Hamilton Beach 2-Way 12 Cup Programmable Drip Coffee Maker and Single Serve Maching
If you’re looking for a coffee maker that balances convenience, versatility, and affordability, the Hamilton Beach 2-Way Brewer delivers on all fronts. This dual-purpose machine allows you to brew a single cup directly into your favorite mug or prepare a full 12-cup carafe for the household. Without relying on wasteful pods, it uses ground coffee for both brew modes. Whether you’re brewing for yourself or a group, this unit adapts easily to your schedule with programmable start times and brew strength customization. Its simple button interface and Auto Pause & Pour functionality make it a practical choice for any kitchen.
Product Highlights & Features
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2-Way Brewing: Brew a single cup or a full 12-cup carafe using ground coffee—no need for K-Cups or pods.
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Eco-Friendly Operation: Avoids the need for plastic coffee pods, helping reduce waste and cost.
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Simple Single-Serve Design: Comes with a mesh scoop filter—just scoop, place, and brew.
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Customizable Brewing: Choose between bold and regular brew strengths. Easily program brewing up to 24 hours in advance.
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Auto Pause & Pour: Grab your first cup mid-brew without spills.
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Separate Water Reservoirs: Independent, easy-fill reservoirs with clear water windows for both brewing sides.
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Durable Design: Stainless steel construction with a compact footprint suitable for most countertops.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Hamilton Beach |
| Model Number | 49980R |
| Color | Black with stainless steel accents |
| Dimensions (L×W×H) | 10.63″ x 12.2″ x 13.7″ |
| Weight | 7.4 lbs |
| Material | Stainless Steel & Plastic |
| Capacity | 1.8 Liters / 12 Cups |
| Brewing Options | Single-Serve & Full Pot |
| Filter Type | Reusable mesh scoop (included) |
| Programmable Timer | Yes (24-hour) |
| Brew Strength Settings | Regular or Bold |
| Auto Pause & Pour | Yes |
| Water Reservoirs | 2 Separate (Single-Serve & Carafe) |
| Carafe Material | Glass |
| Wattage | 950 Watts |
| Voltage | 100–120 Volts |
| Coffee Input Type | Ground Coffee Only |
| Pod Compatibility | Not compatible with K-Cups |
| Auto Shut-Off | Yes |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Warranty | Standard limited warranty (varies by seller) |
Final Verdict
The Hamilton Beach 49980R 2-Way Brewer is an excellent value for coffee lovers who want flexibility without cluttering their countertop with multiple appliances. It blends user-friendly features like programmable brewing and a bold flavor option with eco-conscious, pod-free single servings. While it lacks high-end bells and whistles (e.g., thermal carafe or smart app integration), it hits the sweet spot for everyday reliability, flavor, and convenience. Whether you’re flying solo or hosting brunch, this brewer adapts with ease—and at a price that makes it hard to beat.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Best For: Households, busy professionals, and eco-conscious coffee drinkers who want versatility without K-Cups.
DavidDavid –
5 years, and going strong!
Updated July, 2025We are approaching 5 years of morning coffee, and at all other times of day, with this kitchen workhorse. As the attached picture shows it still looks good and works great. My wife and use the single cup mode when it is just us. We love that every cup is freshly brewed, and each of us can have our preferred roast and blend. The bold feature is slower, as it brews the cup as a pour over, but rich in flavor, and satisfyingly hot. When we have a crowd, we get the same great results by the pot. We have a separate maker for k-cups, but it is used less often, because we can brew freshly ground coffee, cup by cup, for a fraction of the cost. 5 years, and we are still in love with this brewer.
Yogi maccaba –
Very nice coffee pot. Easy to. Use
This is a great coffee pot. I love the dual action. You can have hot water for teas as well as a single pour coffee or tea. Very easy to use. Comes with reusable filters. That sold me.
S D –
NICE OPTION FOR A FULL POT OR SINGLE CUP WITH NO K-CUP REQUIRED
Why did you pick this product vs others?:HAS ONE-CUP OPTION WITHOUT HAVING TO USE K-CUPS.Coffee quality:GREAT; NOT QUITE AS STRONG IN THE ONE-CUP OPTION, BUT I STILL REALLY LIKE HAVING THAT OPTION AND IT TASTES FINESpace saving:NOT SUCH A SPACE SAVER, BUT STILL REASONABLE. CERTAINLY BETTER THAN HAVING TWO COFFEEPOTS FOR SINGLE SERVE OR A POTWater capacity:12 CUP IS PERFECT FOR MULTIPLE PEOPLE Coffee grounds:NOT SURE WHAT THIS MEANSL GROUNDS DO NOT GET INTO THE COFFEE POT; NO SPECIAL GRIND REQUIREDBuild quality:NICE LOOKING KITCHEN APPLIANCEBrewing capacity:4-12 CUPS
8 people found this helpful
Terrance –
TEN YEARS great coffee same machine!
TEN YEARS petty much daily use! REMARKABLE! (2015 Nov)In mild-moderate “hard water” supply, the heating element finally wore out. Am using Senseo pods I bring from France at 1/3 price here.. (or load-your-own coffee pods). I’m saving the removable parts, like carafe, coffee basket, etc in case breakage. All exactly the same. the BEST coffee maker we’ve ever had!
2 people found this helpful
Timmy G.Timmy G. –
Almost perfect, but still Awesome!
So, like you all ,I’ve been a coffeeholic for many years. Like you ,I’ve struggled to have a decent maker in my kitchen. I recently finished up with my Cuisinart mod#CHW-12. Had it for 5yrs. It got to point of no longer producing a well tasting cup. We did the Vinigar cleaning etc. So, i spent MANY hours searching online for a decent Maker. Problem was the abundance of poor reviews encompassing many manufacturers! It’s now 2018 and we have trouble creating a Kit Coffee Brewer thats decent! I did a switch and desired a maker that will produce a single cup as wife n i both have coffee at different times and mostly need the one 16oz cup. In searching for the 12cup Carafe / or single cup Maker ,my choices became limited. Read the reviews and pulled the trigger on this. It’s only been 1wk now but i can honestly state that it is the BEST maker I’ve ever used! I ran a full 12cup Carafe first off, thn dumped. Then did same for the single cup side. ( full 14oz). Then ran 12cups clean water through for both. Then did the Coffee that I’ll drink. No issues. Had to play round wth the exact amount of grounds for the single side so to get the outcome i desired. Has clock, easy to pre prog., and, the single side will turn off when done. The Carafe side will stay on (hot plate) for 2hrs after brewing complete. You can simply press On/Off button to turn off anytime. For those who have an over-spilling issue with the grounds within the gold filter basket?, you are using TOO MANY grounds! The single side comes with a gold reusable filter which also encompasses two – Level markers. One is min and the other is Max. If you fill above the Max level, WELL, overflow of grounds will prob. occur. On the Amazon site you’ll see the Reusable filter for the Carafe side in ” frequently ordered with”. I also ordered that as i don’t like paper filters. It performs well. Water level for Carafe is helpful. It’s towards the right rear, on the side. It’s accurate. Brew time for 12 cups was good. I’ve learned to warm up my Mug when using single side as it is not as hot as Carafe as no hot plate for the Mug. I use single side to run water for tea as well. What would make this model perfect? If it sounded out a tone when brewing is complete. It also has No charcoal filter as with my Cuisinart. No biggie as i always have used filtered water to begin with. Coffee is better when there’s no Chlorine in the H2O! Filling either the Carafe or single side is easy and Max level markers are visible enough to get it right. Carafe pours very well and i like that the Carafe lid stays attached as u simply press thumb to open but it’s not required to pour. Single side grounds chamber pulls out easily. Single side has a bottom (under mug/cup) that reverses to then become a elevator to bring cup higher if you’d like. I brewed a cup at lowest level without any spill or splatter. It drips slow enough that i don’t believe i need to elevate my mug. This model also looks fantastic, Beautiful! Has a “Bold” brew mode for both Carafe n Sing. The brewing is slower, so u gt a richer brew. Light on clock only on when unit is ON. Has seperate green light that indicates you are using “Program” mode. I don’t use “Pods” but if i did the manual states that “Senseo” Pods will work. Note that unit will only brew one side at a time. It cannot brew both sides at once. Very pleased so far. If any issues I’ll update here. P.s. if Manufacturer reads this, you may want to consider modifying so to have an end of brew audible tone! Jst a thought. Update!; 1/5/18. Jst did 2 Lg mugs for me ( nine- 8oz cups), using Carafe of course. Wife then needed to do her single 14oz using of course the Single serv side. When throwing the slide switch over to Single, it turns off the Carafe side. So, yeah, hot plate under Carafe is still hot, but, it’s now off. So, in future, wife does her single, first, then i do Carafe. UPDATE ; 1/22/18- 3wks now and NO ISSUES! When removing coffee filled Carafe, absolutely no spilling onto hot plate. The spring loaded valve above, performing well. Reviewers having the Hot plate discoloration or burning may be turning unit on with a Hot plate thats dirty. I make sure plate is clean /dry before and after ea. use. I make sure bottom of Carafe is clean/ dry as well. Wife using single serve ea. day and says ” best cup of Coffee ever”! Update; 4/17/21. NO issues, all still good. UPDATE!!! – 10/10/21- So, finally I’m now considering buying a new one of these as this one is intermittently not pumping enough water up and into Coffee basket. About 12× now in past 6mon’s I’ve had to pour out Carafe into another cup, place Carafe back, then pour my Coffee,(that looks like Tea), into the grinds basket and do a Double Drip, sometimes twice to get color I wish. I got roughly 3.5 years out of this Maker. I guess that’s good considering Everything’s made in Cheapo China. If/when I buy a new one, I’ll post back. Have a good Coffee! UPDATE: 11/14/21. So, I purchased this exact model once again on 10/12/21. After 1 month, I can honestly state that it’s a great difference between original and new. New machine brews perfectly as did the original one up until the 3yr mark. No issues to report with this New Maker( Same model as first one). Pictures here are of 2nd maker,(2021).
818 people found this helpful
audone –
Great Coffee Maker
I love this coffee maker. 99% of the time, I am the only one drinking coffee here at home, so the single brew option is perfect. I had a Keurig and a Nespresso, but can’t handle the taste of the k-kups or the pods, so having a single serve REAL brew option is great. I can still grind and use my own beans, but no washing up a carafe, just the little single side filter. But, I also need the large carafe for company and when our kids come to stay. No more putting the small one away, taking the large one out, etc. This is the best of both worlds and so convenient. The “bold” Button is great too…takes a little longer, but makes a nice bold cup of coffee. The only thing to be aware of, is if you brew the single side into a shorter mug rather than a tall tumbler, you will get a lot of splatter on the counter and coffee pot, but it’s easy to wipe away if you do it while it’s fresh, so no complaints here.
16 people found this helpful
T. Young PhD., RRT –
Excellent Coffee Maker
Our old coffee maker finally gave up the ghost. The old one had a Keurig maker and the regular pot option. Those Keurig cups are nice but kinda spendy! This one allows you to use whatever coffee you want for that quick single cup…much less than Keurig. The programming is instinctive and easy.My ONLY “issue” is the reservoir for water in making a regular pot is easy to spill down the back of the unit when pouring in the water–I tend to place my hand on the back to avoid this. By no means a big-deal, just an observation.Works great! Is fast and a very compact unit as not to take too much counter space.Very please with this unit!!
13 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
A good everyday coffee pot with extras
This versatile coffee maker is easy to use, and I really like that I can make one cup instead of a whole pot if I need to. So far I have no complaints. Delay feature. Comes with a permanent filter for the single cup feature and has a sleek design. It does not come with a travel mug, but that’s ok, I have lots of them.
2 people found this helpful
Ben PowellBen Powell –
Great coffee maker- single cup or full pot
This the best coffee pot I’ve ever owned, seriously. I appreciate good coffee and regularly buy beans from a local roastery. I am not a barista nor do I claim to be a coffee expert. I enjoy good coffee and a drip coffee maker is good enough for my daily habit.This maker can be used to brew single cups on one side or a full pot on the other side. Typically, I am the only coffee drinker in my house. Sometimes we have guests. This coffee maker allows me to serve both situations easily.To use the single serve side, I fill the cup that I’m planning to use with the correct amount of tap water and add it to the single serve side of the maker. This is accessed from the top under a small lid that flips up. This side is designed to only hold enough water for a single serve amount of water. I don’t use manufactured pods as I prefer fresh grounds but this maker apparently can handle pods too. I grind my beans or use pre-ground coffee and add that to the slide out tray on the single serve side just above the cup location. There is a metallic mesh screen that holds the grounds on the single serve side and I find that I waste less coffee than when I try to make only 1 or 2 cups in a large pot. The single serve side has a nested set of plastic circles that sits under a tall mug when not needed. These little circular risers can be un-nested and stacked to allow a shorter cup to be closer to the dripping coffee (see photos). This allows the maker to accommodate a variety of sizes of cups. The single serve side takes about 2 minutes to brew. I think the coffee tastes great and I can control the strength of the brew based upon how many grounds I add.The full carafe side is much like any basic drip-coffee maker. There’s a small reservoir that holds enough water to brew a full pot of coffee. There’s a flip lid and a basket for coffee grounds. You can use paper filters or buy a separate metallic, re-usable mesh filter that fits inside this basket. I like these baskets as it’s less wasteful than using paper filters daily and I don’t have to remember to constantly purchase filters. I’ve used the same mesh filter for over 7 years now. It doesn’t filter as finely as paper filters do and the last sip of coffee contains a small amount of grit / sediment but this seems normal to me now. If someone doesn’t like this idea than I would warn them not to drink the last sip. It’s pretty easy to avoid.The coffee maker has a very obvious and easy to use manual switch that selects whether you are brewing a full pot or a single serve. Only one side can be used at a time. You simply move the switch to the left or right as the illustrations show to select which side you wish to utilize.I frequently use the timer feature. Prior to work I have one 16 oz metal travel mug filled, warm and waiting for me when I wake up in the morning.The display is bright when you touch a button and dims to normal again after about 30 seconds so it doesn’t light up the kitchen at night like a beacon. There is a single bright green LED light that indicates that the timer is set and ready to go. Personally, I like this feature as it is an obvious acknowledgment that the timer is ready to go at the time that I programmed in. Some might find this too bright but it’s hard to imagine it being a nuisance to most people.Other reviewers have indicated the their carafe broke instantly upon the first use. I’ve used my carafe several times without issues. I also noticed that a new pot is around $10 so if it does break down the road, I can probably replace it easily. Some said that it tastes like plastic, I haven’t experienced this. Some said that it leaks after 3 months – I’ll try to update this review later but so far so good – no leaks. Others say it takes too long to brew. I think it takes about as long to make coffee as every other coffeepot that I have owned and if you set it up the night before, you won’t have to wait for it. It can be ready for you whenever you tell it to be ready. I even read that some people were annoyed that they had to slide the coffee pot out from under a counter in order to add water to the top of the coffee maker. I once added felt pads to the bottom of a coffee maker to make this process easier. Without a dedicated water line and a commercial coffee apparatus, I’m not sure how the manufacturer would avoid this overly burdensome task. You have to add water somehow; that’s how coffee works.I have not had any negative issues at all with this coffee maker and I’ve been using it daily for over 1 month. It’s easy to use, it’s easy to program and I like that I can make a full pot or single cup depending on my needs. I definitely recommend this unit.
555 people found this helpful
Dave A. –
Greatest coffee maker ever!
Why did you pick this product vs others?:This is possibly the greatest appliance my family has ever had! We received one for a wedding present and 10 years later, when it was time to get a fresh one (hard water deposits became too tough to thoroughly clean over time), my wife insisted on finding the same one. We love how we can make either a pot of coffee/tea or just make a single cup. The single cup dispenser works on most household coffee mug sizes too, even a few I have that are taller than usual.
One person found this helpful