Keurig K-Classic Review

Picture this: Rolling out of bed still half asleep and pressing one button. That effort rewards you with a delicious hit of coffee. How can you get this simplicity? Well, that’s what this Keurig K-Class review is here to tell you.

Giant of America’s coffee landscape, Keurig, is one of the leading manufacturers of coffee brewing systems worldwide. They specialize in single-serve coffee machines and their own brand of coffee pods, the K-Cup. Within their coffee maker range lies their iconic K-Classic machine.

The Keurig K55 and K50 were previously much-loved coffee machines in the Keurig line-up. Both have now been discontinued and have been replaced by the K-Classic. If you are looking for a no-frills, couldn’t-be-simpler approach to quality coffee then you are in the right place.

Here we breakdown our full Keurig K-Classic Review to find out if this is the top coffee machine for you. We have scoured the internet for all the expert reviews on this machine to collate with our own. This means we have the most comprehensive single-serve coffee maker reviews you can find. Whilst not all home coffee experts give numerical scores, we have averaged these out. Therefore, you can get a consensus opinion on how good this coffee machine is, and know for sure if it is the right fit for you.

At a Glance: Keurig K-Classic Review

1. Three Brew Sizes

With this intuitive coffee machine, you can brew coffee in multiple sizes. The K-Classic comes with the option to make your coffee in 3 brew sizes – 6oz, 8oz, and 10oz. So there will always be the perfect size for you. Coffee lovers will prefer the 6oz option for a stronger flavor. The larger sizes can be a little thin.

2. 48oz Removable Water Tank

Taking countless trips to the faucet might not be the most difficult task in the world, but it is an extra step between you and that much-needed coffee hit. So, the large water tank on the K-Classic is an added bonus. At 48oz, you can brew a 6oz cup of coffee for 8 days straight before you need to refill. Being removable, the water tank can be easily re-filled at the faucet, then re-fitted.

3. Compatible with all K-Cups

The K-Classic Coffee Maker will take any K-Cup coffee pods. This means that you can choose your favorite coffee, in pod form, and be able to enjoy it. There are loads of well-known names who make K-Cups including Starbucks, McCafe, Gevalia, Folgers, Dunkin Donuts – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So you will have endless options to explore and choose from, knowing that your favorite coffee almost certainly comes in a K-Cup.

4. Automatic Off Function

If your mornings are a mad dash from one errand to the next, and by the time you get to work, you are left worrying if you left the coffee maker on. Well, worry no more. The K-Classic has an “Auto Off” function. All you have to do is enable it, then after two hours of sitting idle, the coffee maker will automatically turn itself off. This is a very handy feature that is common in the more expensive machines. When this feature is present, the “auto-off” tends to kick in earlier than 2 hours, however, for the price it is a great option.

5. Replaceable water filter

The K-Classic comes with two water filters as it is recommended that this is replaced every 60 days (or every 120 tank refills). You sit the water filter inside the Keurig K-Cup water reservoir meaning that you don’t have to worry about hard or soft water tainting the flavor of your favorite coffees. Keeping on top of replacing the filter will ensure you keep getting great-tasting coffee. When it is time to replace, it is very simple to do.

6. Fast Brewing

The last thing you want when you wake up in the morning is to stand around waiting for your first cup of coffee. And the K-Classic has your back. It’s pretty fast, taking around 4 to 5 minutes for the first cup. After that, it will take less than a minute for your next cup. 

7. Travel Mug Compatible 

Getting ready for the commute to work couldn’t be easier. You no longer have to decant from a carafe into your favorite travel mug. With the Keurig K Classic, you can pop your travel mug straight on your coffee machine and brew straight into it. Your travel mug just needs to be 7.1″ or less in order to fit.

From filling the removable water tank to deep cleaning the needles and descaling, it’s all about simplicity. Although the K Classic doesn’t have an LCD screen, the buttons are very easy to use. This intuitive coffee maker has little lights to indicate when the water tank needs to be filled, or the machine needs descaling.

It takes about 5 minutes from the machine being turned on to having a cup of coffee in your hands, then about 1 minute to brew any subsequent cup of coffee. All you need to do is just put the pod in and press the button indicating the size you want, and you’re ready to enjoy your freshly brewed cup of coffee.

We can guarantee that there is a K-Cup pod out there for the type of coffee you enjoy drinking. Unless, of course, you only drink medium roast from a specific plantation in Jamaica or something. But even for those who are insanely specific about their coffee beans (we get it), you can also use your own ground coffee. To do so, you need to purchase a Keurig My K-Cup, a reusable, re-fillable basket that fits in just like a pod.

The My K-Cup is great for 2 reasons. The obvious is the freedom to use your own beans. Although this will involve having a separate grinder or buying ground coffee. But, secondly, is the environmental impact. K-Cup pods are unrecyclable so leave behind a big footprint. Yes, you can take all the individual components of the pod apart and recycle them separately. But, realistically, who has the time to consistently do that?!

It’s important to note that the K-Classic doesn’t accept K-Carafe or K-Mug pods though. Only the K-Cup ones.

The buttons are clear and easy to use. Plus, the various LED lights mean the lack of a display isn’t really a big issue. The only time this might bother you is if you like having a clock on your coffee machine. There are 2 color options – black and rhubarb (red). So, hardly a full rainbow of options to brighten your kitchen. But at this price point, it’s pretty rare to have much choice when it comes to aesthetics.

The machine is mostly plastic though. Whilst we wouldn’t say it looks “cheap”, it does raise questions about the K-Classic’s long-term durability. It should be noted though that there aren’t many complaints of the machine degrading badly over time. And you do have a 1-year warranty if you have any issues within this period.

The auto-off feature is a nice touch. So if you forget to turn your coffee machine off, it will automatically do this for you after 2 hours. The only downside is that 2 hours is quite a long time if you just make a cup of coffee in the morning and then you’re out the door. But it’s not a common feature on all espresso machines in the budget price range so definitely still a plus.

It’s basically impossible to make coffee wrong with this single-serve coffee maker – no matter how tired or hungover you are. So the consistency is excellent. If you’ve never used a K-Cup coffee machine before, it may take some time to find the right pods for you. So, to help you with your search, when you buy the Keurig K-Classic we recommend getting a selection of K-Cup pods to get you started.

There is no “strong” setting on this Keurig machine. This is a common feature on more expensive single-serve machines, including the Keurig 2.0. So if you find the coffee is a bit weak, you’ll need to try more pods until you find one more appropriate for your tastes.

Also, although the K Classic does produce 3 different brew sizes, this is using the same pod. So you’ll find that a 10oz cup of coffee made by a Keurig machine will not be as strong as an 8oz cup. Now, this is fine if you like an americano style coffee. But if you want a long, strong coffee you’ll need to use multiple pods, which can get very expensive very fast.

We highly recommend using a re-usable My K-Cup if you have your own grinder or have a favorite type of ground coffee. This is for 2 reasons:

1. It will save you A LOT of money in the long run
2. It massively reduces the plastic waste from all those pods, there is no Planet B after all

If you do go down this route, make sure you follow the instructions carefully on filling your My K-Cup. If you use too much coffee, it will cause the machine to overflow.

But being the generous types that we are, we’ll say the auto-off feature is a nice extra. It isn’t available on all machines at this price point so while it is limited, it is still very nice to have. As is being able to fit a travel mug. It certainly makes the mad dash for the morning commute that little bit easier and, is again, very rare on the more entry-level machines.

Depending on how often you use your coffee maker, descaling will need to be done every 3 to 6 months.

The pods mean there are no coffee grounds to deal with. Although if you use re-usable pods like My K-Cup, there will be. But coffee grounds are actually super useful and there are loads of things you can do with them. Or, you can just bin them.

The removable drip tray can be rinsed out every day with great ease and with minimal effort, you’ll have a sparkly machine sat on your countertop.

First up – the coffee pods. It’s pretty hard to run a pod machine without pods!

When you are getting started we recommend getting a sample pack of different K-Cups. This will allow you to have a good taste of what’s out there before you commit. With so many options, it can take a little trial and error to find your favorite.

You can always cut straight to My K-Cup. This is a reusable, refillable basket that you can put any ground coffee beans into. The My K-Cup then fits into the machine just like any normal pod, but without the environmental impact.

When you first purchase the K-Classic, you get two water filters included. These will last you a good while (around 60 days each). But, it’s always worth keeping a supply of filters so you don’t run out. Whilst they are optional, the carbon filters remove any nasties from your water. And since one of the main parts of coffee is water, we recommend keeping this to the highest quality you can.

The only other thing you will need is descaling solution or white wine vinegar. By keeping up with the descaling of your machine, you will significantly increase its lifespan. A vinegar solution can leave behind a slight flavor or smell. Instead, you can use the Keurig Descaling Solution. Purchasing a coffee maker is an investment, so should be looked after like one too.

Being a plug-and-play, single-serve coffee maker, there are no customizable options in terms of water temperature or pressure. This makes the K-Classic espresso machine insanely easy to use.

So, if you’re after a single-serve K-Cup espresso machine to make your favorite K-Cup coffees at home, but don’t want to splash out, then this is a really solid option for the price.

Nevertheless, if you’re buying a single-serve pod machine like Keurig or Nespresso, it is important to consider the cost of the pods too. Whilst the K-Classic is a budget espresso machine, the pods cost the same regardless of the coffee machine’s price bracket.

We will leave you with our last thoughts on this Keurig K-Classic Review. If you are in the market to upgrade from an old-fashioned drip coffee maker or want something sleek and easy, the K Classic is a fantastic introductory coffee machine for use in any home or office.

Don’t forget to Buy Your Keurig K Classic Today

Matt Woodburn-Simmonds

Matt's coffee obsession started in 2006 when working as a Barista. A tendency to turn up to work hungover kickstarted his coffee journey which quickly turned into a love affair. As he moved on to work as a Restaurant Manager and Sommelier, the obsession continued to grow. Now, his passion is helping others to enjoy better coffee at home.