For diehard Keurig fans or newbies alike, the Keurig K-Elite delivers customizable brews and premium features that step up your single-serve coffee experience.
Keurig K Elite | Should you buy it?
(CoffeeAbout’s Rating 4/5)
If you are a coffee lover who wants full customization over your drink and wants it in quick time, then Keurig K-elite is worth the investment.
With Keurig K Elite you can control everything ranging from brew strength to temperature control, and also have inbuilt features of altitude settings and iced coffee. One thing that I like the most about k-elite, is the huge water reservoir ( 75 ounces) and convenient hot water dispenser.
Moreover, it has the quietest brewing technology, ensuring that your brewing experience is as calm as possible.
On the negative side, it is not slim and smart and has a somewhat bulky appearance. And there is no option for brewing pot and milk-based drinks. At this price, I think these features should be included.
Why Trust Us
As a passionate coffee expert, I’ve tested and reviewed dozens of single-serve coffee makers over the years. For this Keurig K Elite review, I rigorously examined the features and performance through extended research testing. I evaluated the K-Elite on criteria like versatility, ease of use, design, and drink quality.
Pros
✔️ Super fast and Easy to use
✔️ Brew over ice option for iced coffee
✔️ Strong coffee option for intense brew
✔️ Quiet Brewing technology
✔️ Large Water Reservoir
✔️ Modern design with metal finish
✔️ Hot water on demand function for tea, oatmeal, and soup
Cons
❌ The water reservoir is not visual
❌ Most expensive Keurig Machine
❌Single-serve only – No carafe option
❌ The temperature can’t be adjusted
Keurig k-elite review | A DETAILED GO THROUGH
Although Keurig k-Elite has several benefits, it still has many shortcomings. Read out each core feature and then make your decision!
1) Design and build quality of Keurig K-Elite (3.5/5)
The K-Elite has a bulky appearance but the brushed metal and black accents give it a modern, stylish look. It looks very decent on the counter of your office or kitchen and fits seamlessly under the kitchen cabinets.
This machine is not as heavy as it seems. In fact, it is mostly made of plastic, and weighs only 8 pounds, making it a convenient option for moving around. The plastics feel durable and can stand up to daily use.
K Elite has a removable drip tray that easily fits travel mugs, as well as the small K-cup storage on the top that keeps things organized.
The button controls and Smart Led Display gives the machine a modern look.
Keurig K Elite has an elegant and fatty design that’s quite modern in appearance. While it is not minimalist like slim Keurig models, it is not too heavy either.
2) Performance of Keurig Elite (4/5)
After reading numerous customer reviews, I couldn’t find a single negative review related to the performance of the machine. I myself am completely satisfied with its performance.
The quality of coffee produced by the K-Elite coffee maker is exceptional, and its brewing time is incredibly fast.
The machine is equipped with a water reservoir of 75 ounces, so you don’t need to refill the tank after each use. The machine can brew 8-10 cups of coffee without refilling the water reservoir.
The best thing about K-elite is it features a hot water button if you’re in the mood for instant tea, soup, or hot oatmeal, you can easily make it.
As Keurig claims, their coffee maker reaches the maximum temperature of 192 degrees Fahrenheit. Keurig K-elite features temperature control functionality, so if you don’t want a very hot drink, you can lower its temperature to about 187 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is compatible with all types of K-Cup pods, giving you the freedom to experiment with different K-Cup pods.
I am quite satisfied with the performance of this machine.
3) Taste and the quality of the coffee drink (4/5)
If you have been using K-cup brewers for a while you will not find any exceptions. Keurig Elite brews an average cup of coffee just like other K-cup brewers.
However, the real magic begins once you press the strong brew button. The cup will take a little longer to brew but it will definitely be worth it.
The Keurig brewers don’t usually offer smaller cup sizes like 4 oz, but this coffee allows you to brew cups from 4 oz up to 12 oz.
My favorite aspect of this machine is the ability to brew a 4 oz cup size on strong settings, as I enjoy strong coffee. And this 4 oz coffee shot is also perfect for preparing milk-based coffee drinks without masking the flavors of coffee.
4) Cleaning and maintenance (5/5)
Cleaning the Keurig K-Elite is a breeze! The drip tray and water reservoir are both removable and dishwasher safe, making it quick and easy to keep your machine in pristine condition. Simply remove, rinse with warm soapy water, and pop them back in place.
It also features a maintenance reminder that signals when it needs descaling.
Keurig K Elite can accommodate a tall handle water filter in the water tank that reduces scale buildup and improves the taste of your coffee.
5) Ease of use (5/5)
As far as ease of use is concerned, Keurig never disappoints its users. Like every Keurig Machine, K-Elite is also very simple to use.
With so many features one might expect that this machine will be difficult to operate but that’s not the case.
In my point of view, Keurig K-elite is one of the most user-friendly machines available in the market with this many customizable features. The button display has all core feature buttons, so you can opt for whatever you like.
Unlike other brewers, Keurig K-elite has a pretty fast initial heat-up time of 40-60 seconds.
While testing, I noticed that It needs 45 seconds to brew a cup of coffee and only 30 seconds to reheat water for subsequent cups.
The brewing procedure is like a cherry pie. All you need is to insert a K-cup, press your desired cup size button, and wait! The machine will do its magic and brew delicious drinks for you within minutes.
The only thing I really hate about the usability of this brewer is that it has a nonvisual water reservoir.
Some other Features
Let’s look at some of the core features of Keurig k-elite and how these features are helpful to you.
1) Quietness
This machine is ideal for office environments due to its state-of-the-art brewing technology that operates silently.
2) Temperature control functionality
Temperature is a critical factor while determining optimal extraction. Temperature control feature is very rare in the Keurig model but fortunately, K-Elite, allows you to tweak the temperature between 187 and 192°F.
The hot water button on the Keurig K-Elite is a convenient feature that provides quick access to boiling water. It comes in handy when preparing various hot beverages like soup, oatmeal, and tea, as it eliminates the need for a separate kettle or microwave.
3) Iced coffee option
Keurig K Elite also features Iced coffee settings. This setting brews coffee at a lower temperature and for longer, resulting in a stronger taste that’s perfect for iced coffee without dilution.
Check out Best Keurig Models for Iced Coffee
4) Auto on/off feature
This machine also has an Auto Off feature which turns off the machine automatically after two hours of inactivity.
5) High altitude settings
This feature is very useful for those who live at higher altitudes. High-altitude settings allow you to brew your coffee with special settings at altitudes over 5,000 feet.
6 Programmable settings
If you always find yourself in a rush on busy mornings, you’ll love the Keurig Elite’s automatic On/Off feature. You can program it to heat up and turn on at a specific time, saving you time and hassle.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Keurig K-elite isn’t the cheapest Keurig model, but superior customization and upgraded core features are good enough to justify its price.
I can say without any doubt that this is one of the best pod-based machines for around 150 dollars in this price range.
Yes, you can get pod-based machines with similar features from other companies at a much lower price. But Keurig is a trusted name that manufactures reliable machines and offers good customer support.
K-elite is one of the best single-serve coffee makers that offers the best money value.
Customers’ reviews on Keurig Elite
Keurig K-Elite has around 45k global reviews with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Amazon. More than 85% of users are completely satisfied with this machine.
Honestly, you will not find any electronic appliance on the internet with that many positive reviews.
Customers really admire Keurig K-Elite for its high-end performance, the convenience it provides, and the advanced programmable features. A hot water button is quite useful for making great coffee, cocoa, and tea.
Customers also admired the button-based control panel that is easier to use than the touchscreen control panel in the previous model.
Things I like in Keurig k-elite
- The highly customizable coffee maker allows you to adjust the temperature, serving sizes, strength of the coffee, and many more.
- The huge water reservoir with a 75-ounce capacity.
- 4 oz brew size for making strong and concentrated coffee shots that pair well with a Latte
- Hot water setting for hot tea and other beverages.
- Compatible with all k cup coffee pods
- Iced coffee setting
- Brushed metal finish and a stylish look
- Have Keurig’s upgraded system for quieter brewing.
Things I don’t like in Keurig k-elite
- No milk frother. (You can buy it separately)
- Doesn’t come with a K-cup reusable filter. (You can buy it separately)
- The appearance is bulky – doesn’t look modern
- A little bit expensive.
- The water reservoir is not visual.
- You can’t brew a pot of coffee
Keurig K Elite Features
| Product Type | Single-serve coffee maker |
| Dimension | 9.9 x 12.7x 13.1 inches |
| Weight | 8 pounds |
| Color | Brushed Slate, Brushed gold, Brushed Silver |
| Water reservoir | 75 ounces removable water reservoir |
| Brew sizes | 4,6,8,10 and 12 ounces |
| Temperature control | Yes |
| Strength control | Yes |
| Display | LCD control panel with buttons for Brew Strength, Brew Temp, Brew Size, and Iced Coffee |
| Other features | High Altitude Setting, maintenance reminders, removable drip tray, iced coffee setting, hot water on demand, quiet brewing technology, auto on-off setting. |
K Elite is an improved version of the K-475 model, which was part of the Keurig 2.0 series. The K-475 was discontinued due to customer backlash about its inability to brew coffee with un-branded k cups.
Fortunately, Keurig K Elite is compatible with all the Keurig original and 3rd party k cups and also with the My K cup for using your own coffee grounds.
Keurig K Elite vs Supreme
Keurig’s latest addition, the Supreme series, offers innovative multi-stream technology. This advanced feature thoroughly saturates coffee grounds, resulting in a richer and more flavorful cup compared to the single-stream brewing of the K-Elite.
Additionally, K Supreme models have a very sleek and modern design that looks very stylish.
However, the basic K-Supreme lacks the elite’s versatility and customization like temperature/strength control.
But the higher-end K-Supreme Plus and K-Supreme Plus Smart models match or beat the elite with added features like Multiple temperature and strength control settings, Multi-stream technology, programmable preferences, and a stylish look.
Read a detailed review of Keurig Supreme Plus
Final thoughts
Keurig K Elite is a great coffee maker and definitely better than other Keurig machines like Keurig K Select, K Mini, and K Classic as it offers many advanced features.
So that’s it I hope you find this Keurig K Elite review helpful and if you want to check reviews of other Keurig models they are linked below.
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