The Keurig K-Compact is a single serve coffee maker that provides the convenience of making one fresh cup at a time with the simplicity of Keurig's pod brewing system. Part of Keurig's Classic Series, the K-Compact model offers compact size while maintaining core features like brew size customization and removable water reservoir. With a 36 ounce water tank capacity and compatibility with K-Cup pods, the K-Compact aims to deliver flavorful coffee, tea, cocoa and more in under a minute. Its space-saving design makes it ideal for small kitchens or dorm rooms. Overall, the K-Compact offers an affordable entry point into Keurig's single serve coffee ecosystem.

Design

The Keurig K-Compact has a sleek and compact design that makes it ideal for small kitchens or workspaces. Despite its small size, it can brew 6, 8, 10, or 12 oz cups.

The K-Compact has a width of less than 12 inches, a height of 12.5 inches, and a depth of just 4.4 inches. This allows it to fit easily on countertops or in cabinets without taking up much space.

The coffee maker comes in stylish colors like black, red, turquoise, and white. The colors and matte finish give it a clean, modern look that complements any decor. Whether your kitchen style is traditional or contemporary, the K-Compact blends in seamlessly.

Another great option is the Bonsenkitchen CM3301, which is noted for its versatility and ease of use. This model allows for adjustable brew sizes, accommodating various cup preferences. Its compact footprint is also perfect for limited spaces, making it an excellent choice for apartments or dorm rooms. With a simple interface and quick brewing time, it promises a delightful coffee experience without fuss. Additionally, its aesthetic design adds a touch of elegance to your kitchen decor.

Brew Sizes

The K-Compact brewer offers versatile brew size options to suit your preferences. It can brew 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, and 12 oz single serve K-Cup pods. This allows you to brew anything from a small espresso to a large coffee mug.

The brewer also has a convenient travel mug setting that allows you to brew directly into your 14 oz to 16 oz travel mug. This is perfect for brewing coffee to take on-the-go. The travel mug platform easily adjusts to accommodate most travel mug sizes.

Another great option is the Keurig K-Slim K900, which is designed for those who prefer a compact machine without sacrificing quality. This sleek brewer not only fits perfectly in small spaces but also delivers a great taste with its premium features. The K-Slim K900 allows you to brew your favorite beverages using a variety of K-Cup pod sizes and includes an easy-to-use single serve design that makes coffee making quicker and simpler.

Features

The K-Compact has several useful features that enhance the coffee brewing experience:

• Strength Control: You can adjust the strength of your coffee by pressing the "strong" button, which will brew a more concentrated cup. This allows you to customize the flavor to your preferences.

• Auto-Off: After 2 hours of inactivity, the K-Compact will automatically power off to save energy. This is a helpful feature that prevents the machine from being left on accidentally.

• Descale Alert: The K-Compact has a descaling indicator that lights up when it's time to descale. Descaling removes built-up mineral deposits from the internal components, ensuring optimal brewing. This maintenance reminder helps keep your machine running cleanly.

• Compatible with K-Cups: The K-Compact works with any standard K-Cup pod, giving you countless coffee and beverage options from various brands like Green Mountain, Peet's, Starbucks and more.

• Removable Drip Tray: The drip tray can be removed, making it easy to accommodate travel mugs or clean-up spills.

Overall, the useful features of the K-Compact like strength control, auto-off, and descaling alerts make the brewing experience effortless and customizable.

Ease of Use

The Keurig K-Compact is very easy to use. Just insert a K-Cup pod, select your desired brew size, and press the brew button.

The brew sizes available are 6, 8, 10 oz for coffee and 4, 6, 8 oz for tea and iced beverages. You simply lift the handle, insert a pod, lower the handle, choose your brew size by pressing the corresponding button, and press the main brew button. The machine will dispense hot water through the pod to brew your beverage directly into your cup or travel mug up to 7 inches tall.

The simplicity of popping in a pod and choosing a size makes the K-Compact exceptionally easy for anyone to use. There's no need to measure grounds, fill filters, or program settings. The one-touch operation couldn't be more straightforward.

Brew Quality

The K-Compact brews a good cup of coffee that is rich, bold, and flavorful. The Keurig brewing technology evenly saturates the coffee grounds to extract full flavor.

• Taste: The coffee has a smooth, balanced taste without any bitterness or burnt flavors. It brings out the subtle notes and aromas of the coffee.

• Temperature: The K-Compact brews the coffee at an optimal temperature, around 190°F. This helps extract the best flavor from the grounds. The coffee stays hot for a while after brewing.

• Crema: The K-Compact doesn't produce much crema or foam on the coffee. Since it uses K-Cups, the short brew time doesn't allow for blooming and degassing that creates crema. But the coffee still has a nice, rich texture.

The K-Compact makes a tasty cup of coffee that is hot, flavorful, and satisfying. The simple one-touch brewing delivers consistent results.

Water Reservoir

The Keurig K-Compact comes with a removable 35oz water reservoir. This is a decent capacity that allows you to brew 3-4 cups before needing a refill. The water tank is easy to access and remove from the left side of the brewer. It features a handle and pour spout to make refilling straightforward either at the sink or water dispenser.

Some users may prefer a larger reservoir, but the capacity is sufficient for 1-2 people's daily coffee needs. Having a removable tank allows you to keep your brewer footprint compact while making refills easy. The tank has measurement markings on the side so you can see the current water level at a glance.

Overall, the reservoir size and design make it simple to keep your K-Compact stocked with enough water for your morning cup of joe. Just remove, refill, and replace as needed.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The Keurig K-Compact requires occasional descaling and cleaning to keep it running smoothly. Descaling removes mineral deposits from the internal components that can build up over time from hard water.

To descale the K-Compact, Keurig recommends using their proprietary descaling solution, which can be purchased on Amazon or in select stores. The descaling process takes about 20 minutes and involves pouring the solution into the water reservoir and running hot water brew cycles. Keurig provides detailed descaling instructions in the user manual.

In addition to descaling, regular cleaning helps maintain your K-Compact. The external parts can be wiped down with a damp cloth as needed. The drip tray is removable and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The K-Cup pod holder assembly can also be removed and rinsed under running water. For a deep clean, Keurig recommends soaking the pod holder in white vinegar occasionally to remove any buildup.

Following the recommended descaling and cleaning routine helps prevent scale and hard water damage, ensures proper brewing, and keeps your K-Compact running like new. The process is relatively quick and straightforward.

Noise Level

The Keurig K-Compact produces minimal noise during the brewing process. The brewer utilizes Keurig's quiet brew technology, which significantly reduces noise when compared to previous Keurig models.

When brewing a cup, the K-Compact produces a gentle hum that is comparable in volume to a refrigerator. You'll hear the initial clicks and whirs when inserting a pod and closing the pod bay, followed by a low rumbling noise as water is heated and forced through the pod. The brewing noise itself is relatively quiet and unlikely to disturb others even in close proximity.

Some users note the K-Compact is slightly louder than higher-end Keurig models like the K-Elite when brewing, but is much quieter than older Keurig brewers. Many are pleased with the minimal noise level that enables brewing a fresh cup without disrupting an otherwise quiet environment. Overall, the quiet brew technology makes the K-Compact one of the quietest single serve pod brewers available.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Compact single serve brewer that’s great for small kitchens or apartments
• Brews coffee fast, usually under 60 seconds
• Can brew cup sizes ranging from 6-12 oz
• Simple to use control panel with push button brewing
• Easy to fill water reservoir and dump pods
• Automatically turns off after 2 hours to save energy
• Quiet brewing process compared to many single serve machines

Cons

• Small 40 oz water reservoir requires frequent refilling
• Only compatible with K-Cup pods, not other brands
• Pod coffee tends to be more expensive per cup than regular coffee
• Pod waste is not the most eco-friendly option
• Cannot brew larger travel mug sizes
• Cheaper plastic construction compared to some pricier Keurig models
• Limited 2 color options