A Cup Is 5 Ounces to the Best 5 Cup Coffee Maker, Not 8

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Every coffee maker on this page is sold by the cup. Five cups, says the Mr. Coffee. Five cups, says the KRUPS, the Holstein, the Tasty and the Amaste. Four cups, say the Elite Gourmet and the Aiosa. None of them means the cup in your cupboard. A measuring cup is 8 US fluid ounces. A coffee maker’s cup, on the evidence of these ten listings, is closer to 5.

Five listings give you enough to work it out. Both Mr. Coffee machines say “25 oz.” for five cups. The Sykaffe says “25 ounces of coffee in a single brew cycle”. The Amazon Basics puts “0.8 Qt” in its title, which is 25.6 ounces by our arithmetic. The Aiosa says “4-Cup 20Oz Capacity”. Divide each volume by its own cup count, which is our arithmetic, and all five land between 5.0 and 5.1 ounces per cup, or about 148 to 151 millilitres.

So a 5-cup coffee maker makes about 25 ounces of coffee, roughly 740 millilitres. That is two 12-ounce mugs with a splash left over, which is how Mr. Coffee puts it: “perfect for two 12-oz. cups”. In 8-ounce measuring cups it is just over three. A 4-cup maker at the same rate makes about 20 ounces: one and two-thirds mugs, or two and a half measuring cups. These are small machines, and the label makes them sound bigger than they are.

One listing breaks the pattern, and four give nothing to check. The Elite Gourmet is sold as a 4-cup maker, and its size field says “32 ounce”. If that were the brew volume, its cup would be 8 ounces, the only measuring-cup cup on the page. Its own reservoir bullet says “up to 4 cups of water” and gives no ounces, so we report both and cannot tell which describes the pot. The KRUPS, Holstein, Tasty and Amaste state a cup count and no volume at all.

Capacity is the first question, not the only one. At this size, what separates one machine from another is a short list of features that each listing either states or leaves out. Can you pull the carafe mid-brew? Eight say yes in words. Does it switch itself off, and when? Two say after two hours and one after 30 minutes. Is there a reusable filter in the box? Nine say so; the Amazon Basics does not. Does a hotplate keep the pot warm? Six name one. And how much counter does it take? By our arithmetic from the listed dimensions, the footprints run from about 37.6 square inches to about 74.3, a factor of two.

This guide is stricter on size than our small drip coffee maker roundup, which covers small drip makers more broadly. Every machine here is sold as a 4- or 5-cup brewer, and the comparison is built on the ounces per cup each listing states, the reservoir it describes and the features it commits to in writing. Star ratings and review counts were not captured for this roundup; popularity below is Amazon’s Best Sellers Rank only.

All ten were captured on 5 October 2026. Their overall Best Sellers Ranks run from #1,139 to #101,452, and in Amazon’s Coffee Machines category from #3 to #115.

Our Quick Picks

At a Glance

Ten Small Coffee Makers, Sorted by What a “Cup” Means on Each

Read the first two columns together: the volume is the listing’s, the ounces per cup are our division of that volume by the stated cup count, and a blank volume means the cup is undefined.

#	Model	Stated Volume	Oz per Cup (Our Arithmetic)	Auto Shut-Off	Best Sellers Rank	Standout	Main Drawback	Check Price
1	Mr. Coffee Programmable 5-Cup	25 oz	5.0 oz (about 148 ml)	2 hours	#1,642 overall	Only timer here; pause, shut-off and reusable filter all stated	About 74.3 sq in, the largest footprint	View on Amazon
2	Mr. Coffee Mini Brew Switch	25 oz	5.0 oz (about 148 ml)	Not stated	#1,139 overall	Best rank on the page; Grab-a-Cup Auto Pause	Light reminds you to switch off; no shut-off stated	View on Amazon
3	Amazon Basics 5 Cup	0.8 qt (25.6 oz, our conversion)	5.1 oz (about 151 ml)	2 hours	#2,631 overall	Smallest footprint, about 37.6 sq in	Reusable filter not stated	View on Amazon
4	Sykaffe 5 Cup	25 oz	5.0 oz (about 148 ml)	Keep-warm up to 2 hours	#46,526 overall	Two-hour keep-warm; dishwasher-safe filter and carafe	Pause-and-serve not stated	View on Amazon
5	Aiosa 4 Cup Mini	20 oz	5.0 oz (about 148 ml)	Not stated	#101,452 overall	Only stated wattage, 650W; anti-drip pause	Weakest rank here; keep-warm length not stated	View on Amazon
6	Elite Gourmet EHC4128 4-Cup	32 ounce (size field)	8.0 oz if 32 oz is the pot	Not stated	#2,410 overall	Pause, keep-warm and reusable filter all stated	Size field and bullets do not agree on volume	View on Amazon
7	KRUPS Simply Brew 5 Cup	Not stated	Not calculable	Keep-warm up to 30 min	#8,533 overall	Stainless exterior; only two-year warranty here	No volume; keep-warm stops at 30 minutes	View on Amazon
8	Holstein Housewares 5 Cup	Not stated	Not calculable	Not stated	#22,518 overall	Cone filter basket; carafe measurement marks	Bullet copied from an espresso listing	View on Amazon
9	Tasty 5-Cup	Not stated	Not calculable	Not stated	#58,104 overall	Mesh filter also takes basket-style paper filters	No volume and no weight stated	View on Amazon
10	Amaste Retro 5 Cup	Not stated	Not calculable	30 minutes	#48,071 overall	Only brew-strength choice: Mild, Medium, Strong	Heaviest here, 4.39 lb; no volume stated	View on Amazon

Best Sellers Ranks and specifications are taken from each manufacturer’s Amazon listing as displayed on 5 October 2026 through a United States connection, and may change. Volumes are as stated by each listing; ounces per cup are our arithmetic. We divide the stated volume by the stated cup count and convert at 29.57 millilitres per US fluid ounce. The Amazon Basics states 0.8 quarts, which we convert at 32 ounces per quart. The Elite Gourmet’s 32 ounce figure comes from its size field, not a bullet, and its reservoir bullet says “up to 4 cups of water” with no ounces, so its 8.0 oz per cup is conditional. The Sykaffe and KRUPS describe how long their hotplates keep warm, not a shut-off in those words. Ranks are overall Best Sellers Ranks as returned on 5 October 2026; all ten also rank in Amazon’s Coffee Machines category, from #3 to #115. Seven were sold by Amazon.com at capture; the Sykaffe, Amaste and Aiosa by their brands. Star ratings and review counts were not captured for any product here.

Scroll the table sideways to see every column

How We Chose These Ten

We researched current listings, compared manufacturer specifications and documentation, and read each listing’s capacity claims, reservoir description and feature list line by line. We did not carry out hands-on testing, and nothing below is presented as measured performance data. Star ratings and review counts were not captured for this roundup. We used Amazon Best Sellers Rank, buy-box stock and listing specifications instead, and nothing on this page describes or implies how owners have scored these machines.

• Four- and five-cup drip makers only — every machine here is a drip coffee maker with a glass carafe, sold as a 4-cup or 5-cup brewer. Single-serve pod machines, pour-over cones and 8-cup or larger drip makers were not in the running.
• New units only — every buy box here was a new product at capture.
• Volume recorded exactly as printed — ounces, quarts or a size field, with its source noted. Where a listing gives a cup count and nothing else, we record the volume as not stated rather than assume a standard cup.
• Ounces per cup as our arithmetic — we divide each stated volume by the same listing’s cup count, and convert at 29.57 millilitres per US fluid ounce and 32 ounces per quart. Mug counts assume a 12-ounce mug and an 8-ounce measuring cup. Every one of those figures is labelled as ours.
• Features logged in words — pause-and-serve, auto shut-off and its time, reusable filter, keep-warm and its length, programming and brew strength are marked yes only where the listing says so. A hotplate the listing does not name is marked not stated, even where a shut-off timer suggests one.
• Footprint from listed dimensions — length times width from each spec table, which is our arithmetic. We do not know whether a listing measured the machine or its box. One weight field that cannot describe a coffee maker is left out.
• Popularity from Best Sellers Rank only — ranks are quoted exactly as returned on 5 October 2026, overall and in Coffee Machines. Ranks move constantly.
• Verified stock and seller — each product was the buy-box offer and in stock on amazon.com on 5 October 2026.

The Ten 4- and 5-Cup Coffee Makers in Detail

What a “Cup” Means on Each Listing

The table below sets out every capacity figure each listing gives, where it gives it, and what it works out to. Everything in the last three columns is our arithmetic: the stated volume divided by the stated cup count, converted at 29.57 millilitres per US fluid ounce, and then counted in 12-ounce mugs and 8-ounce measuring cups.

Five listings agree within a tenth of an ounce. Two brands, two Mr. Coffee models, a store brand and a 4-cup maker all land on a cup of 5.0 or 5.1 ounces. That is not a coincidence of rounding. It is the drip industry’s working cup, smaller than a measuring cup and much smaller than a mug, and it is why a “5-cup” coffee maker fills two mugs rather than five.

The 8-ounce reading would change the category. If the Elite Gourmet’s 32 ounce size field is the brew volume, its 4-cup machine would out-brew every 5-cup machine on the page by about 7 ounces, our arithmetic. Nothing else in its listing supports that: its reservoir is described in cups, not ounces, and its title calls it a 4-cup maker like the 20-ounce Aiosa. We treat 32 ounces as unconfirmed and suggest planning on the smaller figure.

Four listings leave the cup undefined. The KRUPS, Holstein, Tasty and Amaste give a cup count and nothing to convert. If their cups match the five that do state a volume, each would brew about 25 ounces by our arithmetic. That is a reasonable guess, not a figure, and it is the one question worth asking the seller before you buy any of the four.

The 4-cup versus 5-cup choice is one cup of 5 ounces. On the stated listings, a 4-cup maker brews about 20 ounces and a 5-cup about 25: the difference is roughly 148 millilitres, under half a mug. If you drink one large mug, a 4-cup maker is enough. If two people each want a 12-ounce mug, you need the 5-cup, and even then there is only an ounce to spare. If you want three full mugs, neither is big enough; see our 12-cup coffee maker guide for the next size up. Our small drip coffee maker roundup covers some 5-cup machines not listed here, along with a few in-between sizes.

Five Features, Stated or Not

At this size, the differences between machines are a handful of conveniences. The table logs each one exactly as the listing states it. “Not stated” means the listing is silent, not that the feature is absent.

Pause-and-serve is close to standard. Eight of ten listings say in words that you can pull the carafe mid-brew. The Amaste mentions an anti-drip feature without describing a mid-brew pour, and the Sykaffe does not mention it at all. On a 25-ounce pot, the pause matters less than on a big machine, because the whole brew is short, but it is still the feature that lets you take the first mug before the second is done.

Only three listings give a shut-off time. The programmable Mr. Coffee and the Amazon Basics say two hours. The Amaste says 30 minutes. The Sykaffe and KRUPS describe how long their hotplates keep warm, two hours and 30 minutes, which may amount to the same thing but is not stated as a shut-off. The other five give nothing, and the Mini Brew’s listing tells you its light is there to remind you to switch it off. If an unattended hotplate worries you, that narrows the list to three, or five if you read the keep-warm limits generously.

Nine say a reusable filter is included. The exception is the Amazon Basics, which describes a removable basket only. Two add useful detail: the Holstein names a cone basket, and the Tasty says its mesh filter takes basket-style paper filters too. If you plan on paper, the filter shape is the thing to confirm, because cone and basket papers do not swap.

Six name a hotplate, and the lengths vary fourfold where given. The Sykaffe says up to two hours, the KRUPS up to 30 minutes, and the Elite, Aiosa, Tasty and Amaste name a warming plate or keep-warm without a time. The two Mr. Coffees and the Amazon Basics never name one, though the two-hour shut-offs on two of them imply something stays on. The Holstein says nothing either way.

Footprint: Half the Machines Are Half the Size

Every listing here calls itself compact. The listed dimensions say otherwise for three of them. Multiplying length by width from each spec table, which is our arithmetic, splits the ten into two clear groups.

Seven machines sit between about 37.6 and 49.1 square inches; three between about 70.0 and 74.3. The two Mr. Coffees and the Elite Gourmet take nearly twice the counter of the Amazon Basics or the Aiosa. The irony is that the two Mr. Coffees are the best-ranked machines here. Shoppers are buying the brand and the stated 25 ounces, not the smallest box.

Three machines share a 5.31-inch width. The Amazon Basics, Sykaffe and Aiosa all list 5.31 inches wide, and the Amazon Basics and Aiosa differ in length by a hundredth of an inch. Shared dimensions can mean a shared factory design, but the listings do not say so, and their feature lists differ: the Aiosa states 650 watts and an anti-drip pause, the Sykaffe a two-hour keep-warm, the Amazon Basics a two-hour shut-off. Buy on the features each one states.

Height matters under cabinets. Listed heights run from 9.25 inches on the Aiosa to 11.0 on the programmable Mr. Coffee, setting aside the Elite Gourmet’s doubtful 6.0. The KRUPS is top-fill, so it needs room above the lid to open. A typical gap between a worktop and a wall cabinet is a little over a foot, so all of these should fit, but measure if your cabinets are low.

Best Alternatives

A 4- or 5-cup drip maker is the right tool for one or two people. If that is not quite your household, one of these may fit better.

What the Step Up Buys

Every machine here does the same basic job: heat water, drip it through grounds, collect about 25 ounces in a glass pot. Moving up the page buys features, not capacity. The tiers below are by what the listings state, not by brand.

• Switch and pot. An on/off switch, a glass carafe, a pause and a filter. The Mr. Coffee Mini Brew, Holstein and Tasty sit here. You switch off by hand.
• A stated shut-off. The Amazon Basics and Amaste add a stated shut-off time, two hours and 30 minutes. The Sykaffe and KRUPS state how long their hotplates hold, which serves much the same purpose.
• A timer. The programmable Mr. Coffee adds Brew Later, the only timer on the page, with a two-hour shut-off and a reusable filter.
• Build and control. The KRUPS adds a stainless-steel body and a two-year warranty. The Amaste adds three brew strengths and retro styling. Neither states a volume, so the step up does not buy you more certainty about size.

None of the steps buys more coffee. Every machine that states a volume brews 20 to 25.6 ounces, and the premium machines are among the four that state none. If you need more than two mugs, the answer is a bigger category, not a better 5-cup machine.

What to Check Before You Buy

Find the Ounces, Not the Cups

A coffee maker cup on these listings is about 5 ounces, by our arithmetic from the five that state a volume. Multiply the cup count by five to estimate the pot, then divide by your mug size. A 5-cup maker gives about 25 ounces: two 12-ounce mugs, just. If a listing gives no ounces, ask.

Treat Odd Volume Fields With Caution

The Elite Gourmet’s size field says 32 ounces on a 4-cup machine. That would make an 8-ounce cup, unlike every other stated listing. When a size field and the bullets disagree, plan on the smaller figure until the seller confirms.

Decide Whether You Need Pause-and-Serve

Eight listings say you can pour mid-brew. If you take the first mug before the pot finishes, choose one of those. The Sykaffe does not mention it, and the Amaste mentions only an anti-drip feature.

Check the Shut-Off Time

Two hours on the programmable Mr. Coffee and the Amazon Basics, 30 minutes on the Amaste. The Sykaffe and KRUPS give keep-warm limits instead. Five state nothing, and the Mini Brew relies on an indicator light to remind you.

Confirm the Filter and Its Shape

Nine include a reusable filter; the Amazon Basics does not say so. If you want paper, the Tasty says basket-style papers fit and the Holstein names a cone basket. The other listings leave filter shape unstated.

Measure the Counter, Not Just the Height

Footprints run from about 37.6 to about 74.3 square inches by our arithmetic. If space is tight, the Amazon Basics, Aiosa, Sykaffe and Tasty all come in at about 42 square inches or less. Heights run from 9.25 to 11.0 inches, and the KRUPS fills from the top.

Match the Hotplate to How You Drink

If you drink both mugs straight away, a 30-minute keep-warm is enough. If the pot sits through the morning, the Sykaffe’s stated two hours is the longest here. Remember that 25 ounces on a hotplate for hours will taste stewed whatever the machine.

Common Mistakes

• Reading “5 cups” as five mugs. The five listings that state a volume put a cup at about 5 oz; a 5-cup pot fills two 12 oz mugs.
• Trusting a size field over the bullets. The Elite Gourmet’s 32 ounce field would mean an 8 oz cup, unlike all five stated listings.
• Assuming every machine switches itself off. Only three state a shut-off time: two hours, two hours and 30 minutes.
• Assuming a reusable filter comes in the box. Nine say so; the Amazon Basics describes only a removable basket.
• Taking “compact” at its word. The two Mr. Coffees take about 70 to 74 sq in by our arithmetic, nearly twice the Amazon Basics.
• Buying a 4-cup maker for two people. At about 20 oz, it pours one and two-thirds 12 oz mugs.
• Counting on a long keep-warm. The KRUPS stops at 30 minutes; only the Sykaffe states two hours.
• Buying paper filters before checking the shape. The Holstein uses a cone basket; the Tasty takes basket-style papers.

Who Should Buy Which

Buy the Mr. Coffee Programmable 5-Cup if you want two mugs ready when you wake. 25 oz stated, about 5 oz a cup, with the only timer on the page, a two-hour shut-off, Auto Pause and a reusable filter. Accept the largest footprint here, about 74.3 square inches.

Buy the Mr. Coffee Mini Brew Switch if you want the best-selling two-mug brewer. The same 25 oz, Auto Pause and a reusable filter, at the best rank on the page. Accept that no shut-off is stated, only a light to remind you.

Buy the Amazon Basics if counter space is the limit. About 37.6 square inches, a 0.8 qt pot and a two-hour shut-off. Budget for paper filters, because a reusable one is not stated.

Buy the Sykaffe if the second mug comes an hour after the first. 25 oz and a stated two-hour keep-warm on a narrow base. Accept that pause-and-serve is not mentioned.

Buy the Aiosa if you drink one big mug a day. 20 oz stated, a 5 oz cup that matches the 5-cup listings, 650W, an anti-drip pause and a one-year warranty. Accept the weakest rank on the page.

Buy the Elite Gourmet if you want a popular, fully featured 4-cup maker. Pause, keep-warm and a reusable filter are all stated. Plan on about 20 oz, whatever the 32 ounce size field says.

Buy the KRUPS Simply Brew if build and warranty come first. A stainless body and the only two-year warranty here. Accept a 30-minute keep-warm and no stated volume.

Buy the Holstein if you want a cone filter and a pause. Accept a listing with an espresso bullet, a colour conflict and no stated volume, keep-warm or shut-off.

Buy the Tasty if you want to switch between mesh and paper filters. A drip stop valve, a warming plate and about 42.0 square inches of footprint. Accept no stated volume or shut-off.

Buy the Amaste if you want to choose your strength. Mild, Medium and Strong, a 30-minute shut-off and retro styling. Accept the heaviest body here, 4.39 lb, and no stated volume.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

A cup, on a coffee maker, is about 5 ounces. Five of these ten listings state a volume, and every one works out between 5.0 and 5.1 ounces per cup by our arithmetic. A 5-cup machine brews about 25 ounces, two 12-ounce mugs. A 4-cup brews about 20, one and two-thirds. The one listing that suggests an 8-ounce cup, the Elite Gourmet, does it in a size field its own bullets do not support.

Four listings leave the cup undefined. The KRUPS, Holstein, Tasty and Amaste state a count and no volume. They may well brew the same 25 ounces, but the only way to know is to ask.

After capacity, the features decide. Eight state pause-and-serve. Nine state a reusable filter. Only three give a shut-off time, and only one has a timer. Footprints run from about 37.6 to about 74.3 square inches, and the two best-ranked machines are two of the three largest.

If you buy one machine from this page, make it the Mr. Coffee Programmable 5-Cup: 25 ounces stated, about 5 ounces a cup, with a timer, a two-hour shut-off, Auto Pause and a reusable filter, sold by Amazon.com. If counter space is tight, the Amazon Basics gives you a stated 0.8 quart pot and a two-hour shut-off in half the space; if one large mug is all you drink, the Aiosa is the 4-cup listing whose numbers add up.