The two Finest Keurig Espresso Makers of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

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Straight to the Level

Keurig machines might not wow each espresso critic or please the environmentally aware, however their comfort and pace might enchantment to informal espresso drinkers. My favourite brewer was the K-Supreme Single-Serve Coffee Maker. It had a comparatively small countertop footprint and will make iced espresso in addition to sizzling. For a machine that’s each compact and tremendous inexpensive, I like to recommend the K-Mini.

I’ve a confession to make: I’m not a espresso knowledgeable. Don’t get me unsuitable—I really like the craft of it, and I respect it once I can get pleasure from a cup brewed by somebody who is aware of what they’re doing. Nonetheless, I discover it arduous to recollect the intricacies of pulling a good shot on our espresso machine, and I’ve to lookup the perfect coffee-to-water ratios for every methodology each time. My ineptitude is especially embarrassing as a result of I pleasure myself on being a perfectionist within the kitchen—my probe thermometer has its personal carrying case, and baking by the gram provides me a thrill. However once I’m staring down the barrel of a French press or making an attempt to recollect what number of tablespoons of grounds so as to add to a drip machine filter—poof! My thoughts goes clean.

What I’m profoundly acquainted with, although, is the want for espresso. I is likely to be a morning individual, however I’ll fade by midday if I’m not adequately caffeinated. That’s the place the Keurig brewer is available in. Though we at Severe Eats have been critical of these machines up to now for his or her grind high quality and single-use plastics (all legitimate arguments), Keurigs can nonetheless brew an appropriate cup for a lot of espresso drinkers. Plus, they do it with pace and ease.

To search out the very best Keurig espresso makers, I examined seven fashions starting from $60 to $200. Some solely brewed cups of sizzling espresso, whereas others had distinctive options like built-in milk frothers or inner chilling techniques for freshly brewed iced espresso. I assessed how a lot counter house every machine took up, the standard of espresso it brewed, and any further features it had. Whereas all of the Keurigs did properly, I discovered two I would suggest for his or her intuitiveness and affordability.

The Winners, at a Look

PHOTO: Amazon

The Okay-Supreme had a contemporary design and might brew six- to 12-ounce cups of sizzling espresso. It additionally had an possibility for making extra-strong espresso and a mode for brewing straight over ice. I favored that its water tank may very well be adjusted to take a seat on the facet or behind the brewer to go well with my counter house.

PHOTO: Amazon

The simple Okay-Mini brewed sizzling espresso with the push of a button. It saved counter house by forgoing a water reservoir; as a substitute, it may very well be full of simply the water wanted on your cup earlier than every brew. At below $100, it was additionally probably the most inexpensive Keurig I examined.

The Exams

Some Keurigs had fancier options like built-in milk frothers (just like the one proven right here). I made to guage these too if the mannequin carried out properly in my preliminary checks.

Severe Eats / Ashlee Redger

Medium Roast Espresso Take a look at: I inserted a well-liked medium roast coffee pod into every machine and timed how lengthy it took to brew an eight-ounce cup. I tasted the espresso with and with out cream and recorded my taste notes.
Darkish Roast Espresso Take a look at: I repeated the medium roast take a look at with a dark roast K-Cup pod.
Different Features Take a look at (Winners Solely): I used all of the capabilities of the top-performing fashions I hadn’t explored within the different checks, like brewing iced coffees and utilizing built-in milk frothers to make lattes and cappuccinos.
Cleansing and Usability Exams: I cleaned the Keurig machines in line with their instruction manuals after every use. I additionally paid shut consideration to how intuitive every mannequin was to function and if it was adaptable to totally different sizes of cups and drink preferences.

What We Realized

Keurig Machines Aren’t for Connoisseurs, However They Have been Constant

The Keurig machines all brewed pretty similar espresso.

Severe Eats / Ashlee Redger

Keurig brewers work by pumping pressurized water via enclosed pods of floor espresso, reducing brewing occasions from round 5 or 6 minutes (the time it takes for our favorite drip coffee makers) to lower than three. Espresso knowledgeable Jesse Raub has covered the process in additional depth, together with some criticisms of single-cup brewers. As he explains, Keurigs won’t ever be capable of present the standard of skillfully roasted beans which have been freshly ground proper earlier than brewing. The espresso in Okay-Cups tends to be oxidized because it’s floor weeks or months earlier than use. Plus, it’s floor too finely, portioned too low, and brewed too shortly, making it susceptible to bitterness. Keurigs are additionally programmed to brew at 192°F, slightly below the perfect vary (194º to 205°F) decided by the Specialty Coffee Association. This could stop among the flavors of sweetness and caramelization within the grinds from reaching the cup.

There are tons of of various sorts of Okay-Cups. All the most important espresso manufacturers have gotten into the sport, in addition to some impartial roasters (to not point out tea and hot chocolate producers). Throughout testing, I discovered that an eight-ounce cup of espresso brewed from the identical sort of pod tasted similar whether or not it got here out of the modest K-Mini or the souped-up K-Cafe SMART. Though Keurigs can extract undesirable flavors from some espresso, I discovered the medium and dark roast pods I attempted had been light- and medium-bodied (respectively) and never overly bitter or acidic. General, they had been completely drinkable and even pleasurable, if a tad unexciting.

Brew Sizes and Options Diversified

The milk foam the Keurigs made was disappointing and much too pillowy.

Severe Eats / Ashlee Redger

Provided that pods got here out the identical no matter which mannequin was used to brew them, I based mostly my comparability of the machines on their brewing capabilities. Whereas all the opposite brewers may produce six- to 12-ounce cups, the K-Classic may solely brew as much as 10 ounces. It and the Okay-Mini had been additionally probably the most restricted in different options. Neither mannequin had a Robust brew mode, which elevated the extraction time of the pod to yield a extra strong taste.

Not having a Robust brew function additionally meant the machines couldn’t brew over ice. The Over Ice setting meant different fashions just like the K-Elite may begin sizzling on Robust mode, then change to a decrease temperature on the finish of brewing to scale back ice soften (albeit solely barely). I used to be skeptical of the Over Ice function (nobody likes a watery espresso), however I used to be pleasantly stunned. The stronger brew wasn’t noticeably bitter and held up properly after some preliminary ice had melted (at the least whereas it was fairly recent). The K-Brew + Chill was explicitly designed for making iced espresso. It maintained a relaxing tank of water to quickly cool freshly brewed espresso earlier than dishing out it into the glass. It did this job properly and can be appropriate for individuals who like their espresso chilly without having so as to add ice, nevertheless it was one of many priciest fashions of the lineup and took up about 70% extra countertop house than the successful K-Supreme (which had an Over Ice setting).