Keurig Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker

Custom Brewing Features 45/5

When it comes to customizability, the Keurig K-Café coffee maker is very different from any other Keurig machines: while it lacks features such as Temperature Control or Altitude Settings, it comes with options that are unique to this model.

The first and most obvious one is the milk frother: it works with different types of fresh milk , it can froth both hot or cold , and, depending on the fill line, for lattes or cappuccinos.

The other unique feature is the Shot button, which complements the frother.

It gives you a stronger, espresso-style shot of 2 ounces that you can use as a base to create frothy drinks. However, its worth noting that its not actual espresso, as that can only be achieved by pushing hot water under sufficient pressure through fine grounds , which is not how Keurig machines work .

While its popular for frothy drinks, the K-Café will obviously give you regular drip coffee in different cup sizes and youll also be able to get a stronger brew if you wish.

The K-Café is compatible with many different K-Cups, but, even though this is a capsule-based brewer, we advise against them .

There are many reasons to be conflicted about pod brewing: there are the high financial and environmental costs, the small selection of coffees available, and of course the quality problems of stale ground coffee.

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Worst Customer Service Ever

Get ready for this! I ordered this and when it was delivered they delivered me a Bissell handheld vacuum. When I called HSN Customer Service they simply said to return the vacuum. I asked for free expedited shipping so I could actually get my Keurig faster. They said no and no account credit due to me having to take time to pack a vacuum back up and make the return. Horrific customer service. I simply canceled the $170.00 order. I’ll just get it somewhere else.

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Keurig Coffee Maker Comparison Chart

Design: Modern Look But Oddly Shaped

The Keurig K-Café Single Serve Coffee, Latte & Cappuccino Maker measures 12.5 x 15.3 x 11.7 inches, so it doesnt take up a ton of counter space. However, it is somewhat oddly shaped with two wings on each side of the K-Cup pod holder : the left containing the 60-ounce water tank and the right containing the frother base. We thought that it looked somewhat asymmetrical since the right wing is a lot lower than the rest of the unit. Besides that, the overall design is modern and sleek, easily able to fit within most kitchens.

This machine is designed to make one coffee beverage at a time, and it works solely with K-Cup pods. That means you must regularly purchase these pods in order to use the machine. Fortunately, K-Cup pods are available in most grocery stores, so it wasnt too much of an issue. The only problem we ran into with this feature is that there is somewhat of a limit on flavor varieties with the pods. There isnt as wide and as versatile of a selection compared to regular coffee grounds or beans, limiting what kind of coffee we could brew with the Keurig. If you prefer buying your own grounds or are trying to cut down on waste, you can also buy the K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter separately.

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Setup Process: Fairly Fast And Easy

Setting up this coffee maker was fairly easy and took only about 10 minutes in total. The included guide advises cleaning the water reservoir, frother lid, frother whisk, and the frothers interior. After the components were dry, we attached them back to the machine and turned the machine on. It took about three minutes for the machine to heat up.

Next, we opened and closed the lid of the K-Cup pod holder , which caused the Coffee and Latte & Capp buttons to blink. Next, we pressed the 6oz button followed by the brew button , and the internal cleansing process started automatically.

We loved how simple the process was to make a cup of coffee or a latte. At the touch of a few buttons, our coffee was ready to go in a few minutes.

The included Quick Start Guide made the entire process a lot less daunting because there were pictures to guide us through every step. There also arent a ton of accessories included with this machine, which helped make the setup that much faster without having to do a bunch of pre-reading.

Ease Of Cleaning: Low Maintenance

The included guide recommends cleaning certain parts of the unit regularly to keep it running smoothing. This occasional process includes rinsing out the water reservoir and cleaning out the exit and entrance needle. The frother, however, needs to be cleaned after every use. But even thats not too difficult because the whisk, frother lid, and frother are all dishwasher safe.

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A Closer Look At The Other Features

Milk Frother. The milk frother will easily froth skim, soy or almond milk. Be sure and follow the instructions, including using the lid. Im used to not using a lid from my DeLonghi espresso maker so I was surprised that this was so necessary. It actually uses a magnetic agitator to spin. This is brilliant. You wont have to worry about cleaning under any type of blade. The frother jug has no non-stick coatings on it so nothing will peel off at any time.

You have two choices when picking the amount of froth. Both options can be hot or cold.

Latte: Begins with 6 ounces of milk. It froths to create between 20% and 30% froth.

Cappuccino: Begins with 4 ounces of milk. It froths to a 50/50 ratio of froth to milk.

High Altitude Setting keeps the coffee brewing at altitudes over 5,000 feet. Where you would normally get a weaker cup of coffee since the boiling point changes at high altitude, this coffee maker will adjust the water temperature accordingly. This allows the proper amount of flavor to be extracted from the coffee ground. Youll get a strong cup of coffee every time no matter where you live.

How Much Counter Space Does It Use

Dimensions are 12.5 H X 15.3 W X 11.7 DIt isnt very tall but you have to consider the width to be the sticking point here. The water reservoir is on one side while the milk frother is on the other. You not only need room for the width of the machine, you also need room for the reservoir to be released in order to be refilled and cleaned.

Heres a great video and demo of this machine.

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What The Comments Say

There are a lot of comments on this machine. Lets take a look at the impressions its making on other people before we disclose our verdict.

Praises From Reviewers: One of the quietest K-Cups machines Keurig has ever made. Even the frothing machine is quiet. Having owned one of the earliest versions of a home style K-cup machine, I can tell you this is impressive. The older machines were likely to draw complaints from the neighbors. I had mine on an old mouse pad and a piece of carpet to keep my glassware from clanging while I was brewing a cup of coffee.People are also impressed with the frother. This is a very good frothing machine. Frothing milk is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome when making a latte or cappuccino. Getting the milk to the proper temperature and getting foam before your coffee goes cold can make you feel like youre suddenly competing on Chopped. This frother not only produces top foam, it does it quickly.Drawbacks to ConsiderFlavor, as you might anticipate, isnt as strong when compared to a true, pressure brewed espresso. This is unfortunate since espresso coffee is the base ingredient for a high quality cappuccino or latte. This is why it doesnt really say it can brew espresso.

Tips For Making Lattes And Cappuccinos In Your Keurig K

Heres a few quick tips for getting a great tasting drink from your Keurig Machine

Use a bold K-Cup flavor for richer flavor. A coffee thats roasted a little darker than what youre used to drinking will prevent the milk and froth from overpowering the coffee flavor.Try San Francisco Bays Rainforest Blend for a superb cup of dark roast coffee.

Make your favorite syrups ahead of time. Most simple syrups can be made with sugar, water and flavorings. Making up a batch in advance and youll have a great time experimenting with different coffee concoctions.

You can add sugar syrups to the frother and your mug before you start brewing or frothing. Its disappointing when you add a syrup and it simply doesnt blend well. You need your syrup at room temperature, drop it into the mug or frother and give it at least 30 seconds to one minute to start to melt after the coffee has completed its brew cycle. Blend up the coffee and syrup prior to adding the milk. Following these simple steps will help to distribute the flavor throughout the coffee and avoid having a puddle of syrupy sugar at the bottom of the mug.

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Make Your Life Easier Features 4/5

If, when looking at this large machine, your first thought was Oh no, it will be a nightmare to clean!, well worry not! The Keurig K-Café comes with many practical features that make the cleaning process super easy:

The milk frother, drip tray, and K-Cup holder are all removable and dishwasher safe.

The handy descaling reminder will also alert you when its time to run white vinegar or Keurigs descaling solution through your coffee maker.

While it lacks features such as the Hot Water button or the Quiet Brew Technology, the K-Café includes a couple more practical options. For example, this model has a Smart Start, which means that you can insert the K-Cup and choose the cup size before the machine is ready: it will brew coffee as soon as its heated up.

Theres also an Auto Off feature that switches off your brewer after 2 hours .

Whats The Difference Between A Latte And A Cappuccino

The difference between a latte and a cappuccino is that the former consists of a coffee shot of espresso, steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, whereas a cappuccino has a coffee shot of espresso, less steamed milk and a much thicker layer of froth. Cappuccinos are often served with a sprinkle of chocolate powder on top, too.

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How Easy Is It To Clean The Keurig K

The milk frother and drip tray are top-rack dishwasher safe. The milk frothers mixer is very small and will probably get tossed around in a dishwasher. Flying object and glassware dont mix so its probably best to wash this by hand.

Descaling Alert lets you know when its time to start the descaling process to prevent calcium build up.

Performance: Quick Quality Coffee

To brew a cup of coffee with this machine, we filled the water tank to the max line, placed a mug on the drip tray , and placed a K-Cup pod in the holder. Next, we pressed the Coffee button followed by the cup size button we wanted. Depending on the users preference, there are four cup sizes: 6-, 8-, 10-, or 12-ounce. After pressing the middle brew button, the coffee dispensed into the mug. To make a coffee shot , press the Latte & Capp instead of Coffee followed by the brew button.

To make our milk froth, we filled the frother and placed it on the frother base. Next, we pressed the appropriate button , and the frother began heating, taking about three minutes to complete. To make an iced latte or cappuccino, press the Cold button after pressing the Latte or Capp button.

This would be an ideal machine for someone who wants to skip the many steps of using a home espresso machine but still get a very similar result.

Overall, we loved how simple the process was to make a cup of coffee or a latte. At the touch of a few buttons, our coffee was ready to go in a few minutes . On top of that, we really enjoyed the beverages this machine brewed. We prefer a strong cup of coffee, so it was convenient being able to choose the 6-ounce cup for a stronger brew.

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Does Keurig K Cafe Have A Water Filter

The K Cafe is compatible with the Keurig Side Reservoir Water Filter.

Does Keurig K Cafe come with a water filter? Normally the water filter is not included with the K cafe so you will need to purchase it separately.

Making your own cappuccinos and lattes at home will bring you satisfaction and save you money. The Keurig K Cafe is super easy to use and has all the basic options you might need.

The fact it uses regular k cups and not espresso pods is a plus since you know youre always able to find the pods for your brewer.

But, dont expect the most amazing espresso crema or velvety froth. This machine just cant do it since its not an espresso machine.

If youre looking for a perfect foam, programmable options, or temperature control, a real espresso machine like Breville Barista Express is the best possible choice. But its three times more expensive than Keurig.

Important: If you have an updated kitchen, you might not be able to use this model. According to some reviews, it appears that the K Cafe machine can trip GFCI outlets. Its not something that happens all the time but its important to mention this as well.

Does The Keurig K

Yes, the Keurig K-Café comes with a one-year warranty.

References

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