Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Review
If you are not looking at spending a fortune, the Beach FlexBrew by Hamilton is a great option for single brewing coffee. It is easy to use and allows the use of ground coffee as well as K-Cups - a feature that some of the more expensive Keurigs do not offer. In addition, you can brew up to 14oz at once.
Pros
- Affordable
- Brews K-Cups and ground coffee
- Great for beginners
Cons
- Lack of settings/temperature control
- Not programmable
- Small water tank
The Beach FlexBrew has the added bonus of not only using K-cups but can also use whatever ground coffee you may prefer. The versatility of this unit is what makes it an option for those who are looking to add a new coffee maker into their home or office. The design of the unit is modern and slim, allowing it to take up less space than other coffee machines on the market, which is an added bonus!
We managed to get our hands on the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew to test its various elements and overall performance. The results are below!
Highlights
There are several features that help the FlexBrew stand out in today’s saturated market.
- You Can brew up to 10 ounces with a K-cup, or up to 14 ounces with ground coffee
- There is only one brew strength option
- The water reservoir must be filled each time
- It is compatible with all k-cups and single serve coffee pods on the market
- The product has a warranty of one year
- Once the coffee maker brews the cup of coffee, it turns itself off to save power.
- There is a storage area inside of the cup rest
- This coffee maker can brew directly into a tall 8-inch travel mug
- The piercing assembly in the coffee maker comes out for easy cleaning.
Design & Features
The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew has some solid features that catch the attention of those who are in the market shopping for a single serve coffee maker. The design of the unit is one that is often first spotted. It is small, making it perfect for those with limited space. A few other design features of the coffee maker to note:
Size and Style
It only weighs 3.22 pounds and is 9.9 x 6. 13.1 inches. It is black in color, which matches just about any décor that you may have.
Serving Options
The filter for your own ground coffee use is included, which is not always the case with these single serve coffee makers. The serving sizes are limited to 10 ounces or 14 ounces. It is easy to use, with nothing to program, simply hit a button to get the coffee brewing.
Control Settings
There is no temperature control setting, as everything is automatic in this small coffee maker. There is no built-in coffee bean grinder but there is the regular or bold brew option for brewing the cup of coffee for those who are wanting to have the option of having a bit more jolt with their cup of coffee
The machine is made mostly of plastic, that is durable and meant to last for several years to come.
The performance of the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is vital to any good review of this product. After all, no one wants to purchase a coffee maker that is not going to perform as they think it should. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
The brew time is what most would consider average. Most people find that the first time they use this coffee maker it takes around 2 minutes to brew the cup of coffee.
Most people can turn this on, pour in their water and add in their coffee then turn on to brew. It is a simple task that only takes a few seconds to get up and running in the morning.
This machine will take k-cups, pods, your own coffee grounds, so it allows for a lot of versatility when it comes to the coffee that you drink.
It’s super easy to use! Once you take this out of the box, it is pretty self-explanatory as to how to set this up and start brewing coffee immediately.
The durability of the coffee maker seems to be 50/50. When reading customer reviews there are those who swear by this coffee marker, while others state that it gave out after just four uses. This is something to keep in mind when considering this as a purchase for the home.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- It is easy to use
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- It is versatile when it comes to what coffees you want to brew
- Beginners can easily operate this coffee machine
Cons:
- There are no special features like programming this to start, etc.
- It does not have a large water reservoir, meaning you have to fill it each and every time
- There are really no temperature control settings
- The warranty is only a limited one-year warranty
Final Thoughts
The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is small and affordable. If you are looking for a simple and quick option to brew one cup of coffee at a time, this is a decent option.
But, if you are looking to brew an entire pot of coffee, you might want to check these brewers out.
The most important aspect of the FlexBrew is its price. At around $40, you cannot compare it to the likes of Keurig K55 or even other Hamilton models, such as the Beach 49981A.
So, if you are not on a budget, there are much better ways to brew coffee.
Anthony is a professional barista in the city of Chicago. He has written for many online publications on various topics related to coffee.
I loved my flex brew but I am now on my second one. in a year. It leaks from the back again just like the first one. They replaced the other one no hassle but I am giving up this in particular product. Obviously the water line is a weak point that has not been corrected
We bought a Hamilton Beach Flex brew coffee maker 4 months ago and it now leaks water all over our counter top. After looking at reviews and complaints I figured out what the problem was. I watch a u-tube video on how to fix it. It was a very poor way the company put the hose on the maker it just falls off at the top and water spills out. I took the unit apart and reattached the water line to the pipe and bought a 1/2″ screw type hose clamp to hold it on with since the flimsy wire clamp they used let the hose fall off. I seen where this is a common problem with Hamilton Beach Flex Brew I would not recommend to anyone to purchase this coffee pot until Hamilton Beach fixes this issue. From what reviews I seen it has always been a problem but they don’t seem to care.
Thanks for your helpful comment and feedback, Dennis!
Probably the worst K-Cup brewer I’ve owned. It works okay for cups up to about 8 oz. but on anything larger the K_Cup holder overflows with coffee grounds in the coffee cup, down the front of the machine and on to the counter.
Not a machine I’d recommend to anyone!