I Like Speed and Simplicity When It Comes to My Coffee. That’s Why I Gave the New Keurig K-Mini a Whirl
A fresh cup of coffee without the hassle? That’s the idea behind this single-serve Keurig machine that is small, speedy, and simple.
Photo Illustration by Scouted/The Daily Beast/Amazon
Sometimes, you just really need a single cup of coffee without the fuss. That’s the idea behind the Keurig, the automated coffee dispenser that made its debut in 2004. You grab a pod, drop it into the machine, and press the big start button. Flash forward to 2019 and the Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker is the grown-up, teeny-tiny model for busy people.
I’m a total coffee fanatic and drink way too much of the stuff, but I also had a few other reasons to try this machine. First and foremost: I like simplicity. The Keurig K-Mini is a single-serve machine in that you only fill the tank with enough water for one cup.
That’s actually a bonus because the water never sits idle all day. To brew, you press the big K button. If you remove the cup holder, you can slide in your own thermos. I liked how the cord stashes away in the back. It’s also a countertop space saver: The K-Mini is much slimmer than the Keurig machines I’ve tested in the past -- it’s only five inches wide. That’s dainty in comparison to normal drip coffee makers from brands like Mr. Coffee.
In my tests, one cup took exactly 1:34 seconds to brew. (In addition to liking to keep things simple, I also don’t like to wait around long for my coffee.) Even though the K-Mini is priced lower than other Keurig machines, you can still use all of the pods for many different coffee flavors plus tea, hot cocoa, and decaf from major brands like Starbucks, Caribou, Swiss Miss, and even McDonalds. There’s a ton of variety.
I brewed some Starbucks and the taste is quite nice. I won’t say the K-Mini competes with the Jura machines I’ve tested that cost around $1,000 or more, but thick dark roast coffee is not for everyone. My wife prefers the taste of Keurig over anything at coffee shops.
The K-Mini comes in black, gray, and what they call “Oasis” which is a greenish-blue and the one I tested. It stands out nicely in a kitchen that’s mostly all browns and blacks. Honestly, there are quite a few larger Keurig machines that hold more water, but I prefer the single-serve K-Mini. You still get the coffee, but without any hassle.
Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker
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