Shopping for a Keuring Brewer

The History of the Company

Keurig takes their name from the Dutch word for excellence. While they’ve only been around for barely over a decade, they have quickly become extremely popular and well-respected.

What Exactly is a K-Cup?

The word K-Cup refers to the individually sized coffee cups, or "pods," that come in over 150 different flavors and fit into your Keurig Coffee Maker. There are many companies that sell single serving coffee pods, but the “K” in K-Cup refers specifically to the “K” in Keurig. You do not necessarily need a Keurig brand cup for your Keurig Coffee Maker, but often you will find all different brands referenced as K-Cups, like Kleenex is often used to mean several different brands of facial tissues. But before you get to the fun task of picking out your coffee flavors, first you must pick out the perfect Keurig Coffee Maker for you.

How Do Keurig Coffee Makers Work?

The most amount of work you need to do for your K-Cup of coffee is refill (and periodically clean) the water tank on the machine. Different coffee makers have different sizes of tanks, from 48 to 60 ounces of water. The machine will let you know when there is not enough water for a full serving, and will not begin processing and heating the water until the tank is suitably full. When you fill the tank, your machine is ready to brew between six and ten cups of coffee, so even this small amount of work to prepare your cup of coffee is minor at worst.

Each K-Cup is a sealed container. When you place the pod into the machine, two holes are punched into it, above and below. Through these holes, hot water filters through your perfectly filled K-Cup and delivers a single mug of coffee. When you are finished brewing (this only takes a matter of moments), open up the area that cradles your K-Cup and throw the pod away. You are now ready for the next cup, whenever you’d like to have one.

What is the Difference Between Keurig Coffee Makers?

While there are four main machines that are available, the coffee brewing system is identical in all of the models. A cup of coffee from the cheapest model will taste just as wonderful as the cup of coffee from the most expensive model. What you are really looking at for the big differences are water tank size, the different sizes of servings available, additional timer controls and the look of the machine. Since the operation of every one of these four is nearly identical, the one difference you are really paying for is the finish. If you have a fancier kitchen, you may want the sleek look of stainless steel rather than black plastic. Here are the four main models.

The B40 is the most economical model, typically costing around $99. The tank holds 48 ounces, and you have two cup sizes to choose from. For most mugs, two sizes will be plenty. If, however, you use a travel mug, then you will need to use two K-Cups to fill it if you purchase this machine. If you’re looking for a great, cheap, Keurig Coffee Maker, then this is your best bet and will not disappoint.

The B60, typically $129, is very similar to the B40, but with a few key differences. The water tank is the same size, but there are three choices for cup sizes, rather than two. Also, the water tank detaches, making it easier to refill the tank in the sink. The finish is a combination of black plastic and chrome, and the blue backlight display contributes to this machine looking more attractive than the B40.

The B70, typically $165, has a larger water tank, 60 ounces, and four cup size choices. It also has more metal trim, making it sleeker and prettier than the B60.

At the top of the heap is the Breville. This has a 64 ounce water tank, a water filter, and the “My K-Cup” reusable filter that allows you to use your own grounds for coffee, rather than only using K-Cups.

Regardless of which Coffee Maker you purchase, you will highly enjoy Keurig’s unique, single-serve invention in your home or office!