Keurig
Keurig K-Elite
Fair
Our score: 68 / 100
Read our full Keurig K-Elite review →
What we like
- Strong Brew button makes a real, noticeable difference in body compared to a standard K-Cup pull
- Dedicated Iced setting brews a concentrated shot sized for a cup of ice instead of just diluting hot coffee
- 75-oz reservoir is genuinely large for the category — two or three days between refills for one person
- Auto-off, programmable start, and a display that doesn't require the manual to operate
What we don't
- It's still fundamentally drip coffee through a foil-topped pod, not espresso, no matter what the "Elite" name implies
- Cost per cup runs three to four times what the same coffee costs ground and brewed in a Mr. Coffee
- No built-in milk frother despite sitting $60-80 above the K-Classic — that's a K-Cafe feature, not this one
- Plastic housing and reservoir flex slightly under hand pressure, which feels at odds with the price tag
Specifications
| Pod system | Keurig K-Cup (2.0) |
|---|---|
| Pressure | Not pressurized — pump-driven hot water through a pierced pod |
| Water tank | 75 oz removable reservoir |
| Milk frother | None built-in |
| Cup sizes | 4 |
| Warranty | 1 yr limited |
How it compares
Keurig K-Elite vs. similar pod coffee makers.
| Specification |  | Nespresso Vertuo Plus | Nespresso Essenza Mini | Philips L'OR Barista Sublime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 68 | 76Best | 68 | 65 |
| Pod system | Keurig K-Cup (2.0) | Nespresso Vertuo (barcode-read capsules) | Nespresso Original (non-barcode capsules) | L'OR / Nespresso Original-compatible capsules |
| Pressure | Not pressurized — pump-driven hot water through a pierced pod bar | Centrifusion — spins the capsule up to roughly 7 bar | 19 bar pump | 19 bar pump |
| Water tank | 75 oz removable reservoirBest | 40 oz (1.2 L) | 20 oz (0.6 L) | 23 oz (0.7 L) |
| Milk frother | None built-in | None built-in | None built-in — Aeroccino sold or bundled separately | None built-in |
| Cup sizes | 4 | 5 — 1.35 oz Espresso | 2 — 1.35 oz Espresso | 2 — Espresso and Lungo |
| Warranty | 1 yr limited | 2 yrBest | 2 yrBest | 1 yr limited |