The Hamilton Beach 49980A is a single server coffee brewer that comes from the house of one of the most trusted manufacturers of home appliances and commercial equipment.
It is specially designed for those who dread the long café lines to get their early morning or late afternoon fix.
According to the manufacturers, this is a two-way brewer that can quickly brew a basic or premium-roast and the maintenance is low. Let’s review the coffee maker in detail and find out what more it is capable of.
When we looked at the Hamilton Beach 49980A, we were impressed by the quality of construction and intelligent design. The structure is made from stainless steel which adds a lot of durability to it.
However, the big size means that it is not easily portable in a bag, hence it might not be the right thing for outdoor enthusiasts or backpackers.
The top section has a control panel with an LED-lit display that allows you to set the time with the help of hour and minute buttons, up to 24 hours in advance.
The middle section has the space to fit the jar which can hold up to 12 cups of coffee and a single cup for just you. It comes in handy when you have guests at home and have to make multiple cups of coffee within minutes.
The compact design of the two-way brewer makes it a perfect solution for small kitchenettes. The feature that allows you to set time ensures that you get your morning or late night indulgence with convenience.
So, if you have a hard time getting up in the morning, this coffee maker can make your life easier by helping you rise with a cup of steaming coffee to make your day. For solo enjoyment, you can choose to brew just the travel mug-size cup.
We were really happy to see how the manufacturer has intelligently used the traditional space and price to give users more value. The variety of gourmet options coupled with fine appeal and service makes it a great choice. So, you can make multiple cups for the price of one.
Whichever option you choose, it allows you to grind the coffee directly into the mesh filter which perfectly fits the brew basket or you may alternatively insert a soft pod along with the pod holder.
Another amazing feature of this coffee maker is that it allows you to choose whether you want your coffee strong or light.
The brew strength selector allows you to choose a regular option to get that standard taste or you may opt for bold or decaf to enjoy a rich latte like Starbucks or Melitta.
The 12-cup pot ensures that you never run out of your drink when you want cup after cup without spending any extra brewing time. The machine’s nonstick keep-hot plate retains heat after brewing and even if you forget to turn off the appliance, it will shut down automatically after two hours.
With this two-way programmable brewer, you don’t need to measure or scoop when you don’t have the time to do it. It gives you the convenience to quickly drop a pre-flavored or pre-packaged pod and get a great tasting coffee served in minutes.
The pod holder can brew almost any brand of soft pod within minutes to give you the heavenly flavor of freshly grounded coffee at your home without any hassles.
Features of the Hamilton Beach 49980A Single Serve Coffee Brewer
- Measures 13.7 x 11.4 x 15.4 inches
- Weighs 8 pounds
- Built-in coffee grinder
- Hot water dispenser
- Single-cup or 12-cups carafe
- Brew strength selector
- Control panel with LED
- The advanced setting for brewing time
- Extra-large capacity
Advantages
- It makes terrific and great tasting coffee every single time
- The two-way option of single-serve or carafe is amazing
- The brewing time can be scheduled 24 hours in advance
- Single-serve side cup rest can be adjusted or stacked to fit all mug sizes
- It comes with a permanent mesh-made coffee basket
- It comes with a long power cord which is not too long,
- The appliance is easy to use and easy to clean up as well
- Gives you that perfectly brewed coffee at any time, early in the morning or late at night
- The coffee makers work as advertised
- Set the brewing time with easily programmable buttons
- You get to set your own preferred taste – light or strong
- The auto shut down features saves energy
Disadvantages
- The unit will keep the coffee dripping if the pot is not in place
- Some of the parts appear a little cheap in quality
- The carafe lacks a permanent mesh so you will need to buy one separately

Verdict
The Hamilton Beach 49980A is every bit what we expected it to be and much more. Despite a few glitches that can be easily ignored, we feel that this coffee maker comes in handy in all situations.
Whether you want a hot cup just for you at any time of the day or you want several cups for guests at home, this coffee maker takes only a few minutes to make freshly brewed coffee Starbucks-style. Whether you want your coffee early in the morning or late at night, super strong, light, or mild, the appliance allows you to set the preferences accordingly.
If you are a coffee lover and like to enjoy several cups throughout the day then this product is a good choice for you.
However, please bear in mind that it comes with a temporary mesh so you will need to buy your own permanent mesh. Overall, we feel this is a great product for all coffee enthusiasts.