It can be extremely attractive given its size and weight. It is perfect for homes and offices with space constraints (e.g. city apartments, offices, dorms, hotels). Some of Keurig K-Mini my friends use their own K-Mini while on vacation, instead of using coffee makers at the hotels. Further, there have been some health issues concern regarding the k-cups.
That is especially true if you’re short on space, as it is the most compact Keurig available. There is nothing to critique when it comes to the water reservoir on the K-Mini Plus. Yes, it only holds one serving of water at a time, so you will have to refill it every time you brew coffee. And the advantage of this system is that you can precisely choose the actual cup size of your coffee based on how much water you add. This coffee machine can brew anywhere between 6oz to 12oz of coffee, depending on how much water I pour in the water reservoir.
The K-Mini Plus has a removable water reservoir, whereas it is fixed in the original K-Mini. The removable reservoir is not only easier to refill, but it makes it much more convenient to clean. This range of drinks options is one of the main reasons that Keurig machines are second only to drip coffee makers in popularity in the US.
The K-Mini is also available in pink, while you can only get the K-Mini Plus in beautiful evening teal. Therefore, if you’re not too concerned about other differences, your choice of which coffee maker to buy may come down to aesthetics. We found it to be comparable to other single-serve coffee makers. The coffee comes out hot, aromatic, and flavorful, just as you’d expect. As I attempted to show in this Keurig K-Mini coffee maker review, this is a small, basic but quite promising coffee maker compatible with k-cups. Last but not least, Keurig K-Mini is among the more affordable coffee makers in the Keurig portfolio.
While testing, the shortest recorded brew time was two minutes flat, and the longest two minutes and 30 seconds. This is lightning quick, but it may be the culprit of why K-Cups don’t always taste all that great. The K-Mini stabs open a coffee pod, then sputters warm water through it without fully soaking all of its grounds or allowing them to steep. Like all Keurigs, the K-Mini only accepts K-Cup branded coffee pods to brew coffee, tea, and hot cocoa, though thankfully, grocers carry a wide range. These pods can run anywhere between $7 to $14 per 12-pack, the lower end being grocery chain branded pods and the higher end Starbucks branded.
That machine has a 36oz removable water tank and a refined design. With such a small water reservoir and no way to control cup size, you’ll have to add water every time. You Hamilton Beach can add between 6-12 ounces of water, and when you hit the brew button, the machine will use all of it. A small non-removable water reservoir is at the back of the machine.
The “similar styles” price noted is our researched retail price at a point in time of similar style of aesthetic item at another retailer offering home décor products. Like other home décor retailers, we work with a variety of partners to source our products, making each one unique to At Home. The K-Mini has a shape similar to a dry food storage container, but with plenty of color options to make it stand out.
If you only plan on brewing one or two cups a day, this is probably just fine for your needs. Additionally, the used K-Cup storage and strong brew options in the K-Mini Plus are features you’ll probably want in a machine that is built for convenience. Those K-cups are hot, and your tender little hands don’t want to remove them one at a time. With the same footprint as the K-Mini but with those extra features, buy the K-Mini Plus. The K-Mini is perhaps the easiest starter Keurig machine you can buy. Its compact size makes it a step above the larger K-Classic, and its one-button brew cycle makes it the simplest machine in the Keurig line.
If you need to brew more at one time, it could be a bit annoying to keep refilling it every time you need another cup. The new updated Mini brings a space-saving design and simplicity of use. Only 4.5 inches wide, the $99.99 K-Mini Plus is the slimmest Keurig machine on the market. It will fit anywhere in the kitchen or even your desk at work.