10 Best Keurig Coffee Makers Machines
Most aspiring home baristas and out-and-out coffee fanatics probably cringe at the idea of an automated brewing device that pumps out java while we twiddle our thumbs.If you’re a regular Roasty reader, you’ll know that we don’t really recommend Keurig coffee makers in general, and suggest that you actually make good coffee using methods such as pour-over or French Press.
I realize that many of you don’t care what I think… and you want to buy the ultra-convenient Keurig anyway. If that you, we’ll do our best to help you pick the best Keurig coffee maker for the money.
At a Glance: Our Top 5 Picks for Keurig Coffee Makers
Keurig K575 Single-Serve Programmable K-Cup Coffee Maker
Keurig B145 OfficePRO Brewing System
Keurig K155 Office Pro Coffee Maker
Keurig K475 Single Serve Coffee Maker
Keurig K55 K-Classic Single Serve Coffee Maker
It’s really just a matter of deciding which of Keurig’s many models would best suit your needs. And with so many to choose from, just knowing where to start can be a daunting prospect. To muddy the waters even further, Keurig upgrades its products twice every year!
So, we’ve put together this comprehensive, informative guide to the very best Keurig coffee makers that are currently available. Whether you want to upgrade your existing machine or you’re about the cave and get your first Keurig, here’s all you need to know.
First off, what is Keurig?
Keurig is a household name in the world of coffee machine manufacturing. They also make extras, including carafes, filters, and coffee consumables to complement their home and office coffee machines.The company created its signature coffee maker back in the early 1990s for use in an office setting. Since then, the range has expanded and Keurig machines are now a staple in many US kitchens.
Now, Keurig machines come in a somewhat bewildering range of models and colors to suit all budgets and requirements. However, the result is the same; pretty good tasting coffee and a smart, understated coffee machine that will look cool on any countertop.
Why would you need one?
What makes Keurigs so popular is the fact that they can give users hot coffee fast without sacrificing too much flavor. Their machines are simple to use and reliable, many are programmable, and they’re pretty low maintenance.Granted, you won’t get the same precise control over your brew that drip machines or a French press give you. However, what a Keurig coffee maker can guarantee is consistency, convenience, and speed. Plus with around 160 flavors to choose from, you’re bound to find some that you enjoy.
All Keurig coffee making machines will make you a brew in under one minute, an essential consideration for those who need a coffee first thing in the morning before heading out to work. Even better, many Keurig’s are fully programmable too, so you can set your coffee maker to deliver your early morning cup of Joe before you even get out of bed.
Of course, if you want high-quality specialty coffees such as latte, cappuccino, and espresso, you may need to opt for a semi-auto or super-auto espresso brewer. However, these machines are significantly more expensive than most Keurigs, and might not suit your budget.
Other important considerations are ease of use, ease of cleaning, and ongoing maintenance. A Keurig is a whole lot easier to manage than an espresso machine on all counts.
Common Features
All Keurig machines work in basically the same way. You fill the water tank, insert your chosen coffee pod, and place your chosen cup size under the dispenser, press the “go” button, and wait for your brew to be delivered.
Additionally, there are a few features that you can expect regardless of which model you choose, including:
A removable drip tray: This allows for easier clean-up and extra space for your mug if needed
One-minute brew time: While the time it takes for the machine to heat up varies, all Keurigs take about one minute to actually brew your coffee.
Compatibility with Keurig pods only: This includes a couple of different types of pods, but you won’t be able to venture out into other brands very easily.
Removable water reservoirs: Keurig water reservoirs, while their size varies, are all removable. This feature makes for easy refilling and cleaning.
Auto-off: Coffee makers have a heating element, which eats power if left permanently switched on. The auto-off feature powers-down the machine after a pre-set period (from 1 minute to 2 hours) from its last use. All Keurigs have this feature, but the extent of programmability varies.
Our Top 10 Keurig Reviews
There are more than 50 different Keurig models on the market. But, we’ve whittled them down to our favorite 10 coffee machines and reviewed them for you.We’ve mentioned the highlights of each machine, but for a full spec and to order your favorite, just click on the links in each review.
Keurig K575 Single-Serve Programmable K-Cup Coffee Maker
The K575 is one of Keurig’s most popular models and with good reason. Even though it has technically been “updated” into the Keurig Elite, it’s still popular among consumers.The K575, like all Keurig’s coffee machines, is well-designed and looks great on any countertop. It measures 10.2-inches wide, by 13.4-inches deep, by 13.6-inches high.
Plus, we all love extras, and the K575 features 2 filters, rather than one, and also comes with 6 complimentary K-cups.
Key Features
The K575 has a clear, 2.8-inch full color, touchscreen control panel for ease of brew selection and programming.The K575 has an 80-ounce water reservoir – the biggest in the industry. That means that you can brew up to 10 cups of coffee without having to stop to refill the water tank.
A nice feature that the K575 has is a customizable nightlight and wallpaper colors. If you want to have your coffee maker blend with your kitchen décor scheme, you can.
The K575 has a fully programmable digital clock. The clock enables you to keep an eye on your coffee’s brewing time, allowing you to control the depth of flavor of the brew. Also, you can program your machine to brew a steaming cup of coffee for whatever time you want it. Nice.
For easy cleaning, you can remove the unit’s drip tray. By removing the drip tray, you can fit coffee mugs of under 7-inches in height for times when you want a slightly larger brew.
The K575 will brew you a cup of regular coffee in under a minute and works with a variety of K-cup pods of different sizes. You can thus choose to brew multiple cups in one sitting, serve bigger single servings, or brew a whole carafe.
However, if you want to do the latter, you’ll need to buy a carafe to go with your machine as they’re not included with the unit.
Keurig K145 OfficePRO Brewing System
Keurig doesn’t just make coffee machines that are suitable for home use; they make office coffee makers too. So if you’re looking for something simple to work with a variety of tastes, this model might work for you.
Key Features
An office coffee maker needs to be versatile, and the K145 is exactly that. The K145 can brew iced tea, tea, and hot chocolate, as well as coffee. The machine accommodates 3 cup sizes, including 6, 8 and 10-ounce.
The K145 has a 48-ounce water reservoir. The previous B145 model struggled with high volume use. However, this update includes heavy gauge materials to help mitigate that issue. However, the water reservoir has remained the same size, so it still may not work for larger offices. Nonetheless, the reservoir is self-draining, making it quick and easy to empty at the end of each day.
The auto-off kicks in after 2 hours of non-use, meaning the machine will stay on for rush hours and turn off later to save power.
Additionally, the K145 has a descaling beamer, which lets you know when the machine needs cleaning and descaling. That’s a very handy feature and should mean that you never get to see the dreaded “Prime” error message. And no coffee!
There also seem to be fewer complaints about the noise with this model than with the previous one, though it still makes some noise (all Keurigs do).
Keurig K155 Office Pro Coffee Maker
The Office Pro is intended to be the next level up when it comes to office coffee machines. However, this commercial brewing system is also very popular for home use with more serious coffee fans.Key Features
The main advantages of the K155 are its superior capacity and consecutive brewing time.The K155 has a huge 90-ounce water reservoir, taking about 3 minutes to heat water. As soon as the water reaches 193oF, the coffee maker is ready for brewing, and you’ll have the capacity to deliver up to 14 steaming cups of coffee within 30 to 60 seconds.
That said, the machine cannot be connected to a water line, so you’ll need to refill the water reservoir tank whenever necessary. However, the reservoir is removable and has a quick-drain feature too.
An LCD touchscreen control panel allows you to select your desired water temperature, brew strength, and cup size (4, 6, 8, and 10-ounces).
Lastly, a built-in descaling function allows you to keep the machine clean and running efficiently and reliably.
Keurig K475 Single Serve Coffee Maker
The Keurig K475 is typically cheaper than the K155 and is designed for home, rather than office use.This model is available in stealthy, understated black, or if you fancy something different to sex-up your countertop, they also offer this model in Vintage Red.
Key Features
The K474 takes K-mug, K-cup, and K-carafe pods, meaning that you can serve single-serve cups, mugs, or carafes. As with all Keurig machines, you can only use Keurig’s pods.It also has an array of programmable settings that are accessible via the LCD touchscreen display interface, including:
- 5 temperature settings
- Auto-on, auto-off
- Power saver
- 5 cup sizes (4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 ounces)
- 3 cCarafe sizes (22, 26, or 30 ounces)
Keurig K55 K-Classic Single Serve Coffee Maker
The K-Classic or K55 has long been another one of Keurig’s most popular models.The K55 is a neat, single-serve coffee making machine that will give you a delicious cup of Joe at the touch of a button. This model is ideal for single homeowners, couples, students, or even for a small office with fewer than 10 staff members.
Key Features
This model’s biggest pull is that it is great for brewing newbies, and it comes to a price point that is lower than most of its competitors.This coffee machine has a generous 48-ounce water tank that will give you 6 cups of coffee in just one fill. As with all other Keurig coffee machines, the water tank is removable for easy cleaning and filling.
The K55 has a very simple to use descaling function that will get rid of limescale build-up, ensuring that your coffee machine will carry on brewing without problems for a very long time.
Also, this machine is pleasantly simple. Just program the K55 with a few basic functions, and it’ll brew your cup in under a minute.
The K55 is compatible with 6, 8, and 10-ounce K-cup pods, and you get 4 K-cups free with the machine as a bonus. You also get two free water filters.
Keurig K250 Single-Serve, K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker
The K250 is one of the 2.0 series of Keurig coffee makers and once again combines the simplicity of operation with nice design, reliability, and high-quality manufacture.
It has now been replaced by the Select model, which we cover below. But this model is still sold and well-loved by many. Choose from a range of colors, including red, white, pearl, turquoise, peacock blue, and grey.
Key Features
The main draw of the K250 is its versatility. It not only works for home use in multi-coffee-addict households, but it will also suit small office space.The K250 has a 40-ounce water reservoir, which will produce 5 to 6 regular size cups of coffee from one fill. The reservoir is quick and easy to detach from the machine for cleaning and refilling.
Although this coffee maker doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of other models, the 2-inch color touchscreen display panel is bright and easy to read.
That said, the K250 does have a few useful functions such as a water level window that allows you to see how much water there is left in the reservoir, so you know when a refill is required.
The K250 allows you to customize the strength of your brew. You can choose between 4, 6, 8, and 10-ounce K-cup sizes, K-mugs, and K-carafe up to 30-ounces. Unfortunately, the machine doesn’t come with a carafe, so you’d need to buy one separately.
Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker
The K-Mini is one of the most straightforward home coffee makers on the market. This machine is aimed squarely at coffee lovers who aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel when it comes to their home-brewing.
So, if you’re looking for a compact, portable coffee making machine, this one might suit you. The Mini will fit comfortably into any kitchen or budget.
Key Features
The price is one of the best parts of this model, coming in well below the average $100 price point. Plus, the design is refreshingly sleek–it’s only 5 inches wide!
Although it’s a basic machine, the Mini’s auto shut-off function kicks in after about 90 seconds, which is much faster than other models. As a result, it might help you save money on your energy bills.
The Mini will brew cups from 6 to 10-ounces and is compatible with all K-cups. That allows you to choose the strength of your brew. If you want something lighter, opt for 8 or 10-ounce pods. If you want a darker, stronger brew, use a 6-ounce pod.
Plus, if you have a member of your household who doesn’t drink coffee (poor bloke), you can use the Mini to make tea and hot chocolate too.
Keurig K-Elite K Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Maker
For those of you who are already Keurig fans, we recommend going for the K-Elite. This model has all the features you’ve come to expect of Keurig’s coffee machine, plus a few added extras.Key Features
One of the exciting added features is the iced setting, for those who enjoy a little variety. This option allows you to brew over ice for a full-flavored, refreshing cup of iced coffee.The K-Elite has a generous 75-ounce water reservoir, which means that you can brew 8 cups before you have to refill the tank. The reservoir is removable for easy cleaning and refilling.
As with most Keurig machines, the large drip tray is removable for easy cleaning. On this model, that means you get a considerable amount of space-big enough to use a travel mug up to 7.2-inches tall.
Those Keurig extras we love so much come in the form of a 6 K-cup pod variety pack. So, you can try out new flavors, as well as enjoying one or two familiar favorites. Also, you get a water filter handle and one free filter.
The K-Elite brews a comprehensive range of Keurig’s most popular K-cup pod sizes, including 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12-ounce. That’s great if you want a larger mug of brew, but it also means you can increase the strength of your cup too.
You can also use the machine for hot water on demand, rather than having to boil a kettle, making it ideal for cooking oatmeal, instant soup, or tea.
With all the exciting extras, the K-Elite does come at a noticeably higher price point. So, make sure to factor that in if you’re considering purchasing one
Keurig K-Select Single-Serve Pod Brewer
If you are looking for something a little stronger, but not quite Nespresso-level into espresso. The Keurig K-Select actually has a button that allows you to brew a stronger coffee. The result is something a bit closer to what you’d get from a standard coffee maker.
In testing, we liked the K-Select the most because it offers a button for a stronger brew to make coffee that tastes more like what coffee is supposed to taste like.
Key Features
Like we mentioned, the strong brew function on this machine is definitely our favorite feature on this machine. It has 4 cup sizes (6, 8,10, and 12 oz) labeled by handy graphics rather than numbers.Additionally, the removable 52oz water reservoir and 7.4-inch tall cup space are both acceptably spacious. You can brew about 5 cups before having to refill and probably won’t have to worry about fitting your travel mug right under the spout.
The maintenance reminders are great for helping you keep up your machine. The lights will tell you when to add water and, more importantly, when to descale the Keurig. Descaling removes calcium deposits and is a vital part of having any pod brewer.
Lastly, this machine is compatible with the My K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter. This option is perfect for those people who want to be more eco-friendly or simply try new non-pod blends.
Keurig K-Café Single Serve Coffee, Latte, and Cappuccino Maker
If you are looking for something that can do a little more than the run of the mill, pod-brewer schtick, then you definitely need to check out the Keurig K-Cafe. (The Rivo is no longer sold by Keurig.)Key Features
The most notable feature of the K-Cafe is clearly the automatic milk frother. This element is completely absent from most pod brewers, including the rest of the current Keurig lineup. And it’s actually not too shabby either (as long as you have the lid on!)Furthermore, the frother has 3 settings: latte, cappuccino, and cold. And there are 4 cup sizes (6,8,10, and 12 ounces) and 4 other brew settings (latte/cappuccino, coffee, strong, and shot). Note that even though it says “shot” it’s not actually espresso, just more concentrated coffee. So while it isn’t quite as programmable as the Elite, it’s still pretty versatile.
The 60 oz water reservoir is removable and can brew about 6 cups before needing a refill. So you can get away with brewing for nearly a week before having to fiddle with it.
Additionally, the K-Café has Smart Start and Auto-Off functionality. Smart Start allows you to select your cup size while the machine is heating up, rather than having to wait. And the auto-off feature automatically turns the machine off after 2 hours of inactivity for safety and energy efficiency.
Things to Consider
Like with any small appliance, different Keurigs are going to be better suited for different lifestyles and needs. So before you splurge on a shiny new Keurig coffee machine, here are some pretty vital factors you should think about:
Speed of brew delivery
All K-cup coffee makers are single-serve machines. So, you’ll need to bear in mind how many cups of coffee you’re going to want to brew back-to-back.
Speed of brew production is probably more important in a commercial office setting than it would be in your own home… Unless you have a house full of coffee drinkers of course.
Cup size
Every Keurig machine that uses K-cups has at least 3 basic cup sizes, for example, 6, 8, and 10-ounces. Changing the cup size allows you to slightly alter the strength of the brew. But, remember that cup size will also impact on the number of brews the machine can produce before it runs out of water.
Which brings us to…Water tank capacity
If you only need a few cups of coffee every day, a smaller water reservoir won’t be an issue. However, if you tend to go through lots of cups or prefer weaker brews, choosing a machine with a small water tank will be a pain, as you’ll have to keep refilling it.
To work out how many standard-size cups of coffee you’ll get from a full reservoir, divide the capacity by 8. For instance, the K155 has a generous 90-ounce water tank. This machine will, therefore, deliver roughly 11 cups of coffee before it runs out of water.
Temperature control
Most Keurig machines have a pre-set brewing temperature of 192oF. However, some will allow you to adjust the temperature, giving you a little bit more influence over the end result. This might be nice for people who crave control over the brewing process, but it likely won’t be a deal-breaker for most.
Strength selection
Changing the cup size is a crude method of controlling the strength of the brew, but some Keurig machines have a feature that allows you to select brew strength. This is very handy if you have more specific preferences or live in a household where some like a strong brew and others prefer it mild.
User interface
All Keurig machines are simple to operate, even for folks who are technology-challenged.
However, more expensive models also include a sleek LCD touchscreen display with customizable nightlight and wallpaper, rather than just boring buttons. This is a nice touch if you can afford to stretch your budget slightly.
Auto-on
While all Keurigs feature an auto-off function, some models also have an auto-on option.
The auto-on feature is what allows you to set your Keurig to brew you a cup of coffee for a predetermined time. This is definitely a plus if you want to wake up every morning to that delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
The Bottom Line
So, there you have it– everything you could want to know when buying a Keurig.
As for which model you should choose, well it’s really down to personal taste and what you need the machine to do for you. In summary, we recommend the following:
For a cheap, starter K-cup machine, the K55 is an excellent choice.
For those of you with a larger budget, if you want a machine that will cope well in a small office environment or a hectic household, the K155 with its superior programmability and capacity is the way to go…
…If programmability isn’t important to you, but capacity is, buy the K145 instead.
If you enjoy entertaining or can’t get through the day without a cup of Joe at your elbow at all times, go for the K475.
Want a lightweight, compact, and ultimately portable coffee making machine? You need to buy the K15.
The K-Café is perfect if you want milk-based drinks without buying extra equipment.
source https://www.tbestcoffeemakers.com/the-best-keurig-coffee-makers-machines/
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