can i make just one cup of coffee in my mr coffee bvmc zh1b 12-cup machine or will it break it

Yeah, you can, but you gotta trick it a bit. It's designed for a full carafe, so a single cup requires a specific workaround.

1. Place at least 5 cups of water in the reservoir. The machine needs a minimum water volume to function properly and avoid burning the heating element.
2. Put your ground coffee in the filter basket. For one cup, use one tablespoon of grounds.
3. Place the empty carafe under the basket to start the brew cycle.
4. As soon as coffee starts dripping into the carafe, carefully slide the carafe out. The flow will pause for about 20 seconds.
5. Quickly hold your mug under the basket to catch the rest of your single cup.
6. Slide the carafe back under the drip to catch the remaining hot water and complete the cycle.

If that's too fiddly: Consider a pour-over cone for single servings. The machine's optimal performance is with 5-12 cups of water.

Heads up: Never run the brew cycle without the carafe in place. The hot coffee and water need to be caught to prevent a mess and potential damage from overheating.