The best reason to buy a Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker has to do with your daily habits. It’s easy to go to your local Starbucks or Dunkin’ to grab a quick coffee in the morning, but $5 a day adds up — after a week of coffee that’s roughly $35 down the toilet. Now, that’s not to say you can’t treat yourself to your favorite cappuccino or espresso, however, for those more simple cups of joe, you can get high-quality coffee from the comfort of your own home with the click of a button with a Keurig coffee maker.
When it comes to kitchen gadgets like coffee machines, the key is to find one that is simple, affordable, and effective. I’ve tried a few of the brand's small coffee makers, and have nothing but praise for these single-use coffee machines. However, I was recently introduced to the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker which definitely ranks at the top of my list for making a cup of coffee.
Right now, the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker is on sale for $109.99, down from its original price tag of $149.99 (saving $40 or 27% whichever way you want to calculate it). So there’s no better time to get it and see how it can elevate your AM routine.
TLDR: What we thought of the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker
The Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker is a more basic model compared to the brand's other machines (they sell both filter coffee devices and pod coffee makers), but it’s versatile and can be used to brew coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. With that said, you won’t find an LCD screen or a "strength" button, but it does have indicator lights to alert you when you need to add more water and when the machine heats up. As for the noise level, it’s a bit louder than the Keurig K-Duo, which we tested, but nothing too extreme. This convenient coffee maker checks all the boxes and is especially ideal for on-the-go boss babes who don’t have time to wait around. It's even tall enough to accommodate a travel mug so you don't need to decant a hot drink from one cup to your insulated container.
Testing the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker
Casey is a freelance writer for Real Homes and previously worked on mattress reviews for our sister publication, Homes & Gardens. In her work, she browses the internet for the best products for your home to help you make the right purchasing decisions. She spent a few weeks trying out all the various coffee prep methods of the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker at home. She was allowed to keep the machine for ongoing use and for potential story updates in the future.
The techy stuff
- Type: Single serve
- Water tank capacity: 48 oz.
- Dimensions (in): H13 x W9.8 x D13.3
- Weight: 9 lbs.
- Setting: Brew size, auto-off, heating, descale, and add water indications
- Color(s): Black, rhubarb
- Brews (oz): 6, 8, and 10
- Heating time: 4 minutes
- Pressure: Strong
- Water filter: No
- Warming plate: No
- Programmable: Yes
- Cord length (in): 28
- Warranty: 1 year
- Usual price: $149.99
Unboxing the Keurig’s K-Classic Coffee Maker
Keurig K-Classic coffee maker in cardboard box with plastic-wrapped manual
You’ve probably guessed it, but the first step to using any new Keurig machine is to open it or as we like to call it — “unboxing” time. From my experience, Keurig is a bit inconsistent when it comes to the amount of packaging it uses for each coffee maker. Sometimes it’ll be too much, which was the case when we tested K-Select, and sometimes not enough like with this one. Despite the lack of packaging, the machine was in pretty good condition and ready to assemble.
This is the fourth Keurig coffee maker I’ve tried over the past few months so I know what to do like the back of my hand. Unlike the other machines, this K-Classic did not come with a water filter. The directions stated that if you had one, then you could use it, but there wasn’t one included in the box.
With that said, I filled the water in the reservoir up to the maximum fill line which would last me one cleansing brew and at least three to four more cups. Similar to the other Keurigs, the cleansing brew involved pushing down the needle as if I were brewing a cup of coffee and then clicking the smallest cup size. After about four minutes, the water heated up as advertised and made its way through the machine into my cup.
Using the Keurig’s K-Classic Coffee Maker
Inserting a Keurig K-cup into the Keurig K-Classic coffee maker machine
If I had to use two words to describe the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker, they would be “easy” and “simple.” At the top of the machine, there are three buttons with different symbols indicating the cup sizes. To make sure you click the appropriate button, you’ll want to refer to the manual for guidance, however, it’s pretty self-explanatory with 6 ounces being the smallest cup and 10 ounces as the largest size.
Once I was familiar with the buttons, I put in my single-use coffee pod and clicked the medium cup (8-ounce) button. Since I just did the cleansing brew, the water was already hot so my first cup brewed in seconds and was finished in less than a minute. Normally, the water takes about four minutes to heat up and you’ll know when it’s ready once the size buttons glow blue.
As it brewed, I noticed it was very quick and quiet. There was a bit of squeakiness here and there, but quiet enough to where I could have easily forgotten I was making a cup of coffee with a machine.
After it was finished brewing, I took a sip and it was delicious. Out of all of the makers I’ve tried so far, the coffee from this one tasted the most "professional-grade" as if I went to an artisanal coffee shop. From the aroma to the look of the drink, I was thoroughly impressed especially considering it took less than five minutes to make from start to finish.
Using the Keurig K-Classic coffee maker machine
Key features of the Keurig’s K-Classic Coffee Maker
A close-up shot of the Keurig K-Classic coffee maker demonstrating Auto-off functionality
Smart Start
Just like every other Keurig machine, the K-Classic has a Smart Start feature. Essentially, this allows you to heat and brew the coffee in one single step without having to click multiple buttons and wait around. Simply place a mug on the removable drip tray (which holds 8 ounces of accidental brew BTW), insert a K-Cup® pod, lower the handle, and select the brew size. Once this is done, it’ll automatically brew when it’s ready.
Auto-Off
This feature is already on once it’s plugged in — it shuts off the coffee machine two hours after the last brew just in case you forget to do so — this came in handy when I was in a rush in the morning to get to work or to the gym.
How to clean and maintain the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker
After daily use, you’ll reach the time when you should clean your Keurig machine. The brand suggests powering down the machine and unplugging it before cleaning it for your safety. The water reservoir and lid can be placed in a dishwasher on the top rack only or you can hand wash them. If you opt to hand wash, make sure to thoroughly rinse out the soap until it’s completely gone. And to try, you’ll want to let it air dry since using a cloth runs the risk of trapping lint inside the machine.
How does Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker rate online?
The Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker was initially sold through Keurig and has a rating of 4.1 out of five stars with reviewers saying it has “great features” and is “easy to operate.”
A few four-star ratings and lower expressed their disappointment with the lack of cup sizes, wishing it would go up to 12 ounces and above and it had a clock and automatic timer feature.
What's it like in comparison to other Keurig machines?
In comparison to the K-Select Coffee maker, neither have the ability to make espressos or lattes, however, the K-Select has the option to choose the brew strength and a slightly larger water reservoir. Lastly, when it comes to saving money and power, the K-Classic has an energy saver auto-off feature whereas the K-Supreme does not.
For a more thorough list, Keurig has a comparison chart where you can compare models based on price, functionality, etc.
Is the Keurig K-Select Coffee Maker right for you?
I think the Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker is a viable option for the people who want a cup of coffee without the frills — this isn’t an espresso machine and definitely doesn’t have a milk frother for those lattes.
That being said, you can save around $45 by buying the Keurig K-Classic coffee maker and the respective (separate) frothing machine as a bundle right now. While it's not searchable, this proposition did pop up when I went to put the coffee machine in my basket. Also note, that when I did this to test the validity of the offer, another promo also popped up prompting me to enter code: FREEPODS4ME which entitles you to two free boxes of pods with the purchase of this coffee maker. And we all know that complimentary coffee that you didn't have to buy tastes better.
It’s similar in size to the brand's other models and is compact enough to fit on small countertops right next to other common small kitchen appliances, like toasters and air fryers. If you’re looking for a machine that brews only individual serves, this is the right maker. However, if you’re looking for a larger size range or a carafe for an old-fashioned brew, then you’ll want to check out the Keurig K-Duo Single Serve & Carafe.
This coffee machine by itself is currently on sale for $119.99 on the brand’s website. However, you can find the same version on Amazon for $109.99 — you’re better off purchasing it there if you want to save even more.
About this review and our reviewer
Casey lives in New York City and she tested this appliance in her two-bedroom apartment. She lives with her sister and countertop space is quite limited. Casey tested this machine for a couple of weeks, using it every day to get her daily helping of caffeine. We are sent products to review at Real Homes and sometimes we are allowed to keep them so that we can update our reviews after using products for a lengthy amount of time. In this case, Casey has been allowed to keep this machine.