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Oct 25, 2024

Best Keurig coffee maker 2024: tested and rated | Tom's Guide

Here are the best Keurig coffee makers for the perfect brew When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Keurig recently announced the release

Here are the best Keurig coffee makers for the perfect brew

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Keurig recently announced the release of the K-Brew + Chill Coffee Maker and we're in the process of reviewing it to see if it makes the cut as one of the best Keurigs in this guide.

If you value convenience and hands-free operation when choosing the right coffee maker, you'll need one of the best Keurig machines. Designed to extract maximum flavor from compatible coffee capsules, Keurig machines deliver espresso, americano, and sometimes even cold brew with just the touch of a button. Even better, you can buy Keurig machines that come with attached milk steamers, allowing you to create latte and cappuccino without any of the fiddly milk steaming you'll find with some of the best espresso machines.

We've tried just about every Keurig imaginable in our attempts to bring you our definitive ranking of the best Keurig machines on the market. When testing we of course considered taste quality, and were struck to find that even when you use the same flavor K-Cup, you get a very different flavor depending on your machine of choice.

We also tested for energy usage, noise, and the time it takes to make a brew. After all, these are marketed as the best coffee makers for those who want a speedy, dependable cup of Joe in the morning, so every second counts. Our number one Keurig machine is the immensely versatile Keurig K-Cafe, but if you're on a budget, we recommend the stylish Keurig K-Slim. For our full reviews, keep reading.

Here are the best Keurig coffee makers you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews. Scroll on for our full in-depth reviews.

Best overall

The Keurig K-Cafe features both ‘strong’ and ‘shot’ brew options for a more concentrated flavor. Plus, this allows for espresso-like servings. There’s a built-in milk frother to open up more recipe possibilities, such as lattes and cappuccinos. There’s little it can’t do.

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Best budget

While affordable, the Keurig K-Slim is still fast and effective at brewing a great cup of Joe. It takes less than two minutes from start to finish, and its multistream technology promotes a rich flavor in the process. Its compact design won’t clutter your counter either.

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Best sustainable

Didn't expect to see a non-Keurig brand coffee maker? Well, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve comes with a K-Cup sized filter, so it can brew any brand K-Cup you choose, and can also grind and brew fresh beans in its reusable capsule. Genius.

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Best versatile

The Keurig K-Elite can produce 5 different brew sizes, ranging from 4-12 oz. It features that same ‘strong’ brew option to concentrate the flavor, and the large water reservoir comes in handy when catering for guests. It can also brew iced coffee and dispense hot water for tea.

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Most quiet

The Keurig K-Select is the quietest option we tested, and it takes under a minute to brew a cup of strong coffee. It also benefits from a removable water reservoir easy refills, but it's one of the messier machines we tested.

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Best compact

The Keurig K-Mini is attractive and compact, with a range of fun colors and the most slimline design of all the Keurig machines we tested. It's not our top pick for flavor, but it does brew fast and doesn't make too much noise, making it ideal for small homes and students.

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Our expert review:

Though it’s quite pricey, this premium Keurig is a superhero for those mornings when you want a barista experience with little time to spare. If you're in search of a Keurig that can replicate that coffeehouse feel at home, or you just want a bolder flavor of K-Cup in the morning, the K-Cafe is your go-to machine. Its incredibly easy-to-use functionality makes it all the better.

Coffee quality

During testing, we found the “strong” brew function provided a deeper, richer flavor of K-Cup coffee, while its “shot” feature, which brews a concentrated, espresso-like 2-ounce pour of coffee, is a terrific recreation of tasty espresso. Its milk frother is an added bonus, with the ability to heat and froth dairy and milk alternatives for lattes and cappuccinos––both iced and hot––at the push of a button, and in less than two minutes.

Time

After brewing three cups of each serving size, we measured the average time it takes for the K-Cafe to brew a cup at 36 seconds, just behind the slightly faster K-Elite and K-Classic. Meanwhile, the frother is a longer process, averaging about one minute and 35 seconds per pitcher. It must be noted that the K-Cafe cannot brew and froth milk at the same time. The frother is also located on the right side of the machine, which could frustrate those who are left-handed during operation. However, this is the only model from Keurig with a built-in milk frother, which makes it arguably the versatile offering from the brand.

Energy

The K-Cafe uses about 160 kWh of energy, the highest we recorded for a Keurig machine, but that’s to be expected from a machine that can both brew and froth. We also measured 75 decibels of noise from the K-Cafe’s brew cycle––the second loudest across all Keurigs––but its warm-up process averaged around a much quieter 65 decibels.

Read our full Keurig K-Cafe review.

Our expert review:

If you’re looking for a baseline Keurig machine that won’t hog counter space, the K-Slim is a solid easygoing entry at only 4.7-inches wide. Its slender build is the total opposite of the typical bulky design from Keurig, and maintenance is fairly lowkey thanks to the dishwasher-safe water reservoir and drip tray. Plus, its multistream technology ensures a richer cup of coffee by fully saturating its K-Cups, a taste we found during testing to be much like the bold feature seen on other Keurig machines.

Coffee quality

Every coffee we brewed using the K-Slim produced a tasty cup, providing both depth and flavor. It lacks the hot temperature required for the best tasting coffee, however, as do all Keurigs. The hottest recorded cup was 181 degrees Fahrenheit, while 168 degrees was the lowest.

Its downfalls may come from its no-frills design, however. The K-Slim is capable of only brewing three serving sizes––8-, 10-, and 12-ounces––and the water reservoir’s location at the rear of the machine may be slightly annoying to fill as you’ll have to pivot the machine to reach it. Having said that, if you’re looking for a barebones machine, the K-Slim makes the best flavor of K-Cup coffee at the lowest price, and it comes in plenty of colors including red, mint, gray, and white.

Time

We also clocked the machine’s average brew time to be 1 minute and 25 seconds, though, unlike our top contenders — the K-Cafe and K-Elite — the K-Slim’s warm-up and brew cycles are combined, resulting in a longer wait. Still, like all Keurigs, the K-Slim can brew a cup in less than two minutes.

Energy

At its loudest, the K-Slim makes about 74 decibels of noise, toward the end of its brewing cycle. It also consumes about 139 kWh, which is slightly more than the K-Elite.

Read our full Keurig K-Slim review.

Our expert review:

Eco-conscious shoppers will be pleased to see an option with a reusable pod in this guide, even if it's not Keurig brand. However, it's not just a sustainable option, you can also enjoy freshly ground coffee when you use the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve coffee maker — making it a one-way ticket to better tasting brews.

Coffee quality

Any coffee expert will tell you that a coffee maker's only as good as the beans you're giving it, and far from being restrained by Keurig's range of K-Cups, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve actually comes with its own in-built grinder that will dispense grounds directly into a reusable mesh filter. You can still use your K-Cups if you're fond of a particular brew, but it's a nice option to have, and tastier than the majority of pre-ground coffee.

Time

Grinding your coffee will always take longer, but the brewing time with the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve isn't too bad. It took just over a minute to brew a 12-oz cup of coffee. The biggest issue you might encounter is that the pod is hot to touch after use, so if you plan on using the reusable filter for back-to-back brews, it could be a bit fiddly.

Other features

We didn't measure energy usage when testing the Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve, but we did measure noise, which hit 82dB when grinding. The controls are simple enough to use, as the top panel features just six buttons: on/off, grind, add water, and a button for each of the three drink sizes. We noted some pre-infusion with this machine, which gives your coffee time to bloom and develop flavor before extraction. There are less complicated machines on the market, but this is a definite step-up if you want the option of fresh-ground beans.

Read our full Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve review.

Our expert review:

The key to a tastier, more flavorful K-Cup is a slower brew, and the K-Elite’s “strong” button feature helps achieve just that, and way more.

Coffee quality

This beast of a Keurig may lack a milk frother, but it makes up for it with several features: temperature control, a programmable clock to schedule a warming function, a hot water dispenser, the ability to brew iced coffee, and a massive 75-ounce water reservoir. The K-Elite also has the widest serving size range, capable of brewing cups at 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-ounces. It even comes with a Keurig-branded water filter to further purify the tank.

The K-Elite also produced the best-tasting coffee on test. We found the depth, flavor, and texture to be comparable to a cup made by a typical coffee maker. However, like all Keurigs on this list, the K-Elite can’t produce coffee at the temperatures required for providing the absolute best taste. The hottest cup of coffee we measured from the K-Elite was 182 degrees Fahrenheit, while the warmest was 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Time

We found the machine to be incredibly versatile with its range of coffee options, and during testing, it brewed K-Cups faster than any other Keurig home model, with an average brew time of 34 seconds per serving.

Energy

It uses about 115 kWh, which is slightly more energy than we recorded with the smallest Keurig offering, the K-Mini. With a coffee pod latch that practically glides open and a noise reading of 67dB, this machine is both easy to use and quiet in operation.

Read our full Keurig K-Elite review.

Our expert review:

The K-Select feels like a smarter upgrade of the K-Classic, with a slightly smaller build, though somewhat bulky. It features that coveted “strong” button found in few Keurigs that kicks up the flavor of K-Cups, and it didn’t disappoint.

Coffee quality

Though it’s the same price as the K-Classic, the K-Select offers more in terms of boldness and, as testing revealed, a quieter warm-up and brew cycle. A 52-ounce water reservoir gives a 4-ounce lead over its predecessor, plus it can brew a 12-ounce serving, the largest size for Keurigs on the market today.

Time

The K-Select takes an average time of 54 seconds to brew a cup of coffee––including the typically longer “strong” pour––and roughly 40 seconds to heat up, which is as fast as you’d expect with a Keurig.

Energy

Most Keurigs separate each warming and brewing cycle, and both can produce a range of noise. The K-Select was the quietest machine we recorded while it warmed up, edging out at 63 decibels, and finishing its brew at around 67 decibels. This makes the K-Select the quietest Keurig we’ve tested. It uses about 125 kWh, which is lower than what we measured with the K-Classic at 130 kWh. It’s also fairly easy to use and clean, with its straightforward button scheme and removable water reservoir. Take note that its performance might make for a messier kitchen, though, as plenty of splashing can occur during brewing.

Read our full Keurig K-Select review.

Our expert review:

The K-Mini is the easiest Keurig machine money can buy. Its water reservoir is fit for the exact serving size you’d like––however much water you add is how much coffee you’ll get. It can hold and brew up between 6- to 12-ounces. It comes equipped with hideaway cord storage, making it easy to move around, and its two buttons––one for power, another for brew––make operating it a cinch. It’s the smallest Keurig available, measuring 4.5-inches in width and about 11-inches deep, which is slimmer than the K-Slim, and it’s available in eye-catching colors including green, rose, teal, gray, and red.

Flavor

Like many barebones Keurigs that lack a ‘strong’ setting or multistream technology, the K-Mini can’t produce a deep flavor profile. The coffee produced by this machine is just okay, but that doesn’t match up to some of the higher ranked models on our list. The K-Mini makes coffee that tastes flat and burnt, though we did measure the coffee temperature to be 189 degrees Fahrenheit, which, surprisingly, is the hottest cup we recorded. In fact, no coffee brewed was lower than 180 degrees.

Time

The K-Mini has the longest brew time of any Keurig on this list, averaging 2 minutes and 33 seconds out of a total of five cups. It’s also the loudest, as we measured 80 decibels during its brew cycle.

Energy

For what it’s worth, it’s still impressively easy to operate due to its minimal button scheme and small water tank, and it’s also the lowest energy hog, clocking in at 110 kWh. Although it can get annoying having to constantly fill up the water reservoir, it also ensures you’re not letting water sit in your machine’s tank, which results in less waste. This one is worth looking into if space is a premium and you just want the bare essentials from one of the best Keurig coffee makers.

Read our full review of the Keurig K-Mini.

Millie has been reviewing coffee makers for nearly five years and a range of leading review publications including TopTenReviews, Homes&Gardens, Real Homes, Livingetc, and Ideal Home.

Her interest in coffee first started when she worked as a barista at university, but she has since learned all about the art of a good cup of joe through a lot of taste testing and trips to the De'Longhi factory in Treviso, Italy, and a coffee tour of Naples with Sage.

Kevin Cortez has been a culture and product journalist for over nine years. He also has seven years of professional hands-on experience with coffee roasting, tasting, and brewing, as well as hand-crafting espresso drinks, and has tested a wide range of capsule coffee makers for Tom's Guide.

To find the best Keurig machines, we performed rigorous amounts of testing, combining objective specs and data with subjective everyday use.

We timed how long it took for every Keurig machine to warm up, as well as brew coffee and, when appropriate, froth milk. We also measured the energy consumption of each appliance over the course of about 30 minutes of use. We considered the size, stature, and noise level of each machine for at-home use, comparing measurements between every Keurig using a noise meter.

For tasting, we brewed at least three cups of the same K-Cup variety, per machine, using a variety of brew settings, like “strong” and iced. We used a decaf roast from Publix so we could taste each cup without keeping our tester awake through the night. (That’s a lot of caffeine!) We also measured the temperature of every serving size each Keurig machine produced, and recorded our ratings with regards to the depth and flavor of each K-Cup brewed.

The National Coffee Association considers the optimal brew temperature to be between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Each cup of coffee we produced with a Keurig measured lower than this, between 160 to 189 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, most Keurig machines have a preset temperature and cap of 192 degrees, which is lower than the optimal suggestion of the NCA.

We also rated the ease of use and cleaning for every Keurig, based on the number of functions, buttons, and removable accessories available for each machine. Those appliances with minimal buttons scored higher than any with an abundance of them, though it must be noted that all Keurigs on this list are fairly easy to operate. Any machine with a water reservoir that seemed flimsy or tough to grasp and fill was graded lower than those that featured inserts for fingers or a handle. As most Keurigs have top rack dishwasher safe pieces, nearly all the machines scored well in terms of cleanliness. Points were deducted based on the amount of splashing and condensation a Keurig produced during the brewing process.

We also tested the K-Classic as well as the K-155 Office Pro, however neither of these machines performed well enough to make the list of the best Keurig coffee makers. We found the K-Classic brewed coffee both quietly and quickly, but its bulky design held it back. It also produced coffee which lacked in both depth and flavor. Meanwhile the K-155, while featuring a more modern and advanced design, also struggled in terms of flavor and didn’t offer great value for money as a consequence.

Keurig coffee makers use K-Cups, small sealed pods containing ground coffee. After inserting the pod into a compartment in the coffee maker, you then select the size drink you want. The machine then pierces holes in either end of the pod and forces water through the ground coffee in the pod and down into your mug. Once the water is hot, the brewing process takes just a little over a minute.

Keurig offers a one year warranty on all of its home coffee makers, under usual everyday use. That means you're covered for the first year of your coffee maker's life, but consumers generally report that their Keurig coffee makers can last from between two to five years. To make the most out of your machine, then, it's advised to keep regular maintenance and follow the top tips below.

Find out how to clean your Keurig to ensure fresh brews and a seamless process every time.

Keurig is an immensely popular coffee brand, so it's no surprise that many brands have created add-ons to help you get the most out of your coffee maker. This includes storage solutions, sustainable add-ons, and products that allow you to make more coffees than ever before with hot and cold milk steaming.

$15.99 at Amazon: A more sustainable and affordable option than single-use pods, this Keurig-brand reusable filter can simply be filled with your choice of grounds and used time after time.

$29.99 at Amazon: With a capacity of 36 coffee pods, this drawer has a secure top on which you can rest your Keurig. Alternatively, it can go in drawers or cupboards.

$79.99 at Amazon: With the ability to make both hot and cold milk, this Keurig milk frother works with a range of milk types and can sit next to your Keurig if you don't opt for a model that comes with an in-built frother.

Historically, K-Cups have given rise to a lot of environmental concerns. Made of non-recyclable plastic which is destined for landfill, it's significantly less sustainable than opting for a bean-to-cup machine which only produces biodegradable coffee grounds in the brewing process. There's positive news though, as Keurig announced its sustainable K-Round plastic-free pods in March of 2024. The brand had previously promised to produce a line of recyclable pods in 2020, but has now gone one step further with plastic and aluminum free pods made of ground coffee, pressed and wrapped to be placed directly into the brewing unit of your Keurig machine.

Designed to be used alongside Keurig's new Alta system, which we're excited to review once it hits the market, the K-Rounds are expected to be certified recyclable. However, it seems like you'll need to buy the new Alta to partake.

Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!

Kevin Cortez has over seven years of professional hands-on experience with coffee roasting, tasting, and brewing, as well as hand-crafting espresso drinks. He also writes for Popular Mechanics, Bicycling, and Runner’s World. A culture and product journalist for over nine years, he’s covered everything from men’s fashion and sneakers to e-bikes and video games. He was most recently the style editor for a leading product-recommendation site and previously covered the music and podcasting industries at Mass Appeal and The A.V. Club.

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