Keurig K Cup Brewer Review

PRODUCT: Keurig K500 Series Brewer
PRICE: $179.99 Retail from Keurig (for the current K575 model—the K500 is no longer available)
BREW SIZES Cup: 4 oz to 12 oz; Carafe: 1 to 4 cups
RESERVOIR CAPACITY: 80 oz. (32 oz.)
My rating: 9.5 out of 10

First of all, to be perfectly clear, this review of the Keurig K Cup Brewer is not being written by someone having read another bunch of reviews and is summarizing them.  I have a Keurig K500 Series Brewer, have had it for a couple of years, and love it!   That particular model is no longer available, but several others are. Is it perfect?  No, and I will address that as well as the positives, and you can read other reviews and decide if a Keurig K500 Series Brewer is right for you.

Product Overview

Regardless of what I eat for breakfast, I start my day with COFFEE!!!  I’m retired and don’t usually get up to an alarm, so the first thing I do when I get up is turn on my Keurig K500 Series Brewer, then let my dogs out and then I head to the bathroom, then back to my Keurig.

My K500 allows me to choose not only from a wide variety of flavors, but also the strength of my coffee and the amount.  The same can be accomplished for those that prefer tea—a big plus for me when I am sick and need tea instead of coffee. The convenience of just popping a K Cup pod in the machine, selecting the size of my brew and pushing the brew button to get that cup is definitely big for me.  And its flexibility even allows me to brew hot water into a Mason canning jar with a tea bag to keep in the refrigerator.

Since my kids (all have four legs and tails) are not allowed to drink coffee, I am the only one in the house that drinks it, so I usually just have a cup or two in the morning.  For guests, though, there is the Keurig 2.0 Thermal Carafe as well as the Keurig 2.0 Stainless Steel Thermal Carafe, brewing 1 to 4 cups, (32 oz.).

For those that hit the ground running when the alarm goes off, the K500 has a color display that is large and includes a programmable clock and Auto Brew function. The 80 oz. reservoir means having to add water less often.

Problems, or Things That Keep It From Being Perfect

I hate vinegar, and that’s the cheapest way to clean it. Go figure. You really need to brew about a pint to a quart of vinegar through it to give it a good cleaning. Did I mention I hate vinegar? Oh yes, I did (actually, Keurig makes a Descaling Solution that I think I’m going to try, and they have other Accessories also).

Moving on, cabinet height can be an issue when adding water or inserting a K Cup pod, so placement may be trial and error for some (my wall cabinets don’t have much clearance either, but I figured it out). The drip tray is there for a reason. The Brewer drips. I eventually figured out that an extra coffee cup is easier to clean than the drip tray—problem solved.

Some have reported that even with the drip tray removed, their tall thermal cups won’t fit under the brewer. Just me, but maybe a shorter cup?

Conclusion

My Keurig coffee maker does the job for me better than anything else that I have tried, and my business is theirs to lose—I have no reason to change to anything else. I will take a look at others that come along, but they will have to be pretty special to tear me away from my Keurig. I think you will be pleased with yours. I hope you enjoyed this review, and find it helpful.

Joe