Keurig K-Café Review

We purchased the Keurig K-Café so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

With tons of popular kitchen gadgets grabbing for your attention, counter space is quickly limited. In an effort to conserve space, multi-use kitchen appliances like coffee and espresso machine combos have received increased attention. We reviewed the Keurig K-Café Single Serve Coffee, Latte & Cappuccino Maker, evaluating its overall setup, cleanup, quality of coffee, and price. Read on to see what we thought about this combo unit. 

Setup Process: Fairly fast and easy 

Setting up this coffee maker was fairly easy and took only about 10 minutes in total. The included guide advises cleaning the water reservoir, frother lid, frother whisk, and the frother’s interior. After the components were dry, we attached them back to the machine and turned the machine on. It took about three minutes for the machine to heat up. 

Next, we opened and closed the lid of the K-Cup pod holder (without inserting a K-Cup pod), which caused the “Coffee” and “Latte & Capp” buttons to blink. Next, we pressed the “6oz” button followed by the brew button (located in the middle of the control panel), and the internal cleansing process started automatically. 

The included Quick Start Guide made the entire process a lot less daunting because there were pictures to guide us through every step. There also aren’t a ton of accessories included with this machine, which helped make the setup that much faster without having to do a bunch of pre-reading.  

Design: Modern look, but oddly shaped

The Keurig K-Café Single Serve Coffee, Latte & Cappuccino Maker measures 12.5 x 15.3 x 11.7 inches, so it doesn’t take up a ton of counter space. However, it is somewhat oddly shaped with two “wings” on each side of the K-Cup pod holder (located in the middle area of the unit): the left containing the 60-ounce water tank and the right containing the frother base. We thought that it looked somewhat asymmetrical since the right wing is a lot lower than the rest of the unit. Besides that, the overall design is modern and sleek, easily able to fit within most kitchens. 

This machine is designed to make one coffee beverage at a time, and it works solely with K-Cup pods. That means you must regularly purchase these pods in order to use the machine. Fortunately, K-Cup pods are available in most grocery stores, so it wasn’t too much of an issue. The only problem we ran into with this feature is that there is somewhat of a limit on flavor varieties with the pods. There isn’t as wide and as versatile of a selection compared to regular coffee grounds or beans, limiting what kind of coffee we could brew with the Keurig. If you prefer buying your own grounds or are trying to cut down on waste, you can also buy the K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter separately. 

Performance: Quick, quality coffee

To brew a cup of coffee with this machine, we filled the water tank to the max line, placed a mug on the drip tray (there’s room for mugs up to 7.2 inches tall, meaning most travel mugs will fit just fine), and placed a K-Cup pod in the holder. Next, we pressed the “Coffee” button followed by the cup size button we wanted. Depending on the user’s preference, there are four cup sizes: 6-, 8-, 10-, or 12-ounce. After pressing the middle brew button, the coffee dispensed into the mug. To make a coffee shot (Keurig’s version of espresso), press the “Latte & Capp” instead of “Coffee” followed by the brew button. 

To make our milk froth, we filled the frother and placed it on the frother base. Next, we pressed the appropriate button (“Latte” or “Capp”), and the frother began heating, taking about three minutes to complete. To make an iced latte or cappuccino, press the “Cold” button after pressing the “Latte” or “Capp” button. 

Overall, we loved how simple the process was to make a cup of coffee or a latte. At the touch of a few buttons, our coffee was ready to go in a few minutes (and you can program your machine to shut off automatically after two hours). On top of that, we really enjoyed the beverages this machine brewed. We prefer a strong cup of coffee, so it was convenient being able to choose the 6-ounce cup for a stronger brew. 

As for the frother, it created full, foamy milk froth, perfect for an amateur latte or cappuccino. We say amateur because it’s not at the same level as what an expensive espresso machine can make, but it’s definitely a close second. This would be an ideal machine for someone who wants to skip the many steps of using a home espresso machine but still get a very similar result.  

Ease of Cleaning: Low maintenance

The included guide recommends cleaning certain parts of the unit regularly to keep it running smoothing. This occasional process includes rinsing out the water reservoir and cleaning out the exit and entrance needle. The frother, however, needs to be cleaned after every use. But even that’s not too difficult because the whisk, frother lid, and frother are all dishwasher safe.  

Price: Average 

In terms of coffee and espresso combination machines, the Keurig K-Café is reasonably priced, retailing for around $200. Most cost between $150 and $200, so it’s right within that price range.  

Keurig K-Café vs. DeLonghi BCO430

The DeLonghi All-in-One Cappuccino, Espresso and Coffee Maker is another coffee and espresso maker combo we tested. This machine, with an MSRP of $299.95, has more involved cleaning, setup, and brewing processes than the Keurig K-Café Single Serve Coffee, Latte & Cappuccino Maker, but it can make up to 10 cups of coffee in one batch while pulling true espresso shots to make cappuccinos and lattes.

For someone who wants to make more than one beverage at a time, the DeLonghi might be the right option. But for someone who wants to make a single cup of coffee in the morning, the Keurig does just the trick and for a lower price tag.