Keurig K-Mini Plus Single Serve coffee maker: Full Review

The Keurig K-Mini coffee maker is Keurig's newest single-serve coffee machine aimed at consumers looking for a compact brewer that doesn't sacrifice features or functionality. Released in 2018, the K-Mini builds upon the popularity of the classic Keurig K-Cup single cup brewing system while offering a minimalist, modern design perfect for small spaces.

Despite its small size, the K-Mini packs in core features like automatic brew size, a large water reservoir, and compatibility with hundreds of K-Cup pods. With a simple one-touch operation, the K-Mini offers an easy way to brew fresh, delicious coffee - one cup at a time. Its slim 6-12oz brew size makes it ideal for everything from small morning coffees to larger travel mugs. For those short on counter space, the K-Mini provides full K-Cup performance in one of Keurig's smallest models yet.

Design

The Keurig K-Mini Plus has a compact and sleek design that makes it perfect for small kitchens or office spaces. Despite its small 6.6 x 4.5 x 11.3 inch footprint, it can brew cups between 6-12 oz.

The K-Mini Plus comes in a variety of fun colors like black, oasis, cobalt, pink, and more, so you can choose one to match your style and kitchen décor. The colors are bold and eye-catching.

The brewer has a simple button interface on top. The drip tray can be removed to accommodate travel mugs up to 7 inches tall. The water reservoir is detachable with a 36 oz capacity, but the compact design means you'll need to refill it frequently.

Overall, the petite Keurig K-Mini Plus offers single-serve convenience in a small package without taking up much counter space. The fun color options add personality.

In addition to the K-Mini Plus, the Keurig K-Slim K900 is another excellent choice for those looking for a compact coffee maker. It features a slim profile that easily fits into tight spaces while offering a larger water reservoir of 46 oz. This brewer also supports multiple cup sizes, allowing users to customize their brew. With its easy-to-use interface and modern design, the K-Slim enhances your coffee experience without taking up much room in your kitchen.

Features

The Keurig K-Mini Plus has several notable features that make it a convenient single serve coffee maker.

• Single Serve - The K-Mini Plus brews one fresh cup at a time. No need to brew an entire pot if you just want one cup. The single serve functionality is perfect for households with different coffee preferences.

• Cord Storage - The power cord wraps neatly under the brewer for easy and compact storage. This makes the K-Mini Plus easy to store away or transport when not in use.

• Travel Mug Friendly - The K-Mini Plus is designed to accommodate travel mugs up to 7.4 inches tall. Simply remove the drip tray to fit a travel mug under the dispenser. This allows you to brew directly into your own mug to take your freshly brewed coffee on the go.

Another excellent option is the Bonsenkitchen CM3301, which offers a sleek design and ease of use. It brews great-tasting coffee quickly and has a compact size, making it perfect for small kitchens or office spaces. With its user-friendly interface, you can easily switch between various cup sizes to suit your needs. The Bonsenkitchen CM3301 also features a removable water reservoir for hassle-free refilling and cleaning, ensuring that you enjoy a fresh cup every time without any mess.

Ease of Use

The Keurig K-Mini Plus coffee maker is designed for straightforward, fuss-free operation. It features a simple button interface that makes brewing incredibly easy. There are just three buttons - power, brew, and cup size.

To brew, you add water to the removable reservoir, pop in a K-Cup pod, choose your cup size, and press brew. The water reservoir is easy to access and can hold up to 1 cup of water at a time, reducing the need to refill between cups.

The simplicity of the interface, combined with the removable reservoir, allows anyone to make a fresh, hot cup of coffee in under a minute. No complicated settings or programming required.

Brew Quality

The Keurig K-Mini Plus brews a high quality cup of coffee. The brew size can be customized anywhere from a 6 oz cup all the way up to a 12 oz travel mug. No matter what size you choose, the K-Mini Plus ensures the water is heated to the optimal 192-197 degree Fahrenheit range for extracting the best flavor from coffee grounds. The K-Cup pods contain pre-measured portions of ground coffee, so the flavor is consistent every time. The hot water fully saturates the grounds and extracts the full richness and aroma you expect from a fresh cup of coffee. Many reviewers comment that the Keurig brews tasty coffee with the convenience of a single cup pod machine. One downside is that without a reusable K-Cup pod, there can be more waste from the disposable plastic pods versus brewing a whole pot. But the trade-off for freshness and convenience is worth it for most owners. Overall, the K-Mini Plus delivers flavorful coffee brewed at the ideal temperature in customizable serving sizes.

Pod Compatibility

The Keurig K-Mini Plus works with any K-Cup pod, including Keurig's own brand of pods as well as popular third party pods from brands like Starbucks, Peet's, and more. This versatility allows you to enjoy a wide variety of coffee, tea, and other beverage options from the comfort of home.

The K-Mini Plus has a pod holder that is designed to accommodate the shape and size of a standard K-Cup pod. The pods easily snap into place and are pierced by the brewing needles when you close the brewer handle. No adapters or workarounds are required.

One of the benefits of the K-Mini Plus is that you are not locked into a specific brand of pod like some single-serve brewers. As long as the pod is a K-Cup format, the brewer will be able to make the beverage. This gives you lots of options to explore different flavors and roasts from your favorite brands.

The only pods that are not compatible are ones made for competing single-serve systems like Nespresso or Tassimo. But when it comes to the dominant K-Cup style of pod, the K-Mini Plus can handle them all with ease.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The Keurig K-Mini Plus is relatively easy to clean and maintain with regular descaling and cleaning.

You'll want to descale the K-Mini Plus every 3-6 months to remove mineral buildup and ensure optimal brewing. Simply fill the water reservoir with Keurig Descaling Solution, run a cleansing brew cycle, and rinse thoroughly. The descaling process takes about 10 minutes.

The drip tray is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The K-Mini Plus brewer can be wiped down with a damp cloth as needed to keep the exterior clean. Avoid immersing the brewer in water or using abrasive cleaners.

For thorough cleaning, Keurig recommends descaling first, then rinsing the water reservoir and refilling it with fresh water. Run a cleansing brew without a pod to rinse out any remaining descaling solution. Wipe down the brewer exterior and drip tray. Follow descaling and cleaning instructions carefully to keep your K-Mini Plus performing its best.

Energy Efficiency

The Keurig K-Mini has an excellent energy efficient design. One of the standout features is the auto off function. After 90 seconds of inactivity, the K-Mini will automatically turn itself off to conserve energy. This helps reduce unnecessary power consumption when the coffee maker is not in use. The auto off can save electricity and lower energy bills over time. It's an especially useful feature for households or offices that may forget to manually power down small appliances. The automatic switch off gives peace of mind that the K-Mini won't continue drawing power indefinitely if left unused for periods of time. This makes the K-Mini an environmentally friendly single serve coffee maker.

Pros

The Keurig K-Mini Plus has several advantages that make it a compelling single serve coffee maker option:

• Compact size - The K-Mini Plus has a slim 12" width, ideal for small kitchens or apartments where counter space is limited. The brewer takes up minimal room but still offers 6-12 oz brew sizes.

• Simple to use - With just a power button and brew size button, the K-Mini Plus is incredibly easy to operate. Insert a pod, choose your size, and you'll have a fresh cup of coffee in under a minute. No complex menus or settings to navigate.

• Good brew quality - Reviews praise the K-Mini Plus for producing a good, hot cup of coffee consistently. The brewer heats water to the optimal temperature and saturates pods thoroughly. Flavor and strength is comparable to what you'd get from a traditional drip coffee machine.

Cons

The Keurig K-Mini has a few drawbacks to consider:

• Small water reservoir - The removable reservoir only holds enough water for 1 cup at a time. This means you'll need to refill the tank each time you brew, which can be inconvenient. The small 6-12 oz reservoir capacity limits the amount of coffee you can make in one session.

• Only compatible with K-Cups - The K-Mini is designed exclusively for Keurig's own K-Cup pods. It does not support reusable filters or other pod brands. You're limited to using Keurig's single-serve coffee pods, which can be more expensive per cup compared to ground coffee or larger multi-serve brewers. This restriction reduces choice and flexibility.

• Not ideal for larger households - Given the single cup water tank and K-Cup pod limitation, the K-Mini works best for individuals or couples that primarily make 1 cup at a time. It's not ideal for large families or households that brew multiple cups back-to-back frequently. The small reservoir requires constant refilling.