How Long Does a Keurig Coffee Maker Last? + Tips to Extend Its Lifespan!

Keurig is world-famous in the coffee vertical. Keurig founders John Sylvan and Peter Dragone first developed the original coffee pod machine. The name “Keurig” derives from the Dutch word for excellence.

Still, even the most excellent coffee machines have a certain lifespan. We’re here to give you some basic information about Keurig coffee makers and to offer a few tips on prolonging Keurig’s lifespan.

Keurig Coffee Makers 

Today, Keurig manufactures a bewildering range of coffee makers in different styles, colors, and sizes to suit all budgets. The Keurig brand of coffee maker is popular with coffee lovers around the world. 

Keurig’s K-cup series is especially popular with people who need coffee on the go as they only require a coffee pod and are very convenient and require little cleaning after use. The K-cup series took off between 2008 and 2014 as they proved very popular with both office workers and homebrewers.

via GIPHY

Keurig’s Series

If you’re not already aware, Keurig produces a range of K-cup pod coffee makers called the Keurig Classic Series. These models are sleek and compact in design while making the perfect espresso at the press of a button. The Keurig series is popular with people who need their coffee fast.

Types of Keurigs

Keurig has produced more than 60 kinds of coffee machines that come in five main styles: the K-Classic, K-Select, K-Elite, K-Duo, and K-Cafe. Keurig coffee makers used to be known by numbers, which are now names (1).

The Keurig K-Duo can make both one-cup servings as well as full carafes with either loose coffee grounds or K-pods. This model comes in two variants. The main difference between them is the way the reservoir can move. Aside from this feature, the two models are pretty similar.

The K-Elite model has a setting to make iced coffee, although it doesn’t ice the coffee. Instead, the K-Elite brews the coffee at the right concentration, which is perfect for iced coffee. The K-Elite brews at different sizes, including 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12 oz (2).  

The K-Cafe is a one-cup coffee maker made in a sleek brushed steel finish. This K-cup coffee maker includes a milk frother for cappuccinos and lattes.

How to Make Keurigs Last

While Keurig coffee machines are built to last, you can extend the life of one with regular cleaning and maintenance. Coffee machines are hard to keep clean, and they often have complicated parts in hard-to-reach places.

Luckily, Keurigs are compact and sleek in design. So once you know what you’re doing, the machines are pretty easy to clean. Some parts of Keurig coffee makers are dishwasher safe, which makes Keurigs even simpler to maintain.

To clean your Keurig coffee maker, use some simple household materials.

Materials

• White vinegar
• All-purpose cleaner
• Washing-up liquid
• Toothbrush
• Soft cloth such as a J-cloth or microfiber cloth

Most of the removable parts of the coffee maker can go in the dishwasher. So, for a thorough hot wash, just place the water reservoir, K-cup holder, and drainer into the dishwasher.  

If you don’t have a dishwasher, simply soak the parts in hot soapy water for around 5-10 minutes. After soaking, thoroughly clean the elements with a cloth. Rinse under running water and towel dry.

To clean the central part of the machine, take the toothbrush and lift the lid to the K-cup holder. Gently brush, removing the residual coffee granules.

After a time, white limescale can start to appear around the body of the machine. To deal with this, take the soft cloth and wet it with a little white vinegar. The scale should come off quite easily with gentle rubbing. 

After the initial clean, perform a descaling brew. Now that you have replaced the parts, fill the reservoir half-way with white vinegar and press the brew cycle button. When all the vinegar has brewed through the system, run another cycle with pure water to rinse.

A Few Tips

• If you’re going away for a few days, empty the reservoir to prevent scale deposits forming.
• If you ever brew something sweet in the brewer such as hot chocolate, run a cycle with pure water to rinse it through.
• Use distilled water to clean your coffee machine, as it has all minerals removed and won’t form white scale deposits

Signs You Need a New Keurig

Keurig machines have amazing robust designs. But not everything lasts forever. Some signs that you may need to upgrade:

It Takes Ages to Make Multiple Cups

If you continuously make four or five cups of coffee to go around, then it might make sense for you to upgrade to a model that can make a carafe of coffee. For instance, the Keurig K-Duo can make one-cup drinks with K-pods as well as full carafes. This model is ideal for offices because people can make their own, or make a carafe for everyone (3).

You’ve Had Your Keurig for a Long Time

No matter how often you’ve deep cleaned your Keurig, you may find that it’s not working as efficiently. 

If multiple people use the machine heavily, it may start to show signs of wear and tear.

Signs of Exhaustion

There are three most common exhaustion sings in your Keurig machines. Pay attention to the following.

It Takes a Long Time to Brew

If your machine starts to lag when brewing, then it could be a sign that your coffee maker needs replacing. How can you tell? If it starts, pauses for a long time, and then starts again, it may be on its way out.

It Leaks

If you keep wiping the small puddle of water that you cleaned earlier, there’s a good chance that the machine is leaking. If your coffee machine is leaking at this stage, it will most likely cost more to get it repaired.

It Makes Lukewarm Coffee

If your coffee maker isn’t making the water very hot, then it probably means that the heating element has had its day. Why not have a look at the newest-range, best Keurig coffee makers and see which one best suits your needs?

Final Thoughts

How long does a Keurig last will depend on your regular cleaning and maintenance. But, it may be the case that the model you’ve purchased is not suited to heavy use. If you’re using a K-pod one-cup coffee maker, you might want to upgrade to a model such as the K-Duo or the K-Cafe models, as these allow you to make both carafes and single cups.