Which Keurig?

Peri

I thought I'd get my mother a Keurig for Christmas...what did I know, turns out there are many models. She has mentioned she wants one, but I don't know which.

She is alone so it won't get heavy use. I noticed some of them make 12oz cups...don't think she needs such a big serving. I don't drink coffee so I know nothing. She will probably drink tea as much as coffee.

Advice on features? Models? Thanks!

8 years ago

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24 replies

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RobinF

Veteran

I have the basic model and it works fine. I use it for an occasional cup of coffee but use a regular coffee maker for my morning pot. At work we have one that is connected to a water line and that is nice but really not necessary unless she would be using it a lot.

8 years ago

Anonymous

I have the basic one too - it was a gift - and it is just "ok". We stopped using it after the novelty wore off - it was a bit of a pita in terms of filling the tank and getting water levels right , and it wasn't terribly consistent (glitchy and sometimes overflowed, and then other times didn't fill the cup). It's now tucked away in the pantry and I'm back to using my regular coffee maker.

8 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

My SIL has one. I think it's like having instant coffee. We use a regular drip coffee maker in the morning, and I make iced coffee with my french press.

8 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

My mom in law has the basic model (we replaced it for her earlier this year in fact as her old one gave out and we couldn't fix it). I'd go with that because they only seem to last a couple of years - I think the plastic parts just get brittle because she is definitely not a heavy user of it.

8 years ago

Anonymous

Initially we used our all the time, but after a while for whatever reason the k-cups we were using were staying to explode while brewing. You can buy the refillable ones and use that, but even that started exploding. (BTW, The k cups are not cheap!)

Last year I bought a Cuisinart 1 cup coffee maker/grinder and my husband loves that.

8 years ago

Anonymous

My DH just ordered a Keurig K425S on sale at Sam's Club online. It has just been delivered, so we have yet to try it. It's a Keurig 2.0 model that brews K-cups, K-mugs and K-caraffes.

I ordered my oldest DD and her DH a Keurig K200 for Christmas. We shall see how it goes for them.

After much careful research, my DH and I determined that all of the Keurigs have about the same customer rating. Most people don't like it if you can't use non-Keurig cups. Ours comes with a reusable K-cup, so no worries there. Some complainers say they quit working after a while. I don't know if that's from user error (maybe they don't clean the machines as often as they're supposed to) or what, but my DH and I paid an extra $14 to get 4 more additional years of warranty coverage. We're premium Sam's Club members, so we get additional years on our extended warranties. I highly suggest buying more coverage, just in case.

I have always made coffee for my DH using the old-fashioned drip method like my mother alwaus did. I do not use a machine. However, my DH wanted a Keurig, so he ordered one.

8 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

One of our doctors gave my department one. It worked maybe 1/2 the time.
I’ve heard their tea isn’t good

8 years ago

Anonymous

I brew my tea one cup at a time, as I'm quite picky about how it tastes. I can't stand tea that's been in the fridge, either. I either drink it hot or let it cool to room temp and then add ice, and I don't use a machine. If she only drinks tea, the better idea would be to buy an electric water kettle. That's what I use, and the water heats up quickly. I don't know what I ever did without it.

I don't have an opinion about the Keurigs one way or the other, as I'm not a coffee drinker.

8 years ago

Peri

Veteran

Thanks everyone! I'm not quite sure why she wants one either. I think she's seen them, but doesn't have the info. I will ask more carefully and see what she is really looking for. From my perspective, it doesn't seem like the right thing for her, but I will find out specifically why she wants one. Thanks for the information.

8 years ago

Beewee

Active Member

I'm going to go against the tide here. We've had a Keurig (I have no idea what model, probably a step or two above basic) for about three to four years now...same unit all those years. It is used daily anywhere from once to four times a day. It has never had a speck of trouble and are quite happy with it. We also like the Nantucket Blend Green Mountain coffee which is a brand they offer in their sample boxes. There are also other brands of k-cup coffees that are very good. I will have to agree the teas that I have tried have been less impressive.
My mother has one also that she's had even a little longer than we've had ours and it is still going strong. She loves her's too.

8 years ago

Anonymous

That's good to know, Beewee. I bought some Folgers Caramel Drizzle pods (for me to try) along with some coffee pods from Costa Rica and Colombia. My DH is from Central America, and his father used to have a coffee plantation there, so my thinking is that he will like these. He loves his Folgers medium roast coffee straight up black, and I imagine that's what he'll continue to drink, but hopefully he'll step out of his comfort zone. After all, he's the one that bought the Keurig.

8 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Same as beewee, I've had one 3ish years now and use it pretty much every day. I'd say if you drink tea most of the time an electric kettle is probably cheaper and more versatile, but for coffee as long as you're not super-picky about a specific method of brewing, it works really well. The Peet's cups are my favorite - I like the light roast options.

I'd stay away from the Keurig 2.0 brewers because you do have to use only the Keurig brand cups with them - the regular K cup ones should be fine. I personally don't like the smallest models where you have to refill the water reservoir for every single cup - although they do take up less space if that's a concern.

8 years ago

Anonymous

Our Keurig, which is a 2.0 model, came with a reusable k-cup so you can use your own coffee. I was able to order a reusable k-caraffe, too.

8 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

The electric kettle sounds like a great idea. If she’s hung up on the Keurig, maybe she’ll be over it by mother’s day and you can give her a kettle then
Whatever model you get her, make sure it has a reusable cup. Even if she starts off with the disposables, once she figures out how much more she’s paying for coffee and how much trash they produce, she will probably be glad for the reusable option. It is basically its own measuring cup, so still saves steps.

8 years ago

Anonymous

I agree with fashionterm on this one. But as an FYI, Keurig states that all of its pods will be recyclable by 2020, if I remember correctly. It's on their website. That said, if she's a tea drinker, she really would be better off with an electric kettle. Take it from me. I drink tea every single day.

8 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm a French press person, through and through, but there was a really great Keurig-type thing at the hotel where we stayed in San Miguel. Sorry I can't remember what model it was though. I just can't stand the idea of all that non-recyclable waste.

FWIW, my mom used to have times when she would want things that she heard about too, until we would do some research together and she would realize it wasn't right for her. I think sometimes she would just get a case of the wantsies. I know I'm prone to that myself!

8 years ago

Anonymous

I think that if you decide to buy one, get one with a reusable k-cup like the one we bought. That way, recycling isn't an issue. I still don't think she needs one for tea, unless she's feeble and might be better off with a pod instead of a kettle of boiling water that she might spill on herself. She could always microwave her water in a mug, though.

8 years ago

Dee

Active Member

I am also in the minority here I guess. I bought a Keurig a few years ago that was one of the early models. It uses K-cups, but I have not tried the refillable K-cups in it. I have not used the one at home that much, however, because my DD stopped drinking coffee (after she strongly recommended the purchase LOL) and my workplace got the same model at work. The one at work is 2-3 years old and gets a good deal of use and is still holding up very well with no problems. I like the convenience of being able to make just one cup at a time and trying different flavors of coffee. I try to buy the K-cups when they are on sale. I am not a tea drinker so I can't attest to that, but I have used the hot chocolate K-cups by Swiss Miss and they are pretty good.

7 years ago

Anonymous

Ours got here over the weekend, and we've really been enjoying it. Very easy to use.

7 years ago

AndiB

Veteran

Notwithstanding that they have developed recyclable cups, and are doing better with environmental sustainability in their designs, these products are just terrible for the environment. I am really anti-keurig.

7 years ago

Anonymous

Well then

7 years ago

Zibbets

Veteran

We have a basic one in our office I use it for coffee every day and frequently for tea with a tea bag. It heats the water in no time - quicker than if we had a stove (which we don't) so we're saving energy. Don't hate the Keurig!

I've also used it with oatmeal packets and hot cocoa packets. The eco pods are great too: in place of a plastic cup there's a mesh bag.

7 years ago

Anonymous

Good to know! We have the reusable pods, and the water does get heated up a lot faster than on the stove or in the kettle.

7 years ago

Anonymous

take a look at the iCoffee, it is a bit better than a K machine,
more flexible in terms of adjusting the amount of water. will take any type of Kcup

some K machines will only take a certain kind

I like mine,

7 years ago

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