If you’re a coffee connoisseur, a cafe casual, or anywhere in between, you have probably heard of the Keurig coffee maker before. When they first came out, Keurig did for coffee what the Kindle did for reading: making the user’s experience easy, efficient, and sleek.
Keurig seemed to revolutionize the coffee game with their K cup technology, even though it doesn’t do anything different from a basic brewer. You could pop a K cup pod into the top of the machine, add water, and press a button for an almost instantaneous cup of coffee. People went nuts.
In 2012, the Keurig Green Mountain Company (KGM) lost its patent on the K cup, and all of its competitors put out their own version for a lower price. This severely impacted its sales and drove KGM to release a newer model that couldn’t accept knockoff coffee pods.
Enter the Keurig 2.0. The Keurig 2.0 seriess had a few new features:
Unfortunately, the Keurig 2.0 brewing system received a bit of backlash for removing the ability to use third-party pods, and this line of brewers has now been discontinued. While you can still buy a Keurig 2.0 coffee maker if you are considering investing in one we recommend opting for a current Keurig model instead. The Keurig Duo has replaced the Keurig 2.0 brewers and allows you to brew coffee- both carafe and single-serve coffee.
Keurig 2.0- Overview
The Keurig 2.0 brewers came in 4 series– K200, K300, K400, and K500– with each one adding more features. Each series had multiple models, but were all exactly the same. That means K300 and K350 were the same coffee maker, the difference lay in what accessories were included with it.
Depending on which model you opted for, it may have included accessories such as a charcoal water filter, Keurig K Cup Pod variety pack, stainless steel K-carafe, or the Keurig 2.0 My K Cup.
The Keurig 2.0 models offered 10 different brew sizes ranging from 4 to 30 oz using one of three different K Cups:
You could also purchase a reusable Keurig 2.0 my K Cup to fill with your own coffee grounds. Unfortunately, the K Mug and Carafe pods have since been discontinued, which rules out one of the major selling points of these brewers, unless you have a stockpile of them somewhere!
Pros:
Cons:
Now let’s look at the best models of the Keurig 2.0 series.
Keurig 2.0 Models
Keurig 2.0 K200
The K200 is the smallest and most affordable coffee maker in this series. This could be a good fit for you if you have limited space or are on a budget but still want to feel fancy with an at-home brewer.
It has a 40 oz water reservoir for minimal refills and a 2-inch black and white touch screen. You can brew single-serve cups of coffee up to 16 oz and it has brewing strength control. This model comes in several colors like sandy pearl, strawberry, and cashmere gray, as well as others.
Keurig 2.0 K250
The K250 is the same exact machine as the K200, so it’s small, compact, and affordable. It doesn’t take up much space and comes in the same colors. It also has a 40 oz water reservoir and a 2-inch black and white display that lets you easily select your brew size and strength.
The main difference between this one and the K200 is that this model has a nice little window that lets you easily keep track of the water. That makes it even easier to be ready to brew a cup of joe.
Keurig 2.0 K300
Alright, so the K300 steps it up a notch with a 60 oz water reservoir and a slightly larger black and white touch display that’s 2.4 inches. It also has even more programming features like temperature control, a favorites setting, a customizable clock, and customizable wallpaper.
This machine is a bit larger than the K200 series but is still compact enough to easily fit on your countertop. You can also broaden your coffee horizons with the K300 as it allows you to brew drinks like hot chocolate, chai tea, and mochas.
Keurig 2.0 K350
The K350 shares a lot of the same features as the others we’ve already covered like a removable water reservoir and the ability to brew a range of drinks like hot chocolate. Like the K300, it has a 60 oz reservoir and a 2.4-inch display.
The difference between this model and the K300 is that you get a bonus of four carafe pods and six k cup pods along with your brewer. You pay a bit more for it, but it is more convenient to get you started brewing at home.
Keurig 2.0 K450
It seems like each series gets bigger and better and that’s true for the K450. It comes with an even larger water reservoir that’s 70 ounces and has a large 2.4-inch display. This display comes in full color, unlike the other series that have black and white displays.
The reservoir is well lit making it even easier to monitor your water levels and has a flip lid that helps reduce spilling. The brewer comes in lots of colors so you can quickly find the perfect one to match your kitchen.
Keurig 2.0 K575
The trend continues with the K575. It has an enormous 80-ounce water reservoir and an extra-large 2.8-inch color touch screen. It can brew up to an 18-ounce cup of coffee and has even more programmable features than the other series.
It has all of the features already mentioned as well as a hot water mode, an ice mode, and a water tank night light. The K575 can read the lids of the K cup, the K-mug, and the K carafe which makes it compatible with over 500 flavors.
Alternatives to a Keurig 2.0 Brewer
As mentioned above, the Keurig 2.0 series has now been discontinued, making it difficult to get your hands on one. And we do think that the technology and design of these brewers is a bit dated now. If you were considering investing in one of these bad boys there are several excellent alternatives.
Keurig K Duo Plus
Our first recommendation would be to consider the Keurig K Duo Plus coffee maker which is a very similar brewer. The K Duo provides the flexibility to brew single-serve cups with k cups or a full 12-cup carafe using coffee grounds.
The brewer is well-designed and simple to use. It has a convenient swivel water reservoir that can be adjusted to fit your counter space (a far cry from the bulky Keurig 2.0 brewers!). The K Duo also is compatible with third-party pods and reusable k cup filters, giving it the edge over the Keurig 2.0 series.
Nespresso Vertuo Plus
Our second recommendation is the Nespresso Vertuo Plus. This coffee maker has a very similar design to the Keurig 2.0 brewers but is executed better. It offers five different drink sizes and, like the Keurig 2.0 series, utilizes barcode scanning technology to adjust the brewing parameters for different drinks.
The Nespresso Vertuo Plus utilizes capsules to brew either drip-style or espresso-style coffee. This machine also comes bundled with an Aeroccino, allowing you to froth milk for cafe-quality drinks.
Keurig 2.0- In summary
Overall, the Keurig 2.0 was a good coffee brewing system, but not perfect. It was easy to use and required little maintenance to keep it crafting a good cup of coffee. It also gave more control over the temperature and strength of the coffee than a regular brewer.
The variety of models gave some flexibility in size and price, so you could more easily find a good fit. The downsides were the price and that the series locked out the use of any third-party pods. While there are a lot of Keurig brand K cups to choose from, they’re not as cheap as the off-brand options.
All of the machines in the Keurig 2.0 series were well-made and reliable. When first introduced, they displayed cutting-edge technology with a color touch screen and quiet brewing technology. However, now the Keurig 2.0 series are dated and bulky brewers with a steep price tag.
Given that this line of Keurig coffee makers has now been discontinued, we recommend opting for a current Keurig model like the Keurig K Duo or the Keurig K Mini. See our guide to the best Keurig coffee makers for some good options.
Good luck choosing and brewing!
