Shardor’s Mini Pod-and-Grounds Brewer Drops to $36 at Amazon

The Shardor Mini, a small single-serve brewer that takes K-Cups or ground coffee, is $35.99 at Amazon, down from $49.99, The Inventory reported on Nov. 1. That’s 28% off, and about what the CHULUX Mini sold for in early October, except this one handles grounds without buying an extra filter.

Per The Inventory, the Shardor has a pod holder and a reusable grounds basket, plus hot and iced settings. The iced mode isn’t cold brew; it brews a stronger hot cup meant to be poured over ice, so fill the glass with ice first. The outlet says owners get the best results from a medium grind, like standard supermarket pre-ground, since finer coffee can clog the basket.

The Inventory is upfront about the downsides. Some buyers report the machine failing, leaking or brewing inconsistently after six to 12 months, and others say the coffee comes out drinkable-warm rather than hot. It also notes the manual says little about descaling, and that hard water speeds up mineral buildup.

We couldn’t confirm the price on Amazon ourselves, so treat $35.99 as The Inventory’s figure from Nov. 1.

Our take: at this price it’s a reasonable dorm or office spare, and the grounds basket can cut your per-cup cost a lot (our cost-per-cup math shows how much). Given the durability reports, descale it every month or two; the vinegar-or-descaler method in our Keurig descaling guide works on most pod brewers.

Check the Shardor Mini’s price on Amazon