How to use a keurig coffee maker

The single cup coffee brewing machines have gained a lot of popularity among home owners as well as at the office and businesses. This is because these products are convenient at brewing a single perfect cup of coffee at any time. Among these coffee brewing machines, is the keurig coffee maker, it is known in making several series and models of single-cup coffee makers, known as K-Cup coffee brewers. They are easy to operate and use, even though they can be confusing at first use.

It is important to point out some few things before you brew your first K-Cup. As we have seen above, keurig comes in different models and series. While the general procedure of operating these coffee makers is roughly the same, you might find some minute differences when it comes into the brewing sizes and strengths. In some models, the kind of drinks served can be brewed both hot and cold. Below is the procedure followed when using keurig coffee makers.

Table Of Contents

How to use a keurig coffee maker
How to troubleshoot a keurig coffee maker

Part one

Preparing the machine

Fill the water reservoir

Lift the lid, locate either on the left side or back of the machine and pull out the reservoir to and fill it with water. You can also use a mug or cup to pour water into the reservoir up to your desired quantity. Ensure that you do not fill water until it goes above the line on the water reservoir that says “MAX FILL”. It is also advisable to use spring or filtered water, because hard water may leave some mineral buildup in the brewer over time.

Place the cup underneath the spout

Put the mug, cup or travel mug on a drip tray plate of the brewer, under the spout where the brewed beverage shall pour out.

Part two

Brewing the beverage

Insert the K-Cup

Insert the k-cup into the brewer by lifting the handle located on the front and center of the system and then place the k-cup inside. The foil top should face up.

Press the button to start brewing

Depending on the brand you have, you can either select brew button on the machine or choose the mug size to start brewing. Remember not to move the cup or mug or even lift the top handle of the brewer when it is brewing. Depending on the brand or series you have, the entire process can approximately take one to two minutes.

Remove the mug

Take your mug or cup from drip plate the moment the liquid stops pouring from the brewer and ends with the burst of air to push out any liquid remaining.

Part three

Caring for the machine after brewing

Remove the used K-cup

Lift up the top handle and remove the k-cup after it has finished brewing, and dispose it off. Ensure you are careful when handling used k-cup because it will be very hot.

Clean all the keurig machine parts periodically

Clean the external parts using a soft damp cloth and a soap. Slide the drip tray out to empty and then rinse it with clean water and soap. You can place the k-cup pack holder in the top rack of the dishwater in low temperature cycle.

Descale after three to six months

It is important to descale the machine every few months to remove lime scales or calcium scales that develop on the machine from mineral quantity in water.

Store your keurig upright in the dry environment.

How to troubleshoot a keurig coffee maker

Start by emptying the water reservoir of the machine
Fill your reservoir with a white vinegar
Place the ceramic cup on a drip tray. Ensure that you don’t put the K-Cup in the machine
Press the brew button
Empty the available contents of a cup into the sink
Repeat the same process until the water reservoir is empty
Rinse the reservoir and fill it with clean water
Let the brewer or machine stand for four hours while turned on
Place the empty ceramic cup on the drip tray again
Press the brew button and empty the content in the sink
Repeat the same process until the water reservoir is empty
The descale light should be off by now.

Conclusion

The keurig k-cup or single cup brewers is a coffee brewing system where enough coffee grounds for the single cup of coffee are packaged separately allowing for the keurig users to make one perfect cup of coffee at a time. The company manufactures different machines with differing levels of complexity. We have brewers that are normally connected to building water pipes and others to standalone brewer which requires manual loading of water. Keurig is a machine that performs well and requires proper care. As indicated above, those are tips on how to use and troubleshoot your keurig coffee brewing machine.