about how good and hot the coffee tastes for something this inexpensive. The pot pours cleanly “to the last drops without overflowing the spout,” the side water window is easy to read for most people, and the whole thing is just one switch: on or off.
Most love the built-in mesh filter and the two-hour auto off. Complaints focus on small annoyances: condensation under the lid drips down the back when you open it, the cord could be longer, the plastic feels thin, and there are a few cases of the hot plate rusting or the machine failing in under a year—though Mueller’s customer service often sends replacements even outside the standard warranty.
One owner quote (≤25 words):
“Simple to operate and clean, makes great coffee, and the two-hour auto shutoff is exactly what we needed.”
Which One Should You Pick? (Best-Fit Scenarios)
BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Easy On/Off Switch — choose it if:
- You want the cheapest, simplest full-pot machine that still makes good coffee.
- You don’t mind manually turning it off every time.
- You’re equipping a basic kitchen, break room, or guest space where “on/off” is all anyone needs.
Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mini Brew Switch Coffee Maker — choose it if:
- You live alone or with one other coffee drinker and rarely need more than a few mugs.
- Counter space is tight (tiny kitchen, dorm, RV, office).
- You’d happily trade features for a compact, plug-and-brew setup.
BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Digital Coffee Maker — choose it if:
- You want classic drip coffee with a clock, timer, and auto shutoff without spending much.
- Waking up to a ready pot matters more than having single-serve options.
- You’re okay being a bit careful with the filter basket and carafe alignment.
Hamilton Beach 2-Way Programmable Coffee Maker — choose it if:
- Some days you drink alone, other days the whole household needs coffee.
- You’re moving away from K-cups but still want quick single-serve convenience.
- You don’t mind a bigger machine in exchange for dual brew options, timer, and bold mode.
Mueller 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker – Borosilicate Carafe — choose it if:
- You want a straightforward 12-cup brewer with auto shutoff and a reusable filter.
- You value very hot, tasty coffee over fancy digital features.
- You like supporting a smaller brand with responsive customer service.
Care & Little Gotchas Owners Mention
- For both BLACK+DECKER machines, make sure the brew basket sits flat and the carafe is fully pushed in; this helps prevent overflow and filter collapse.
- With Mr. Coffee 5-Cup, buy the correct 2–4 cup basket filters—larger ones tend to fold or let grounds escape.
- On Hamilton Beach 2-Way, adjust the single-serve cup stand so your mug sits close to the spout; that minimizes splatter and drips.
- Several Hamilton Beach owners run a vinegar-and-water cycle periodically, then two pots of plain water, to keep things tasting fresh.
- With Mueller, open the lid slowly over the sink or a towel at first—many report condensation dripping down the back when you lift it after brewing.
- For any model without auto shutoff (BLACK+DECKER On/Off, Mr. Coffee 5-Cup), some owners get in the habit of unplugging after every brew to avoid burnt coffee and safety worries.
Bottom Line
BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Easy On/Off Switch is the pick if you want a rock-simple, full-size drip maker and don’t mind babysitting the power switch.
Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mini Brew Switch Coffee Maker is ideal when you’re short on space and only need a couple of mugs of hot coffee at a time.
BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Digital Coffee Maker suits households that want auto-brew, auto shutoff, and a familiar 12-cup pot without moving into pod or dual-brew territory.
Hamilton Beach 2-Way Programmable Coffee Maker is best for families and roommates with mixed coffee routines who want single-serve flexibility plus a weekend pot in one machine.
Mueller 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker – Borosilicate Carafe is for you if you love simple, extra-hot drip coffee with auto shutoff and a reusable filter, no fancy screens required.
Pick BLACK+DECKER On/Off if you crave cheap and simple, Mr. Coffee 5-Cup if you’re brewing small, BLACK+DECKER Digital if you want scheduled full pots, Hamilton Beach 2-Way if you need both single and carafe in one, and Mueller 12-Cup if you want straightforward, hot, family-size drip with a few thoughtful touches.
