There is Keurig, and then there are the other pod machines for living the coffee-pod lifestyle. This article has compared a few K-cup combo coffee makers, i.e The K-Cup Duo variants.
Similar to the K-Mini vs. K-Mini Plus comparison, these three machines have few differences and many parallels. They are both Keurig pod machines that let you choose from a range of brewing sizes and can utilize any Keurig coffee pod anytime. You won’t ever grow tired of having few alternatives because there are so many different tastes and blends from third parties.
Unlike the Mini comparison, more physical differences between these three machines might affect your purchasing decision. Typically, when you see the term Keurig, you picture the clunky K-Select machine that takes up too much room on the counter.
As you’ll see, one of these devices has a considerably more practical footprint than the other. Which duo is thus the superior duo? Continue Reading!
Keurig K-Duo
The K-Duo can brew into a cup or a carafe with its side-by-side design and a heating plate. Depending on the retailer, it sells for around $160 and has flat-bottom paper filters for the carafe.
Additionally, the heating plate is a good addition because you sometimes forget you just brewed a cup of coffee. You do, after all, really need a cup of coffee.
Both brewers produce several sizes: six, eight, ten, or twelve cup carafes are possible with these devices. Both have a 60-oz. water reservoir and can accommodate travel mugs. And have potent brew options that accept K-Cup pods or ground coffee Also, have a programmable carafe auto-brew. Bright start that heats up and brews in one single take.
Customer Reviews
Attractive unit and functional, but difficult to use. Instructions are not clear. I’ve ever experienced the hardest button-pushing series ever. Hopefully, I’ll become used to choosing the right buttons.
I’ve been using an old machine from Keurig for 5 years. The machine didn’t have any problem, but a lot of times I need a whole coffee ready to drink whenever I want to without any delay.
I purchased Cuisinart dual coffee maker that I used for 4 years, then finally realized I had enough! The TERRIBLE splashing all over from its cup side was unbearable. So I pulled the plug and purchased the Keurig dual coffee maker….IT’S AMAZING! This is the authentic single-cup coffee maker with all the perfection.
Consumer Reviews – Amazon
Keurig K-Duo Plus
These devices differ primarily in terms of their physical design and cost. The newest product from Keurig, the K-Duo Plus, has a suggested retail price of $229.99.
It appears that the manufacturer is improving at designing a machine that enhances rather than takes up all the counter space for coffee makers. The water reservoir is the main distinction in this instance. You may change the multi-position pool to the side or behind the machine, depending on where you wish to set it on the counter.
The K-Duo Plus has only one spout for pouring coffee, unlike the K-dual-spout Duo’s setup. You are brewing in the cup or carafe of your choice. This design is superior to the K-Duo because it takes up less room in a small kitchen. It also comes with a gold-tone mesh filter, so, aside from the device itself, that’s one less thing you have to buy.
Here’s a review and testing video for Keurig K Duo Plus Coffee Maker, Single Serve, and 12 Cup Carafe Drip Coffee Brewer:
Keurig K-Duo Essentials
Customers’ responses to Keurig’s 2.0 brewers, with model numbers K200–K575, were mixed because they came equipped with a pod-scanning technology (often known as DRM, or Digital Rights Management), which prevented the use of unlicensed K-Cups and was incompatible with the first My K-Cup. (Keurig would afterward introduce a 2.0 My K-Cup.)
It was challenging for Keurig to support their 2.0 brewers, which brewed coffee in 10 different sizes ranging from 4 to 30 oz utilizing four distinct types of pods: K-Cup, K-Mug, K-Vue, and K-Carafe. Ultimately, Keurig abandoned the 2.0 technology and used K-Cup pods for single-serve brewing.
| Key Features of the Keurig K-Duo Essentials | |
| Product Line/System: | K-Duo |
| Water Reservoir: | 60 oz |
| Weight: | 8.5 lbs |
| Temp Control: | No |
| Strength Control: | No |
| Dimensions: | 12.3″W x 13.4″D x 12.7″H |
| Brew Sizes: | 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz (single serve), and up to 60 oz (carafe) |
| Other Features: | Auto-On/Off comes with a 60 oz glass carafe and a heating plate, Auto-On/Off for carafe, pause and pour for carafe |
| Display: | Button control panel with buttons for Brew Strength, Brew Size, and Auto-On plus digital clock display |
By enabling users to make up to 30 oz of coffee, Keurig’s new Keurig 2.0 brewers increased the single-serve industry leader’s reach in August 2014.
Nevertheless, they wished to provide a brewer that could be used for both single cups and entire carafes. Enter the Keurig K-Duo series with three similar brewers. The K-Duo Essentials is a simplified version of the standard K-Duo that ostensibly has only the necessities!
Pros
- Includes Keurig’s improved technology for drier, more decadent coffee that brews more quietly
- No pod-scanning technology exists; therefore, both legal and illegal K-Cup pods are brewed.
- Brews single-serve pods and 60-ounce carafes.
Cons
- A specialized drip coffee machine produces coffee that is more robust than a whopping 60 oz carafe.
- The carafe pour spout tends to drip.
- Compared to K-Duo Plus, the water reservoir is fixed in the rear of the brewer, making it harder to access and refill
- Doesn’t come with a water filter kit.
Are you a good fit for the Keurig K-Duo Essentials?
The Keurig K-Duo Essentials is the most straightforward of Keurig’s three K-Duo brewers and a great choice if you want the ability to brew both single-serve K-Cups and full carafes up to 60 oz.
Look at the normal K-Duo if you want a cup with a more robust flavor and the additional 6 oz of brew size. Upgrade to the K-Duo Plus if you want a thermal carafe (rather than the K-Duo and K-Duo Essentials glass carafe) and a swivel reservoir that may be placed on your brewer’s left, right, or back.
It’s also crucial to note that the Keurig K-Cafe is a dual-purpose device that can create specialty drinks like espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos with the touch of a single button (in case that’s more your style).
The Verdict
- The Keurig K-Duo Plus is the undisputed winner here, especially if you’re looking for a compact pod machine that can brew a whole pot of coffee when you know one cup won’t be enough and does everything else you need.
- Even though it lacks a heating plate, I’m not delaying my coffee consumption.
- The cost might factor in this judgment, but as Keurig develops a newer machine and the holiday shopping season draws near, the price will eventually go down.
- Even though the K-multi-position Duo’s water reservoir is a selling point in and of itself, the K-Duo Plus’s redesign shows how far Keurig pod machines have come.
- The K-Duo uses the reusable Gold Tone filter to brew single K-Cups and entire 60 oz carafes, replacing the defunct K200-K575.
- The Essentials enhances the K-Duo by adding Strength Control and a 6 oz brew size.
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