Keurigs are the number one coffee maker in America and for good reason. The super fast brewing system and wide variety of pods have made it a staple in many households.
The problem is, there are a ton of Keurigs.
So in this post, we’ve distilled all of that information into bite-sized pieces and highlighted the best parts of each Keurig coffee maker.
With that out of the way, here are our picks for the best Keurig coffee maker and who each model would be good for.
The Best Keurig Coffee Maker: Our top 9 picks
Below is an overview of the latest and best Keurig models. These all work with any kind of K-Cup and have all been released recently. They are also replacements for the earlier Keurig 2.0 models that were flops.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Best for the moneyBest for the moneyKeurig K-Select |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | Best for iced coffeeBest for iced coffeeKeurig K-Elite |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | Best for drip coffeeBest for drip coffeeKeurig K-Duo |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
 | Best for cappuccinoBest for cappuccinoKeurig K-Cafe |
| CHECK BEST PRICE → |
 | Best for one personBest for one personKeurig K-Mini |
| CHECK ON AMAZON → |
 | Best for officeBest for officeKeurig K150 |
| CHECK BEST PRICE → |
Keurig K-Select Coffee Maker(Best Keurig for the money)
If you’re looking for a mid-range coffee maker that does not break the bank but doesn’t cut back too much on functionality either, you should seriously consider the Keurig K-Select.
The 52 ounce water reservoir is more than large enough to accommodate even a very caffeine hungry breakfast troupe, as you can brew 5 10 ounce cups before needing to refill.
The Keurig K-Select can brew 4 sizes of coffee: 6, 8, 10, or 12 ounces for a large drink that will last you the entire way to work(get a good coffee thermos)!
Additionally, Keurig has included a water filter that will prolong the life of the machine and help you brew better tasting coffee.
The K-Select works with all kinds of K-Cups including any reusable and refillable cups.
To brew coffee, you simply insert a K-Cup and use the button controls to select your brew size. There’s one extra button that you can push to pull a strong brew. It’s as simple as that!
In case you were wondering, the K-Select is a replacement for the older K-55.
Measurements: 12.5 H x 9.2 W x 11.6 D inches
Who it’s good for
Folks who have a bit of flexibility in their budget and want a coffee maker that can brew many cups of coffee in a short amount of time.
Who it’s not good for
Folks who don’t have that many people in their household that drink coffee. The 52 ounce reservoir seems like overkill.
Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker: best Keurig for iced coffee
Keurig decided to be a little adventurous with the K-Elite as it’s the first Keurig coffee maker that can brew both hot and iced coffee. There’s no cooling function inside the machine, so you’re actually supposed to brew the iced coffee over a glass full of ice!
Still, the machine does make adjustments for water temperature and strength, so you end up with a pleasantly drinkable brew. Please bear in mind that all coffees have different flavor profiles and some will pair well with ice, while others won’t.
You can use any kind of K-Cup with the K-Elite, just like the K-Select you saw above.
Measurements: 13.1 H x 9.9 W x 12.7 D inches
Who it’s good for
People who enjoy drinking both hot and iced coffee.
People who live in an area with relatively impure water.
Who it’s not good for
People who are not interested in iced coffee
People who don’t have many coffee drinkers in their home
The K-Elite also ships with a water filter. It has a strong brew option as well. At this point, you may be wondering if there is any real difference at all between the K-Elite and the K-Select.
The main differences are:
The Keurig K-Elite has a 75 ounce water reservoir compared to the 52 ounce reservoir on the K-Select
The K-Elite can brew 5 sizes of coffee compared to the K-Select's 4 sizes: 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
The K-Elite has temperature control so you can make small adjustments to your final brew
Keurig K-Duo Drip and K-Cup Coffee Maker
The Keurig K-Duo is another really innovative step forward by Keurig and could almost unseat the K-Select for the title of best Keurig coffee maker were it not for the fact that this is slightly pricier.
While earlier models were locked into the Keurig ecosystem, the K-Duo is a fully functional 2 way coffee maker that can do both K-Cups and drip coffee.
So you essentially get two machines in one go. On one side, you have a K-cup single serve system, and on the other side, you have a drip system that can brew up to 12 cups of coffee.
The glass carafe sits on a warming plate(no thermal carafe sadly). Warming plates can overcook your coffee if you leave it on the warming plate for too long, so just keep that in mind.
What’s great about the drip side of the machine is that you can use paper filters and reusable filters. Most standard reusable filters will indeed fit in the Keurig K-Duo.
There is a single reservoir that supplies water to both sides of the machine. It has a capacity of 60 ounces. This means you can’t use both sides at once, but that’s not such a big deal.
The single serve function can brew 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounce cups. You also have the option to choose a strong brew.
Measurements: 12.92H x 10.94W x 12.76D inches
Who it’s good for
People who wish to have the flexibility of brewing both drip coffee and K-cup coffee
Who it’s not good for
People on a tight budget
People who have less countertop space
Keurig K-Cafe Coffee and Cappuccino Maker
Here’s where things get really interesting. Keurig is really trying to cover all their bases here, so the K-Cafe is there for cappuccino and latte lovers who still want to stick with Keurig.
While you can’t brew a proper espresso shot, the K-Cafe does brew a very concentrated coffee that mimics the flavor of espresso. You then add steamed milk to the coffee and you have a pretty decent cappuccino.
If you’re a fan of lattes, just steam a larger volume of milk.
Once you mix the coffee in the milk, the individual nuances of espresso aren’t as noticeable so you may not realize the difference anymore.
Of course, this is not a replacement for an espresso machine, as a proper espresso shot can only be pulled with the right amount of pressure.
As is standard with Keurig, everything works with the push of a button – no complex controls or settings to play around with.
To steam milk, you fill cold milk in the included steaming jug and put it into place. The machine will steam and froth the milk for you, and once you extract the concentrated coffee, just pour the milk into the coffee and enjoy.
If you don’t want a cappuccino or latte, you can make 6, 8, 10, or 12 ounce servings.
A generous 60 ounce water reservoir supplies both the brewing and steaming side.
Measurements: 12.5 H X 15.3 W X 11.7 D inches
Who it’s good for
People who enjoy specialty coffees like lattes and cappuccinos
Who it’s not good for
People who only prefer black coffee or coffee with just a dash of milk
Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker
Last on our list of the best Keurig coffee maker models from the newer Keurig line is the Keurig K-Classic. The K-Classic is an entry-level model which is the least expensive of the lot.
Since it’s still the newer series of Keurigs, it’s not locked to any one particular type of K-Cup – you can use any kind you want.
Some features you’re sacrificing on are reservoir size, brew size, and strong brewing.
The reservoir is just 48 ounces.
The brew sizes are 6, 8, and 10 ounces. The K-Classic does not have the capacity to make the stronger 4 ounce brew nor the more generous 12 ounce brew.
Additionally, there’s no option for strength control, temperature control, or even for just dispensing hot water.
You can still use whatever K-Cup you like, so as long as your preferred beverage is in a K-Cup(like hot chocolate, apple cider, tea, or whatever you can find), the K-Classic can make it.
Do these shortcomings mean it is a bad machine? Not at all! It brews coffee just as well as any other machine, but you’re just missing out on some extra features.
Measurements: 13.0 H x 9.8 W x 13.3 D inches
Who it’s good for
Anyone who wants a Keurig! This machine is inexpensive and has most of the features you’d need
Who it’s not good for
People who wish to brew more than 12 ounces in one go
People who have lots of coffee drinkers in their household – the 48 ounce reservoir may seem small
Think: do you need the 12 ounce brew, a strong brew option, or a larger reservoir? If not, why not save some cash and pick up the K-Select? It's especially good if you live alone or you're just 2 people.
Worst case, when you have guests over, someone may have to wait a couple of extra minutes for their coffee, that's all.
Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker: Best Keurig For One Person
Take one look at the Keurig K-Mini and you’ll instantly fall in love with this cute little machine.
The Keurig K-Mini is just 5 inches wide and perfect for really tight spaces. You can brew from 6 to 12 ounces in a single go, and the K-Mini is compatible with all Keurig K-Cups.
Since the machine is so small, the water reservoir capacity is just 12 ounces, which means you’ll have to refill before every brew.
The drip tray detaches so you can directly place a travel mug up to 7 inches tall for the machine to brew into.
To save energy the Keurig K-Mini will turn off automatically 90 seconds after the last brew if left unused.
Who it’s good for
College students and folks who have minimal counter space
Who it’s not good for
Folks who have many coffee drinkers in their household
Keurig K145 OfficePRO Brewing System(best Keurig for small office)
The Keurig K145 OfficePRO brewing system is a great drink solution for office use. It allows you to brew your favorite beverage conveniently just by touching a button. And after no more than one minute, your favorite drink will be ready for you.
It is easy to run this coffee maker, so everyone can brew their preferred drink when they want. There is only one note, which is to consider your favorite K-cup.
There are more than 500 different kinds of coffees, tea, and iced beverage for you to choose, so never before brewing your preferred drink has been so easy like this. There is another item on the market working in the same way with this coffee maker, which is B145.
Who it’s good for
Office settings where many people come and brew. Regardless of a small or large office, this Keurig is a good pick.
Who it’s not good for
People who wish to use the My K-Cup with their own coffee grounds(not compatible)
This coffee maker gives you choice to choose among 3 different cup sizes (6 oz., 8 oz. and 10 oz.)
It is easy to clean and get refilled with detachable 48 oz. water reservoir
It is able to automatically turn off after 2 hours in use
It is designed with heavy gauge materials to serve high volume use also
It is not compatible with MY K-CUP
Keurig K150 Household / Commercial Brewing System: Best Keurig for Office
The K150 Brewing System claims to offer you perfect cup of coffee and other beverages like hot cocoa, tea or iced beverage in less than one minute through the touch of a button only.
It is also easy to use, so everybody in your office can brew their preferred drink themselves. Also, it has an interactive touchscreen which allows you to adjust the brew temperature, Auto On/Off as well as language.
There are 3 languages for you to choose, namely, English, Spanish or French. Plus, it introduces five cup sizes choice, introduces a removable drip tray to keep travel mugs and a drainable interior hot water tank for. This product used to be called K150.
- It offers 3 different choice of cup sizes, including 6 oz., 8 oz. and 10 oz.
- It is easy to clean and refill thanks to a detachable 90 oz. water reservoir
- You can also hook it up to a water line
- It is able to auto turn off after 2 hours
- It is designed with heavy gauge materials which serves high volume use
Who it’s good for
High volume settings where lots of people come and brew – thanks to the water line connection
Who it’s not good for
Smaller households where such a large machine seems like overkill
Keurig K155 Commercial Brewing System
This is another perfect choice for small office and conference rooms. It will certainly be a a big hit to employees and guests. This amazing unit is able to give you a perfect cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa and iced beverage as well within less than one minute, and with the simplicity of touching a button..
- Beside the main product of 1 Keurig Brewer, the full package offers a bonus of 12-count K-cups.
- Its water reservoir is able to hold up to 90 ounces
- The touch screen interface are available with a wide range of colors
- The automatic shut-off is included
- It has a removable drip tray to deal with travel mug use.
- It requires under one minute and a button touching for both heating and brewing
- There are 4 brew size options for you to choose, including 4, 6, 8, and 10 ounces.
- It works best at 1,400 Watts, 120 VAC
Who it’s good for
Office and commercial settings
Who it’s not good for
Folks who prefer to brew larger than 12 ounces
What is a Keurig, anyway?
Keurig is one of the leading brands in the world of single-cup coffee makers. It first appeared on the market in the 1990s, and has constantly improved.
Keurig uses pods called K-Cups to brew a single serving of coffee and other beverages in less than a minute.
Basically, you put the K-Cup in the machine, press a button on the Keurig, and you’ll have a steaming cup of coffee in no time.
Is it the best coffee you’ll ever have? No.
Is it the fastest and easiest coffee you’ll ever make? Perhaps.
Coffee shops don’t have Keurigs: why not?
Simply put, Keurig takes all the “making” out of coffee and does it for you. There are very few variables left to control, and most coffee lovers don’t even consider Keurig real coffee.
There’s no grinding, measuring, or manual brewing involved. For the most part, it’s fully automated and convenience coffee rather than artisanal coffee.
So any self-respecting coffee shop establishment will probably balk at the idea of a Keurig.
Which brings us to…
Why would you need a Keurig?
The speedy brewing is the first reason why Keurig are so attractive to users. Generally, Keurig machines can give you nice cup of coffee in less than a minute.
Compared to traditional coffee makers, this is a huge improvement – at least in time!
Secondly, Keurig machines allow you to make a wide range of drinks beside coffee, including hot tea, cold tea, cappuccino, latte or hot chocolate. The latest models like the Keurig K-Elite can even allow making iced coffee.
Most models also allow for brewing multiple cup sizes from 6 ounces all the way up to 12+ ounces.
The main selling point of Keurig coffee makers is convenience. You can brew much better coffee using more traditional coffee makers like a french press, an Aeropress, a pour over, or even a good ol’ drip coffee machine.
But those good tasting brews require a bit of effort, and if you’re short on time and just need something that will brew a hot caffeine-infused cup in less than a minute, the Keurig is the way to go.
The question of whether a Keurig is worth it or not really depends on one thing and one thing only: are you willing to sacrifice quality of coffee for time?
Here are some more comparisons of Keurig and other popular brewers:
Quick Keurig Buyer’s Guide
Features you’ll find in all Keurigs
All Keurigs are essentially the same at heart, so you can expect to find the following in any Keurig you decide to buy:
- A pod bay that accepts Keurig K-Cups
- A water tank of varying capacity
- A brew button and a drip tray
That’s basically all there is to it: just fill the water tank, pop in a pod, wait for the machine to heat up, and press a button to get coffee.
Remember, Keurig is all about speed and convenience.
Cup size
Here’s where Keurig models start getting different from one another. Most Keurigs brew at least 3 sizes: 8, 10, and 12 ounces. Naturally since the coffee in the pod is the same, varying brew sizes will result in varying strength and slight flavor differences.
Other models can brew even smaller or larger sizes, with some that also let you brew 6 and 14 ounces as well.
The Keurig K-Cafe brews a very concentrated coffee that you can mix into frothed milk for a cappuccino-like beverage.
Water tank size
Another way in which Keurig models differ from one another is the size of the water tank. Some models like the Keurig K-Mini have just a 12 ounce reservoir which is large enough for a single cup, and others have massive 50+ ounce water tanks that can brew multiple cups before needing to be replenished.
The main consideration for the tank size is going to be how many people in your household drink coffee at a given time. Obviously a K-Mini will be inconvenient if there is a line of people waiting to make a cup.
Still, if you brew only a handful of cups a day, a large water tank can be an added convenience since you don’t have to refill it every so often.
One potential downside of leaving water in the Keurig for too long is the development of limescale which can severely affect your machine’s performance.
Temperature control
Many of the older Keurig 2.0 models let you customize the temperature of the coffee brew, allowing you a certain level of customization.
The newer Keurigs which we listed above don’t have temperature control, though, as varying the temperature by a couple of degrees won’t really make too much of a difference when the coffee grounds themselves are pre-ground and pre-packaged!
Strength control
Here’s where things get interesting. Some Keurigs have an extra “strong” button that lets you brew a more intense cup of coffee. If you find your Keurig coffee to be a bit watery, or generally prefer your coffee to be very dark and strong, the strong option can be a good way to get an extra jolt.
Controls and interface
Some older Keurig models decided to ditch the original button controls and opt for a touch screen instead, which allowed you to control things like temperature.
It also added a bit of a flashy element to it.
The new line of Keurigs is completely controlled by buttons. There’s just 3 or 4 buttons on the brewer, and operating it is incredibly easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the serial number on Keurig machines?
K-cup home brewing system has the serial number located behind the drip tray or on the bottom of the brewer while Vue brewer shows it behind the water reservoir.
Can I stop the machine between the brewing process?
Definitely. You can pause the machine while making a brewing by pressing and holding the power button for a second. Some users choose to pull out the brew handle to stop the machine, but we do not recommend it as this can cause burns.
Can I make hot cocoa with Keurig coffee makers?
Yes. Keurig brewers allow you to make a wide range of hot beverages like hot tea and hot cocoa. For better performance, you can invest in a collection of hot cocoa K-cups, such as milk chocolate hot cocoa, or dark chocolate, etc.
What kinds of tea does Keurig offer?
Keurig introduces various tea brands, which are Cafe Escapes, Tazo, Celestial Seasonings, Lipton, Twinings of London, Tetley, Bigelow, and Timothy’s.
How often should I clean my Keurig coffee maker?
Maintaining the machine properly by cleaning it regularly is the key to have it worked effectively and durably. And the proper frequency for cleaning your Keurig is every 3 to 6 months.
Conclusion
In the world of single serve brewers, Keurig is the undisputed king. If you’re looking for a fast and convenient cup of coffee, no coffee machine can do it better than a Keurig can.
Last update on 2024-11-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
