I know you don’t want a big machine but I’d look at the Cuisinart machine at Costco. I think they are around $70.00. It doesn’t take up a lot of room and looks nice. Most days I use it to make 4 cups. On the weekend I make 8-10cups.
My Behmore Brazen has an 8 cup capacity, which as you say is about 4 mugs worth. It’s a “normal” size machine though, not particularly compact. Has programmable temperature, pre-soak feature, and altitude calibration for the coffee snobs (raises hand). And it would look at home sitting on the sideboard in Jean Luc Picard’s ready room. It’s pretty quick to brew 4 cups (2 mugs), but noticeably slower when brewing more.
“but I’d look at the Cuisinart machine at Costco”
We owned a Cuisinart for less than one year (bought through Amazon not Costco). Cannot recommend it. Seemed to work fine until it caught on fire. Turns out that isn’t uncommon with the brand. Since we have food processor that is 30+ years old,I thought it was a name to trust. Amazon refunded 80% of our purchase price which seemed like a better option than sending it back to the manufacturer and likely getting a refurbished one in return.
I like the looks of the ones linked to in post #16.
^^^I REALLY love the Retro Electric kettle - but don’t need one of those!
I appreciate all the suggestions - I have learned a lot. I did look at the Cuisinart at Costco - and you’re right, it is compact. It’s on my short list. 
As well as the Russell Hobbs brand.
We had a Cuisenart for years…stopped using it here, but it’s still going strong where I donated it.
I also had an old (terrific) Krupa…but it was not compact…at all.
Let us all know what you get!
My Cuisenart is 10 years old and so far it hasn’t caught fire once!
I like mine because it has a hot water station too, so I never use my kettle anymore.
We aren’t coffee connoisseurs though so it’s fine for our needs.
Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but depending on how serious OP is about a good cuppa joe then he may want to get an SCA (Speciality Coffee Association) certified machine. I remember reading an article way back where a number of machines were tested by a reviewer and the vast majority didn’t meet the minimum preferred water temp of 92C/197F. Totally personal preference though; plenty of people enjoy coffee just fine when brewed at lower temps.
https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer/
And a little sidetrack funny story about coffee to share. My wife’s mother came to visit for a few months from overseas. Not a coffee drinker, but saw W and I grinding beans and enjoying a cup every morning. Eventually asked for a sip of W’s coffee, progressed to a couple of sips, then half a cup, then by the last month of her stay was having a full cup of her own. I was amused, W was intrigued and asked “what is it about anomander’s coffee that you like?” grandma just replied, “I don’t know, there’s just something about it.”
Single origin, freshly roasted within the last 1-2 weeks, freshly ground with a conical burr grinder, brewed at 201F in an SCA-certified machine. W is definitely not a coffee snob and was always skeptical about the rigmarole and voodoo, but on that visit I got objective proof via her own mother that yes, my coffee really is good enough even to convert an 80-year non-coffee drinker!
^^^^Thanks for posting the list. My coffee maker (Moccamaster) is on it I like good coffee.
Interesting list. As expected. BTW, that certification involves brewing a whole pot. Many of the models listed are 10-12 cups. The OP is looking for a pot that can brew one mug (2 cups or so) of decent quality coffee.
Yes brewing a single mug is a little bit of a difficult use case. When I need a single mug sometimes I’ll use my Behmore (4 mug capacity) and sometimes I’ll break out the v60 pour over. Either way it always feels like a lot of work for a single mug. If needed a single mug on a regular basis I’d probably put the coffee snobbishness on hold and buy a Nespresso or something.
I’ve been reading this thread with much interest.
I consider myself a coffee snob, but I only brew for me. So, all these great machines seem to be way too much hassle for me. I own a Keurig and tried to use their basket insert with my single origin (of course) coffee, but I always got a mess and I mothballed it. I now use the old Melita drip for my 20 oz cup of Joe each morning. 
I’m still reading along and the automated pour-overs seemed very interesting to me. :-bd
Paging @abaaket!
Amazon deal of the day:
https://www.amazon.com/Gourmia-Automatic-Pour-Coffee-Maker/dp/B076VVTRNM
It is a pour over! It makes 2-4 cups! It looks sleek. Has reviews! Mostly thumbs up! 
@abasket look at the post from @BunsenBurner above mine.
@sushritto
If you brew for one and you are a coffee snob—get a 3c Chemex (smallest one Chemex makes), Chemex filter paper (for the 3c) and grind your beans using a Bur grinder. Heat your water and pour over coffee and you are good to go. You can get Chemex pots at Williams Sonoma. All rhe serious coffee shops do some version of pour over.
I have a funny coffee maker story - there’s that special friend who gets excited about arcane and far fetched schemes and pulls everyone else in. He hears about this kickstarter for a special roast-grind-brew machine and gets a group of about 20 people to chip in so we could collectively pay for the $300+ prototype.
That was about 4 years ago! We had all given up hope, and one day, this friend finds a big box outside his house. It’s the machine!
It had some kinks to work out, and extra accoutrements to help with that, but friend now has the machine figured out and has sent it on to it’s next home (mine). The idea is that everyone gets a month with it and then someone (hopefully) bids to buy it. I have to say, I’m getting used to this thing…
The beans it came with - maybe they weren’t that strong, maybe I wasn’t doing things quite right? But I ordered some more green beans online, they came really quickly and they are amazing! You set everything up on the machine and it will roast for about 20 minutes, then grind, then brew the coffee. It makes a little beep when it’s done. It’s very cleverly and elegantly designed and so far, everything works well. www.bonaverde.com
ETA - I bought the green beans online from Coffee Bean Corral and they have many varieties and sizes to buy, as well as instructions for roasting. You can use a popcorn popper, a cast iron pan, etc.
Beans that fresh from the roast wouldn’t be optimum, I roast our coffee and would avoid grinding such fresh beans. Are you sure this unit actually roasts green beans? My roaster smoke looks as close to setting the house on fire as it gets, I roast in the (large) garage or outside,my machine registers at about 470 and that isn’t as hot as I would like. I have a fire extinguisher beside it, and it isn’t unusual to see flames from chaff.
@BunsenBurner Amazing price. Hmm.
@Bromfield2 Thank you for the suggestion. Looking into it now.
@Sybylla - there is a filter for the roasting fumes and smoke that you are supposed to replace after 25 uses or so. I agree that it seems strange to sell a machine that does this, and then you realize you should wait and let the roasted beans “off gas” for a while.
I smell BS. Add start up to the name and voila LOL.
I still swear by my very old 4 cup farberwear percolator. I use spring water, heats quickly, very hot coffee and keeps it hot. No bells and whistles. Stores in cabinet easily, cleans up quickly. 