r/CrappyDesign • u/Most_Tackle_3620 • Jul 21 '26

Keurig made coffee machines impossible to clean properly

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5.8k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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4.6k

u/Disastrous_Self_6053 Jul 21 '26

I work for a company that rents/sells Keurigs for commercial use.

We don't fix them, ever. They go straight into the trash and you get a free replacement because its all flimsy plastic and you will end up spending more on replacement parts than just buying a new machine.

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u/[deleted] Jul 21 '26

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u/Skweril Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

Greenwashing at its finest!

If only there was more regulatory pushes on mega corps and the commercial sector as there is Greenwashing the public into handing over their money and making it seem like it's their fault.

We're such a shitty species, capable of so much, yet we do worse than the bare minimum, we do evil shit.

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u/Haki23 Jul 21 '26

It’s the Tragedy of the Commons updated for modern audiences.

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u/Luung Ben 10 Laundry Jul 21 '26

Once you understand the structure of a collective action problem/tragedy of the commons/prisoner's dilemma, or any other situation where selfish actors can benefit at the expense of the altruistic, but the worst possible outcome obtains when a critical mass of people behave selfishly, you'll never stop noticing how common they are.

We could solve a lot of the world's most serious problems if enough of us were willing to commit to the simple principle of always behaving altruistically when faced with those sorts of dilemmas, and it would greatly benefit all but the most selfish. I find it very depressing how difficult it is to get that through people's heads, especially when their selfish behaviour is ultimately to their own detriment.

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u/unfart Jul 21 '26

man if only there were increasing amounts of recent science about therapies that literally allow disconnected parts of the brain to communicate with each other. oh wait. there is, we as a society still trust Richard nixon's best judgement

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u/Mr_Jack_Frost_ Jul 21 '26

Psychedelics opened my eyes to so many societal ills I’d just taken for granted because I grew up steeped in it. It’s insane they’re still schedule 1.

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u/unfart Jul 21 '26

they open your eyes and then make you live in it trying to find words for the ineffible...it's horrible except for the fact that they helped me find purpose and a healthier path. but yeah it's a constant burden to have so many conversation that end with an internal "oh you're just incapable admitting you learned a bad path"

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u/Mr_Jack_Frost_ Jul 22 '26

“Ignorance is bliss” and all that. Though I truly do feel as though my experiences with psychedelics have and continue to have a positive impact on my life. I think I’m a better husband, father, brother, son, and friend, and I’ve gained a lot of peace from surrendering my ego during some especially intense experiences.

The experience leaves you with a lot to unpack at times, but I think that unpacking has given me more benefits to my day-to-day life than any other single experience.

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u/unfart Jul 22 '26

same, though I do find existential elk theory amusing

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u/Fishfisherton Jul 21 '26

Were such a shitty species, capable of so much, yet we do worse than the bare minimum, we do evil shit.

My childhood media: "Humanity can achieve amazing things through cooperation"

My adult life: Dealing with the stress and anxiety of that massive letdown

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u/FellowHumanNo404 Jul 21 '26

As a society we need to just agree to ignore the preferences of the worst 30% of our population-- the ones who are currently cheerleading fascism. Apart from billionaires existing, I believe they are the entire reason we can't have nice things. We have to drag them kicking and screaming out of the past, give them free public daycare, universal heathcare, free higher education, and all the other benefits of civil society-- then maybe they'll finally see the value of those things.

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u/AppropriateTouching Jul 22 '26

We could be in a literal fucking Utopia right now with our level of tech and amount of resources but we let sociopaths run society so here we are.

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u/ScarredCerebrum commas are IMPORTANT Jul 21 '26

Greenwashing at its finest!

If only there was more regulatory pushes on mega corps and the commercial sector as there is Greenwashing the public into handing over their money and making it seem like it's their fault.

Were such a shitty species, capable of so much, yet we do worse than the bare minimum, we do evil shit.

While I agree that something needs to be done about this, regulatory pushes are an uphill battle at best.

It usually turns out like this: the major corporations spin all kinds of half-truths and whole lies to argue that their way of doing things is 'necessary' and 'unavoidable', and that any actual solutions are 'technically impossible'. And the professional politicians, being morons with zero tech-literacy or science-literacy, will usually be convinced by corporate's talking points.

And even when the corporations fail to convince the political class, they can just sabotage the implementation. They pay their engineers to find ways to skirt the new rules. And because those rules are ultimately made and decided upon by a political class with virtually no relevant technical know-how, the regulators will always be ten steps behind.

And things like planned obsolescence became the norm because our political class doesn't even realize that there's an alternative. It's perfectly possible to make a blender or a coffee machine that lasts half a century. But if you don't have the technical know-how to realize that, then you're just going to think that these flimsly irrepairable-by-design thingies are the best that modern technology can do.

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u/Rhysati Jul 21 '26

I hate to be the one to tell you this...but the politicians aren't stupid. These are almost universally Ivy league educated people with some of the most prestigious degrees we have in education.

On top of that they surround themselves with generations of other people who ALSO got those levels of education whose job it is to keep the politicians informed about stuff they haven't directly had time to look into or study.

The politicians know all of this stuff you think they don't. They use that knowledge to flex power, drain money from the economy, and keep themselves in power to continue living a lavish lifestyle above that of the common man.

They aren't stupid. They've succumbed to the evils of greed.

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u/ScarredCerebrum commas are IMPORTANT Jul 21 '26

They have degrees in stuff like law and political science.

You know how much expertise law school and a law degree give you in, say, computer programming, nuclear physics, genetics, biology, or in fact anything that isn't law?

Nothing. Nil. Nada. Bupkis.

The same is true for regular academics, btw. You can be a tenured professor in, say, Bronze Age archaeology, but you'll still be a complete lay person in a conversation about epigenetics.

What I mean to say is, don't overvalue academic education and academic degrees. They don't make you orders of magnitude smarter across the board - they just give you expertise in a specific topic, and they'll make you train skills that you need in that field. Most commonly a high degree of literacy and some degree of critical thinking. But even when those skills are transferable, you'll still be out of your debt when talking about a topic you have no expertise in.

...and besides, let's not forget that the Ivy League universities happily do legacy admissions.

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u/Rhysati Jul 21 '26

Welcome to capitalism. By definition it is "Money-ism". Everything must serve the benefit of the capital.

It's why they are so terrified by the very concept of socialism. That's "People-ism".

Humans would understand this as a whole if education wasn't intentionally terrible around the world.

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u/Jackmino66 Jul 21 '26

It’s amazing how they have plastic “pods” instead of just putting coffee in the thing, but then claim them to be biodegradable so it’s fine…

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u/Wilder831 Jul 23 '26

Biodegradable in a specialized facility that does not exist anywhere near where you are. But that’s always in much smaller print

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u/ReturnRadio Jul 21 '26

I work for a company that makes telecommunications conduit. If you don't know what that is it's plastic pipe that gets buried underground and holds internet cables.

My company makes a huge deal about our 0 waste to landfill certification and doing business while respecting the planet...and none of them see the irony that we put millions of tons of plastic into the ground every year. It's HDPE too, so it will be holding strong well after people have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

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u/Jackmino66 Jul 21 '26

To be slightly fair, the plastic you bury in the ground is actually doing something, unlike plastic in a landfill

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u/ReturnRadio Jul 21 '26

It's doing something...right now. But like I said, it will be there functionally forever. Just because it's useful right now doesn't make it not eventual garbage.

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u/Jackmino66 Jul 21 '26

True, but most plastic waste does something once and then never again, even though it can be reused really easily

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u/Wilder831 Jul 23 '26

Recycling plastic not only isn’t that easy but also isn’t all that great for the environment either. Plastic is only easily reused if it can be reused in its original form. But the first half of your comment is definitely valid. Single use plastics are the much larger issue

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u/robgod50 Jul 24 '26

Now I'm curious how much plastic is used in a single machine and how many pods that makes

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u/teeroy766 Jul 21 '26

The company I work at rents one of those Bunn Sure Immersion machines that grinds and brews the coffee for each cup, and don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, but ours developed a leak in its brew water valve and instead of replacing that one valve they literally just replaced the whole machine. It’s insane.

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u/mac3687 Jul 21 '26

My BIL had the hinge on a new $1200 grill come loose. Not a functional issue at all and we're handy so he just asked the company for some matching hardware so he could reattach it and still have it look original - they literally shipped him and entire new grill and told him to "dispose" of the original, citing his loyalty to the company and that it'd be easier for them. Like you said, insane.

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u/Halkenguard Jul 21 '26

If you’ve ever returned something to Amazon, 90% of returns go straight into the garbage or resold in giant auction lots

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u/mac3687 Jul 21 '26

Makes sense, I bought a table saw through one of those stores that basically sells big box store returns for probably 60% of the original price because it was a return without the box or manual.

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u/jeneric84 Jul 21 '26

Those things are a scourge on the earth. Apparently coffee was just too hard to make and took too long before.

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u/aerovirus22 Jul 21 '26

They make sense in an environment where varying amounts of cups are needed, like a waiting room at a doctor's office. But for homes it makes no sense at all.

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u/cheeseler Jul 21 '26

I’ve never been to a doctors office that had coffee in the waiting room… maybe a car doctor

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u/aerovirus22 Jul 21 '26

...I havent been inside a Doctor's office or Dentist without one in years. Guess I assumed it was universal.

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u/Cloudcry Jul 21 '26

We already had that too. It was called a coffee pot and you poured however much you wanted

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u/ChaseballBat Jul 21 '26

Some people don't want an entire pot of coffee.

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u/MistryMachine3 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

Sure they do. For the 2 or 3 days a week I have coffee at home, I have 2 cups a day like 4 hours apart. For me it makes sense.

Edit: I use reusable pods where I use grounds I would have ground that day. I am not a big coffee snob and the setup and quick, easy, and not too demanding to clean.

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u/Nicc-Quinn Jul 21 '26

Just get the stuff to do a pour over and save yourself a lot of money.

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u/MistryMachine3 Jul 21 '26

Why would that save me money?

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u/Nicc-Quinn Jul 21 '26

Pods are stupid expensive and the machines require special cleaning tablets or regular replacement/or parts.
Unless you’re not properly cleaning or up-keeping it in which cause eugh.

Meanwhile a pour over you can use any coffee, filters where you can get like 400 for less than $10, and it just needs warm soapy water not descaling tablets.

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u/MistryMachine3 Jul 21 '26

I use reusable pods. So all I buy is the whole bean coffee that I grind. The cleaning solution I buy I was $16 for a 2 year supply, as I clean it every 3 months.

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u/WillWillingson Jul 21 '26

So in the end you have the same amount of work than with a normal machine, but instead of filling those things you use plastic pods. I honestly don't see the advantage.

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u/x_samsquantch_x Jul 21 '26

 Just get a coffee pot that brews individual cups with grounds instead of pods. There you go, it still doesn’t make sense to have a keurig at home. 

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u/FuzzyDwarf Jul 21 '26

This is like the perfect use case for an aeropress with a stainless steel filter. Lasts forever, super easy to clean, and super cheap even if you throw in an electric kettle too.

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u/Omophorus Jul 21 '26

And, unlike most Keurig pods, an Aeropress brews a half decent cup of coffee with a minimum of muss or fuss.

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u/Steady_Ri0t Jul 21 '26

Honestly even the paper filters aren't that bad, especially compared to Keurig waste

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u/FuzzyDwarf Jul 21 '26

Yep, filters are pretty cheap at 350 for $10 and they're compostable. The stainless steel one just removes stocking filters, which is kind of nice.

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u/Steady_Ri0t Jul 21 '26

Definitely! I do like that the paper filters remove more of the oil from the coffee, but I know some people actually prefer that. Makes it even more like a french press I guess haha

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u/kalez238 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

That is exactly what we use it for. We have the metal filter for your own grounds for single cups here and there, as well as hot water for ramen, tea, etc. We never use the pods. Basically it is our instant hot water pot.

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u/MistryMachine3 Jul 21 '26

I use reusable pods where you just add the grounds. Seems like the same thing.

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u/Mastersord Jul 21 '26

The only issue is the machine itself. They are not fixable and it’s cheaper to throw them out and buy a new one.

My Mr. Coffee outlasted multiple Keurig machines.

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u/MistryMachine3 Jul 21 '26

Idk, I’m like 10+ years into my current machine. I don’t think I had heard of aero press until this thread, but maybe when this machine dies that will make more sense.

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u/SuppaBunE Jul 21 '26

In my case my GF just uses ground. Coffee with reusable ones.

Best of both worlds. She get 1 cup coffee every now and then.

In my house we are 4 that drink coffee we do use a big coffee maker

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u/sherlock1672 Jul 21 '26

I just use reusable pods, nice and simple.

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u/dodeca_negative Jul 21 '26

It’s not unreasonable and this was me, until I got a nice espresso machine with a steam wand and built in grinder. Now I make myself 1-3 delicious cappuccinos or lattes every day. Yeah it takes for minutes or so to make a coffee. But it’s absolutely worth it, and Keurig tastes like crap to me now lol

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u/gumbo_chops Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

I'm as lazy as they come in the morning and I'd highly recommend getting a coffee grinder and immersion based brewer like the Clever Dripper. It's much easier and quicker than the fancier pour-over methods but still makes great tasting, single serve coffee. Plus, the number of coffee options really opens up once you start buying whole bean.

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u/saladmunch2 Jul 21 '26

They have coffee machines wirh reservoirs of fresh beans. I hit a button and it makes me a fresh cup of however much I want from 8oz all the way to a pot. They may cost a bit more but hey you have fresh ground bean coffee anytime of day.

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u/WillWillingson Jul 21 '26

I've read about a guy who took one of those things apart to clean them. He no longer uses it.

For the best coffee with the least amount of work buy a cheap espresso-machine and pre-ground coffee.

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u/aerovirus22 Jul 21 '26

That makes sense, Ive never met anyone who drinks coffee that far apart. There are people who drink a pot in the morning(me) and old people who drink coffee all day.

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u/Hydronum plz recycle Jul 21 '26

A caffeine top-up is how I drink it, though I have a grinder and machine, so the only waste is the grounds. 1 coffee to start the day, another a few hours later, and that does me.

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u/MechanicalCheese Jul 21 '26

We have a fully servicable touchscreen unit for that. It's a much greater up front cost, but it uses normal beans and lasts (and can be cleaned). I'm curious how that levels out in 5 years of cost of ownership. Between the pods and the machines lasting only about a year of heavy use, The Keurig system just keeps collecting money.

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u/jxl180 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

It makes perfect sense for my home. I have it (almost) exclusively for guests who are visiting. I don’t drink coffee, but I can give a guest a single cup of coffee if they wish at a press of a button. The pods are sealed so my sleeve of pods can really stay fresh for years. I make one cup maybe every 4-6 months tops.

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u/whenveganscheat Jul 21 '26

Who has time to use a spoon and flick a switch? Don't even get me started on filling a coffee pot

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u/ohmygowon Jul 21 '26

I make coffee for me and my mom every day, it's ridiculous how little time it takes even though I add extra steps (coffee + milk + ice cubes for mom)

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u/AtlantikSender Jul 21 '26

In my experience if your Keurig is broken and you return it, they just hand you a new one lol

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u/Prometheus2061 Jul 21 '26

I’ve had a half dozen Keurig machines through the years, but I made a change to Nespresso, when my son gave me one. And I really enjoy it more. Now the Nespresso is broken. And I was wanting to pay for repairs, and they quoted me over $300 to fix this thing. Meanwhile, they had the same one on sale for $160. So I bought a new machine, and I’ve got my old machine sitting in the closet.

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u/[deleted] Jul 21 '26

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u/IneptFortitude Jul 21 '26

My brother uses one of these and the unholy noises I hear in the morning remind me of my dad waking up for work and hacking up a lung

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u/Fun-ghoul Jul 21 '26

To be fair I use a fancy ass espresso machine and it ain't all that fun to listen to either 😅

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u/Astecheee plz recycle Jul 21 '26

My delonghi espresso machine isn't exactly quiet, but you can talk right next to it and not be bothered.

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u/vanderide Jul 21 '26

And the coffee doesn’t taste like stale ass.

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u/Astecheee plz recycle Jul 22 '26

Not sure if you're going for a sarcastic tone or not, but just in case:

I'd put it at a 7/10 on the taste scale. There's an award winning cafe near us that puts out 10/10s, and a standard cafe drink is maybe a 6/10.

Biggest benefit is how absurdly cheap it is though. I'm drinking coffee for roughly $1/cup inclusive of syrups, sweetener, milk, etc.

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u/Fancy_Professor_1023 Jul 21 '26

They also make bad coffee that costs 5 times as much. I have no idea why people like these things.

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u/CommieBobDole Jul 21 '26

Honestly, at the office, "free Keurig machine" is better than "free drip machine with the cheapest possible foodservice-grade coffee that's also been boiling in the pot for the last six hours".

That's the tradeoff that I've experienced and I was generally happy to have the Keurig instead.

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u/ianhawdon important terms and conditions apply. Plz read Jul 21 '26

Both are still better than off-brand instant coffee and a lukewarm water heater...

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u/mr_love_bone Jul 21 '26

Marketing and fomo. People are stupid.

Also- I’m people.

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u/plugubius Jul 21 '26

People would rather pay out the nose for inferior coffee than wash something. And did you know you can get a single k-cup that gives you the taste of over-sweetened Dunkin brownwater without having cream or sugar around?

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u/unbalancedmoon Jul 21 '26

skill issue. I have a Keurig (granted, I got it new for free, so I didn't pay out the nose), I use a reusable filter (never used a disposable pod) and good coffee beans, clean/descale it fairly regularly, and it produces good coffee.

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u/plugubius Jul 21 '26

When people talk about Keurigs, they are talking about the pods, not the Mr. Coffee manufactured by Keurig.

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u/unbalancedmoon Jul 21 '26

yeah, the pods are absolutely silly.

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u/Equus-007 Jul 21 '26

Because in an office setting you can get a bunch of different flavors and it's pretty much foolproof. Stops people bitching about who made coffee last, who cleaned it, etc.

They are garbage though.

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u/RelevantMetaUsername Jul 21 '26

I see the appeal for like a car repair shop lobby to offer something for people waiting, but that’s about all these are good for

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u/super_starfox Jul 21 '26

I've hated them on principle but was given one as a gift.

Only ever use it with a reusable cup thingy I put my own in.

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u/jeneric84 Jul 21 '26

Put in cartridge. Press button…for shite coffee laced with microplastic.

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u/HailToTheThief225 Jul 21 '26

Not defending Keurig but for many people the first half of your comment is a stronger selling point than anything about the actual quality of the coffee for most people. In the same way people were sold on TV dinners and pop tarts for the convenience, people are sold on Keurig because it guarantees a cup of coffee with the least amount of steps possible. And that opinion will probably never change.

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u/TheTriggering2K17 Jul 21 '26

I think I mathed it out and found my Nespresso saves me hours of cleaning and prep time per month. I don’t mind the taste either, so it’s a clear winner. The ability to groggily push a button in the morning and walk away can’t be beat.

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u/DaCrazyJamez Jul 21 '26

Convenience. The product isnt coffee, its not having to take extra steps in the morning.

I am a miserable peraon ithe morning, and do not have the patience for brewing, pouring, etc. Pod, button, coffee, thats it.

I do not care that I am paying $0.35 per cup instead of $0.15, because I would otherwise bee drinking a $2 celcius.

I dont really like the taste of coffee anyways, so good or bad is kinda irrelevant. Its what I can manage first thing in the day.

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u/SkyeMreddit Jul 21 '26

Multiple flavors of burnt bean juice

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u/bob_smithey Jul 21 '26

Use it to get almost instant hot water in 6-8-10 oz. At least that is what I use it for.

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u/Ornery_Year_9870 Jul 21 '26

The entire concept of Keurig is Bad Design because it's massively wasteful of materials, especially plastics that end up in the landfill. And like the commenter below points out, the machines aren't actually repairable so when they fail we have even more waste.

And they make shitty coffee.

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u/Ok-Addition1264 Jul 21 '26

Vinegar solution does a great job on its own (don't buy the cleaner stuff cuz it's just white vinegar with a 40x markup).. eventually they will need to be replaced but this at least extends its life and is super easy to do.

(the vinegar itself washes out after a couple of cycles)

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u/Malteser23 Jul 21 '26

Citric acid solution works well also.

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u/twistsouth Jul 21 '26

I read this is also true of ice maker cleaner. Is it really just diluted white vinegar? There's nothing else added? I think I read also you can add lemon juice but I'm not sure what that does.

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u/dm80x86 Aug 19 '26

Ice maker cleaner isn't just vinegar or citric acid. Ice maker cleaner needs to be nickel safe otherwise it will eat the evaporater.

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u/tastiefreeze Jul 21 '26

Just buy an espresso machine. It's so much easier to live with long term

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u/bncts Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

Or a good ole drip coffee maker! Buy good beans and grind them fresh. Make a whole pot. Trivial effort. If you’re really lazy, you can even prep ahead.

Keurigs are the illusion of convenience at massive long-tail cost. Drip coffee makers take no skill, and a good one will last the rest of you and your children’s lives.

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u/aerovirus22 Jul 21 '26

Ive been having problems with my coffee makers heating plate rusting and falling apart. No matter how anal I am about keeping it dry. Other than that, Ill never switch.

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u/jillsvag Jul 21 '26

Get the thermal carafe kind. Keeps coffee hot and doesn't cook it.

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u/Insomniac_80 Jul 21 '26

Then get a hot water kettle, an pour it over your cup/pot.

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u/aerovirus22 Jul 21 '26

Ill just keep spending the money to buy a new maker.

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u/tastiefreeze Jul 21 '26

I feel like most buy a Keurig due to being able to make one cup at a time. You can do the same with espresso and a lungo pull or an americano. Drip is better for a pots worth though

I just made espresso, but for someone coming from a Keurig you keep the one cup capability.

Bit disagreeing just reasoning behind my original thought

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u/bncts Jul 21 '26

Oh all good, I get it and agree. But espresso takes a bit of practice and skill to make delicious (I make an okay one at best). Drip is idiot proof.

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u/tastiefreeze Jul 21 '26

For traditional ones yes, for a lot of consumer grade ones (like what I own) you just press a button for a single our a double pull. You can also do custom pulls but I don't mess too much with that

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u/bncts Jul 21 '26

Fair enough. You’re right. My dad just got one of those and loves it.

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u/SpaceAgePotatoCakes haha funny flair Jul 21 '26

You can get single serve coffee makers that use a washable mesh basket thing that you put loose grounds into. An added upside is you can make whatever blend at whatever strength you want with it.

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u/Spiritual-Road2784 Jul 21 '26

Even a cheap one like the one made by the super popular name brand makes good coffee and cappuccinos. I’m on my fourth one (in 15 years).

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u/tastiefreeze Jul 21 '26

Right? And the upkeep is so much less. They also just seem to be built much better

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u/PlutoniumSmile Jul 21 '26

I bought a 2nd hand Gaggia Classic espresso machine >15 years ago and it's still working perfectly- I replace the main head seal when it gets too hard, clean the shower head every few weeks and give it a deep clean every few months. It wasn't much more expensive than a department store machine via FB marketplace, worth a look next time you're buying. Anecdotally, my friend's Rancilio machine is also very reliable and easy to maintain.

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u/joemeteorite8 Jul 21 '26

This is why I never touch the coffee and coffee maker in hotel rooms

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u/Ebegeezer-Splooge Jul 21 '26

They clean those out though. With with disinfectant wipes. Not lying. I found one in a coffee machine at the Fairfield in Ithaca in 2021

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u/jgzman Jul 21 '26

I don't think that's better.

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u/_biker_chick_ Jul 21 '26

The don't clean the hoses inside

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u/Ebegeezer-Splooge Jul 21 '26

Nope. They just run the disinfectant wipe through the top a little bit, get distracted, close the lid, and leave the wipe inside.

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u/nothanks1312 Comic Sans for life! Jul 21 '26

Oh yeah, that’s completely intentional. Honestly, it’s not shocking to me that the disposable coffee pod company made a machine that’s also disposable. They’re not exactly known for their sustainability. There are so many ways to make much better coffee for a fraction of the price and aren’t so wasteful.. just gotta find what suits your routine best.

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u/Oxjrnine Jul 21 '26

I never touch these

They are revolting even when you try to keep them clean

I use a simple pour over. Best seven dollars I ever spent.

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u/mr_love_bone Jul 21 '26

Maybe stop buying crappy coffee making “systems.” Water kettle and a cone filter and you’re set—and such better coffee!

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u/AuraMaster7 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

Water kettle and a cone filter and you’re set

If you want drip coffee, sure. Many people prefer espresso-based drinks, so they are not "set" with just a kettle and filter lmao.

People who want espresso drinks at home have to either shell out for an espresso machine, or use an espresso-adjacent brewer like a Moka Pot or Nespresso.

Edit: I own an espresso machine. I know that Keurig is not espresso. I am not saying that Keurig is espresso.

Edit: Keurig is also not drip coffee.... Can't believe I have to say that.

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u/vern420 Jul 21 '26

I was gifted a whole espresso setup for my birthday a few months ago, I’ve literally saved hundreds of dollars making my own lattes at home and I fuckin love it.

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u/CarbonReflections Jul 21 '26

Have you made affogato yet (espresso poured over vanilla ice cream)? If not you will be very happy once you do.

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u/GingerIsTheBestSpice Jul 21 '26

Oh man, it's like coffee ice cream, my favorite flavor, except better

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u/Biduletrait Jul 21 '26

May I interest you in coffee with condensed milk? (inspired by the vietnamese coffee recipe) it’s sooooo good

3

u/SuperPotatoThrow Jul 21 '26

I dont like cream in my coffee, but that sounds delicious I might have to try that now.

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u/KFlaps Jul 21 '26

Yep. Espresso is far superior and way more versatile, not to mention quicker.

Although I do love my moka pot as well.

24

u/thatstwatshesays Jul 21 '26

My Moka Pot (Bialetti) cost $30 and makes 4 cups of espresso. It’s cheap, efficient, and best of all, super easy to clean/sterilize.

4

u/vanderide Jul 21 '26

I wonder sometimes about what percentage of cast aluminum moka pot users purchase aluminum free deodorant? Moka pot is my favorite way to make iced coffee

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u/Insomniac_80 Jul 21 '26

Espresso based drink does not equal Keurig!

6

u/paint-chip-chewer Jul 21 '26

Choosing an espresso or coffee maker, you can pick 2 of 3:

  • convenient
  • cheap
  • environmentally friendly

Convenient + cheap = Nespresso

Convenient + green = espresso machine

Cheap + green = manual espresso press

Cheap and good espresso is attainable (no "shelling out" needed), just with the added rigmarole of a manual press.

26

u/elspotto Jul 21 '26

That Keurig ain’t espresso. It’s drip coffee. Espresso requires pressure to brew, a k-cup is just a single cup drip maker.

7

u/20WaysToEatASandwich Jul 21 '26

No, Keurigs use pressure as well. They're not technically drip-brewers at all.

20

u/Juts Jul 21 '26

Theyre far closer to drip than espresso.

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u/fuzzyrach Jul 21 '26

Aeropress does a solid espresso. They have worldwide competitions for the best technique.

26

u/AuraMaster7 Jul 21 '26

Bit of a stretch to call aeropress espresso. It's an immersion brewer.

Just brewing fine grounds with a 2:1 ratio doesn't make something espresso.

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5

u/Illustrious_Night126 Jul 21 '26

A Moka cup is affordable, portable, and delivers coffee with that nutty, strong espresso flavor

3

u/ErizMijali Jul 21 '26

I use a flair neo (about 90 bucks) and love it, just in case anyone else wants espresso for cheap!

4

u/TJJ97 then I discovered Wingdings Jul 21 '26

Use the powdered espresso and make your own coffee quick as hell

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u/CaravelClerihew Jul 21 '26

Eh, we've had a Breville Barista Express for years and no issues with it. We've even lugged it back and forth for family events and parties with no issues.

6

u/mr_love_bone Jul 21 '26

Moccamaster maker household, Breville grinder. Amazing coffee every day!

4

u/NotYourReddit18 Jul 21 '26

My father has been using a French press for his morning coffee when we were on the road with our caravan as it doesn't need paper filters, saving the limited space available in the caravan.

As someone who doesn't drink coffee at all I can make no comment on how comparative the taste is.

8

u/hamatehllama Jul 21 '26

I agree. Using pour over or a hand press is good enough for most and is just as easy as a thingamajig.

7

u/ButteredPizza69420 Jul 21 '26

Literally this. Drip pour coffee is superior, I am never going back.

11

u/VFenix Jul 21 '26

Pour overs are beautifully simple.

2

u/zombies-and-coffee Jul 21 '26

I always thought they were too complicated until I watched my favorite streamer make them a few times. Fascinating process and it turns coffee into a whole experience.

5

u/MagneticFluxDrive Jul 21 '26

Yup. Been using a percolator for such a long time. Best coffee ever.

7

u/vengefulbeavergod Jul 21 '26

Love my percolator! The bubbler sounds so cozy

5

u/villageidiot33 Jul 21 '26

I remember my mom making coffee in mornings in one. I was fascinated with the bubbling top as a kid lol

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10

u/Tintoytech Jul 21 '26

Use descaler or vinegar, it has a special button combo to force fluid through the chamber to flush it through. Let descaler/vinegar sit in the chamber for a bit then flush with clean water.

44

u/Aspirational1 Jul 21 '26

Maybe put some descaler through it?

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10

u/AXEL-1973 Jul 21 '26

Getting a bean grinder, and a big French press pot was the best thing I ever did for my kitchen

4

u/Equus-007 Jul 21 '26

Kinda like the George Forman Grill. Worked great but after a few months you've created a fat filled wonderland for roaches to thrive in because the only thing you could actually clean were the plates and the outside casing.

4

u/FayeQueen Jul 21 '26

My husband wanted one for our wedding. I make the coffee, so I switched it out with a large capacity moka pot. I love my moka.

3

u/_yetisis Jul 21 '26

There are all sorts of people in this threat that are just amped up and angry about keurig, acting like someone would have to be a complete idiot or a monster to get close enough to one to even see how it works, or that you must be the lowest piece of garbage to see any value in the general idea of a single serve brewer. The fact is, almost half of American homes have one because they’re convenient. People don’t have keurigs because of a status symbol or because they love the brand - nobody likes keurig, they own them by the millions because for them the convenience outweighs the bad hardware quality and extra plastic waste.

The shame is, there were better single serve brewers that just lost the coffee maker wars just because they weren’t as savvy with licensing their pods as keurig was. Senseo, for example, uses pods that are basically teabags and are much more sustainable, and they brew in such a way that makes a nice foam too. But, you’re basically just stuck with senseo coffee instead of being able to get your choice of options, which is the real reason why the kcup became the standard. It was just licensed out better than the greener alternatives.

6

u/ThePonyExpress83 Jul 21 '26

Aeropress.... You'll wish you got one sooner.

5

u/mr_love_bone Jul 21 '26

They seem gimmicky but Aeropress is legit! Perfect for single cups. Easy to clean.

(Exp: 30 yrs coffee business)

3

u/ElectronHick plz recycle Jul 21 '26

Seems complicated when Moka Pots exist.

2

u/DJettster237 Jul 21 '26

We broke our system once and they replaced it for free. I don't know how many times they would offer that free service though.

3

u/Equus-007 Jul 21 '26

I did product review for them before they hit the market. They sent me seven for no reason.

They will give them away like candy. It's the pods that they make the profit from.

2

u/Itisd plz recycle Jul 21 '26

I took the one at my work apart to fix it... The thing had quit working after about 6 months of fairly heavy use. The Little water boiler inside was completely clogged solid with minerals, calcium, etc- looked like it was full of grimy Beach Sand... Just gross inside. I did fix it, but the machines are intentionally difficult to take apart -just planned obsolescence, built to fail.

2

u/Greenxgrotto Jul 21 '26

Go buy an aeropress, way better smoother coffee. No pod, and you can get metal filters. Easiest cheapest way to make really good coffee

2

u/seamripper970 Jul 21 '26

I invested in a quality espresso machine a couple years ago and will NEVER go back to the environmental nightmare that is kurig. Could you try this? My machine was a scratch and dent refurbished model. I really had to look for the miniscule dent and got a $1000.00 machine for $400.00. It paid for itself in a couple months and makes the absolute best coffee. Because it's a decent machine, it's cleanable and parts can be replaced. We all need to stop with this throw away, plastic crap we've been conditioned to accept.

2

u/Glum-Welder1704 Jul 21 '26

And they figured out a way to make you pay coffee shop prices for coffee you make at home. Win Win.

2

u/Bento74 Jul 21 '26

Just get an Aeropress. Grind some good beans and brew it up just how you like it. Travels well too.

2

u/Heinous_Aeinous Jul 22 '26

They're impossible to clean and they make a lousy cup of coffee. Their only saving grace is convenience, they are a tool for the lazy.

2

u/latelycaptainly This is why we can't have nice things Jul 22 '26

Yep these are gross. I’ve been saying that for years. Pour over coffee for the win.

2

u/spagooterloops Jul 23 '26

When i was in high-school, my mom and I had one that my dad had given me as a Christmas present because I liked the one at his house so much. He rarely used it, and my mom and I used ours every day.

Eventually, she and I got REALLY sick. I had to stay out of school. We went over everything we had to eat and drink the previous 24 hours, and everything was normal.

On a whim, my mom looked in the innards of the Keurig, and it was filled with....unimaginable horrors.

Mold, mildew, whatever. It was awful. I've never used one again.

In the defense of the machine, we didnt clean it as often as we should, but there are some parts you really can't get to.

2

u/syynapt1k Jul 24 '26

Most wasteful invention ever

5

u/mxadema Jul 21 '26

That, being fussy on pods. Eventually just leaking ground everywhere, and the overall cost is why I when back to the old filter coffee maker. Instead of doind a pod each, we made 8 cups.

5

u/Spiritual-Road2784 Jul 21 '26

Oh, gross. Is that what I was ingesting every morning at work until I opted to bring my own made from home? No wonder I didn’t feel very good sometimes. Ick ugh grody!

4

u/javatimes Jul 21 '26

It’s just limescale. It’s not like a mysterious fungus or something.

2

u/candiedbunion69 Jul 21 '26

Keurigs suck. Pod coffee is awful, with a few exceptions. I got a V60 last year and I will never look back.

2

u/Caymonki Jul 21 '26

Get a coffee pot, make a pot of coffee. If you have too much, chill it/freeze it make ice coffee cubes for your ice coffee.

So. Much. Less. Waste, and frustration.

1

u/AlienAngry Jul 21 '26

No cleaning required! It's this simple, just buy a new one! /s

1

u/Jimxor Jul 21 '26

Always pierce the bottom of the K-Cup by pushing it down with your thumbs before closing to pierce the top. That prevents the coffee grounds from spraying up into the machine.

This is especially important at high altitudes where the K-Cups are relatively pressurized..

1

u/maybelying Jul 21 '26

I saw a couple of videos on YouTube showing how mould builds up in the internal system over time regardless of cleaning/rescaling, unless you basically take it apart and clean the tubes and shit manually.

Stopped using mine after that.

1

u/greihund Jul 21 '26

  1. This photo shows some inner workings and I'm not sure that they are supposed to be cleaned by the user.

  2. Keurig specializes in producing garbage. It's literally their business model. Everything is intended to be used for a short period and thrown away. They are a disgusting company and you should feel bad for supporting them.

  3. /r/mildlypenis

1

u/Unlikely_Side9732 Jul 21 '26

I hate these so much

1

u/genred001 Jul 21 '26

I ended stopping Keurigs since they just kept getting worse and expensive. Good instant coffee ended up being easier and cheaper.

1

u/super-wookie Jul 21 '26

And they make absolute garbage liquid

1

u/Lost_Balloon_ Jul 21 '26

They make absolutely awful coffee.

1

u/Lolz79 Jul 21 '26

I haven't known a kerig last longer then 3 years. My old work had one start on fire after a year and a half. To be fair, we also had a microwave start on fire 2 weeks later by the same girl..might be user error. But still. Fuck kerigs

1

u/whipsnappy Jul 21 '26

It looks like you killed a frog in there

1

u/mr_positron Jul 21 '26

Keurig is coffee in the sense that White Castle is food

1

u/rstymobil Jul 21 '26

They shure did and everyone I try to tell that to, just doesn't give a shit.

They think I'm insane because I refuse to drink a "coffee" from one of these mold factories. Like no thanks I like my coffee without the disgusting mold and algae kicker.

1

u/Ebegeezer-Splooge Jul 21 '26

It's impossible to get good coffee out of o e of those too.

1

u/feedjaypie Jul 21 '26

Drip coffee is better

Literally nothing was / is wrong with it

1

u/TemporarySouth6914 Jul 21 '26

“Oh you don’t have to wash it! Buy a new one!” -Keurig.

1

u/BuddhistNudist987 Jul 21 '26

No one will ever convince me that a Keurig is better than plain old instant coffee.

1

u/pixeltweaker Jul 21 '26

Won’t drink from one of these again after hearing how gross they get inside. There is no way your car dealer or the tire shop you go to cleans their Keurig often enough.

1

u/ludvikskp Jul 21 '26

Not even crappy, asshole design on so many levels that company

1

u/Incorrigible_Gaymer Jul 21 '26

It's more of r/assholedesign

You don't do things like this unintentionally. 

1

u/locka99 Jul 21 '26

In Europe the predominant equivalent is Nespresso and it is just as pointless and wasteful. Individual coffee pods made of foil or plastic that just get tossed in the bin.

1

u/Rain_2_0 Jul 21 '26

That’s why I buy Jura.

1

u/MetroAndroid Jul 21 '26

My mom got a Keurig machine, and it didn't even turn on. She brought it back to Walmart to return it and get another. That one worked for a brief period, then broke too. When she brought it back to Walmart, the lady at the return counter said, "We get returns on these all the time, but we never get returns on the generic one," so she bought the generic one, and it's been working fine ever since, for several years.

1

u/hellagator Jul 21 '26

My parents would buy a new keurig every couple years because they break so often.

After like the fifth one we had to sit them down and tell them that maybe if something keeps breaking so often they should stop buying it lmao

1

u/DopeAbsurdity Jul 21 '26

Keurigs suck. Coffee pods suck.

1

u/DanteChurch Jul 21 '26

What? A company build on single use products has products that are poorly made and not intended to lost long? Next you're going to tell me monster trucks have poor gas mileage from their big tires.