Keurig K-Compact Review – A Fine Brewer for Home Café

This is a review of the Keurig K-compact – a premium coffee machine within an affordable range.

Are you willing to spend a few dollars daily to get your favorite brew? No doubt, a brewed cup from coffee shops has a signature taste. But, many of us don’t prefer to spend time waiting outside coffee shops. And then rushing to the offices.

Now, you don’t have to wait in the long drive-thrus in the morning hours to pick up your cup of Joe. Keurig K-compact is the best option for your home café. You will get piping hot coffee in your favorite mug at home. This will avoid the frustration of standing in lines at coffee shops while you are still asleep. So, you don’t have to worry about your morning dose of caffeine!

I found that a Keurig compact coffee maker has an innovative design for small kitchens. If you also have a small cookhouse with limited space around, this coffee brewer is the best option for you. You will not have to mess around. You can prepare your coffee at your convenience.

Despite being compact, the Keurig k compact single serve machine has a large water reservoir to prepare many cups of coffee. So, you don’t have to refill the water tank again and again.

In this article, we will talk about the Keurig K compact and all its features. I will also share a few alternative coffee machines to choose from.

It is going to be a treat for coffee lovers!

Keep reading!

Keurig has been serving coffee lovers for over decades now. They have simplified the brewing and coffee-making process. Keurig compact coffee maker is specifically designed for those who lack ample space to have heavy coffee machines.

Another model, the Keurig mini, was also designed on the same idea. But it failed to attract customers due to some potential issues with the machine. However, the Keurig K compact will let the small kitchens have some breathing space along with efficient performance.

It is an affordable model of Keurig. The water tank has a capacity of 36 oz. with a multi-cup option and is not fixed in place. You can prepare four freshly brewed cups of coffee in one go without the fuss of refilling the reservoir.

Keurig K-compact prepares a cup of coffee in just a minute so you don’t have to wait for a long time. This machine is really easy to operate. You can read the manual once and then it’s just a hot cake. You can disassemble the machine by removing the parts for cleaning. It operates with all types of pods except iced coffee.

Pros:

• Keurig k-compact has the latest technology for brewing strong and creamy coffee.
• Pod scanning is not required. So, both certified and non-certified pods are suitable.
• A space-friendly design with a slim and sleek structure and multiple color options available.
• Very short brewing time and is convenient to operate.
• Can also be used to prepare tea or hot chocolate.
• Within a reasonable price range and has a warranty of one year.
• Perfect for a small family

Cons:

• Brew size is small, equal to 10 oz.
• It’s hard to reach the Keurig K compact water reservoir for refilling.
• Lacks water filter set.
• You can not measure the brew potency.
• The temperature control system is also not available.
• Customers often complain about a slight taste of plastic in the coffee
• Will not work for large families.
• Can be loud at times

Key Features of Keurig K Compact

Following are the features of Keurig K Compact:

Servings And Sizes

The Keurig k-compact has 3 sizes: 6,8 & 10 oz.

It is a very simple coffee machine with minimum options. If you are craving to fulfill your caffeine desire by going beyond 10 oz. then this maker won’t fulfill your needs. 12, 16, and 20 oz. options are not present in this machine.

Also, if you wish to have a stronger brew with a bold flavor so that you become energetic, you will have to increase the consumption of coffee. Unfortunately, the Keurig k compact lacks the option of a strong brew.

It does not have an iced brew and instant warm water option available.

So, if you are okay with drinking a decent cup of coffee daily, then this machine will work perfectly for you.

Thus, it offers a good value for money.

Water Reservoir

The water reservoir has a capacity of 36 ounces. This means that you can prepare four coffee cups of 8 ounces before the tank empties. This will reduce the frustration of filling the water tank each time before use.

The water reservoir is a semi-circle in shape. It sits at the backside of the machine. The upper part is visible so that you can check the remaining quantity of water. In Keurig K Compact water filters are not present in the water tank. You can purchase a filter or switch to distilled water.

A filter screen is also present inside the tank to stop the remains of water. But the screen won’t function as a water filter.

Auto Shut Off

One of the favorite features of home café baristas is the auto shut-off. The machine will automatically switch off after continuous 2 hours of idleness. So, if you forgot to switch it off before leaving the house, then you don’t need to worry. The machine will be off by the time you come back home.

It will save power and also reduce the bills of electricity.

Brewing

You just need to wait for four minutes for an idle machine to release a piping hot cup of coffee. After that, you will get one cup in one minute.

Just like other Keurig’s, the Keurig k compact brewer is also very easy to operate:

• Switch on the machine.
• Let the machine warm up.
• Elevate the machine handle and inject the k-cup.
• Select the brew size

Keurig Compact brewer prepares a mild cup of coffee good for daily consumption. However, it depends on your personal preference.

Design & Build

Aspects: 13.2 inches in length, 8.2 inches wide, 12.5 inches high.

Weight: 6.9 lbs.

As the name suggests, the Keurig-k compact is slim in design and structure and can easily fit into your counter space. You can use mugs with a height of up to 7 inches in the machine. When you open the machine to insert the pod the height will increase to 16 inches.

The structure of the machine is mainly plastic. The look of the machine is not premium like most other Keurig machines.

It may have a substandard look but works perfectly well. So, if you are only concerned with the performance then this model will work for you.

Keurig offers a wide range of colors in this model. You can choose the one that goes best with the interior of your kitchen.

Cleaning & Maintenance

I highly recommend you thoroughly clean your coffee machine regularly. This will make a fresh and delicious cup of Joe each time you brew.

It’s very easy to clean because most parts of the machine are removable. The k-cup holder, water reservoir, and drip tray can be removed easily. Use a damp cloth to clean all the stored and clogged debris from the interior of these parts.

Descale the reservoir very often. How often you need to descale depends on the usage of the machine and the quality of the water being used. If you are using unfiltered water, full of minerals, the salts will settle down at the bottom.

Coffee Quality

Coffee made from a Keurig machine won’t taste like a brewed cup from a coffee shop. It has a taste and flavor of its own. So, don’t imagine a coffee cup made by a barista when drinking coffee from Keurig.

What is the coffee quality of Keurig?

This answer depends on your taste buds. Often customers love the taste of Keurig coffee. They are pleased with the flavor of the pods.

On the other hand, many coffee lovers have objected to the mild taste of plastic coming from the coffee. So, the coffee quality standard varies from person to person.

Should you buy a Keurig K compact?

If you are living alone or have a small household and wish to have an affordable machine to fulfill your caffeine desire, then go get it.

It is very simple to operate and can be used with any type of pod. All brands like Starbucks, Lipton, Nestle, and Dunkin can be used in the Keurig K compact. It has all the qualities of a single-serve coffee machine.

You can avoid a mess in your kitchen and can get your cup of Joe in a minute by using Keurig.

Keurig K compact Alternatives:

Here are some alternatives to Keurig K Compact

Keurig K–Mini:

K-Mini is even slimmer than the Keurig k-compact with a difference of 7 inches. It offers a water capacity to serve a single cup only. So, you have to refill the reservoir every time after using it.

It requires 2 minutes to heat the water. Keurig K-Mini also has a small storage box to keep the cord of the machine.

K15

K15 can brew 1 cup of 6 oz. at a time. It accepts all types of pods and has a compact and personal design. K15 has a width of 6.9 inches. It also has an auto-turn-off button.

K slim

Like other Keurig machines, K slim has a width of only 4.8 inches. The best thing about this coffee machine is that it has a large water tank with a capacity of 46 oz.

But, on the other hand, the reservoir can not be removed. It’s fixed in place. So, often, it’s difficult to access the water tank and refill it.

FAQs

Does the Keurig K-Compact Use K-Cups?

Yes, the Keurig K compact allows all types of pods for tea, coffee, or hot beverages like hot chocolate. However, it lacks decanter style brewing.  So, if you love to have customized drinks, then prefer to have pods that can be refilled.

Does the Keurig K-Compact Need a Filter?

Yes, if you are directly using water from the tap. It contains a large number of minerals, ions, and salts. The debris and scale from the dissolved minerals will build up throughout your machine, especially in the Keurig K-compact water reservoir.

However, using a filter will trap the excessive mineral and salt content to enter the brew cycle. As a result, your coffee will taste better, and you will get rid of descaling the water reservoir so regularly.