Picking a coffee machine can be a difficult choice to make. The buyer usually has to consider a lot of factors and pick the best one for the price: Brewing time, strength of the brew, the design of the machine.
The award wining Keurig coffee makers deliver the best experience, every single time. Keurig always ensures to pick the finest parts to make their coffee machines. These machines are perfect for household or commercial use, and their trademarked K-Cups offer 60 brands, including the top ten best selling brands in the U.S.
Coffee brands the world over have tried to replicate Keurig’s cutting edge technology in the coffee maker industry. Since the company’s formation, it has been at the top of the game, winning a multitude of coffee association awards.
Keurig, without a doubt, make one of the finest single serve coffee makers, and are known for their K-cup technology, which is perfect for a quick hassle-free cup of Joe.
The Keurig brand has been the household name in the industry since its conception in 1998. They have spent the last two decades refining their products and making innovations that are unparalleled in the Industry.
The K-cup technology revolutionized the consumption of coffee. It made coffee making simple, intuitive and hands free. The K-cup technology has been replicated by other brands simply because of its efficiency.
Keurig has now merged with the famous Dr. Pepper brand in a $18.7 billion merger. The merger has led to innovations and diversification which took the market by storm. The Keurig home bar is one of the innovative technologies that have been conceived by this merger.
How does a K-cup machine work?
The K-cup comes in a lab tested food-safe plastic container. The lid is usually aluminum, and can be pulled off. Inside, the paper filter can be found to contain some of the best coffee grinds.
In order to ensure longevity, the coffee grinds are degassed, which means that the CO2 buildup after roasting is removed. This ensures that the coffee stays very fresh for very long!
The K cup machine contains two hollow needles, one pierces the aluminum foil at the top, and the other pierces the bottom of the K-Cup. The hot water is pumped through this needle, which travels through the K-Cup and enriches the water with the coffee.
This process is done slowly in order to ensure that the most amount of coffee is transferred into the water which brews the perfect, standardized cup of coffee.
Top 12 Best Keurig Coffee Makers
Let’s take a look at the best Keurig machines that are sure to make a strong, flavorful cup of coffee.
1. Keurig K-Elite Single Serve K-Cup coffee maker
This Keurig coffee machine is, hands down, one of the best single serve coffee makers on the market. The customizability that this machine gives is unparalleled, with a strong brew button to ensure that the strength of the coffee is up to your satisfaction. The machine also has a temperature control, which lets you make strong or cold coffee.
What’s more, this Keurig coffee maker has the quiet brew technology, which ensures that the brewing is silent and does not wake your family up early in the morning! From tea to hot chocolate, it can brew a multitude of beverages, not just coffee.
The K-Elite can brew a mean cup of coffee in a very short time, which ensures you are never waiting around for the coffee to be ready. The machine also lets you use your own ground coffee and not just the K cups.
Features
- Temperature control: The temperature control function lets you customize just how hot or cold you’d like your coffee! This is a plus point on customizability.
- Strong Brew: The strong brew button filters the coffee through the K-Cup (or filter grounds) more than once, ensuring that you get the maximum caffeine, flavor and body from your coffee.
- 75 oz water reservoir: The extra-large water reservoir lets you brew 8 cups at a time, so as to save time, and ensure that the machine can be used to make large orders!
- Brewer Maintenance Reminder: When the machine notes a significant calcium or grime buildup, it immediately lets you know that it is descaling time.
- Elegant design and variety of colors
- Strength control
- Temperature control
- Large water reservoir
- Let’s your brew your own grounds
- Comes with 6 K-cups
- Is pricey
- Heavy
The Keurig K-Elite gives you the bang for the buck, with a multitude of settings, convenient descaling notification, and versatility in brewing different beverages.
This makes the machine one of the best on the market, and is perfect for office spaces since it has a large reservoir and the quiet brew technology. It is also a perfect household coffee maker and will look elegant on your kitchen top.
2. Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker
This is what Keurig is known and reputed for. The K-Classic is truly a classic, with simple controls and a beautiful design. This keurig classic series coffee machine can brew multiple cups and has a pretty big water reservoir.
It also has the auto off feature that ensures that you don’t waste electricity and turns off after every brew. It has a descaling notification and delivers cups of multiple quantities.
One click to select your cup size, and one click to brew. That is all it takes to operate this machine, and makes it all the more better. Although on the heavier side, this Keurig K-Classic Coffee machine looks and feels sturdy and elegant at the same time. The machine is extremely tough and is not prone to damage.
Features
- Large water reservoir: The large reservoir lets you brew a batch of coffee which makes this. Perfect for office spaces.
- Descaling reminder: This keurig classic series coffee machine lets you know when it needs maintenance. The descaling reminder flashes red when the coffee maker needs cleaning
- Simple controls: With just the press of two buttons, you can brew a cup of coffee the way you like it.
- Easy to use
- Large water reservoir
- Sturdy and durable
- Variable brew sizes
- Available in many colors
- Very heavy
- Not a lot of customization available
This keurig classic series coffee maker is known for it’s simplicity and consistency of experience. It is perfect for people who don’t want to spend around $160 on the Keurig K-Elite and still want the consistency and sturdiness that the K series provides. For the price, this is a solid coffee maker that will fit in office spaces or kitchen tops.
3. Keurig Special Edition K-Cafe SE Single serve coffee maker
The industry grade machine is used in many coffee shops, and is a favorite of baristas. It has many features like the Coffee Shot, which makes it stand apart from the rest of the machines.
However, the high price point brings it down to #3 on this list. It also has a brother, which lets you froth milk for those fancy lattes.
It also accommodates travel mugs, and comes with the smart start feature. The smart start heats the water for brewing and then brews the coffee in one simple step.
This Keurig coffee coffee machine also looks very elegant, and has very simple touch controls that are intuitive to use. This Keurig coffee maker may not be ideal for small office spaces, but is perfect for larger work spaces and home use. Espressos, lattes, long blacks, cappuccinos, you name it and this machine brews it!
Features
- Strong Brew: The Strong Brew function lets you make a doubt strong cup of coffee. This, combined with the versatility of this machine’s brewing, lets you experiment and make some unique brews!
- Smart Start: The Smart Start function lets your brewing experience very easy. The function lets the coffee maker heat the water, and then brews in one simple step. This makes the brewing process hassle free.
- Auto off: The auto off feature lets you save electricity and makes this machine ecofriendly and perfect for forgetful folks out there.
- Dishwasher safe Frothier: The frothier lets you make some really aesthetically pleasing and delicious drinks. The frothier can be used for milk, soy milk, cream or any other milk. It is also dishwasher safe which makes it easy to clean.
- Large water reservoir: the 60 Oz water reservoir lets you brew a large batch.
- Coffee Shot: This Keurig coffee machine lets you make a shot of coffee, which can be used to add a strong shot to your coffee or make a variety of coffee styles!
- Very versatile with a long list of
features
- Frothier for aesthetic appeal
- Variable cup sizes
- Large water reservoir
- Can hold a travel mug
- Very expensive
- Bulky
- Power consuming and prone to
electrical faults
- Quite loud
This Keurig coffee machine is great for coffee shops and kitchens at home, but not very useful for office spaces as it is loud and occupies a lot of space.
This Keurig coffee maker is however, the absolute best in terms of quality, versatility and consistency. So, it is the ideal machine for coffee enthusiasts who don’t mind paying a bit extra or don’t care about the size of the machine.
4. Keurig K-Mini (Keurig Mini) Single Serve Coffee Maker
This compact little fella gives you the same strong coffee that the big machines do. It is very price efficient, compact and is perfect for smaller spaces. The K-Mini comes in turquoise, black and silver.
The turquoise looks elegant and stylish. The Keurig Mini coffee machine also accommodates a travel mug, which makes it convenient for people who want coffee on the go!
The drip tray can hold a full brew in case of an accident, and is removable so it can be cleaned very easily.
The K-Mini has a lot of features like the auto-off, which can be found on the higher end machines. This Keurig Mini coffee machine is only 5 inches wide, and delivers exceptional quality for a very affordable price.
Features
- Cord storage: This Keurig Mini coffee machine does with a cord storage, which makes it even more portable. The cord can be rolled and placed in the storage chamber that lets the machine be placed anywhere without the worry of tripping over wires.
- Travel mug friendly: The K-mini is travel mug friendly, and can brew either a 6oz or a 12oz cup. This can be useful for people who want to make their coffee to-go.
- Brew your own coffee: The Keurig Mini coffee machine lets you use your own coffee grounds, and does not limit it to the K-Cups.
- Auto off: The auto off feature turns off the machine immediately after a brew, which ensures that you save electricity.
- Affordable
- Very compact (5 inches wide) and
stylish
- Can brew your own grounds
- Cord storage
- Can accommodate a travel mug
- Very quick to brew
- Removable drip tray
- Has to brew one at a time due to lack
of water reservoir
- Very hard to clean and descale
5. Keurig K250 Single Serve coffee maker
This Keurig coffee machine is one of the most stylish looking ones on the market. It comes in 7 different attractive colors, and has a ton of features.
The K250 is a versatile, stylish and sturdy machine that definitely delivers on all points. It brews multiple cup sizes (4-10oz) as well as a carafe (30oz).
It is a compact machine, and has features like the strength control and auto off. It also comes with a descaling solution, so as to make cleaning easier. It has a large water reservoir, and is a sleek machine that will fit wherever you put it.
Features
- Large reservoir: The large water reservoir can hold upto 4 cups of coffee, making it ideal for a home setting.
- Strength Control: The Strength Control feature lets you tweak the strength of the coffee. So if you like a strong cup of coffee in the morning, this machine will do the job.
- Fast brew: This Keurig coffee maker can brew coffee in under a minute, making it one of the fastest machines on the market to brew coffee.
- Easy to use touch screen: The touch screen is black and white, and comes with a digital clock so that brewing is accurate and easy to do.
- Easy to use
- Compact design
- Attractive colors
- Cord storage
- Useful features
- Comes with water filter handle, filters and descaling solution
- Slightly expensive
The K250 is certainly a quality product, and is ideal for homes or small office spaces. It doesn’t brew enormously large quantity of coffee, but does the job in an effective and smooth manner while also having the aesthetic appeal in the design.
6. Keurig K-Select Single Serve K-Cup Coffee maker
The Keurig K-Select coffee maker is simple to use, and has a lot of features that distinguish it from other Keurigs. The K-Select comes in a range of colors. This is a perfect machine for small spaces or large, and can sit comfortably on any shelf or table.
This Keurig K Select coffee maker has a visible water reservoir that lets you know exactly how much water it holds. This is quite useful when brewing in large batches, as it indicates when water needs to be added.
It also has a descaling reminder, Strong Brew function and a very simple interface. This makes this coffee machine a great set that offers both elegance and functionality.
Features
- 52oz Water reservoir: the water reservoir visibly shows the quantity of water in the machine. It is quite large, so this Keurig K-Select coffee maker is perfect to make coffee in large batches.
- Strong Brew function: The Strong Brew function lets you double the strength of the coffee, and is a boon for when you want a double doze to start your day. Instead of having to drink two cups, the Strong Brew function lets you make it quick and easy to drink in just one cup.
- Descaling Reminder: This Keurig K Select coffee machine lets you know the there is a calcium buildup or sediments at the bottom. This is quite helpful as it lets you know exactly when the machine needs cleaning.
- Visible water reservoir
- Strong Brew
- Easy to dismantle
- Variable cup sizes
- Elegant and attractive design
- Add water reminder
- Flimsy and may leak water (Can get
unit replaced)
- Pricey
This Keurig K-Select coffee maker has a few flaws. Whether it is a manufacturing defect or just bad luck, the machine has shown to leak in a few cases. However, Amazon’s service lets you replace the unit to get a good one. This Keurig K Select coffee machine is good for office spaces and homes, as its stylish design is one of its selling points.
7. Keurig VUE V1200 Commercial Brewing System
- Gives you total control to brew your way-stronger, bigger, hotter and with more choices than ever before
This is a commercial machine with all the staple Keurig features that have made the cut. The features include temperature control, touch controls and variable cup sizes.
It also lets you brew over ice, and brew other beverages. The brewing process may be a bit complicated at first, but after getting used to it, it is as easy as using any other machine.
This Keurig coffee machine can be found in a lot of cafes, and has a very durable build. But durability comes at a price, and that is portability. However, it is a god machine for up and coming coffee shops or restaurants
Features
- Strong Brew: This machine also comes with the strong brew function, and is useful for people who like their coffee extra strong
- Multi Brew: The multi brew function it’s you brew coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or any beverage. Simply put the powdered remains into the filter and let it flow through into the cup.
- Vue pack: Vue packs are small and efficient to use. They work like K-cups, but have a variety of different flavors.
- Frothing function: This machine has a frothing function as well. The machine can froth milk, soy milk, cream or any milk based product.
- Versatile brew
- Frothing
- Lot of features
- Durable and heavy duty
- Very bulky and occupies a lot of
space
- Pricey
- Difficult to use initially
- Noisy
This Keurig coffee machine is good for cafes, and is recommended for coffee enthusiasts around the world. However, this is probably not a good fit for apartments or office spaces due to its size and noise, since it is an industry grade coffee maker.
8. Keurig K400 Coffee Maker
This Coffee machine is an all-rounder. It has a great list of features, easy to use and has a relatively low price point. The machine has all the standard Keurig features that you may come to expect: A large 70 oz visible water reservoir, strength and temperature control, as well as a hot water dispenser.
This Keurig coffee machine can also brew coffee for a carafe, and has a large brewing capacity. The machine is very easy to use, and the touch screen control panel has a simple and intuitive interface.
With just the press of a button, you can brew a strong and large (or small, the way you like it) cup of coffee. This machine has a LESS THAN 1 MINUTE brew time, which is the fastest on this list, and perhaps on the market.
Features
- Strength control: By just pressing the Strong Brew key, you can brew a cup that is satisfactorily strong. This is great for when you want the extra kick of caffeine for a particularly difficult day.
- Temperature Control: This machine offers 5 temperature levels. You can brew a cup of cold coffee for the summers, or a long black for winters.
- Auto off: The auto off feature is great for saving electricity and ensuring that there is not much wastage of power.
- Touch screen: The touch screen is easy to use and has an intuitive interface. It has a lot of brewing options that are easy to understand and use. It also comes with a digital clock for accurate brewing.
- Large capacity: The machine has a large 70oz water reservoir which is visible. It can also brew enough coffee to fill a whole carafe, which is 22-30oz.
- Large capacity
- Extremely quick brew
- Easy to use
- Variable controls
- Comes in many colors
- Can only brew with pods
- Only refurbished version available
on amazon
This Keurig coffee maker is phenomenal for its price. However, it is hard to obtain and only brews pods. The K400 is best used in homes and offices, and comes in a large range of colors.
9. Keurig K200 Single Serve Coffee Maker
This is an attractive coffee maker, which uses minimalism to its advantage. Everything about it is simple, easy to use and very effortless.
The machine itself is sleek and can sit on your kitchen top or your work desk comfortably. It has a 40oz water reservoir, which can hold a lot of coffee, so you can refill your cup multiple times before having to brew another batch!
It uses a lot of power, however: up to 1500 watts! It is quite compact, and comes in a beautiful grey color. This Keurig coffee machine has a detachable reservoir which is easy to remove and easy to clean.
Features
- Different Brew sizes: The machine can brew different brew sizes. From cup, to travel mugs, to carafe, this coffee maker is multipurpose
- Strong Brew: The machine has a Strong Brew function that lets you brew a very strong cup of coffee.
- Intuitive touch panel: The touch panel is very easy to use and can brew coffee just in two touches. You first select the brew size, and then hit brew to make a good, nice and strong cup of coffee.
- Compact
- Easy to use brew
- Strong Brew
- Decent price point
- Consumes a lot of power
- Lacks a few key features
This machine is useful for people who want a glimpse of the package that Keurig provides, and fo a cheap price. The coffee maker is easy to use, reliable and consistent. This is nothing too special or fancy, and relies on minimalism and simplicity to deliver a good end product.
10. Keurig K475 Single Serve Coffee Maker
This single serve Keurig coffee machine has all the standard Keurig features. It is a reliable coffee maker, and has a lot of good pointers.
It has strength and temperature control. It also has a large touch screen that is very easy to use. The machine is a standard Keurig product, albeit a bit on the pricey side.
There are definitely many better Keurig machines out there, and this machine does nothing new to improve the already great Keurig line. It has a large water reservoir and a removable drip tray which is very easy to clean. However, it does not have s descaling reminder.
Features
- Large water reservoir: The 70oz Water reservoir lets you brew a large batch. This is useful for office spaces and for families.
- Strength Control: This Keurig coffee machine offers strength control, and gives a strong and extra strong coffee that is just what you need on a rainy day!
- Large touch screen: The large touch screen lets you control the coffee making process with ease. It is very haptic and easy to use.
- Large reservoir
- Easy to use
- Strength control
- No temperature control
- High price point
- Heavy
11. Keurig K1500 Commercial coffee maker
This machine is specifically built for small businesses, and it provides a quiet brewing experience with a lot of essential features. Since it is built for a specific target audience, it is understandable that some of the features are omitted. It is also slightly on the pricey side, and lacks the bright colors that most keurig machines have.
The K1500 brews a standard 4 cup sizes, and has very easy to use controls. It lacks a digital panel, but has some clicks buttons that are responsive to the touch. It cannot accommodate a travel mug however, and is strictly restricted to standard sized coffee mugs
Features
- Multi Brew: This machine can brew coffee, tea, hot cocoa and a variety of other drinks.
- Single Button function: The single button function makes it very easy to use the machine. It brews coffee relatively quickly with just the press of a button.
- Large visible reservoir: The reservoir for water on this machine is quite large, and can be seen due to being transparent. This is to ensure that the water level is precisely measurable.
- Sturdy and durable
- Variable cup sizes
- Easy to use
- Quiet use
- One touch function
- Expensive
- Lacks essential features
- Bulky
This Keurig coffee machine is ideal only for small businesses and offices, as it is quiet and runs smoothly. The one touch function is useful, and the large water reservoir is ideal for office usage, this machine is not recommended for home or cafe usage.
12. Keurig K15 Single Serve coffee maker
This Keurig coffee maker is beautiful to look at, super compact, and comes in a wide range of colors. It has a single serve water reservoir and has an ultra-fast brew time.
The Keurig K15 can brew coffee in less than 2 minutes! It also has a removable drip tray that is very easy to clean. It can hold a large capacity of a full brew, in case of accidental spillage. It can also brew any cup size between 6oz to 10oz.
However, this Keurig coffee machine has a lot of drawbacks. A lot of negative reviews from unhappy customers has revealed that the grinds get sucked up into the tube, blocking the water channel. This machine, however, for the price is a good deal.
Features
- Fast Brew: The Fast speed of brewing makes it a great personal sized, compact coffee maker. Brewing coffee in less than 2 minutes is the fastest on this list, and delivers consistently.
- Auto off: The auto off feature is useful in conserving electricity and is essential in devices that consume a lot of power like coffee machines.
- Compact
- Attractive design and a range of
colors
- Fast brew spee
- Cheap
- High maintenance due to design flaw
- Difficult to clean
This Keurig coffee machine is for people who want a quick desk-side coffee maker that is cheap and gets the job done. This makes it good for students as it is affordable as well as quick. However, this machine is not recommended to office spaces and homes.
Buyer's Guide : Factors to be considered when picking up a Keurig Coffee Maker
1. Strength and temperature control: This is an important factor to consider, since it determines the style of coffee you make. The strength control is essential in order to get the most out of your grounds or K cups, and the temperature control lets you brew unique styles of coffee. The K cups are usually under-utilized on normal settings, and a lot of coffee powder is left full of flavor that needs to be extracted.
The cheaper Keurig machines usually do not have a strength or temperature control option, and can only brew a fixed temperature of hot coffee. This limits the type of coffee that can be brewed ad may disappoint some. Therefore, this factor becomes important in consideration of what machine to buy.
2. Purpose: It is important to first figure out what the purpose of the machine is. Is it for the workplace? Or for the dorm room? Or for the house or apartment? You must ask these questions in order to figure out which machine perfectly fits your requirements.
Keurig is known for their diversification in terms of target audiences. They have smaller machines like the K-mini, which is perfect for a smaller setting like a dorm rom. They also manufacture commercial grade machines for cafes and offices. So, you as a buyer must figure out the purpose behind buying the machine.
3. Quiet brew feature: This one is especially for small businesses and offices. You may want to pick up a machine that utilizes the quiet brew technology like the K1500. The quiet machines work like a charm and make as little noise as possible.
This is important where a large amount of caffeine is consumed, and in a quiet setting. This usually means an office space or a library, where the machine needs to be silent.
4. Capacity of water reservoir: For larger consumption, the reservoir should ideally be about 70oz, which a lot of Keurig machines do provide. This is a factor to consider, since for home usage, a large reservoir is not needed.
For frequent uses like at work spaces, a large water reservoir then becomes ideal, and is definitely a factor to consider.
5. Brewing Speed: For people looking for speed, Keurig is a very good option. However, some machines are faster than others. The K400 can brew a bold cup of coffee in under 1 minute, which makes it very ideal for hurried mornings before a stressful day. This factor is also important and worth considering, as some machines can take up to 4 minutes to brew a cup.
6. Size: Like all other factors, Keurig has a range of sizes for their machines. The K15 or the K-mini, for example, are extremely portable and can fit anywhere. This is an important factor as the utility of the machine is different for different places.
Personal office desks may require a small coffee machine, whereas a whole office may need a bigger coffee machine. All these variables must be considered before making the right choice.
7. Price: The Keurig brand is known to deliver quality. But with increased quality comes increased price. The more features that are on the machine, the more is the price. This is a universal fact that must always be considered.
For coffee aficionados who don’t mind spending an extra few bucks on quality, machines like the special edition K-Cafe are perfect. But for people who want a reliable Keurig for cheap, the K-mini will do the job just fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to clean/descale a Keurig Coffee Maker?
It is very important to clean your coffee machine from time to time as over time, Calcium buildup and grime can ruin the flavor of your coffee, and leave it tasting flat. Fortunately, most Keurig machines come with a reminder to descale whenever necessary. A descaling solution may be purchased in order to clean effectively. This step by step guide will help you in cleaning your Keurig:
Step 1: Turn off the Keurig and remove any pods or cups in the chamber. Make sure to remove any filters remaining in the machine
Step 2: Purchase a descaling solution
Step 3: Fill the reservoir with water and add half the bottle of descaling solution.
Step 4: Run the brew cycle until the reservoir is empty.
Step 5: Now, run the brew cycle 4 more times with fresh water in the reservoir.
Step 6: Make sure to wipe the reservoir, lid and the drip table with soap water.
Step 7: Open the K cup holder and remove the funnel. Twist to remove the exit needle and clean with a safety pin or a bent paper clip.
Step 8: Wash the K cup holder with soap and water.
Step 9: Now, use the safety pin to clean the entry needle by moving back and forth.
Step 10: Run another brew cycle with fresh water, and voila! Your Keurig is good as new!
2. How to clean with vinegar?
Follow the same steps, but use vinegar solution instead of Descaling solution
3. How to empty the Keurig Water reservoir
Most Keurig machines come with a detachable water reservoir. Simply pull the reservoir out of the back and drain the water. Alternately, you could also just pour it out if the reservoir is irremovable.
4. How to use a Keurig Coffee Maker?
Most machines that have a control panel can be used very easily. Simply fill the reservoir with water, place a K-Cup of your choice into the K-Cup holder in the front of the machine (make sure that the top of the K-Cup pierces the entry needle, while the bottom pierces the exit needle), close the holder, select the cup size of your choice and then hit brew. In about 2-4 minutes, you coffee will be ready to drink.
For machines with buttons, simply do the same. Place the K-Cup in its position, select the cup size as mentioned on the buttons and press the brew button. If the machine has strong brew, just press the strong brew button before pressing brew. You may also select the temperature you desire and then press brew.
5. How to reset a Keurig Coffee Maker?
For analog machines, simply unplugging the machine, removing the reservoir and letting it sit for a few minutes resets the coffee maker.
However, for a machine with a digital control panel, here are the steps to be followed:
Step 1: Press the small size and medium size mug buttons.
Step 2: Release and press menu thrice. The digital clock will show 6:09.
Step 3: Press menu once more.
Step 4: Press and hold medium mug button and hit menu once.
Step 5: While still holding the medium mug button, hit small mug button.
Step 6: Unplug the machine for a duration of 10 minutes. This will reset the internal computer of a Keurig.
Conclusion
Keurigs are very efficient machines, and give you the bang for the buck! They are reliable and durable. But one must always consider the critical factors involved in the purchase of any coffee machine. This list helps you do just that, and is a guide to understanding the Keurig.