Keurig Vs Coffee Maker: Comparing Your Options

Have you ever wondered which is the better choice, the Keurig or a traditional coffee pot? As a coffee enthusiast, I have!

During my journey, I found myself drawn to both methods of coffee making, but I also found some distinct differences. So, if you wonder which of these two coffee brewing methods is best(Keurig vs coffee pot), here is what I found!

What’s good about Keurig

Once you have a Keurig, it is difficult to imagine life without it. After all, this single serve coffee machine is so darn convenient. If you never had a Keurig and wonder what all the fuss is about, here is how making coffee in a Keurig looks like.

First, turn the power on and let the machine heat up. Next, fill up the water reservoir with your preferred amount of water (I will elaborate on this a little later in this article). Once your reservoir is filled, it is time to choose your preferred coffee.

For the Keurig, there is a selection of different coffees called K cups. While they do not look like much at the start, these K cups contain various brews and are therefore synonymous with convenience. Ever wanted a latte without having to do much? That’s what the K cups are for!

Once you selected your preferred beverage, place the K cup with the lid in the coffee champer. When the K cup is securely in place, place your mug at the bottom center of the machine. Next, press the brew button to get your coffee! When you’re done, do not forget to get rid of the used K cup.

What’s good about coffee pots

Most of us remember the good old fashioned coffee pots and their accompanying filters. Coffee that is made with this particular method is also referred to as drip coffee.

Contrary to some single serve coffee makers, the coffee pot can easily make several cups of coffee at the same time.

Making drip coffee is extremely easy and it does not require particular skill. First, place the coffee funnel at the top of your coffee pot. Next, place in a suitable coffee filter.

Then, add a few scoops of coffee grounds to the filter. The number of coffee grounds scoops can vary from person to person. Some prefer more while others like a little less. However, do not put in too many, otherwise your coffee might look like pudding instead!

Once your traditional filter is filled with ground coffee, heat up some water in the kettle. Once the water is boiling, carefully boil the water into the funnel and over the ground coffee.

Stop when the water level is at approximately 75%. Let the coffee drip through before you add more. Keep repeating this method until your coffee pot is filled with drip coffee.

Evidently, the coffee pot can also refer to the traditional drip coffee maker. If you have a drip coffee maker, the method is actually the same as with the traditional kettle and filter method. However, a drip coffee maker has a reservoir, which means you do not have to do any pouring or heating up, the machine does it for you. Simply add your coffee grounds, fill your reservoir, press the start button, and you’re pretty much done!

So, what is the difference between both coffee makers. Well, the Keurig works with pods, while drip coffee makers work with pre-ground coffee. I will elaborate on these differences a little more later in this article.

It does need to be said that this method can be a little more dangerous compared to the Keurig, as you will be dealing with hot liquids directly during the brewing process.

Is It Cheaper To Use K Cups Or Ground Coffee?

No matter how affordable k cups have become these days, ground coffee is still the most affordable method for brewing. This also means that drip coffee is the most affordable coffee around and the friendliest to your wallet.

That being said, there is also a difference between coffee beans and pre-ground coffee. Those who have drip coffee all the time tend to buy their pre-ground coffee or coffee beans in bulk from the supermarket or from their favorite roaster.

Evidently, this is the less expensive coffee around, even though some brands can vary in price. Fresh coffee beans are still less expensive than K cups in the long run, but they are more expensive than pre-ground coffee.

K cups are all about convenience and you purchase pods individually. Evidently, this means that pods can add a lot to the overall cost of your daily Keurig operation. When you have a cup of coffee every couple of hours, this can become quite expensive.

On the flip side, it does save you a lot of time in terms of brewing. But for that, we must look at a benefits comparison between the Single Serve Keurig and the drip coffee maker.

Keurig vs Coffee Maker: Which is better, then?

Each of these certainly has its merit. While I personally switched to the Keurig coffee maker some time ago, I cannot fault the traditional coffee maker either. But to ensure you can make an informed decision about which brewing method is best for you, here are some of the main takeaways.

Keurig tends to be more convenient than drip coffee makers. For example, when you want to get a latte from a drip coffee machine, you will need to do a lot more afterwards, including adding milk, maybe even foaming your beverage.

However Keurig coffee machines do all the hard work for you. With a simple latte pod, you have a single cup of your desired beverage within minutes.

As mentioned before, the Keurig is more expensive than the average drip coffee maker in terms of everyday use. This is due to the pods you use for your cup of coffee. Therefore, regular and coffee machines can be the more economical choice in the long run.

If you live on your own though, the single serve Keurig might be the better option. After all, making an entire pot of coffee often means wasting several cups of coffee. Therefore, the Keurig is better for a single cup of coffee.

If you have a large family with loads of coffee drinkers on the other hand, you might want to get your cup of coffee from a traditional coffee brewer.

Finally, there is freshness. With a traditional brewer, you can use fresh coffee ground and experiment with different coffee beans. While the Keurig does offer K cup options where coffee beans are concerned, you cannot get your grind right before you brew your coffee.

Related article: Ninja Coffee Bar vs Keurig

Why not both?

Is Keurig coffee weak?

Some consumers have found that their Keurig coffee tastes a little weak when they first switch from the traditional brewing methods. And I must admit that this was no different for myself.

Fortunately, adjusting brewing techniques is what saved me from weak coffee and maximised what I got from my Keurig.

When you brew with a Keurig, I suggest to use less water for most people. Since the machine is easy to use, this is a trick most people can execute with little trouble. When you fill up the reservoir, simply fill the tank halfway instead of fully. This will use less water while brewing one cup, which in turn leads to stronger coffee.

But doesn’t that give me less coffee you might wonder? It does, but there is a workaround for that too. If you only have half a cup for example, simply add another pod to the brewer and fill the tank with the same amount of water as before.

While you use more than one pod for a single brew, you get a strong, good coffee in return.

Conclusion

Choosing between different coffee machines is never easy, especially if you are a true coffee fanatic like myself.

And while I have replaced my old coffee machine with a Keurig for the sake of convenience, I still have the good old-fashioned funnel and filter laying around in case I do want to experiment with drip coffee.

Sometimes, you just want some fresh coffee instead of pod coffee from a machine. That being said, my Keurig makes most of my daily coffees, and there is no denying that the Keurig is the most popular machines for brewed coffee in the United States.

Last update on 2024-04-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API