diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Ior.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Ior.scala
index 5db6cff7a6..96a15bf259 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Ior.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Ior.scala
@@ -227,8 +227,8 @@ private[data] sealed trait IorFunctions {
   def left[A, B](a: A): A Ior B = Ior.Left(a)
   def right[A, B](b: B): A Ior B = Ior.Right(b)
   def both[A, B](a: A, b: B): A Ior B = Ior.Both(a, b)
-  def leftNel[A, B](a: A): IorNel[A, B] = left(NonEmptyList.of(a))
-  def bothNel[A, B](a: A, b: B): IorNel[A, B] = both(NonEmptyList.of(a), b)
+  def leftNel[A, B](a: A): IorNel[A, B] = left(NonEmptyList.one(a))
+  def bothNel[A, B](a: A, b: B): IorNel[A, B] = both(NonEmptyList.one(a), b)
 
   /**
    * Create an `Ior` from two Options if at least one of them is defined.
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyList.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyList.scala
index d5c7bd17b4..a89d1e34b0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyList.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyList.scala
@@ -327,6 +327,8 @@ final case class NonEmptyList[+A](head: A, tail: List[A]) {
 object NonEmptyList extends NonEmptyListInstances {
   def of[A](head: A, tail: A*): NonEmptyList[A] = NonEmptyList(head, tail.toList)
 
+  def one[A](head: A): NonEmptyList[A] = NonEmptyList(head, Nil)
+
   /**
    * Create a `NonEmptyList` from a `List`.
    *
@@ -384,7 +386,7 @@ private[data] sealed trait NonEmptyListInstances extends NonEmptyListInstances0
         fa map f
 
       def pure[A](x: A): NonEmptyList[A] =
-        NonEmptyList(x, List.empty)
+        NonEmptyList.one(x)
 
       def flatMap[A, B](fa: NonEmptyList[A])(f: A => NonEmptyList[B]): NonEmptyList[B] =
         fa flatMap f
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyVector.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyVector.scala
index ecf79754cc..e4997b614e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyVector.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/NonEmptyVector.scala
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ private[data] sealed trait NonEmptyVectorInstances {
         fa map f
 
       def pure[A](x: A): NonEmptyVector[A] =
-        NonEmptyVector(x, Vector.empty)
+        NonEmptyVector.one(x)
 
       def flatMap[A, B](fa: NonEmptyVector[A])(f: A => NonEmptyVector[B]): NonEmptyVector[B] =
         fa flatMap f
@@ -299,6 +299,8 @@ object NonEmptyVector extends NonEmptyVectorInstances {
     new NonEmptyVector(buf.result)
   }
 
+  def one[A](head: A): NonEmptyVector[A] = apply(head, Vector.empty[A])
+
   def unapply[A](nev: NonEmptyVector[A]): Some[(A, Vector[A])] = Some((nev.head, nev.tail))
 
   def fromVector[A](vector: Vector[A]): Option[NonEmptyVector[A]] =
diff --git a/free/src/test/scala/cats/free/CofreeTests.scala b/free/src/test/scala/cats/free/CofreeTests.scala
index d0c49d6aab..3558437648 100644
--- a/free/src/test/scala/cats/free/CofreeTests.scala
+++ b/free/src/test/scala/cats/free/CofreeTests.scala
@@ -67,10 +67,8 @@ class CofreeTests extends CatsSuite {
 
   test("Cofree.mapBranchingRoot") {
     val unfoldedHundred: CofreeNel[Int] = Cofree.unfold[Option, Int](0)(i => if (i == 100) None else Some(i + 1))
-    val withNoneRoot = unfoldedHundred.mapBranchingRoot(new (Option ~> Option) {
-      override def apply[A](opt: Option[A]): Option[A] = None
-    })
-    val nelUnfoldedOne: NonEmptyList[Int] = NonEmptyList.of(0)
+    val withNoneRoot = unfoldedHundred.mapBranchingRoot(λ[Option ~> Option](_ => None))
+    val nelUnfoldedOne: NonEmptyList[Int] = NonEmptyList.one(0)
     cofNelToNel(withNoneRoot) should ===(nelUnfoldedOne)
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/IorTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/IorTests.scala
index 89cb8cc0ea..2b6d4a30ed 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/IorTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/IorTests.scala
@@ -214,13 +214,13 @@ class IorTests extends CatsSuite {
 
   test("leftNel") {
     forAll { (x: String) =>
-      Ior.leftNel(x).left should === (Some(NonEmptyList.of(x)))
+      Ior.leftNel(x).left should === (Some(NonEmptyList.one(x)))
     }
   }
 
   test("bothNel") {
     forAll { (x: Int, y: String) =>
-      Ior.bothNel(y, x).onlyBoth should === (Some((NonEmptyList.of(y), x)))
+      Ior.bothNel(y, x).onlyBoth should === (Some((NonEmptyList.one(y), x)))
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/NonEmptyVectorTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/NonEmptyVectorTests.scala
index 0a0841e3fb..4fee695022 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/NonEmptyVectorTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/NonEmptyVectorTests.scala
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class NonEmptyVectorTests extends CatsSuite {
 
   test("+: is consistent with concatNev") {
     forAll { (nonEmptyVector: NonEmptyVector[Int], i: Int) =>
-      i +: nonEmptyVector should === (NonEmptyVector.of(i).concatNev(nonEmptyVector))
+      i +: nonEmptyVector should === (NonEmptyVector.one(i).concatNev(nonEmptyVector))
     }
   }
   test("prepend is consistent with +:") {