The Keurig coffee maker has become a staple in many households. Fortunately, this means that lots of people have discovered interesting hacks to get the most from your Keurig coffee maker.
I delved into the world of Keurig hacks and pulled out some of the best tips and hints to make your brew absolutely perfect. So without further ado, here is your hack overview for the Keurig.
Best Keurig Hacks
How Can I Make My Keurig Stronger?
If you often encounter weak coffee with your coffee maker, then there is a simple tip you can implement. In fact, this hack is so simple, you might wonder why you haven’t thought of it soon. I sure did!
To get a stronger cup of coffee from the Keurig, all you need to do is adjust the brewing method. To do that, you simply reduce the amount of water you use in your coffee maker. For example, you only use half a tank of water for one K cup. This gives you a much stronger brew.
Reducing the amount of water in the water tank does not mean you have to suffer smaller beverages though. As soon as you pulled one pod through the brewing system, simply do the same thing again with a fresh K cup. Keep repeating this hack until you have the brew size you are after.
Interestingly, this hack is also perfect to make strong jumbo sized hot chocolates in your Keurig!
What Is A Good Alternative To A Keurig?
While the Keurig is the most popular single cup brewer in the United States, there are some alternatives you could consider if you fancy a change.
My favorite alternative to the Keurig would be the Nespresso Vertuo. Not only is this a reliable and convenient alternative, it also comes with its own large range of beverages.
The pods that are delivered for the Vertuo are also 100% recyclable, which makes this the perfect alternative for eco-friendly consumers.
How Do You Bypass the Keurig Sensor?
One of the most common questions regarding the Keurig is how to bypass the Keurig sensor to get your K cup coffee. The reason for this question is different than you might think, because some consumers have reported problems with their Keurig recognising genuine K cups.
Evidently, the Keurig sensor makes it difficult for some consumers to use their older pods, as the machine simply won’t recognise them.
If you want the hack to bypass the sensor because your Keurig does not recognise its own K cups, then it might be best to send your Keurig back to the manufacturer for repair.
After all, you don’t have to mess around with Keurig K cups and sensors if you don’t have to.
Some consumers can still use their older K cups by using a special ink that interacts with the infrared reader. In fact, there are some consumers who taped the special ink label right on the infrared reader.
Of course, I do have the stress that this type of use is not recommended by the manufacturer and is done at your own risk. Doing this hack will also void your warranty, so caution with this hack is advised.
How Do You Quickly Clean The Keurig Coffee Machine?
To quickly clean the Keurig, and get a better cup of coffee in the process, simply run a cleaning cycle on your machine. The manual specifies in great detail how to do this.
However, the easy way of explaining it is to use a special cleaning compound (as recommended by manufacturers) in the water tank and then let the Keurig machine run its usual cycle.
Before you use any K cups, always make sure that any residual cleaning compound has been removed from the machine. To avoid this in my coffee maker, I usually run another cycle with clean water right after the maintenance run.
This is especially helpful if you use things such as vinegar to maintain your machine. However, if you use vinegar, always make sure you run at least two water cycles before using your Keurig or Keurig 2.0 brewer.
To ensure your machine is completely pristine, make sure to run a damp cloth over the exterior every now and again. I personally found that a microfiber cloth does the best job.
Conclusion
This selection of hacks is bound to make your K cup brewing life a whole lot easier. Be mindful however that not all hacks are in line with the intended use as described by the manufacturer.
A good example of such a hack is how to override the sensor for your Keurig K cup. So, make sure you consider your options carefully before implementing this kind of tip. Other than that, continue using your coffee makers for some delicious brews that will make your life better!