Many people who make their coffee with K cups eventually complain that their Keurig coffee tastes a little watery.
Interestingly enough, this is not down to the Keurig coffee maker, but down to other things such as water temperature, brewing method, used coffee beans, and even the amount of water used during the brewing process. To avoid getting a watery Keurig coffee, here is what you need to do.
Why Does My Keurig Coffee Taste Watered Down?
As mentioned in the introduction, there are many reasons why your K cup coffee can taste a little watery. If your machine is relatively new, you can skip the usual maintenance related issues such as a clogged coffee machine, chalk buildup, and poor water temp.
If the issue is non mechanical, it could be down to the coffee grind you use for your cup of joe. If you use a premade K cup, it could also be caused by the amount of water you use.
Next, I will explain how these factors can influence the strength of your coffee taste and how you can remedy them.
How Do I Fixed Watered Down Coffee?
The first thing you check if you are getting weak coffee is the state of your coffee maker. Are you regularly maintaining your Keurig? If not, you could be dealing with a clogged machine.
There could also be a build-up of chalk and other impurities that prevent your K cup or coffee grounds from being used to the maximum. Before we elaborate on the techniques to combat weak coffee, here is a quick guide on maintaining the Keurig.
How To Clean The Keurig?
The instruction manual that comes with the machine will give you the recommended method to clean your Keurig. If you lost your manual, you can also download it from the manufacturer website. Of course, there are some general tips we can give you to keep your Keurig well-maintained.
Firstly, your water filter should be maintained every two months as a bare minimum. You should also put your machine on maintenance every three months, as this can prevent the buildup of minerals. Be sure to check your needle on a regular basis too, as this can prevent an obvious clog. Any removal parts on the machine should be cleaned every seven days.
Cleaning the Keurig is best done with products recommended by the manufacturer. However, some people can use proven natural cleaners such as vinegar.
Before you clean the Keurig, make sure to unplug it first. Then, start removing all the removable parts and wash them in some warm soapy water. Make sure you dry these removable parts properly before you install them again.
Next, it is time to wipe down the exterior of your machine. Ideally, you want to clean the exterior before you put the removable parts back. However, if you are in a rush, it won’t hurt to clean the outside with the removable parts in place just once.
Once the outside is cleaned, it is time to descale your machine. For this, you can use a special descaling solution in the water tank. Alternatively, you can fill it up halfway with vinegar and fill the remainder with water.
Naturally, vinegar can stay in the lines unless it is rinsed several times after the maintenance session. So, once you have run the machine with a descaling solution, make sure you rinse thoroughly. For the descaling solution, please follow the instructions of the manufacturer.
What If My Machine Is Well Maintained?
If there is absolutely nothing wrong with your machine, but you still get weak coffee, it is time to look at the breaking method. If your cup of coffee currently tastes too weak to your liking, here is how you can correct the problem.
Whether you use coffee grounds or a K cup, the easiest way to get your brew stronger is to reduce the amount of water you use. Instead of filling the water tank fully for your K cup, use 3/4 to even 1/2 the amount of water you normally use.
You can also experiment a little until you get the cup of coffee you love. If you like a larger cup of coffee, you could also use two K cups for a full water tank. Simply fill the tank up halfway for each K cup and you will have a good cup of coffee.
If your machine is well maintained and not even reducing the amount of water helps, then there could be a mechanical problem. If your coffee maker is still in warranty, it is recommended to contact the seller or manufacturer to get it replaced or fixed.
There are many possible problems that could lead to weak coffee, including a lack of hot water to reduced pressure. Evidently, these problems you cannot fix on your own. Unless you are really handy of course!
How Do I Unclog My Keurig?
There are several methods to unclog a Keurig. Here are the favorite unclogging methods from Keurig owners.
The paperclip method
While we do not recommend doing this unless you are confident, a simple paperclip is often the easiest way to unclog the Keurig and counter weak coffee. Simply straighten out the end of the paperclip and look for the holes near the funnel.
Then, stick the end in the holes and clean out any ground coffee stuck in them. The same method can be used to remove debris from the coffee needle.
The Straw Method
Take a simple straw and use it to blow air through your machine’s water line. If there is any debris stuck in the water line, using the straw will push that debris out in minimal time.
Descale
The manufacturer’s method to get rid of clogs is simply descaling your machine from time to time. Since I already elaborated on descaling, I will not go into this here. If you want to find out how to descale, please refer to the previous “how to clean the Keurig” section.
How Do I Get The Best Coffee From My Keurig Coffee Machine?
Getting the best coffee from your Keurig is a process of trial and error. If your machine is brand-new, it is a good idea to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for your first selection of K cups. This enables you to get familiar with the available flavours as well as preferences.
If you think the coffee is a little weak, then use the water reduction method I mentioned earlier. In addition to that, I can also recommend running the machine on a hot water setting before brewing your first K cup.
Doing so will prepare the machine and actually bring out a good coffee with more elaborate flavors. It’s a tried and tested method, and it’s so very simple!
Which Provides The Strongest Coffee, K-Cups Or Ground Coffee?
Coffee grounds will usually provide the strongest coffee. However, if you want to make strong coffee from coffee grounds, you will need a reusable K cup to put the grounds in.
Evidently, instant coffee is different from drip coffee, and the latter is even different from K cups. Discovering your preferences is all you need to get the most from your coffee. In other words, do not be afraid to experiment with brewing methods to see which one suits your preferences best.
If you use K cups and your coffee comes out weak, I recommend going through some of the troubleshooting methods I described earlier. Ensure your machine is well-maintained, and use the right amount of water with your preferred K-cup to avoid ending up with a watery cup of joe.
Finally, it is not uncommon for coffee lovers to use more than one brewing method. In fact, some people have a Keurig, but they also make some drip coffee from time to time.
Some even have a Barista level espresso machine, which they use when they have the time for a true coffee masterpiece. However, the Keurig is perfect for that caffeine and coffee fix when you have to be out the door for minimal time. In short, there is no shame in having multiple coffee machines!
Related
Conclusion
As you have seen from this article, there are countless reasons why you could end up with weak coffee. From mechanical faults with your Keurig to using too much water, they can all contribute to one cup of weak coffee. However, as this article has shown, the methods to remedy these problems are very straightforward.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep your Keurig maintained. While you should be confident in the overall construction quality of this machine, not maintaining it can still cause severe problems.
This can cause watery coffee, but also unwanted tastes and smells! So, cleaning the removable parts as well as putting on the regular descaling cycle is absolutely essential. As long as you do that, you will be enjoying your Keurig for many years.
