Nearly a third of Americans consider a cup of coffee their first priority after waking up, and Keurig’s keen to make sure there’s a machine to help you through your morning routine.
The K250 is a very popular model in its range of products, offering rapidly brewed, great tasting coffee with very little fuss.
In my Keurig 2.0 K250 review, I’ll explain what you need to know before settling on your single serve coffee maker, and whether this popular coffee machine delivers what you need.
(If you want to explore more of my coffee content, take a look at the home brewing guide I have on the site!)
Buying A Keurig Coffee Maker
There are a few things to consider before settling on your final choice of single cup coffee maker.
Who are they designed for?
Single serve coffee makers are ideal for people who want to enjoy a rich variety of coffee flavors, but do so in as simple a way as possible.
You don’t have to be a fully qualified barista to brew an incredible cup of coffee with these machines. At an entry level they’re pretty much “fire and forget”, but they still produce great tasting drinks.
Whether you live in a single room apartment, or have a dedicated kitchen space, there is a machine to suit anyone. If you want to seriously up your coffee-drinking game, they’re a great start.
Many of these machines also allow you to scale up to bigger servings too. That’s great for when you’re hosting guests and you don’t want to clutter your kitchen with multiple gadgets.
Coffee Quality
When I bought my first single serve coffee maker, it was because I’d grown a bit tired of instant (bleurgh) and regular filtered coffee.
Coffee makers by Keurig and others provide extremely simple and easy brewing of very high quality coffee.
Although you can often use ground coffee in these machines, the real benefit comes from using those famous pods.
These provide you with a massive range of flavors, and help you experiment with new brews very easily.
There’s also no need to spend time grinding beans, and they create less mess (for the kitchen at least, the environment at large is a different matter).
Size and Weight
How much space do you have to make use of? Is that even an issue for you?
If you’re lucky enough to have a large kitchen (or office), then you’ll be able to get a machine that has more functionality. The cost of this is a bigger physical footprint.
If you have limited countertop space though, there are plenty of single serve coffee makers that have been designed to be discrete. You can tuck them away pretty much anywhere, and enjoy the same high quality coffee.
Quantity
Many Keurig coffee makers are also compatible with a branded carafe (sold separately), although you’ll need bigger, dedicated coffee pods if you go down this road. You can also buy pods for things like hot cocoa.
Most coffee machines can brew in many different sizes too. If you don’t want to have to refill the water reservoir all the time, go for one with a bigger capacity.
A 10 ounce serving of coffee is quite a small drink, but it’s a common brew size. You can use that to make an estimate of the size of reservoir you’re going to need.
Design
As well as the size of the machine, it’s important to think about the other appliances in your kitchen. If you have mainly black, white or stainless steel equipment, you’ll likely want a coffee maker that matches them.
If you like to go wild with your kitchen colors, you’ll want a machine that adds its own dash of vibrancy to the overall look.
Keurig K250 Coffee Maker
The Keurig K250 single serve coffee machine builds upon the success of earlier machines. At the same time it addresses some of the criticisms from owners.
It’s remarkably small for a machine at this level for a start. It’s also more durable, and it’s produced in a wider range of colors. I really think you’ll struggle to find a design that doesn’t work for your home or office.
- Black & white touch screen: makes it easy to brew a fresh, great tasting cup in under a minute.
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Alongside that you also get access to the hundreds of different coffee pods available in the Keurig range. This is an evolution of the one-touch, high quality coffee brewing that Keurig has made its signature.
Note, however, that this is what’s known as a Keurig 2.0 machine. You can only use officially branded pods – unless you hack the thing so it can take third-party capsules.
I need to save kitchen space wherever I can find it, and the Keurig K250 is discrete enough to not get in the way. Despite the small size it still has the capacity and performance you need to keep great coffee flowing.
Keurig K250 Specs, Dimensions & Design
Before we start digging into the details of the Keurig K250, here’s a quick snapshot of the machine specs:
- Dimensions: 13.7 x 9 x 15 inches
- Weight: 7.5lbs
- Brew Sizes: 4, 5, 8, 10, 30 (K Carafe Pods)
- Reservoir: 40 ounces
- Pod Compatibility: Keurig 2.0 K Cup, K Mug, K Carafe Pod, My K Cup reusable pod
- Drip Tray: Removable drip tray allows you to insert a bigger cup (up to around 7” height)
- Display: 2” black and white touchscreen
- Settings: Strength Control, High Altitude
- Warranty: 1 Year Limited Warranty
The most notable part of the Keurig K250 design is its unusually narrow width. I only have a small kitchen but this will fit fine on the countertop, or tucked away next to another appliance.
The only place I couldn’t put it is beneath the cabinets above the counter space. When you’re looking at these specs it’s important to remember that you’re going to need at least 6 extra inches of height. Otherwise you’ll struggle to insert new pods.
I would also recommend making sure there’s extra space at the back too. You’ll need a bit of wiggle room to remove the water reservoir. You’ll be doing this quite often given its 40 ounce capacity.)
What’s in the box?
Here’s what you’ll find inside the box when you buy a Keurig K250:
- The Keurig 2.0 K250 coffee brewing system
- 4 K-Cup coffee pods
- 2 water filters
- Descaling solution
Colors
One of the best things about the Keurig K250 is the wide variety of colors it’s available in. I struggle to think of a room in my house where one of these options wouldn’t work!
I’m a bit of a traditionalist though, and tend to opt for white or black options to keep everything matching in the kitchen.
For the adventurous though, here’s every color option for the Keurig K250 coffee maker:
- Black
- Imperial Red
- Oasis
- Peacock Blue
- Plum Gray
- Sandy Pearl
- Turquoise
- White
Touchscreen
The touchscreen on the Keurig K250 is a pretty simple affair. It’s around 2” and black and white, but it gets the job done and seems reliable.
Machines lower in the range come with plastic buttons, but I prefer being able to get going with a quick press. Buttons can get a bit messy too.
Brewing
The first thing to be aware of is that the Keurig K250 makes use of something called Keurig 2.0 technology.
That means you can only use Keurig pods, although the machine will automatically detect the pod you’ve inserted and brew it optimally. That’s the trade-off.
You can work around this and use third-party pods, but there’s a tendency for the coffee needle to get gunked up if you go down this route. I think it’s best to work with the official line if you’re going to buy this machine.
Regardless, there’s a huge selection of coffees and teas to choose from, as well as other drinks like hot cocoa.
Alternatively you can buy a separate reusable K-Cup that makes use of whatever ground coffee you like. That saves a bit of money in the long run, and is much better for the environment too.
Although the maximum 10 ounce K-Cup size is a little on the small side for my liking, I love that there’s an option to make a 30 ounce K-Carafe’s worth of coffee.
You’ll need to buy that accessory separately, but I try to minimize the number of appliances I have wherever possible. I’m not a big entertainer, but I like being able to brew more when it’s needed using one device.
Taste
The coffee from the Keurig K250 itself tastes exactly as you’d expect from a Keurig, which is pretty good!
There are literally hundreds of different pods to experiment with, and it’s nice that Keurig supplies a selection out of the box.
There are also a few options to weaken or strengthen the brew as well, so once you’ve found a favorite you can tweak the settings until it’s just right.
Dedicated coffee fans sometimes complain that Keurig coffee has a slightly plastic taste to it. I don’t think the Keurig K250 is any better or worse than other Keurig coffee makers in my opinion.
Keurig K250 Brew Sizes
You can use the Keurig K250 to brew in ten different sizes, depending on the type of pod you’re using. Here’s what’s available for each type:
- K Cup: 4, 6, 8, 10 ounce
- K Vue: 12, 14, 16 ounce
- K Mug: 12, 14, 16 ounce
- K Carafe: 22, 26, 30 ounce
The good news is that the Keurig K250 will actually recognize the pod that you’ve placed into it so it brews coffee optimally.
Unfortunately, you can’t change the default setting for each pod type.
If you want to brew a 16 ounce K-Vue pod, for example, you’ll need to insert the pod and then use the touchscreen to select the 16 ounce option.
It won’t remember your selection, so you’ll have to change it every time.
Temperature Control
The Keurig K250 has a bit of Keurig tech known as Strength Control. The idea here is that you can pick a setting and brew either a stronger or a weaker version of the pod you’ve popped in.
I like my coffee as strong as it gets all day long, whereas my wife likes something weaker in the evenings. This lets her have the same flavor and quality of her favorite drinks while reducing the strength.
High Altitude
A common feature in Keurig coffee makers is something known as High Altitude setting, and it’s present in the Keurig K250.
For most people this won’t apply. If you live, say, 2000 feet above sea level though, you can make use of this to reduce the boiling temperature.
Getting the right temperature is essential to avoid ruining your coffee, so it’s nice that this is included for those who need it.
Filters
The filters provided with the Keurig K250 are charcoal-activated. They’re pretty easy to install in the machine and you won’t struggle to source replacements online.
It’s important that you replace your filter regularly, as it’s designed to prevent calcium deposits from messing up the internal workings of your Keurig machine. A good filter will also make sure your coffee tastes as good as it can.
Even with regular filter replacement, it’s recommended that you descale your Keurig K250 every three months if you’re a heavy coffee drinker. Descale every six months if you only drink a few cups a day.
Capacity
The water reservoir on the Keurig K250 is both a little fiddly to remove and rather small for my liking. At best you’re going to get around four cups of coffee from the machine (using the maximum single-cup 10 ounce setting).
You’ll need to consider whether that’s going to be enough for you. If you’re happy to refill the machine between that quantity of coffee then it’s not an issue.
Cleaning & Maintenance
The Keurig K250 has a plastic finish, which means its easy to clean with a damp cloth. The flipside is that it doesn’t look or feel as durable as something harder wearing.
The removable drip tray is easy to take out and rinse though. Just don’t put it – or the pod holder – in the dishwasher. Give them a rinse by hand instead.
As the drip tray is removable, you can actually leave it off and put a bigger cup under the spout. Make sure you don’t leave it dripping or you’ll have a real mess to clear up!
Installation
The Keurig machines at this end of the product range are incredibly simple to set up.
They really are designed to make it hard for you to mess up, so just follow the instructions for getting your Keurig K250 ready for use:
- Unbox and assemble
- Plug in to the mains
- Add water to the reservoir
- Insert your K-Cup (or whatever your pod of choice is)
- Select the desired brew size
- Hit the Brew option and wait for your cuppa!
Warranty
The Keurig K250 comes with a 12 month limited manufacturer’s warranty.
I would estimate that a machine at this level has a good 18-24 months use before anything starts going wrong.
Keurig machines attract some criticism over durability, so my advice if you have any problems is to contact Keurig as soon as possible. This goes double if you have any issues in the first year.
Alternatives
There are some other machines similar to the K250 that are worth looking at.
Keurig K475 Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker
The K475 is an excellent alternative to the Keurig K250, and you won’t have to dig much deeper in your pockets either. You get all the bits and bobs that comes with the K250, but the water reservoir is almost twice as large at 70 ounces.
- What's in the box: 6 k cup pods and a water filter handle and 2 filters to help your beverages taste their best
- Large 70 ounce water reservoir: allows you to brew 8 plus cups more before having to refill, saving you time and simplifying your...
- K cup pod brew sizes: (4, 6, 8, 10, 12 ounce). Brews a carafe (22, 26, or 30 ounce) using k carafe pods, to give you more coffee...
- Strength control setting: allows you to brew a bolder cup using any k cup pod brew size. Plus, five temperature settings allow you...
- Large color touch screen: with a digital clock makes it easy to brew a fresh, great tasting cup in under a minute. Plus, program...
You also get a more generous brew size as well, as the K475 can produce a 12 ounce cup. That’s more than the Keurig K250 and a little more what I like from a coffee maker.
You also get an Auto On / Off function with this machine, which means you can prepare your first cup of coffee the night before. The Auto Off means you’ll save money on power bills too.
Keurig K575 Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker
The Keurig K575 ups the capacity even further with an 80 ounce reservoir. If you’re drinking more coffee than that in a single sitting, you might think about reducing that a little!
- Large 80 ounce water reservoir: Allows you to brew 10 plus cups more before having to refill, saving you time and simplifying your...
- Multiple k cup pod brew sizes: (4, 6, 8, 10, 12 ounce); brews a carafe (22, 26, or 30 ounce) using k carafe pods, to give you more...
- Strength control: A strength control setting allows you to brew a bolder cup using any k cup pod brew size; Plus, five temperature...
- Extra large color touch screen: A digital clock makes it easy to brew a fresh, great tasting cup in under a minute; Plus, program...
It also illuminates nicely, which is handy when your fumbling around the kitchen early in the morning trying to get your first cuppa inside you.
Like the K475 you can also program it ahead of time, and it again switches off after a period of inactivity.
Final Verdict On The Keurig K250?
That’s the end of my Keurig K250 review!
As a single serve coffee machine, the K250 represents a significant improvement over machines like the K55.
Although the water reservoir is a little on the small side, you have to weight that up against how small the machine is overall.
- Black & white touch screen: makes it easy to brew a fresh, great tasting cup in under a minute.
The Keurig K250 is also a little noisier than I’d like, but this is one of those trade-offs at this end of the product line. If you want quick coffee, you’re going to have to tolerate a little bit of noise. Don’t be too put off by this, as you’ll struggle to find a quiet machine without a bigger budget.
Overall, I think the Keurig K250 is a perfectly good compact machine. You might consider upgrading to the K475 if you want to see a big difference in terms of capacity and functionality.
Don’t worry if that machine’s out of your price range though, as the K250 still offers plenty of versatility. Ultimately it makes a great cup of coffee with very little fuss, and that’s all that really matters at this level.
Head over to Amazon’s K250 listing to learn even more about the machine.
Mark’s a lifelong food fanatic and spent ten years working as an entertainment journalist. He now combines his love of food, drink and writing as the founder and editor of Viva Flavor. Read more