The sweet, decent cup of coffee brewed with your beloved Keurig coffee maker can brighten up your morning. But what’s more frustrating is when you put the pod in the machine, hit brew, and your Keurig refuses to work.
You keep hitting the brew button a few more times, hoping that it starts working again, but all in vain.
Fortunately, you landed on the right page because I have done proper research and outlined some solutions to this problem. First, we have to know why does Keurig keep shutting off?
Usually, a Keurig keeps shutting off because the K-cup hasn’t been punctured by the needle in the K-cup basket. Other causes might be clogged exit needles, misaligned water reservoir magnets, the machine requiring descaling, or faulty outlets.
Keurig Shuts off when you hit brew? 3 Reasons and Fixes!
Some of the most likely reasons why Keurig keeps shutting off while brewing includes:
- Machines require Descaling/cleaning.
- The bottom of the K-cup is Unpunctured.
- Misaligned magnet in water Reservoir
Let’s discuss each of these reasons in detail and their possible solution. So keep reading!
1) Machines require Descaling/cleaning
Maintenance and cleaning are mandatory for the smooth functioning of kitchen appliances. The same principles apply to Keurig coffee makers.
Water (recommended to use filtered water in Keurig) used for brewing coffee may contain minerals that cause limestone to build up inside the machine.
If these minerals are left untreated, they cause water blockage inside the machine. This can also cause the problem of Keurig not brewing a full cup or dripping slowly.
If you haven’t descaled your machine for more than 3 minutes. Then there is a chance that your Keurig keeps turning off because of some blockage inside the machine and it requires descaling.
Solution
Therefore, descaling or cleaning is necessary to fix the problem. Descaling will remove any mineral deposits that have built inside the machine and ultimately fix your machine.
Here’s a brief guide on how to do descale a Keurig:
1- Empty the water reservoir and remove any used K-Cups.
2- Pour the descaling solution and water mixture into the water reservoir.
3- Place a large mug or container on the drip tray. Run a brew cycle without inserting a K-Cup. Discard the liquid collected in the mug. And Repeat the brew cycle process until the water reservoir is empty.
4- Refill the water reservoir with clean water and run multiple brew cycles to rinse out any remaining solution.
5- Wipe down the exterior of the machine and remove and clean removable parts like the drip tray, K-Cup holder, and water reservoir.
You can read the instructions for descaling of all the different Keurig models here
Recommended Descaling solution
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2) The K-cup is Unpunctured | Keurig needles are dirty, clogged, or broken
One of the most likely reasons Keurig keeps shutting off while brewing is not the issue with the Keurig itself but with the K-cup.
If you know how to use the Keurig coffee maker, you must know that while brewing, you have to put the pod in the basket. And when you close the lid and hit the brew button, the needles puncture the pod both from the top and bottom to make the way for water to pass through.
If the bottom of the pod isn’t punctured, the water injected into it is unable to escape, and the Keurig will stop brewing to avoid overflow.
This usually happens when you don’t clean your Keurig regularly. Used coffee grounds get accumulated at the sharp edges of the needles. And, the needles become unable to pierce the pods.
If you are Keurig keeps turning off, open the head of the machine take the coffee pod out and check whether there is a hole in the bottom or not. You have found the culprit if there is no hole at the bottom.
Solutions
There are two solutions to fix this problem
I) Clean the needle with a paper clip
If you notice that there is huge debris of used coffee grounds around the needles then cleaning it with a paper clip will be the best option.
Straighten the head of the paper clip. Open the head of the machine and move the paper clip around the needles to remove all the debris.
II) Poke the hole at the bottom of the K-cup manually by pressing it inside the k cup holder with force until it gets punctured
This hack is actually recommended especially if you are using milk or flavored K cups.
III) Replace the exit needles
If you notice that the exit needles are bent or damaged beyond repair then you can buy replacement pod holders with exit needles.
Replacement Cup Pod Holder Needle Assembly Parts For Keurig 2.0 Coffee Maker
Replacement Pod Holder Part with Exit Needle, Compatible with Keurig K10, K15 K40, K45, K50, K60, K65, K70, K75, K77, K79 & Classic Models
3) Misaligned magnet in water Reservoir
There’s a magnet inside the water reservoir of the Keurig machine which detects the level of water in the reservoir.
Over time, this magnet might get misaligned from the original position due to vibrations or other reasons. And when the magnet gets misaligned, the water level can’t be detected and Keurig won’t brew coffee.
Solution
A quick fix to solve this issue is; Unplug the machine and remove the water reservoir(if Keurig has a removable water reservoir), check the magnet inside the water tank to make sure that the magnet on the water reservoir is lined up with the magnet on the brewer.
If the magnet is not aligned properly you can try to align it by yourself or you might need the help of a technician to do it.
Some Hacks to apply if your Keurig keeps shutting off while brewing
If you’re Keurig still keeps shutting off when you try to descale the machine or when you try to brew the coffee there might be some other problem with your Keurig.
In that situation, you can apply these hacks. Probably it will work for you as it helped many users.
1) Remove the excess water
Sometimes the excess water gets into the pipeline and the internal water tank of the machine and causes the Keurig to shut off while brewing.
To fix this, You need to remove the removable water reservoir and press your finger into the little plastic bladder where the water reservoir fits.
Turn the machine upside down with the finger still holding the plastic bladder. You should now see a lot of water slurping out of the top. Shake the machine back and forth to remove all the excess water.
Now, turn the machine over, reinstall the water reservoir, plug it in, and test it with a new coffee pod.
I know this is a weird solution but it has worked for many users!
2) Reset the Keurig
Resetting your Keurig machine might solve this problem.
Resetting the machine will erase all the data from the machine such as your brew settings. And if the error in the machine is because of some malware in the system it will also be erased.
Simply turn off your Keurig machine and leave it unplugged for half an hour to reset it.
3) Disable the Auto-off feature
If your Keurig machine has an auto shut-off feature, turn it off. Because sometimes the auto shut-off feature causes the machine to automatically shut off while brewing.
This will keep the timer from running out and turning the Keurig off while you’re brewing.
4) Leave the machine overnight
Although this is not a proven trick, yes, this work for some users, unplug the machine, remove the water reservoir, and empty it. Leave it overnight.
After a day, place the water tank back, fill it with water, and try to brew. Hopefully, this helps you to get the issue fix!
5) Change the Electric outlet or plug of the machine
Sometimes, we are thinking that there is an issue with the machine but in reality, the electric outlet is the main culprit.
So, try plugging the machine into some other electric outlet. If the outlet was the issue your machine will start working properly.
The plug of the machine also starts malfunctioning sometimes because of a short circuit or some wiring problems. You might consider changing the plug if you haven’t found any other issues.
6) A hack for Keurig Supreme models
The Keurig Supreme models have a very tight covering on the water tank.
Because of that, Vacuum might build when the brewer is extracting water from the tank. This will prevent water from exiting the carafe, forcing the machine to shut down and stop brewing.
Try brewing without the lid on to see if that helps.
7) Contact Keurig customer services
If unfortunately, all these hacks won’t work for you, the ultimate solution is to contact Keurig customer service to seek professional help.
Keurig Model reviews
Final thoughts
I know it’s very frustrating when Keurig keeps shutting off while brewing. And the primary reason behind creating this piece of content is to get you out of this problem.
I hope the solutions mentioned in this article will help you and your Keurig will start working properly.
Frequently Asked Question
Why won’t my Keurig stay on?
Most of the Keurig models have an auto shut-off feature. That means if you are not working the machine will turn off automatically.
The primary purpose of this function is to save energy. But if you don’t like it you can disable it.
How long do Keurigs last?
The lifespan of a Keurig machine can vary depending on the model, usage, and maintenance. On average, a well-maintained Keurig machine can last for 3-5 years. However, some Keurig machines may last longer with proper care and maintenance.
