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The best Keurig coffee maker for 2024, tested and reviewed
Our favorite Keurig makes a cup of joe deliciously quickly, and it comes with a welcome bonus.
You know the feeling: You roll out of bed and you need your caffeine fix now. That's where the best Keurig coffee maker comes into play. These single-serve machines are famous for their speed and user-friendliness. They make just enough for one cuppa: No more brewing a full pot only to let it sit ... and sit ... and eventually dump it down the drain. We tested five of the company's most popular models, and we found one that can brew it all.
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About 45 million households across the United States and Canada have a Keurig. Their popularity makes sense: As far as single-serve coffee makers go, they're affordable, starting at around $90, and they're frequently on sale. Just know that you're paying for convenience, not necessarily the best-tasting coffee you've ever had (for that, consider one of these great espresso machines). That said, you'll never lack variety when it comes to Keurig coffee pods, called K-Cups. Major coffee brands including Starbucks and Dunkin' make them, and you can even find special blends created by celebs (hey there, Kevin Costner).
Choosing a Keurig can be confusing because the brand sells so many models. I counted more than 20, and the differences between them aren't always clear. While I couldn't test every single machine (who has the room, or the caffeine tolerance?), I narrowed down the list to the most popular models and relied on my expertise as a longtime editor at home and food magazines to select the best. I spent several weeks using each machine multiple times, looking for smart design, eco-friendliness and other factors. Read on for the details, and to see how Keurig stacked up to similar brands, check out my picks for the overall best single-serve coffee makers of 2024.
Best Keurig coffee maker overall
Water tank capacity: 42 oz. (about 4 cups of coffee) | Machine size: 5.1"W x 12.6"H x 12.8"D | Colors: Black | Watts: 1,520
The K-Café Barista Bar is a first-rate Keurig that delivers everything you'd want from a single-cup coffee maker and more. It makes four cup sizes (8, 10 and 12 ounces, and a 2-ounce shot), the buttons are clear and intuitive and it offers an "over ice" option that automatically adjusts brew temperature for less-watery iced coffee. Plus, it comes with a handy bonus for anyone who likes lattes, cappuccinos and other espresso-style drinks: an excellent standalone milk frother.
Keurig makes four versions of the K-Café, all of which feature frothers. The Barista Bar stands out for being the most affordable and streamlined of the bunch. At about 5 inches wide and 13 inches deep, it won't take up a lot of space on your counter, and it has a slim, modern design that would work in any style kitchen. The frother is incredibly easy to use, whipping up both hot and cold froth that strikes the balance between creamy and cloudlike fluffy. After using it a couple of times, I felt like an actual barista, even if my latte art could use some work.
Cleanup is also a breeze. The machine has very few parts, so while they are hand-wash only, it's a quick job. If the needles that pierce the K-Cup become clogged, you can loosen any grounds with a straightened paper clip — just do this carefully, because the needles are sharp! The only other maintenance to note: You'll want to descale the machine every three months or so. You'll know when it's time because an indicator light will glow. It doesn't get more foolproof than that.
My one big gripe with the K-Café Barista Bar is the amount of waste it produces, but this is an issue with all single-serve coffee makers. Used pods can really add up over time. For its part, Keurig has made strides toward sustainability by creating a reusable filter that you fill with grounds. It fits in any Keurig, and though it's sold separately, I paid only $8 for mine — well worth it! If you opt for regular plastic K-Cups, know that they're recyclable, but not everywhere, so check your local guidelines.
All in all, this machine combines the best features of a Keurig with a great milk frother at an affordable price.
- Slim and lightweight
- Comes with a milk frother
- Accommodates a reusable filter
- Can make iced coffee
- Parts are hand-wash only
- Comes in only one color
Factors to consider when choosing a Keurig coffee maker
Of course you want your machine to brew good coffee, fast. But you should also consider these factors:
Ease of use: Even if you're not someone who makes coffee the second you wake up, you probably don't want to mess with a lot of settings every time a caffeine craving hits. The best machines offer you options to customize without a lot of fuss. Are you looking for a programmable single-serve coffee maker? Most Keurig machines don't have that function, but brewing a cup of coffee takes only a minute or two.
Eco-friendliness: The moment you start shopping for a single-serve coffee maker, you'll find that every brand touts sustainability. The bottom line, though, is that using coffee pods creates waste. Keurig has made efforts to be more eco-friendly: You can recycle K-Cups, which are made from polypropylene (aka #5 plastic), in many areas. Another option is using Keurig's reusable filter, which you fill with grounds, in place of K-cups. Keurig also makes two machines using recycled plastic: The K-Mini and the K-Mini Plus.
Size and weight: Many Keurigs don't have huge footprints, and they can be tucked away under upper cabinets when not in use. You should also look at a machine's weight before buying if there's a chance you'll have to drag it to a different spot in the kitchen on a regular basis. The Keurig K-Café Barista Bar clocks in at a manageable 7.5 pounds.
Variety of cup sizes: Do you want to brew a shot of espresso and call it a day? Or are you looking for a machine that can make a wide range of drinks, from shots to 8-ounce mugs to 12-cup carafes? Despite their name, many single-serve coffee makers can brew multiple sizes. They usually range from a 2- or 4-ounce shot to 12 ounces (for a travel mug's worth of coffee). But others can brew larger cup sizes and even carafes, handy if you're serving multiple family members.
Variety of drink types: All of the Keurigs we tested brew 8-ounce mugs of coffee, and most make espresso-style shots. But options abound in some of the best coffee makers. If you're craving a powerful jolt, look for a button that lets you control brew strength — some Keurig machines, for example, feature a "strong" button for a more concentrated drink. Others include a button for making iced coffee or settings for making lattes or cappuccinos.
Water tank capacity: If the idea of having to refill your machine's water tank every time you want another cup makes you cringe, look for a reservoir that can hold at least 40 ounces, or roughly enough for four cups of coffee. Overall, don't leave water in the tank for extended periods of time; all machines were very specific in their instruction to use fresh water for the best taste. Many Keurig machines even come with an optional water filter.
How we tested Keurig coffee makers
I made coffee ... and coffee ... and more coffee, until it seemed like I should open a café out of my home. In all seriousness, I evaluated every Keurig from the moment I opened the box to its final brew. I used each one a minimum of five times, with an 8-ounce serving of coffee as my control. I timed each machine to see how quick it was, and I used a food thermometer to test the temperature of each freshly brewed cup. Once I knew how the machines compared making regular joe with a K-Cup, I tested any other brews they could make, including espresso-style shots, iced coffee and single servings with the reusable filter and grounds. If the machine came with an add-on (like a milk frother), I used that multiple times as well.
I also had less-technical considerations. I wanted a sleek design, pieces that fit together well and high-end finishes. After all, most of us keep our coffee machine on the counter in broad daylight — I wanted our top pick to look as good as it functioned.
Taste is subjective, so I kept my notes on flavor to a minimum and instead focused on how hot the coffee was, its mouthfeel (did it seem watery?) and whether there was any grittiness or sediment left in the bottom of the mug.
Other Keurig coffee makers we tested
Keurig K-Elite: This machine made some of the strongest coffee of any Keurig I tried. Unfortunately, it also looked pretty clunky, like something you'd see in a '90s office kitchen. I also found the buttons confusing — they're just icons and don't indicate what size drink you're making. That said, it does offer lots of drink sizes and styles once you can figure them out, and it gets more than 50,000 five-star reviews from Amazon shoppers.
Keurig K-Mini Go: At less than 5 inches wide, this pipsqueak is ideal for tight spaces, plus it comes in colors other than black, like navy, lavender and charcoal (as a design lover, I really appreciated this). I liked its straightforward design and how easy it was to clean the few parts that need it. It lacks the bells and whistles of other models, but at $100 (and often less during sales), it does enough, with three cup sizes and a "strong" option for a more concentrated brew.
Keurig coffee maker FAQs
What does 'single serve' mean in a coffee maker?
A single-serve coffee maker brews enough coffee in one go for just a single cup. But the size of that cup varies — most machines can make 4 to 12 ounces, so you're covered whether you want something akin to a shot of espresso or a large travel mug of your favorite brew. To make matters more complicated, some machines can also brew full carafes of drip coffee.
What's the difference in Keurig models?
Keurig makes more than 20 machines, so that's a very good question! The main differences are the sizes of the machines themselves and the variety of cup sizes and types of drinks they can make. Many Keurig coffee makers have a small footprint (the smallest machines measure just 4.5 inches wide), but that often means they make only three or so cup sizes. If you're looking for a more concentrated brew, espresso-style shots and the ability to brew over ice, you may need a slightly larger machine. Looking for a programmable coffee maker? Consider one of our faves mentioned above, the K-Elite. And if you live a high-tech life and want to connect your brewer to an app, look for a Keurig smart coffee maker, like the K-Supreme Smart.
What's the newest Keurig in 2024?
The K-Mini Go (mentioned above) is one of Keurig's new coffee makers. The brand also recently launched the K-Duo Essentials exclusively with Walmart. It brews both single servings and a carafe of drip coffee, plus it makes iced coffee.
How do you clean a Keurig coffee maker?
Generally, you should rinse the water tank regularly and hand-wash any removable components. As with any coffee maker, you'll need to deep-clean or descale it every three to six months (or whenever your machine's descale light turns on). Keurig sells a descaling solution, or you can descale a Keurig with white vinegar. If the needles that puncture the K-Cups become clogged, you can use a straightened paper clip to gently push out any coffee grounds.
How do you make iced coffee with Keurig?
The best way to get your iced-coffee fix is to shop for a Keurig that has a "brew over ice" button — many models, including the K-Café Barista Bar and K-Elite, have them. They adjust the temperature of the brew, so it cools slightly as it comes out of the machine to help minimize ice melt. The brand also makes an iced coffee maker called the K-Iced that we've reviewed for our roundup of the best iced coffee makers of 2024.
Is Keurig or Nespresso better?
It's a matter of personal taste. Both companies make a range of machines with various bells and whistles. Keurig machines typically are more affordable (they start at $90 to Nespresso's $130), whereas Nespresso machines are better known for coffee quality.
