It wasn’t until this past fall that I became a cup a day coffee drinker. Since I am the only one who drinks coffee in my household, I placed my drip style coffee maker in storage and invested in a Keurig. I found a great price from Kohls last November.
My Keurig purchase came with the brewer, manual and a sample pack of 12 K-Cups.
As you are facing the machine, the water compartment is on the left side of the machine. It is recommended to fill with bottled or filtered water. There is some sort of sensor near the base of the water reservoir that helps the machine tell you when it needs to be re-filled. The machine will have ADD WATER on its LCD display when it is needed. The water reservoir compartment is removable for filling and cleaning.
There is a one-time set-up process where water only needs to be heated in the machine and dispensed.
Then the LCD display will indicate READY TO BREW.
Place a cup or mug upon the silver drip tray plate. The silver handle needs to be lifted and then the K-Cup holder will open toward you.
Select the K-Cup portion pack you would like to use. Do not puncture or remove the foil cover the K-Cup. Lower the handle to close the lid. You then can select from three sizes, small cup, small mug, or large mug. The buttons to select your size will flash up to 60 seconds.
- Small Cup (5.25 oz)
- Small Mug (7.25 oz)
- Large Mug (9.25 oz)
If you do not select your size within the 60 seconds, it will return to READY TO BREW. You need to raise and lower the handle to get back to the three sizes flashing on the LCD screen.
The brewer will then display BREWING. This process takes about a minute. There is a burst of air at the end to remove all liquid from the K-Cup.
You can now enjoy your Keurig brewed coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or apple cider.
The brewer will display NOT READY when water is being heated for the next cup. This takes a short time, about 15 seconds.
There is a piercing mechanism above the K-Cup.
The K-Cup also gets pierced from the bottom to allow the flow of water through the K-Cup.
I was curious how the size of the Keurig compared to my drip brewer, and they were very similar in size.
I know sample packs vary, but this is the set included with my Keurig B60.
I was curious what it looked inside the K-Cups so I opened one after it was used.
There is an optional clock that is needed if you program the brewer for an automated cup. I turn mine off after since I just brew one cup in the morning and then I am done until the next day.
The K-Cup holder assembly can be cleaned on the top shelf of your dishwasher. The water reservoir and and should be hand washed. The Keurig comes with a DE-SCALE feature that should be done every 3-6 months to keep optimal performance and prevent calcium deposits from building up and is done with 48 oz. vinegar.
My overall impression – I love how it takes about 4 minutes to initially heat the water and then just about a minute to brew a great cup of coffee. I turn it on before hopping in the shower and then put in the K-Cup when I am out and brew. I have just made the 9.25 oz. (Large Mug) and the water reservoir needs to be filled after 5 cups. It would last longer with smaller sizes.
The K-Cups are built for one time use. The flavor I have experienced has been wonderful. I just wish they would be recyclable or even better, if the K-Cups were biodegradable and then the entire unit could simply be tossed in the compost. I feel bad with the extra garbage I am creating. You can buy a refillable cup for your K-Cup brewer and add your own coffee grounds. I haven’t purchased one yet.
If you like buying K-Cups through keurig.com, I suggested you join Club Keurig Rewards and make sure you register your Keurig for a free K-Cup, Vue, or Rivo pack offer here.
