Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Coffee Maker (My Opinions)

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is a wonderful coffee maker that provides the dual advantage of brewing the coffee in your preferred manner.

Nowadays, coffee has become an integral part of enhancing productivity. Every time people tend to look for something better to level up their coffee experience.

Using a good coffee maker, not only helps in getting the desired caffeine boost but also uplifts the mood instantly.

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew has been growing extensively popular these days due to its fine programmable features and dual brewing strengths.

Short answer: Hamilton Beach’s FlexBrew is one of the best two-way coffee makers made for coffee enthusiasts. The versatility of the machine makes it stand out with two brewing options, two water reservoirs, and most amazingly can brew both the ground coffee and K-cups or pod.

Go through the following sections for an in-depth explanation of the features of the Hamilton Beach Flexbrew.

Happy Reading!

The Basic Accessories of the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew

Before knowing about the features and specifications, let’s dig into the accessories that the FlexBrew has got.

Carafe

Made of glass
Sturdy handle
Dishwasher safe
Hold 12 cups of coffee

Single Serve Basket

Permanent basket to place ground coffee to brew a single-serve
Removable while using K-cups
Small in size

Black Funnel

Used to brew every single-serve coffee
Involves in the filtration process
Ensures ‘no-spillage’ or ‘no-slipping’ of the coffee grounds
Found in the singe-serve side

K-Cup Basket

Small in size
Fits almost all K-cup size
Keeps the cup steady

Carafe Vs K-cups

The good thing about the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew coffee maker is that whether you prefer to use a K-cup or a carafe, you can still use the Flexbrew as it caters to both.

Both the brew types have their share of pros and cons. If you’re someone who likes to prepare large batches of coffee in a single brew cycle and likes to sip the drink throughout the day, then it’s better to choose a traditional drip coffee maker.

Buying a good coffee maker can save a lot of money as you can use affordable items to brew in bulk.

On the other hand, if you believe in efficiency and time management, then you must go with the K-cups or pods that provide a single-serve. the quality might not be as rich as the traditional coffee brewers but you can replace the pods with a new variation every time.

Basis of Comparison	Carafe/Traditional Coffee Makers	K-Cup/Pod
Quality	Excellent quality with olfactory characteristics and dense taste	Moderate taste
Durability	Long-term usage	Single-serve
Time	About 5-10 minutes	About 1 minute
Variety	Have to drink what’s inside the pot	Offers variation as you can choose different flavors

A quick comparison between Carafe and K-cups

The Basic Features of the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew

Though you can have several good options with the same features, the service that Hamilton Beach FlexBrew ensures is incomparable. The fantastic features include:

The single side can be used with coffee grounds and pods.

The single-serve side has got a mesh basket.

Allows automatic pause and serve during brewing.

Programmable timer and 2-hour auto-shutoff in the carafe side.

Water reservoirs in both single and 12-cup sides.

Heater in both single and 12-cup sides has a heater.

Gold-tone filter in the 12 cup carafe.

Comes with a one-year warranty.

The majority of reviewers have shared that their machine worked very well, maintaining all the stated functions. Since the machine is covered by warranty so you can complain to Hamilton Beach in case of any dysfunction.

What do we like?

A quick review on the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew.

There are so many things I liked about the product even though I haven’t used it personally. The workability of the machine can be understood by seeing the numerous positive feedbacks.

Keeping the drink hot!

Many of us want to sip the drink while it’s still piping hot, and the Hamilton Beach Two Way Coffee Maker makes the right hot coffee.

However, the result may differ on the server-side you’re using. Making the coffee on the single-serve side might cause the drink to not be hot enough as there isn’t any hot plate on that side.

Plus, the included travel mug with the machine will help in keeping your coffee warm.

Two-way brewing

Having two brew sizes help the user in getting the desired amount of coffee with just a push of a button. These are great solutions for households where multiple cups of coffee are being drunk throughout the day.

You can use the maker for brewing an amazing 12 cup batch for several people in times of need. You can also use a K-cup to brew a single serving when you’re enjoying the coffee break alone. Both coffee grounds and pods have advantages of their own.

Coffee pods or K-cups ensure less waste and less cleaning so when you’re in rush you can just insert the pod in the maker and carry your coffee on the go. This makes the FlexBrew time efficient as well. The coffee pods also offer variety. This is why you can make a handful of usages of the FlexBrew by enjoying the flavor you’re craving for.

However, brewing coffee grounds gives more control over the brewing quality and ensures a finer grind. So if you’re desiring a high-quality brew then you can use the traditional method to prepare the coffee.

If you’re new to brewing coffee at home, you can check out my other article where I discuss home-brewing in detail.

Coffee quality

This is relative! People can have different definitions of great-tasting coffee. I have gone through numerous reviews and have concluded the fact that the machine produces great-tasting drinks.

The coffees produced by automatic drip coffee makers usually taste bland and average. Some machines don’t give the user proper control over the flavors and thus can alter the texture you’re desiring for. Fortunately, you won’t be facing this issue with the FlexBrew.

Build quality

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew uses a simple yet decent stainless steel design that looks aesthetically pleasing. Looking at the price, you can understand that the parts of the machine are mostly made with plastic.

The body has got two stainless steel bands: one is thinner and wraps around the base of the machine, the other one wrap around the top of the machine.

The FlexBrew is a heavy machine but can feeble away even with the slightest pressure. This is why you need to place it somewhere safe. This doesn’t make the machine bad since the money you’re paying is less than many popular coffee machines.

Brewing ability

FlexBrew has two brewing strengths which are bold and regular. There are both the “bold” and “regular” options so that you can choose between the preferred option.

If you’re choosing the bold option then it will take a bit longer to brew.

The strength can be controlled by modifying the rate at which the hot water flows through the coffee grinds. A slower flow extracts coffee which is bolder and bitter.

Timing

Remember that the timing of extraction mainly depends on:

The grind size and
The brew strength

Depending on the grind size or brewing strength used, you can expect the brewing times for the coffee. Brewing a carafe will usually consume more time as you will be brewing a large quantity of coffee. It’ll take about 10 minutes to brew an entire pot of 12 cups.

For time-efficient preparation, the single-serve is beneficial as it will only take a few minutes to prepare a good cup of joe.

Two-water reservoirs

Water reservoirs are the tank that holds the water to prepare your coffee with. It is one of the most important parts of a brewer. Having two of these makes it super convenient for the user to apply the desired brew size.

The ‘water window’ in both the reservoir allows you to show the level of the liquid present on the tank. You can add in more water whenever it’s needed without having to open the top surface every time to check.

Cleaning and maintenance

As the different parts and accessories of the Flexbrew are removable, you can easily disassemble them and wash the parts. The list of dishwasher safe parts are:

Carafe
Drip tray
K-cup

So not only you can clean them effectively but can also endure the hard detergents of the dishwasher.

You can rise the inside parts of the machine by using warm water and white vinegar (1 part white vinegar with 2 parts warm water). After you’re done washing it with the mixture, run the machine through warm water to get rid of the vinegar flavor and aroma in the machine.

Value

Considering the features offered and the functions performed by it, FlexBrew undoubtedly is the best budget pick for a dual coffee maker.

It cost about $104.99 on Amazon. You need to factor in shipping charges as well. The shipping charge is considerably near to the price of the product as the machine is heavy.

Advantages of Hamilton Beach FlexBrew

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is best for several amazing qualities. The functions performed by the machine are worth the money. It may also serve a longer period.

The major advantages also include:

Convenient features such as auto shut-off and pause N serve
Easy to read digital display
BPA free
Removable reservoir
‘No-spill’ carafe

Disadvantages of Hamilton Beach FlexBrew

The warming plates on the carafe side may not be adequate in keeping the coffee hot
The body is made of plastic and can be easily damaged

Final Thoughts

The final verdict regarding the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is positive and is recommended for everyone. It has got nice programmable features with dual brew functioning and sturdy home brewing equipment.

The flexible brewing options available in this coffee maker ensure a wonderful coffee experience for the user. Whether you want a single-serve or 12-cups of joe, I can assure you that this coffee maker will do the job. This is currently one of the highest-rated coffee makers for a reason.

You have to look at the pricing as well. The budget-pick quality of the machine guarantees a hassle-free service period for its users.

Note that the FlexBrew offers a lot of programmable features at a low price. As result, this seems to be an ideal choice for coffee lovers who want the best value from the product.

Undoubtedly a worthy choice!