Disposable coffee makers are one of the most convenient options for preparing your morning cup of coffee, especially if you live alone. Keurig, in particular, is known for its fast, easy-to-use coffee makers, and today, the brand offers a wide range of models, including everything from basic, no-frills options for dorms to smart, app-connected coffee makers. Which you can control remotely.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, compact coffee maker, the Keurig K-Mini Plus will come in handy. It’s the brand’s slimmest brewer, at just 4.5 inches, and is the best choice for anyone with limited space. It can prepare drinks between 6 and 12 ounces, and it also has an early morning strong drink option. However, we wanted to see if this budget-friendly model performed as well as some of the brand’s more advanced machines, so we put it to the test.
Over the course of a few weeks, I used the Keurig K-Mini Plus to make coffee, as well as drinks like hot apple cider and chai lattes, as part of my daily routine. I was impressed with the machine’s ability to make a delicious drink, but there are some caveats to its performance that you should know before purchasing.
Who is suitable?
The Keurig K-Mini Plus is perfect for anyone with limited space, whether in a small apartment, a dorm room, or even an office. The main selling point of this model is that it’s much smaller than other Keurigs, and it even comes with a K-cup storage container that docks under the spout, not taking up any extra space.
The K-Mini Plus is also best for people who only make one cup of coffee (or other hot beverage) at a time. It has a single-serving reservoir that must be filled before each use, and having to go back and forth to the sink can be frustrating if you’re making multiple servings.
Should you buy it?
The Keurig K-Mini Plus is the best choice for certain situations. The most obvious use case is if you’re looking for something very compact and easy to use. It’s great for bedrooms, apartment kitchens, and a small coffee nook in a home office. It’s currently the thinnest Keurig available at just 4.5 inches wide, and will fit comfortably into small apartments and even dorm rooms. The coffee maker comes in a variety of bright colors, and its one-button operation is incredibly simple, allowing you to quickly prepare a single cup of coffee or another hot beverage.
However, this coffee maker definitely has some quirks to know before purchasing. It’s oddly slow to brew—one cup can take more than two minutes to brew—and tends to splutter a bit. Plus, its water tank only holds enough water for one cup, so you’ll need to refill it every time you want a drink.
product specification
(Image credit: Keurig)
| Dimensions: | 12.1″H x 4.5″W x 11.3″D |
| Weight: | 4.6 pounds |
| Tank capacity: | One cup |
| Drink size: | 6-12 oz |
| Settings: | Regular or strong drink |
| Colors: | Black, Cardinal Red, Evening Teal, Studio Gray |
| Includes: | Pod storage container |
What is the form of use?
(Image credit: Future)
The Keurig K-Mini Plus is very easy to operate. To make a drink, you start by filling the single-use water tank, located at the back of the machine. It’s easy to remove and carry to the sink, and the entire lid flips up, making it easy to fill with water as well. There are markings on the side of the reservoir for 8, 10, and 12 ounces, and you have to fill it with the right amount of water for your cup. Unlike other Keurigs, which have cup size buttons, this machine simply uses all the water in its reservoir when preparing a drink.
(Image credit: Future)
Once the water tank is replaced, simply insert your desired K-cup into the machine and close the lid. If you want a stronger brew, you can press the button that indicates Strong Brew, otherwise just press the big K button to start the brewing process.
I was a little surprised at how slow this machine prepared a drink. It takes a minute or so before the device makes any sort of noise or indication that it’s working, and several times, I went back to double-check that I actually pressed the start button. It doesn’t help that there aren’t any lights or other indicators to let you know it’s brewing—just wait until you hear the water gurgling through the system.
(Image credit: Future)
After a minute or two, the K-Mini Plus begins dispensing your drink into the cup below. It can accommodate all different sizes and shapes of cups, and you can even remove the water catch area to place a longer travel mug underneath. The brewing process works just like any other Keurig machine, but I noticed that this unit tends to sputter more. I usually need to wipe down the counter after using it, otherwise there will be little drops of coffee everywhere.
Taste test
(Image credit: Future)
In terms of the drinks themselves, I was surprisingly impressed with the quality. I usually think of Keurig-brewed coffee as weaker and less flavorful than drip coffee, but the Green Mountain K-cups I used were actually pretty good. It was the perfect drink to keep active on an afternoon, and I’ve also used the machine to make chai lattes and hot chocolate with great results.
Cleaning and storage
One of the best parts of using a Keurig instead of… Drip coffee maker Is that there is almost no cleaning required. Aside from splatter, when you’re done making a drink, just throw away the used K-Cup. It’s that easy.
(Image credit: Future)
The brand recommends descaling your Keurig every three to six months, and you’ll have to remember to do it yourself, as the K-Mini doesn’t have a descaling indicator light. The good news is that the process is simple: simply add the descaling solution to the tank and prepare your coffee as usual. Once you’re done, rinse the device twice, and you’ll be ready to continue for several more months.
For more compact storage, this model comes with a handy container that can hold up to nine K-Cups, and fits under the machine’s nozzle. It’s a convenient way to keep K-cups close at hand without taking up any extra storage space.
How is it evaluated online?
The Keurig K-Mini Plus has a 4-star rating from more than 2,500 reviewers on the website. Elegant site. Among the positive reviews, people often comment on the machine’s compact size and straightforward operation, although some reviewers, like myself, note that it brews much slower than expected.
on AmazonThe machine received 4.5 stars from nearly 7,000 reviewers, many of whom love its slim design. However, there are a fair number of buyers who say that the device stops working within a year of purchase, which may disable you.
How does it compare to other Keurigs?
I tested the Keurig K-Mini Plus side by side K-Supreme SMARTThe two models are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Because the K-Mini Plus is so compact and easy to use, the K-Supreme SMART is one of the brand’s more high-tech options. It has a digital control panel that lets you control settings like cup size, water temperature, drink strength, and more, and it can also sync with your smartphone via Wi-Fi. This more advanced unit is definitely worth the extra money if you want to be able to customize your drinks or brew more frequent cups of coffee.
How do we test?
(Image credit: Future)
Before we recommend a coffee maker, we take it into our test kitchen or try it out in our homes. It varies by machine, but we make as much coffee as possible in each machine. We try espresso, americano, cappuccino, and related teas. We’re also trying out these coffees and hot drinks with milk alternatives for vegans and lactose-intolerant readers.
We also disassemble, clean and store each machine so we can understand what it is like to actually live with these machines. We base our reviews on a set of criteria: the coffee should taste good, the machine should be comfortable and easy to use, and we love innovation. All the details are on our page dedicated to how to test coffee machines.