Comparing Keurig Models. Which Is Better?

As an Amazon Associate FreshCoffeeHouse.com earns from qualifying purchases.

You must be familiar with the patented K-cup wonder, but you are undecided on which Keurig you should get. Let’s go over the details of each model, what makes them unique, and how much room they will take up on your countertop, so you’ll have an understanding of which Keurig is the best.

Coffee has never been this simple! K-pods are a lifesaver for busy individuals who enjoy delicious, flavorful coffee in the morning or at work. Not everyone has time to mess around with brewing a French press or mixing milk or cream and sugar into a cup of joe. Keurig makes coffee-shop quality, gourmet drinks at the push of a button and that’s why it’s so popular.

I’ve put together a review of the Keurig coffee maker so you can see the similarities and differences between the K-Classic, K-Mini, K-Café, and K-Elite coffee makers and chose which one suits your needs best.

Keurig is synonymous with quality and convenience. Every model has a simple operating menu, making you just one button away from your favorite coffee. So, what makes them different? They vary in size, mostly due to the water reservoir containers and the neat features we will get into. Let’s dive deeper into each Keurig model to discover which one is the best for you.

Keurig K-Classic

The patriarch of the family, the K-Classic is the most common of all the Keurig models. Most people would have a K-Classic at home. They are often found in the office lunchroom or teachers’ lounge.

Brew Volume – 3 cup size settings: 6oz, 8oz, and 10oz cups of coffee.

Brew Time – Makes a full cup in UNDER 1 minute. That’s fast.

Dimensions – It is the largest of the models with dimensions of 13.0″ H x 9.8″ W x 13.3″ D. Honestly, it is not as big as you think. About the height of a Brita water filter jug and the width of a double toaster.

Water Tank – Comes with a convenient removable 48oz water container which can be filled under a tap or a water dispenser. Allows you to brew up to 5 cups of coffee before refilling.

Colors – This model comes in a sleek black or a stylish red color.

Energy Saving – As every modern kitchen appliance should, the K-Classic will turn itself off after being idle for 2 hours.

Drip Tray – The clever design allows for the base to be removed so you can fit a taller cup or a travel mug of up to 7.1” and brew the coffee directly into the mug. 

• Brew: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz cups of coffee
• Water Tank: 48oz, 5 cups
• Colors: Black or red

UPSIDE

There aren’t many things that make the K-Classic unique as it’s the base model of the series but what you can get excited about is the price. You can get this bad boy for almost half the price of the newer designs. One thing I really like about the classic is the simple menu. Little light bulbs will turn on to advise you when it’s time to add water to the Keurig or descale the coffee machine but there is nothing confusing about your options when it comes to brewing a cup. I find the K-Classic to be ideal for family kitchen countertops.

DOWNSIDE

All the newer models have 4 cup size settings instead of just 3. If you like a bigger mug look at the K-Elite instead. This model takes up the same amount of space as an average coffee maker although it is a litter taller. Also, besides the mini, the classic has the smallest water tank. I don’t really think that’s a downside but it’s something to consider if you think the Keurig is going to be used by multiple people each day.

Keurig K-Mini

Good things come in small packages and so does good coffee. The K-Mini, although ideal for people living alone, can satisfy the coffee needs of an entire family. The whole idea behind this little gem was to make a coffee maker smaller than anyone has ever seen without sacrificing any quality. The K-mini can literally fit anywhere.

Brew Volume – 4 cup size settings: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12oz.

Brew Time – Makes a full cup in just OVER 1 minute. Still pretty fast.

Dimensions – The dimensions of the K-Mini are almost shocking at 12.1” H x 4.5” W x 11.3” D. That’s literally the height and width of a 2L bottle of pop.

Water Tank – The K-Mini needs to be refilled after every brew.

Colors – this model comes in several colors including black, gray, pink, and oasis.

Power Saving – The auto feature turns the K-Mini off 90 seconds after it’s finished brewing, saving your household energy.

Drip Tray – The clever design allows for the base to be removed so you can fit a taller cup or a travel mug of up to 7.0” and brew the coffee directly into the mug. 

• Brew: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, 12oz cups of coffee
• Water Tank: Need refilling each brew
• Colors: Black, gray, pink, oasis

UPSIDE

The K-Mini fits almost anywhere and that’s the whole point. Most coffee makers are bulky, have large water containers, or glass a carafe which isn’t always ideal for small kitchens or dorm rooms. My favorite thing about the mini is the simplicity of the design. It has only one purpose is to make coffee and believe me, it does it well. The power-saving auto shut-off feature is an impressive one because other models take 2 hours to turn off while the mini saves energy after 90 seconds.

DOWNSIDE

The obvious downside to the mini is the lack of a water tank. You do have to pour in a fresh cup of water before each use. Not bad for individuals who don’t consume large amounts of coffee or people living alone.

Keurig K-Mini Plus

The K-Mini received an upgrade recently when Keurig released a more advanced model. The K-Mini Plus comes with all the benefits of the original but with a few additional bells and whistles. Notable the major upgrades are the removable water container and the pod storage space for up to 9 k-pods. 

• Removable water container
• Pod Storage: Holds up to 9 pods
• Colors: Black, red, teal

Keurig K-Café

Now we are getting into some toys for serious coffee enthusiasts. The defining feature that separated the Keurig café from the rest is the capability to make a concentrated 2oz shot coffee. Not exactly an espresso but close enough to make a delicious latte or cappuccino with the help of an automatic milk steamer built in.

Brew Volume – 4 cup size settings: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12oz.

Brew Time – Makes a full cup in just OVER 1 minute. Still fast.

Strong Brew – One of the options on the menu is “strong brew” which makes your cup a little richer and fuller than regular.

Dimensions – This bad boy has dimensions like the classic at 12.5” H X 15.3” W X 11.7” D. It’s shorter and shallower but wider because of the milk steamer.

Water Tank – Comes with a convenient removable 60oz water container which can be filled under a tap or a water dispenser. Allows you to brew up to 6 cups of coffee before refilling.

Colors – this model comes in charcoal or nickel.

Power Saving – K-Café will turn itself off after being idle for 2 hours.

Drip Tray – The clever design allows for the base to be removed so you can fit a taller cup or a travel mug of up to 7.2” and brew the coffee directly into the mug. 

• Brew: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, 12oz cups of coffee
• Water Tank: 60oz, 6 cups
• Colors: Charcoal or nickel

UPSIDE

Not only does it make gourmet coffee, but it can also brew fresh latte and cappuccino. Whoever owns this is on their way to becoming a barista on autopilot. The bigger water tank is a huge bonus for larger households. Even though it makes a delicious cup of coffee and it’s quite popular on the market, the K-Café is not my favorite Keurig model.

DOWNSIDE

The milk steamer is a necessary addition to make lattes and cappuccinos but it makes the whole product a messy one. Therefore I don’t believe the K-Café is suitable for workplace environments or public areas such as office waiting rooms. It’s one of the largest and most expensive Keurig’s so if you’re not interested in cappuccinos or lattes you are better off with a classic or an elite. It only comes in 2 dark colors, which is fine for most people but unfortunate since all the other models have a variety of options to choose from.

Keurig K-Elite

The K-Elite is a new generation coffee maker. Similar in design and appearance to the classic although it has more options and a detailed menu. With a larger water reservoir and an option for cold water, this K-Elite gives you the most bang for your buck when it comes to Keurig.

Brew Volume – 4 cup size settings: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12oz.

Brew Time – Makes a full cup in UNDER 1 minute. Fast, fast, fast.

Cold Brew – Comes with a setting for cold brew. Awesome for hot days.

Strong Brew – One of the options on the menu is “strong brew” which makes your cup a little richer and fuller than regular.

Dimensions – With dimensions of 13.1” H x 9.9” W x 12.7” D the Elite has the same dimensions as the classic but comes with a sleeker, more modern design.

Water Tank – Comes with a convenient removable 75oz water container which can be filled under a tap or a water dispenser. Allows you to brew up to 8 cups of coffee before refilling.

Colors – Comes in brushed gold, brushed silver, or brushed slate.

Power Saving – K-Elite will turn itself off after being idle for 2 hours.

Drip Tray – The clever design allows for the base to be removed so you can fit a taller cup or a travel mug of up to 7.2” and brew the coffee directly.

• Brew: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, 12oz cups of coffee
• Water Tank: 75oz, 8 cups
• Colors: Brushed gold, brushed silver, brushed slate

UPSIDE

Since it’s the newest Keurig it’s the most advanced one as well. It’s just as simple to use as the classic with similar dimensions so if you have room for a regular coffee maker on your counter-top, you can surely fit one of these gems on there. Another bonus is that you’re getting everything a pod coffee maker has to offer with the largest water tank available. Did I mention it makes Iced Coffee? Ideal for larger families or even office building lunchrooms. I personally like the updated design. It’s the right amount of square and round at the same time. Instead of color schemes, the creators used shades so the model fits in with any décor. Finally, the quality of the coffee is wonderful, exactly what you would expect from a coffee maker dubbed the “elite”.

DOWNSIDE

In my opinion, there is no downside to the K-Elite. Simple as that, you are getting all the best features of a Keurig at the best possible price. The only thing that may be an issue for some is the size, if you don’t have room for the whole thing on your countertop go for a K-Mini instead.

How Many K-Pod Flavors Are There?

The makers of Keurig Pods made over 400 different varieties of K-Pod flavors and they’re not always coffee! The K-Pods specialty has always been hot coffee but now they offer tea, hot chocolate, cold coffee, dairy-based drinks such as cappuccinos, lattes, and other fruit-based drinks like lemonade, and cider.

Keurig Cleaning and Descaling

Like most appliances, a Keurig needs a good clean every now and then. Obviously, Keurig has its own soapy water solution they want you to buy but water, and vinegar work fine as well. It’s also important to descale your machine every three to six months. I have a whole blog post on how to clean and descale your Keurig here.

Can You Use Ground Coffee in A Keurig?

Even though a Keurig is designed for K-Pods you can still brew your favorite type of ground coffee in your new coffee maker. What you’ll need first is a reusable Keurig K-Pod because you can’t just add the coffee grounds directly into the chamber where the pod would go.

Summary

In my opinion, the best Keurig is the K-Elite because of its functionality, its size, and water tank. The price has something to do with my decision as well. Although it may not be the best fit for every situation.

K-Classic: The best home kitchen counter coffee maker without any extra features.

K-Mini: Idea for people who don’t consume coffee often and great for small kitchens or dorms.

K-Café: Perfect for coffee enthusiasts who want to make cappuccino or latte with a push of a button.

K-Elite: Hands-down the best option for everyday coffee drinkers. Home, office, small family, large family doesn’t matter. The elite has the water tank and the options to satisfy everyone.