Keurig K50 vs. K55: What’s the Difference? [Review and Comparison]

This Keurig K50 and K55 coffee makers are pretty much the same in every way. They both come with a 48 oz water reservoir, a 6 to 10 oz Strong Brew brewing capacity, but they differ in a few ways.

Keurig K 50	Keurig K55
Pros Removable drip tray Auto-off feature Fairly sizable 48 Oz reservoir.List Item 3	Pros Two color options Compatible with unbranded K-Cup pods. Have a water filter handle & 2 water filters
Cons No strength control Noisy Water filter must be bought separately.	Cons More prone to breakdown Can only brew up to 10 Oz. No temperature control
The Bottom Line Amongst the K-Classical series, the Keurig K50 coffee maker is the most popular one. It’s user-friendly and comes with a solid 48oz. reservoir that brews 6, 8, & 10-oz cup sizes under 60 seconds. Check out this discontinued model on Amazon.	The Bottom Line Amongst the K-Classical series, the Keurig K55 coffee maker is the iconic one. It comes in Black and Rhubarb color options. Its sturdy plastic and 48-oz water reservoir brew 6,8, &10-oz cups in under 1 minute. Check out this discontinued model on Amazon.
BUY NOW	BUY NOW

Choosing the right one from the Keurig K-Classic series can be a daunting process. And therefore, I’m presenting a clear-headed picture of K50 and K55 so you can make an informed decision regarding the pursuit of your coffee mug.

Quick Overview: The Keurig K50 Coffee Maker

K50 is the pioneer of Keurig’s 1.0 series that lets you use any kind of K-cup, even from a third party. This simple yet easy-to-use coffee maker offers you three varied brew sizes to choose from 6 Oz, 8 Oz, and 10 Oz.

Its push buttons identify all the features readily. For instance, it will tell you when to add water, when it needs descaling, and how much time it takes to heat up.

Another great thing is its massive 48-oz water reservoir that will minimize your need to refill it often.

Before jumping on the K55, you must know that K50 is a discontinued model but still, you can buy it.

Quick Overview: The Keurig K55 Coffee Maker

K55 is also known as K-Classic, and it comes to mask some flaws in K50. That’s why it’s widely known as the upgraded version of K50.

Its outermost look is exactly the same as K50 with other similar features like brew sizes, 48-oz water reservoir, heat-up time, and even the button interface.

The difference between the K55 and K50 is that the earlier one has a charcoal-meshed filter that brews your coffee a bit smoother and more delicious than K50. Not just that, K55 comes in another color, Rhubarb, other than black. K55 brews your desired coffee mug in under 1 minute.

Apart from that, this affordable powerhouse has an awesome maintenance feature, i.e., a descaling option that flashing light reminds you when you need to clean it.

K55 is also a discontinued model, but you can buy it from the given link.

Keurig K50 vs K55: What are the differences?

These are the key differences in a nutshell:

Keurig K50 vs K55: What are the similarities?

These are key similarities in a nutshell:

Face-to-Face: Keurig K50 vs. K55

This section will put two machines of the K-Classic series against each other in a head-to-head battle of K50 vs. K55. Who will emerge victoriously?

Keep reading to find out!

Coffee Quality

Here, K55 takes an edge over K50. 

Despite the same brewing pressure technology, there are slight differences in the consistency and taste of coffee of both coffee makers.

This variation occurs because of the charcoal meshed filter present in the K55 that helps brew your coffee smoother and savor.

Design:

Here, K50 is the winner.

The difference between the K50 and K55 isn’t much, but yes, the dimensions showed us that the K50 is more compact than the K55.

But because the difference isn’t much, you can choose either, depending on your choice, as they have a retro-modish look.

Speed:

In brewing speed, there K55 wins.

In brewing speed, K55 is a bit swift as it offers the coffee mug in front of you in under 1 minute. However, K50, on average, takes 1 minute and some extra 30 seconds. Thus, it couldn’t stand by its claim of brewing coffee in under 1 minute.

I know that’s not the big difference, but when you’re getting late for work, every second counts.

Brewing:

In Brewing, K55 is the winner.

It is because the water filter handle and charcoal cartridges absorb chlorine, odor, and other impurities. Eventually, make your coffee as delicious as possible.

Apart from that, both machines used similar pressure brewing tech. In that technique, the machine punctures the center of the pod from the top and the bottom. The hot water pumps through the hole and saturates the ground coffee through the paper filter. A gentle pressure afterward extracts every ounce of coffee in your mug.

K50 and K55 offer three brew sizes, i.e., 6, 8, and 10-oz, but they don’t serve you with cappuccinos and lattes. Both machines take at least 4 minutes to warm up and boil the water, which is time taking.

As both machines belong to the K-Classic series, it means that they have an ingrained 1.0 technology that doesn’t allow you to have full control over the strength of your coffee mug. 

For instance, if you choose 10-oz from the Keurig cup sizes, the coffee maker adds more water. This way, you’ll end up with a lighter version of the coffee from the previous brew sizes. However, this isn’t a big problem! Just use My K-Cup Universal  Reusable Coffee Filter and  K-Cup pods to refill the pod again with your favorite gourmet coffee for extra-strong coffee flavor.

But 1.0 technology also establishes the fact that in this product line, you can brew coffee but also tea and hot cocoa with over 200 caffeinated beverages. This illustrates the flexible nature of the Keurig 1.0 product line.

Another lacking in both machines is that there is no temperature control feature. This reveals that you can’t preset brew temperatures of K50 and K55 to deliver optimal beverage taste. However, the coffee it brews has a temperature of almost 89C.

Quiet Brew Technology

Here, K55 wins.

K55 makes less noise relative to the K50 because of the quiet brewing technology that creates less noise during brewing.

This tech lessens the annoying noise which you don’t want to hear especially in the morning.

Performance:

In performance, there is a tie between K50 and K55.

K50 is the first model in K Classic 1.0 series, and after that, Keurig introduced K55 with some updates. But because K50 and K55 are from the same series, their performance is nearly aligned. Both coffee makers are compatible with not just K-cup pods but over 400+ pods from almost 75 brands. They both use the same strength and tech on how to brew a single cup of coffee.

Descaling:

In the descaling method, there is definitely a tie between K50 and K55.

Both coffee makers offer a descaling flashlight to remind you if it needs descaling or not. As per Keurig’s descaling prescription, you should descale your brewer every 3-6 months.

For descaling, grab Keurig 3-Month Brewer Maintenance Kit that includes, Descaling Solution, Water Filter Cartridges, and Rinse Pods.

To get hands-on experience for a proper descaling, make sure to read Keurig’s descaling guide, which assists you in what to do and what not. Ensure the prerequisites of the descaling procedure (mentioned in the user manual) like disabling the Auto-Off feature, no beverage in the pod, access to the sink, and much more. Additionally, you need to give at least 45 minutes to this descaling method for good results.

Get yourself equipped with the step-by-step guide to both the machines from here.

Durability and Reliability: 

In durability and reliability, K50 wins over K55 (I’ll explain this shortly).

Whether it is K50 or K55, both machines have the same material, i.e., Reinforced Plastic. Their silver handle isn’t chrome but somewhat of a harder plastic.

As per the reviews, which I’ve read, in the wider range of experiences, the K55 is more prone to breakdowns than the K50. I know it sounds weird as both machines have the same material, but it may be due to some technical flaws in the machine.

Of course, breakdowns are not permanent in most cases. You can fix them with some hacks. Like, if you didn’t place the water reservoir properly on the magnetic clip, then try repositioning it.

Apart from the breakdowns, both models show similar problems in terms of reliability.

They get clogged easily from the spout. To fix that, you need to clean the piercing needle using a pipe cleaner, i.e., a paper clip. This hack will restore the flow.

Moreover, according to some reviews, both models show signs of water leakages outside of the k-cup while brewing.

Cleaning and maintenance:

When it comes to cleaning and maintenance, there is a tie between K50 and K55.

It is a tie because whether it is K50 or K55, both require frequent care and maintenance. These coffee makers have a removable drip tray, K-cup holder, and water reservoir, which makes it comfortable to wipe off all the accidental spills and downpours.

For water filtration, K55 comes with a Tall Handle Water Filter that removes water impurities, but for K50, you have to buy the charcoal mesh filter separately.

For more info regarding Keurig cleaning, you can take help from Keurig’s step-by-step cleaning guide. In that guide, you can take a look at how to detach and clean every part of the machine, including the brewer exterior, drip tray, K-cup pod holder, funnel, exit needle, entrance needle, water reservoir, and reservoir lid.

This easy cleaning guide will help you maintain your coffee powerhouse and prevent it from mold, stains, and other unwanted coffee drips.

Price:

Here, K55 is the winner because of its moderate price range.

Cost is something that triggers your buying decision. Both machines have a slight difference when it comes to price.

The K50 coffee machine is $163, and the Keurig K55 price is $149.

The Final Verdict:

From our above-mentioned comparison, you probably get an idea of which one is better according to your needs. 

I advise you to choose K55 if you’re using tap water as its charcoal-meshed filter can remove all the impurities from the water and can eventually enhance the taste of your coffee. Moreover, its moderate price is the factor that takes the edge over K50. So, if your budget is a bit tight, then choose K55 as your coffee partner. And if you want some extra pop-up color, then I would suggest going with the Rhubarb tone of K55.

But if you’re already using filter water bottles, then stick to K50 as it gives you the best possible coffee booze. Additionally, its compact size is all that you need if you have a squeezed kitchen counter. 

Finally, you can choose either of them because I feel that everyone should have the freedom to choose whichever blend suits them the best.

FAQs

Still if you have any questions, read below:

Can I use any pod in Keurig K55?

Yes, you can go with K-cup pods and 400+ non-Keurig pods from the reliable 75 brands. 

When did the Keurig K55 come out?

On December 2, 2015, Keurig K55 was released. It is the upgraded version of the Keurig’s Classic series and came right after K50.

Can you use off-brand K Cups in Keurig?

Sure, you can go with 75+ brands, including Green Mountain Coffee, Starbucks, and Lipton, and enjoy coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and more. 

Do K-Cups fit all machines?

Yes, K-Cups fit in all Keurig’s machines from the 1.0 to 2.0 product line. But the other add-on thing which you have to ensure before buying K-Cups is that it has a note saying good for all Keurigs. If you missed that info, then the K-Cups will not work in the 2.0 product line. To work in 2.0 tech, K-Cups need a Keurig Code, which is only available if they are not a third-party vendor.

Are K-cups bad for the environment?

Not at all, K-cups are recyclable and are not causing any harmful effects on the surroundings. This initiates from the year 2020, in which Keurig announces its K-Cups are recyclable.