Top Keurig Coffee Makers of 2023

The fusion of rapidity and ease within a solitary coffee-making apparatus holds its own appeal. Discover the Keurig machines or K-cup compatible devices that align with your preferences and way of life.

 

Which Keurig-Style Coffee Maker Reigns Supreme Overall?

When the quest is on for a swift and effortless cup of coffee, the leading choice among Keurig machines comes down to the Keurig K-Mini. While it may not boast the intricacies of some other models featured in our lineup, its simplicity and cost-effectiveness shine through. Having outperformed its rivals in our brewing assessments, it emerges as the premier Keurig coffee maker.

Naturally, these single-serve coffee makers might not captivate everyone, as they don’t extract coffee quite as richly as drip machines, particularly those from top-tier brands. Nevertheless, when it comes to an uncomplicated and convenient coffee-brewing method, it’s a challenge to identify a more effortless approach. Furthermore, by swapping out the disposable K-cups for a reusable alternative, you can sidestep the environmental concern that has been a notable criticism of this coffee maker style.

For enthusiasts who cherish Keurig coffee makers due to their convenience and capacity (exploring alternative compact options like French presses or pour-over cones), or those enticed by the immense array of available K-cup flavors, this curated list has something to offer. Although the focal point is on Keurig-branded machines, it encompasses K-cup compatible coffee makers from various other brands. The range spans from uncomplicated machines with singular functions to app-integrated choices capable of adapting to any pod and facilitating the creation of custom recipes. (You can also refer to our guide on how to clean your Keurig coffee maker.)

 

Top Keurig-Style Coffee Makers in 2023

Keurig K-Mini: The Ultimate Keurig Coffee Maker

 

The K-Mini operates with utmost simplicity. Just pour water into your mug, transfer it to the reservoir, insert your coffee pod, and press the brew button. In under 2 minutes, your coffee is ready to enjoy. Although the coffee produced by the K-Mini, like all the options presented here, didn’t meet our brewed coffee extraction benchmarks, it consistently brewed stronger than any other machine subjected to my testing. With a brew time of 1 minute and 45 seconds, it’s a tad slower than certain Keurig models I evaluated, yet still swifter than some other brands.

The standout feature of the K-Mini is its sheer user-friendliness. Despite the need to refill the reservoir each time you desire a cup of coffee, it remains conveniently accessible, even when placed beneath my kitchen cabinets. The device is easy to clean and doesn’t demand much space. Priced at under $100, it’s an uncomplicated yet capable machine.

 

$114.99 at KCupsforSale.Com

 

Keurig K-Duo: Ideal for Large Brews

The Keurig K-Duo provides the flexibility to brew either a single cup or a full carafe of coffee. While it’s not the sole machine offering such versatility, its single-serve brewing function outperforms its counterparts. Our tests revealed that it extracted slightly more coffee from the dry grounds compared to its competitors. Additionally, the coffee it produced was notably hotter than other dual coffee makers subjected to our evaluations. (For this assessment, we measured temperature within the cup, a less precise method than our approach for drip coffee machines. Nonetheless, it’s evident that the K-Duo maintains a temperature difference of several degrees compared to the other dual brewers we tested.)

The K-Duo boasts the capacity to brew cups of six, eight, ten, or twelve ounces, as well as pots of six, eight, ten, or twelve cups – a broader range than some of its counterparts. Moreover, it comes with a more budget-friendly price tag.

 

$219.99 at KCupsforSale.Com

 

Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Coffee Maker: Optimal for Fresh Coffee

If you’re aiming to elevate your coffee experience, the most straightforward approach is to grind fresh coffee beans just before brewing. The Cuisinart Grind & Brew, equipped with an integrated coffee grinder, streamlines the process of integrating freshly ground beans into your coffee ritual, even within the realm of a single-serve machine. All you need to do is measure your desired amount of coffee, position your reusable pod in the designated space, and grind your coffee. Cover it, brew it – fresher coffee is hard to come by. Furthermore, considering its incorporation of a grinder, this Cuisinart model conserves counter space. It features a detachable water reservoir and accommodates cups of eight, 10, and 12 ounces.

Although our testing indicates that its brewed cup might not be as finely extracted as the Keurig K-Mini’s, it still ranks among the top third of those we evaluated. The Cuisinart DGB-2 involves more intricate components, yet the segments necessitating cleaning are readily accessible.

 

Keurig K-Cafe Smart: Ideal for Personalized Coffee Creations

If you’re seeking the ease of K-cup coffee with the added desire to tailor brew recipes and craft distinctive beverages, the K-Cafe Smart is your answer. Featuring a single-serve brewing capability, a removable water reservoir, and a milk frother, the K-Cafe Smart also possesses the capability to scan the QR codes found on most K-cups, adjusting its brew settings to match each specific coffee variety. (I encountered difficulty in testing or confirming this feature, but it consistently recognized every K-cup variety I experimented with.)

One distinct feature of the K-Cafe Smart is its ability to produce coffee “shots” – compact, bold coffee servings that mimic the intensity of espresso shots. While these shots didn’t quite replicate true espresso taste in my opinion, they did produce coffee suitable for crafting more flavorful drinks (my preferred method involved adding 6 ounces of hot water).

Through the companion mobile app, which links your phone to the K-Cafe Smart, you gain access to recipe discovery and customization options, as well as control over the coffee maker. (Note that your phone should be operating on iOS 13 or a later version, or Android 8 and above.)

 

Keurig K-Mini: Ideal for Compact Spaces

 The Keurig K-Mini, already holding the top position on this list, effortlessly maintains its stance here as well. Despite not being the most compact unit I assessed, it remains a sleek device that outperformed its smaller counterparts. Measuring just 4.5 inches by 11.5 inches by 12 inches, it’s designed to fit into even the most confined spaces. For accessing the water reservoir’s lid (an action repeated with each coffee preparation), a clearance of 16 inches is needed. In all likelihood, it will snugly nestle on your counter beneath most cabinets.

In comparison, the Proctor Silex and Frigidaire single-serve models boast a similar petite size, yet necessitate more clearance when refilling the reservoir and prove less conducive for usage beneath cabinets. Additionally, the K-Mini managed to extract more coffee from grounds compared to these other compact options.

 

Alternative Machines We Tested with K-Cup Compatibility

 Frigidaire 1-Cup Single Serve Retro Coffee Maker: Frigidaire’s offering swiftly gets the job done. Despite its lack of embellishments, it stands as the most budget-friendly option on the list, priced at just $52. It does possess a somewhat more economical feel and appearance compared to the other contenders here, yet it manages to brew a cup of coffee in less than 2 minutes.

Proctor Silex Single Serve Coffee Maker: Proctor Silex’s contribution to this list rests in a similar category as the aforementioned Frigidaire. While it’s a tad slower, it comes with a similar pocket-friendly price.

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Single-Serve Coffee Maker: The Hamilton Beach single-serve variation remains quite affordable, priced at just $60, and introduces an added feature: the choice between regular and robust settings. During our evaluation, the robust setting showcased a modest yet discernible enhancement in coffee strength.

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Dual Coffee Maker: Essentially, this coffee maker combines the aforementioned Hamilton Beach single-serve unit with a drip machine. The performance of the single-serve portion didn’t notably differ from its standalone counterpart. While it’s a bit less expensive than the Keurig K-Duo listed above, the K-Duo exudes a sturdier construction and demonstrated slightly superior coffee brewing.

Cuisinart Coffee Center 2-in-1 Coffee Maker: The Cuisinart 2-in-1 Coffee Center excels in brewing both single servings and carafes, offering options for bold and regular brews. While it boasts additional features – such as the capability to maintain a carafe of coffee at varying temperatures – none elevated it to the level of the K-Duo in my assessment. The K-Duo felt more solidly built and performed better in our tests.

Keurig K-Supreme: Similar to the other Keurig models on the list, the K-Supreme exhibited slightly superior performance compared to rival brands. It presents a more compact option with a detachable reservoir. Sporting four size options and settings for strong coffee and brewing over ice, it offers a touch more versatility than the K-Mini, striking a balance without overwhelming.

 

Ninja Dual Brew Pro: This Ninja coffee maker boasts an array of capabilities and closely vied with the K-Cafe Smart for the title of best for customization. It can froth milk, brew carafes and coffee pods, and even features a separate dispenser for hot water, all while maintaining a smaller footprint than the K-Cafe Smart. However, in my opinion and as per our tests, it fell slightly short of the brewing prowess demonstrated by the K-Cafe Smart. Yet, at $189, it stands as a comparatively affordable choice.

 

Our Methodology for Evaluating Keurig-Style Coffee Makers

 The process of testing K-cup compatible coffee makers diverges from evaluating other coffee machines, encompassing a combination of objective and subjective assessments.

When examining single-serve coffee makers, our analysis encompasses the speed of brewing, the percentage of extraction, and the temperature of the final coffee cup. Measuring speed involves employing a stopwatch to gauge the duration from initiating the brew cycle to its culmination.

However, gauging temperature in single-serve machines differs from drip machines due to the challenge of accurately measuring temperature at the point where water and coffee grounds meet. For Keurig-style devices, temperature assessment occurs within the brewed coffee mug rather than the brewing basket. Given the complexity of controlling external conditions (with mug temperature as a significant variable), the temperature reading carries a lesser weight in these rankings compared to other coffee makers.

Extraction percentage proves to be the most pivotal data for ranking Keurig-style coffee makers – denoting the proportion of coffee that effectively transfers from the ground coffee to the final cup. This is determined by initiating with a Brix measurement using a refractometer. (Brix signifies a measure of dissolved solids in a liquid; a refractometer calculates Brix by assessing the deflection of light passing through the liquid.) For each machine, we brew three test cups, collecting ten Brix measurements from each. An average Brix measurement is calculated for each cup, thereby determining the extraction percentage.

Additionally, our evaluation incorporates subjective factors. We assess the user-friendliness and ease of cleaning of the machines. Tasting each brewed cup aids us in identifying the most flavorful coffee. Furthermore, we simulate specific usage scenarios whenever feasible. For instance, our selection for compact spaces is determined not only by the machine’s dimensions but also through practical testing within actual confined spaces.