Keurig K Cafe Review: Do the reviews of the K Cafe match up with the price?

If you’re in the market for a new all-in-one machine, be sure to read our Keurig K Cafe review below. Ever since single serve pods have entered the market, Keurig's products have made it a lot easier for us to enjoy a convenient cup of strong coffee. If this is your first Keurig purchase, well, you’re in luck!

Keurig filled these machines with features that'll make your life a lot easier. If you’re after a quality all-in-one coffee machine that brews lattes and cappuccinos, while also offering a convenient single serving, this is the appliance for you. We at Black Ink love this machine so much that it actually scored as the most popular machine in our best Keurig coffee makers roundup.

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About the Keurig K Cafe

The Keurig K Cafe comes in two variations: the regular K Cafe and the K Cafe special edition. As you read through this review, keep in mind that we will be referring only to the standard K-Café coffee machine.

We assembled every detail you’ll need to know when considering buying one of these machines. First, we'll explore the history surrounding the company that made the all-in-one coffee machine. Afterward, we'll dive into the features, ease of use, performance, and what you’ll get for your money.

Also, we will cover a couple of scenarios where a K Cafe might not benefit you, how to brew your first cup of coffee, and frequently asked questions you might have when considering if you want to buy this excellent coffee-making machine.

Keurig K Cafe Coffee Maker Details

Rating: 4.8/5 ⭐

Keurig K Cafe Specs:

• Width: 15.3 in (38.862 cm)
• Depth: 11.7 in (29.71 cm)
• Height: 12.5 in (31.75 cm) 16.7 when the handle is open
• Water Tank Capacity: 60 oz

Before we get into the breakdown of what you can expect to see when you buy this machine, we would like to give you a brief overview of the Keurig K Cafe:

✅ The 60-oz water reservoir makes 6 cups

✅ Works with Keurig’s reusable coffee filter

✅Includes a milk frother for lattes and cappuccinos

✅ Simple cleaning so you can better spend your day

✅ Automation features are an impressive quality of life feature

✅ It includes the following brew settings: Cappuccino, Strong, Shot, Latte, and Coffee

🚫 Keurig K Cafe could improve the fact that you cannot fill an entire carafe with coffee. It's unfortunate that a product offered for such a high price doesn't offer such a simple feature.

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About Keurig as a Company

Peter Dragone and John Sylvan founded the original single-serve brewer and coffee-pod manufacturing company, Keurig, Inc, in 1992. 

The coffee giant launched its first machines and pods into stores in 1998. Originally, they targeted the office market.

As the single-cup brewing system gained popularity, Keurig added brewers for home use in 2004.

In 2018, the companies Keurig Green Mountain and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group merged to form the current Keurig Dr. Pepper (KDP).

Keurig placed 409 on the list of Fortune 500 companies. Moreover, it’s aggressively pursuing a myriad of eco-friendly goals like contributing zero waste to landfills throughout its operations.

KDP is committed to sourcing, producing, and distributing beverages responsibly through our Drink Well. Do Good. Corporate responsibility platform including efforts around circular packaging, efficient natural resource use, and supply chain sustainability.

Keurig K Cafe Review

If you're considering the Keurig K Cafe as your next brewer, you might want to have a firm understanding of the brewer's features, how it'll look in your home, and how it performs.

Throughout this review, we'll cover the various categories that we just mentioned and whether this coffee brewing machine is worth the money. Or if you should invest elsewhere.

The K Cafe may cost more than what its features offer. However, with the performance Keurig's brewer gives you and its quality of life features, you won't regret investing in this all-in-one coffee maker.

In addition to our experience with this brewer, we've also formed an opinion based on the past experiences of other coffee connoisseurs. Moreover, we gathered opinions from individuals who've used this machine as a daily driver to supplement their caffeine needs.

Features 4.7/5 ⭐

Regarding customizability, the K-Café differs from other Keurig models that you usually see. While it lacks altitude settings and temperature control, it makes up for a couple of options that you’ll only find for this model.

The automatic milk frother serves as this machine’s most notable option. It works with various types of milk—with dairy or dairy-free alternatives—and can froth warm and chilled drinks for cappuccinos and lattes. The choice of delicious foam is what makes this model stand out among most pod-brewers.

Four ounces of milk are first frothed before being poured into the frother to form approximately half milk and half froth to make a Cappuccino.

In order to prepare a latte, the milk frother begins with six ounces of milk and froths it into a froth that is 20 to 30 percent.

The K-Café comes with a little circular whisk that is inside the bottom of the milk frother. However, you'll need to ensure you note its location because you could easily lose the whisk if you're not careful.

For you who want control over your coffee—whether you want it to slap you awake or gradually carry you through the day—the Shot button gives you power. It gives you a more robust, espresso-style shot of 2 ounces that you can use as a base to create frothy drinks.

However, you should know that it's not authentic espresso. You can only brew that by pushing hot water through fine grounds under sufficient pressure.

This all-in-one coffee machine also offers regular drip coffee in different cup sizes—4, 6, 8, or 10 ounces.

The Keurig K machine comes with a vast 60 oz water reservoir that you can detach. Moreover, the reservoir has a built-in handle that makes it easier to fill instead of having to awkwardly position the reservoir like other Keurig machines.

Ease of use 5/5 ⭐

Keurig built a Smart Start feature into this model, meaning you can plug the k-cup into the machine and choose your preferred cup size before the machine's ready. Once your brewer's warmed, it'll brew your drink.

After brewing your coffee, this model also offers an Auto-Off feature that powers down your brewer after a couple of hours. What's nice is that you can choose whether you want to keep this feature active to save power or inactive if you're a frequent drinker.

Regarding the reservoir, it's easy to clean and compatible with Keurig’s charcoal filters.

If you want to make a cappuccino, add four ounces of milk. Afterward, with the press of the Capp button, it whip-ups your drink and later pours into a cup to make a six-ounce Cappuccino and relax.

When brewing lattes, this machine also follows the same rules. Press the Latte button, and you magically have a latte in front of you. As opposed to a cappuccino, a latte will have eight ounces of steamed milk rather than six in addition to more steamed milk.

Usually, when you look at Keurig, you might assume they are all a nightmare to clean. However, that’s not the case with the K-Café!

The handy descaling reminder will also alert you when it’s time to run white vinegar or Keurig’s descaling solution through your coffee maker.

When it comes to brewing coffee, this model offers a myriad of features to automate your coffee-making progress so we can start our days quicker.

Design 4.5/5 ⭐

The K-Café's charcoal grey monochrome metallic finish is an excellent addition to a room aiming for a contemporary style. 

Unfortunately, this sleek machine doesn't weave a touch screen into its design. However, regarding maintenance, this could be a blessing.

Instead, with this model, Keurig went with an analog approach, offering us curved and bold buttons that describe each button's functions without having to second guess. At the same time, they styled these buttons, so the machine still has a somewhat minimalist style.

Its height of 12.5 inches (16,7 inches when it is open) allows it to fit neatly underneath kitchen cabinets, but make sure to make sure you get the measurements for your particular situation.

Most Keurig models include a convenient drip tray. The K-Café's not different. The tray's style blends with the rest of the brewers. Moreover, it's easy to remove for cleaning or if you want to slide it out for more room.

The drip tray will fit a 6.2′′ mug snugly when it is placed in place, but you can slide it out in order to make more space.

By temporarily removing the drip tray, you can fill up a travel mug that is 7.2 inches in diameter when you are not making Cappuccinos or Lattes.

The drip tray also offers a reservoir for up to eight ounces of overflow.

Value for the Money 4.5/5 ⭐

While you could find smaller machines that offer some similar features, this brewing machine model offers a sleek contemporary design that'll fit into various settings.

Moreover, the allure of a single-use automatic brewing system with the added convenience and features in this model may be worth it to many people.

Unlike many coffee machines on the market, with the K-Café, almost anyone can now whip up a cappuccino with very little effort.

Performance 5/5 ⭐

The K-Café brews approximately 60 ounces of coffee. That’s around six 10 ounce cups.

It’ll brew you a cup of coffee in a minute, which is 2 minutes faster than the recommendation of 8 minutes from the Specialty Coffee Association of America. Furthermore, with four cup sizes and four brew settings, various tastes and appetites are varied.

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Don't Buy a Keurig K Cafe If

Here is a list of a few reasons why you may or may not want to buy the K-Café coffee maker based on your lifestyle needs.

1. You don’t want a large machine

With its 12.5 inch height (16.7 when the handle is open) and 15-inch width and depth, the K-Café makes a big, bold statement. If you live in a studio or lack the space in general to house one of these babies, we recommend opting for a smaller variation.

Conversely, if you have your heart set on this model, you can invest in a coffee cart for your room, office, or kitchen to give you additional space.

2. The mass of plastic that comes with k-cups

People are becoming more concerned about recycling these days. Because of this, you might find it especially problematic when it comes to plastic K-cups.

It's worth noting, however, that the company states that they are transitioning to 100 percent recyclable K-Cups in the near future.

How Do I Brew With the Keurig K Cafe?

To brew a cappuccino or a latter with the K-Café:

• Fill the frother.
• For a hot cappuccino or latte, remove the lid and add milk to the LATTE or CAPP line marked in the frother.
• Follow the previous steps, except press the COLD button.
• Plug the mug and pod. Either remove the drip tray for a bigger cup or position your mug onto the tray.
• Lift the handle and place any pod in the holder. Afterward, lower the handle to close the lid. 
• Press a button. All the buttons on the brewer will blink. From there, pick either the CAPP or LATTE buttons (depending on your drink of choice.)
• Remove the frother from the base and afterward the lid. Mix the frothed milk into your drink. 

To brew a regular coffee with the K-Café, you place your mug onto the drip tray and plug your pod into the k cup. Afterward, select the COFFEE button, select your drink size, and you’re on your way to a caffeinated wonderland.

Troubleshooting the Keurig K Cafe

How do I turn off the auto-off feature on K Cafe?

To turn off the auto-off feature for the Keurig K machine, first power off the brewer. Next, press and hold the Strong and 10oz Mug buttons for a few seconds.

If you want to re-enable the auto-off feature, repeat the above steps.

Why isn't my Coffee frothing?

Your coffee might not froth because you're frothing while brewing coffee. Check the lights on the frother. If its base is pulsing in and out, then it's likely brewing.

Upon completion of the brew cycle, the frother will begin automatically frothing.

If all the lights on the frother base flash, make sure that milk is in the frother, the whisk rests in the frother, and the frother is correctly seated on the base.

Why won't my brewer brew?

If the milk frother is in use, you may not be able to brew coffee at the same time. If this happens, wait 30 seconds after the milk frother has finished frothing, then try brewing again.

What do I do if I found grounds in my coffee?

You likely found grounds in your coffee because the needles have residue. A paper clip or similar tool can be used to clean all the grounds that may have gotten inside the entry or exit needle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before investing in this Keurig coffee machine, read through frequently asked questions to save you from stress later on.

Does the K Cafe Come With a Warranty?

The Keurig K machine comes with a limited one-year warranty as long as you hold a receipt proving that you purchased the machine. Moreover, the warranty only applies to devices within the United States and Canada.

Difference Between the K Cafe and the K Cafe Special Edition

The difference between the Keurig K and the K Cafe Special Edition coffee maker is that the latter comes with a nickel-colored finish, a metal handle, and a metal drip tray. As for features and settings, they are the same.

How Do I Clean K Cafe?

To clean your K Cafe, you will need to take the following steps:

• Exit needle. Remove the pod holder assembly, detach the funnel, insert a straightened paper clip into the exit needle to loosen any coffee grounds.
• Pod holder. 
• The frother, drip tray, reservoir, and reservoir lid are all dishwasher safe (top rack only). Otherwise, you can use non-abrasive cleaner when washing by hand.
• Wipe the brewer’s exterior with a line-free and soapy cloth

How Do I Descale K Cafe?

To descale your Keurig K machine, you will need to descale it by performing the following tasks:

• Rinse: power off your brewer and pour a descaling solution into the emptied water reservoir—afterward, power on your brewer.
• Put a large mug on the drip tray and use the rinse brew feature by lifting and lowering the handle, then select the largest brew size and press the brew button.
• Repeat the rinsing brew process as many times as you need to until the add water light begins to glow. The water reservoir should be emptied within 30 minutes. Any residual solution should be discarded.
• You will need to fill up the water reservoir until it reaches the MAX line.
• Again, position a mug on the drip tray plate and run a rinsing brew using the largest brew size.
• Empty the mug's contents.
• You must repeat this procedure until you have brewed a rinse brew a total of 12 times, using the largest brewing size.

Keurig has an excellent video covering how to descale your machine if you need a visual medium.

If you don't know what descaling is, it's a cleaning process that removes calcium deposits that'll otherwise potentially clog your brewer.

Fortunately, the machine will alert you to descale the brewer instead of you having to set up alerts. The company recommends descaling your coffee machine at least every three to six months.

Keurig offers a descaling solution; however, it's expensive. You can search the web for ways to make a descaling solution with vinegar and water, but doing so may void Keurig's warranty.

Our Verdict

In our opinion, this Keurig coffee maker is one of the best single-serve coffee machines available. Additionally, it has a steamer to make drip coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, and iced coffees.

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