In fact, this is the main factor that separates them from the traditional coffee pot. Whereas primitive brew systems might have you waiting for ten minutes before you can pour yourself a cup, the Keurig can get the job done in a small fraction of the time. Though it’s moderately priced, you still get many of the same benefits that we saw with our last selection. A large LCD screen makes navigating the K575 a cinch, and you can even pick from several different colors that will give your kitchen a personalized aesthetic. The K-Elite is also easy to clean, with removable parts like the drip tray, which can be easily extracted for a quick rubdown.
Both machines have programmable settings for carafe brewing, so you can set up your machine to auto-brew for up to 24 hours in advance. They also both have a Pause & Pour feature, which automatically pauses mid-brew for 20 seconds allowing you to pour a cup before the full brew cycle is complete. Both machines can brew up to 12-cup carafes and 12-ounce single-serve cups. This machine was one of the few we tested that consistently brewed coffee at the same temperature and volume. Compatible with K-Cups and Keurig’s reusable filter for ground coffee, the resulting coffee tasted flavorful and well-rounded. The machine can fit a cup up to eight inches tall , the most space we saw in testing.
Today, Keurig offers the My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter, which lets you use your favorite freshly ground blend from your local roaster. The machines we tested come with a variety of different accessories to suit any taste. Some come with charcoal filters, which attach to a wand sitting in the water tank to purify the water before brewing. Some Keurig systems come with a K-Cup reusable coffee filter that allows you to use your own ground coffee, while you might need to buy this piece separately with other machines.
All in all, this is an affordable and convenient option that doesn’t take up a ton of space. Many coffee drinkers find convenience in pod-style coffee machines. They pour a consistent cup of coffee every time, they’re cost-effective compared to buying a cup of coffee at Starbucks, and you can choose from keurig single cup drip coffee makers a variety of flavors and beverages. With the exception of the Nespresso – Citiz(pronounced “cities”), all the coffee makers we tested also allow you to use your own ground coffee if you prefer. A common complaint in the 1990s, when the Keurig system was introduced, was the reliance on pods exclusively.
The price of the K-cups was discouraging and would buy 2 boxes when on sale at Costco. Then I discovered the re-usable K-cups to use our own ground coffee, but it became a problem for my husband. However, he points out that the temperature of the water and the size of the coffee grounds also impact the flavor, not just the speed of brewing. Coffee makers have a water reservoir you’ll have to fill each time you want to brew coffee.
When setting up the machine, we were immediately asked to program the time, altitude mode and automatic turn-on time. While all of these features are useful, we had to consult the manual to figure out how to program them. The hot water function does not use a separate spout, so you’ll probably want to run a rinse cycle between making coffee and tea. No matter which coffee pod brand you decide to purchase, it is important to properly care for your single-serve coffee maker. However, if you drink a number of cups of coffee each day, you likely want a machine that has a larger reservoir so you aren’t refilling it as frequently.
A single-serve coffee maker offers the convenience and speed of making just one cup of coffee at a time, exactly the way you like it. If you live on your own and don’t need to brew a full pot of coffee every morning, or your family members each have their own particular coffee preferences, a single-serve coffee maker is for you. While most people use them at home, single-serve coffee machines are also helpful in dorm rooms and offices.