Updated on Sep. 24, 2024
You wake up on the right side of the bed when you know there's a delicious cup of joe waiting for you. No matter your budget or your brew preferences, the best Keurig coffee makers deliver. Our team tested and reviewed multiple models so you can buy with confidence.
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Although there are plenty of single-serve coffee makers to choose from (looking at you, Hamilton Beach Scoop), Keurig offers a range of machines that are consistent in quality and practicality and are ideal for any space, any serving size and any budget. When Keurig first launched its at-home coffee makers, it helped reimagine instant coffee. Fast-forward, and today’s Keurig models are a little more sophisticated—but just as convenient.
We tested nine models over several weeks and considered packaging, cleaning, maintenance and general use to determine the best of the best. Whether you’re craving a cappuccino or black coffee, here are the best-reviewed Keurig coffee makers for your home and lifestyle.
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The classics are classics for a reason, and the Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve Coffee Maker is a heavy hitter on the home brewing scene. This coffee maker looks similar to the original Keurig models but is turbocharged with many updated features. Case in point: It brews both hot and iced drinks, and it can be programmed to make your drinks in advance (because what’s better than a cup of coffee waiting for you as soon as you roll out of bed?). It’s right up there with the Nespresso Vertuo Plus and is a happy middle ground between Keurig’s most sophisticated and simplest models, granting customization and flexibility.
Each K-Elite has a removable drip tray, drip tray base, water filter cartridge and water reservoir. Before use, it’s recommended to clean the Keurig with warm, soapy water and run a hot water cycle to clean the machine. The 75-ounce water reservoir is large enough to brew eight cups of coffee before needing to be refilled.
“I drank the K-cup varieties and was impressed with their bold flavor—even the medium roast samples. I have tasted these same brands in the past using Keurigs, but I don’t recall them being as bold. And believe me, I prefer bold, deep, dark coffee flavor, so when I sip on lighter coffee, it’s really noticeable,” says Executive Culinary Director Sarah Farmer. “I think there is something to this Keurig’s ‘Dark Roast’ feature. I suspect the unit runs less water through the brew to achieve the deeper, more intense flavor.”
Sarah also enjoys the versatility of the K-Elite’s hot water feature, which she uses to make a cup of tea and oatmeal. Plus, she says the Keurig coffee maker takes up less space than her regular drip coffee machine. The small footprint makes it easy to move around the kitchen, especially with the help of these slider mats.
Dimensions: 12.7 x 9.9 x 13.1 inches (16.5 inches high when open) | Weight: 8 pounds | Capacity: 75-ounce water reservoir | Wattage: 1500 watts
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The Keurig K-Supreme Single-Serve Coffee Maker offers more than meets the eye. Simply hit the “Strong” button, and the coffee maker’s multi-stream technology evenly saturates the coffee for a stronger brew each time. Adding to its versatility, the K-Supreme also brews iced coffee. Devoted iced coffee fans believe every season is iced coffee season, yet perfecting the beverage at home is tricky. Like Keurig K-Iced coffee makers, this pick automatically adjusts the temperature as it brews using the “Over Ice” feature.
It starts by brewing coffee hot to extract the flavor; then it cools down to around 150 degrees so you can pour the coffee over ice without much melting. Your favorite iced coffee tumbler will get more action than ever, as it accommodates a 7-inch travel mug.
Another handy feature of the K-Supreme is the dual-position 66-ounce water reservoir. Choose to mount it on the side of the Keurig coffee machine or move it to the back, depending on what works best for your counter space.
Product Tester Sheri Kaz says she was never interested in using a Keurig until she tried the K-Supreme. “I love how fast and easy it is to make a cup of coffee. No grounds all over the counter when I’m half asleep. And I love the one-cup option for an afternoon pick-me-up.” Sheri adds that the machine is very intuitive, and the ‘Strong’ feature and ‘Add Water’ indicator are impressive. Plus, she likes that she can avoid single-use plastic waste with Keurig’s compostable pods and reusable filters.
Dimensions: 12 x 7.9 x 12.2 inches (16.94 inches high when open) | Weight: 5.8 pounds | Capacity: 66-ounce water reservoir | Wattage: 400 watts
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Proving that small truly can be mighty, the Keurig K-Slim Single-Serve Coffee Maker has a removable multi-cup reservoir with a 46-ounce capacity. It’s slim and minimal, which makes it an ideal addition to your kitchen lineup without consuming too much counter space. The machine brews up to four 8-ounce cups of coffee before the water reservoir needs to be refilled.
Senior Project Editor Carmen De La Paz says the K-Slim is quiet and easy to use. It brews both a steaming hot cup of coffee and a delicious hot cocoa. She also loves the coffee maker’s scarlet red color. “I don’t have a lot of counter space to give and was happy the K-Slim fit into my small space. It looks great on the counter, and I think it will last a long time.”
Although the design is on the simpler side and takes up about as much room as the K-Mini, the K-Slim offers the versatility of the removable water reservoir. Additionally, the multi-stream technology extracts more flavor in every brewed cup at the push of a button, making it a better fit for a small household or a quick afternoon cup.
Looking for more space-friendly coffee options? A percolator brews coffee on your stovetop.
Dimensions: 15.2 x 4.76 x 12.14 inches (16.75 inches high when open) | Weight: 6.2 pounds | Capacity: 46-ounce water reservoir | Wattage: 1500 watts
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Whether you’re regularly entertaining or trying to keep your team properly caffeinated, the Keurig K-Duo Single-Serve & Carafe is a workhorse of a coffee maker. With a 60-ounce water reservoir shared between the carafe and the single-serve, it handles ongoing demand throughout the day and doesn’t require constant refills. Brew anywhere from 6 to 12 cups in the carafe or 6 to 12 ounces in the single-serve. While you’re at it, place your abundance of pods in one of these attractive holders.
“I really appreciate the ease of use for this machine. It’s simple and only has a few buttons. Anyone can use it,” writes Senior Shopping Editor and self-proclaimed coffee snob Katie Bandurski. “The two-in-one options are great for families/couples who each like different things. (My husband, John, for example, only drinks decaf.) While I was disappointed in the initial taste of the coffee, future testing revealed that it comes down to the pods you’re using, and fresh grounds in the carafe are far superior. Also, can’t beat the convenience!”
Katie was impressed with both the light and dark roasts that she brewed in the K-Duo, especially when she could grind her own beans and use the carafe. But she did wish that this Keurig coffee maker offered a 4-cup option and a larger water tank.
Check out these coffee grinders for the freshest brew possible.
Dimensions: 12.76 x 10.94 x 12.92 inches (16.8 inches high when open) | Weight: 6.2 pounds | Capacity: 60-ounce water reservoir | Wattage: 1470 watts
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Consider this find your live-in barista. The Keurig K-Café SMART Single-Serve Coffee Maker connects to Wi-Fi, so you can brew virtually (it also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home). And like your favorite barista, it customizes drinks to your tastes and preferred temperatures. Plus, it brews everything from a traditional coffee to a cappuccino or latte. With all these Keurig accessories and features, this beauty turns your kitchen into your favorite café.
As the K-Café SMART comes with so many features and pieces, including a frother, setup can be tricky. However, downloading the Keurig app and connecting the coffee maker to Wi-Fi will assist with the process. The app also provides options for customized, barista-style drinks. This Keurig coffee maker brews five different strengths, from balanced to intense, six temperature options and four brew sizes. Plus, you can even brew over ice.
Taste of Home Culinary Assistant Mark Neufang is typically a pour-over coffee drinker, but he thinks the K-Café SMART can step up your coffee game. “It does a lot. The milk frother is really cool, and the adjustable strengths—remote brewing and scheduled brews—are nice perks. The app takes a little figuring out, and if you do anything remotely with it, you just need to remember to have your K-pod in the machine and your mug parked and ready!”
Mark was especially impressed with the Keurig coffee maker’s remote brew feature, which allows you to brew a cup directly from your bed. He also appreciated the BrewID feature, which recognizes the brand or flavor of K-pod that you insert. “When it does so, it also brews the coffee or cocoa to the best (programmed) brew specifications for that particular brand, though you are also able to adjust strength, size, etc. as you prefer or wish.”
Dimensions: 12.1 x 11 x 12.7 inches (17.2 inches high when open) | Weight: 8.1 pounds | Capacity: 60-ounce water reservoir | Wattage: 1200 watts
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We consider the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker to be the best for shared spaces because it’s so intuitive and universal that anybody can use it. Serve up a cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa with a simple button push, and brew three sizes—6, 8 or 10 ounces—of fresh coffee in mere minutes. It’s a solid addition to households with more than one coffee drinker. Despite only having three brew sizes, each cup comes out hot and tasty for coffee in an instant. Savor a strong dark roast, a flavored pick where the coffee still shines through or even a hot cocoa that the kids will love.
Culinary Assistant Ellie Crowley says her parents have owned their K-Classic for eight years, so she has faith in this Keurig’s longevity and ability to provide full-flavored coffee. “I was impressed with the fact that brewing different roasts and flavors back to back did not interfere with the flavor of the coffee. If I brewed the butter toffee flavor coffee and then immediately popped in a medium roast coffee, there were no hints of the butter toffee lingering, which was a nice discovery!”
The 48-ounce reservoir lets you brew 6 cups before a refill, and the auto-off feature shuts off the K-Classic after two hours of idle time to be more energy efficient.
Dimensions: 13.2 x 10.1 x 13.3 inches (17.6 inches high when open) | Weight: 10.6 pounds | Capacity: 48-ounce water reservoir | Wattage: 400 watts
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The Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker is the wallet-friendly answer to your coffee habit. (Set on a pricier model? Discover Keurig sales.) Slim enough to slip into any kitchen or dorm room without dominating counter space, this Keurig is a fan favorite for its affordability and size.
It comes in six colors, including fun options like Dusty Rose, Evergreen and Oasis. Each K-Mini brews 6 to 12 ounces and includes an automatic feature that turns off the coffee maker 90 seconds after the last brew. Plus, a removable drip tray also accommodates a 7-inch travel mug.
The K-Mini has no fancy bells or whistles, but it doesn’t need them. It’s efficient and ensures you have coffee on demand, whenever you need it. This budget-friendly option is ideal for those who drink one cup of coffee in the morning and are good to go.
I can attest to this, as I’ve owned the Keurig K-Mini for a few years now, and it’s a total lifesaver, especially in the fall and winter. Every morning, I look forward to a single-serve brew in the comfort of my own home. All I do is add water (usually around 8 ounces), pop in a pod of my choice (I’m very into caramel macchiatos right now), press the button, and my coffee is ready in no time.
Dimensions: 11.3 x 4.5 x 12.1 inches (16.8 inches high when open) | Weight: 4.6 pounds | Capacity: 12 ounces | Wattage: 1500 watts
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Some days, you wake up, and you know you’ll need a big cup of coffee. On those days, you’ll be happy to have the Keurig K-Express Single-Serve Coffee Maker that only brews large 8, 10 or 12-ounce bold coffees that are strong enough for the morning brew or afternoon pick-me-up. Delight in the rich flavor profiles of light, medium or dark roast or any of your other favorite K-Cups. And if size really does matter, the removable drip tray on the K-Express leaves room for a 7.4-inch travel mug so you can take your fresh coffee on the go.
Unlike most other Keurig models on this list, the K-Express’s brew buttons are on the side and include the option for a “strong” brew. And there’s no need to worry about your coffee tasting lackluster or flat. Taste of Home Set Stylist Stacey Genaw says the K-Express knows how to brew a strong cup of joe. “If you like strong coffee, the beverage flavor is strong. I personally like to run another 8-ounce cup through and dilute my first cup with a second batch.”
It’s also compatible with the My K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter to brew ground coffee in an eco-friendly way.
Dimensions: 12.8 x 5.1 x 12.6 inches (17.2 inches high when open) | Weight: 4.1 pounds | Capacity: 42-ounce water reservoir | Wattage: 1000 watts
Are you on the hunt for a new Keurig coffee maker? With so many options to choose from, it’s best first to decide what type of coffee you’re interested in. Are you a fan of plain black coffee sans cream and sugar? Or do you prefer something more specialized? Keurig has a long line of coffee makers, each with its own features and functions. Consider the size of the machine relative to your kitchen counter space.
Ground your own beans? You might opt for a single-serve coffee maker with a carafe. If brew capacity is important for your family, then get a Keurig with a larger water reservoir. A single college student might be OK with the ease and simplicity of the Keurig K-Mini. Still, a seasoned coffee enthusiast would be better off with a Keurig with more programmable features like BrewID and the ability to serve hot coffee over ice. Here are some other factors (and more in-depth information) worth considering:
Several Keurig models are available, but they typically fall into two classes: basic and advanced. Basic models are your average K-Cup brewers—designed to do little more than make a cup of coffee. Advanced models might have more features, like steaming capabilities and additional accessories. There are even some Keurigs that function both as standard drip coffee makers and K-Cup brewers. It’s important to decide whether you need something with more barebones or if you want all the bells and whistles before you shop.
Typically, a Keurig allows users to choose between five different brew sizes: 4 ounces, 6 ounces, 8 ounces, 10 ounces and 12 ounces—the more options, the more versatile the Keurig.
Keurig reservoirs range from 40 to 80 ounces and cannot be increased in size. The size of the reservoir determines how many cups of coffee you can make before refilling it.
Most Keurigs have fairly similar displays and controls—usually a series of buttons to control the different brewing options (and the buttons may illuminate to show whether they’re currently active or what’s selected). Some may also include a digital clock interface.
Like other styles of coffee makers, Keurigs are daily-use devices, so you’ll probably want a dedicated spot on your kitchen counter for them. Remember that some are a good deal bigger than others (especially those with a greater array of features). We would not recommend moving your Keurig between uses, as they can be quite cumbersome (especially when the reservoir is full).
Some Keurigs need to be shut off manually (or unplugged) to cut off the power. Most, however, have an auto-shutdown feature that will automatically turn the machine off after two hours of idling (meaning without use). This feature can be turned off, as well.
Our nine testers have a combined decades of experience working in professional kitchens and reviewing products. We sought the expertise of the Taste of Home test kitchen leader, culinary assistants and home and kitchen product reviewers with backgrounds in cooking, recipe development, and food styling. Plus, we’re all avid coffee drinkers.
Cher Checchio, the author of this piece, is a senior shopping editor for Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home and Family Handyman. With over 15 years of experience, Cher has covered everything from foodie favorites to kitchen gadgets for print magazines, newspapers and online publications. She also has a bachelor of science degree in journalism from the University of Florida and was a lifestyle blogger for 10 years. She is uniquely qualified to speak on the subject of kitchen appliances, including Keurig coffee makers.
Sean Tirman, Content Updates Editor at Taste of Home, updated and contributed research to this piece. Sean has written shopping guides since 2016 and is a former associate editor at Gear Patrol.
Sorting through the various Keurig models and identifying their similarities and differences can be dizzying, so we did it for you! For this comprehensive guide to the best Keurig coffee makers, we took into account online reviews, our own staffers’ experiences and rigorous firsthand testing.
We looked at packaging and delivery and any steps required before use. Then, we graded each Keurig coffee maker based on how loud, hot and well it brewed. Each tester evaluated their machine on size, craftsmanship, aesthetics and longevity.
Furthermore, we looked at features and functions and how they’d best serve different types of customers at various price points. Our experts gave the models that made this list the highest ratings for overall functionality and the ability to serve a delicious cup of coffee.
After six months, we also checked in with our testers to see if the machines were starting to show signs of wear, identify any issues and evaluate long-term performance.
You need to clean your Keurig often. Luckily, it’s simple. Cleaning a Keurig keeps mold and bacteria at bay and improves the taste of your coffee by preventing mineral build-up.
There are various ways to clean your Keurig, including Keurig cleaning pods and the Keurig descaling solution. You can also clean it with vinegar by filling the reservoir halfway with white distilled vinegar and then filling it with water. Run brew cycles until the entire reservoir is empty. Just remember to rinse it out with plain water afterward so your coffee doesn’t have that vinegar tang!
Aim to descale your Keurig every three to six months, depending on how often you use it. If you’re a daily user, you’ll want to clean the exterior, water reservoir, drip tray and pod holder once a week. This regular maintenance will help extend your Keurig’s life.
You can’t make espresso in a Keurig because pulling espresso requires a large amount of pressure to force the water through the coffee grounds. But depending on what type of Keurig you own, you can customize the strength of your coffee for espresso-style drinks. If you’re looking for an espresso maker, we highly recommend the Breville Bambino Plus.
Keurig machines generally last between three and five years, depending on how often you use them. You’ll know it’s time to replace the coffee maker when your coffee comes out cooler than usual, tastes watery or requires a longer time to brew.
This is highly subjective and will depend on numerous factors, including your personal needs, budget, space, etc. Our extensive testing and reviewing determined that the Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve Coffee Maker was our favorite overall.
Keurig’s K-Brew + Chill Coffee Maker, which can make fresh iced coffee, appears to be the brand’s newest model at this point in 2024.
Users report that most Keurigs last three to five years. However, with proper care and maintenance, your Keurig can last far longer.
