Keurig K-Mini Plus review: a compact and basic single-serve machine

One of the downsides of drip coffee makers is that they often can’t make just one cup of coffee—you generally have to brew at least four cups, which can be frustrating living alone. This common issue is one of the reasons single-serve coffee makers are so popular, and for those who live in small homes, the Keurig K-Mini Plus is the most compact pod coffee maker available from the popular brand. 

The K-Mini Plus is just 4.5 inches wide, making it easy to tuck into a nook in your kitchen—or even a dorm room. It includes a pod storage container that holds up to nine K-cups and fits neatly under the unit’s spout. This compact Keurig coffee maker also comes in a rainbow of bright colors, allowing you to show some personality in your home. 

While it’s an appealing option if you’re short on space, the Keurig K-Mini is also quite basic, and I wanted to see if it made a good cup of coffee. I used the appliance as the main coffee maker in my kitchen for several weeks, making at least two drinks per day, and I tested it with several different types of K-cups. 

Here’s how it compares to the best coffee makers I’ve tested and the quirks you should know about before buying. Then, look at our comparison of Keurig vs. Nespresso to see how these two competing brands compare.

Keurig K-Mini Plus: Price & Availability

The Keurig K-Mini Plus is priced at $109.99 in the US and is available directly from the brand or through major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. You can often find it on sale, as well, if you want to save a few bucks. 

Score: 4 out of 5

Keurig K-Mini Plus: Setup

I immediately loved the K-Mini Plus's bright, colorful design. I received the coffee maker in the color “Cool Aqua,” a neon blue, but it also comes in various other vibrant shades, including red, minty green, teal, and more. It adds a pop of brightness to my kitchen, but I will say that virtually all of its components are made from plastic. 

The unit is lightweight and easy to move around, and it even has a storage compartment in the back where you can put the power cord when the appliance isn’t in use. It also has a matching K-cup storage contai. Itner with up to nine pods. The container fits perfectly underneath the unit’s water spout, so you can keep coffee pods close by without taking up any extra space. 

This coffee maker truly couldn’t be easier to set up. All I had to do was remove the tape holding the components together, rinse out the small water reservoir, and it was ready to use. It doesn’t have a water filter—not ideal if you have hard water in your home—or any other features that might require prep before you jump in and start making coffee. 

Keurig K-Mini Plus: Design

The Keurig K-Mini Plus is the brand's narrowest brewer—it’s just 4.5 inches wide. The unit is just over 11 inches deep and 12 inches tall, so it fits easily on most counters or, in my case, a sidebar in the kitchen. 

This single-serve coffee maker isn’t the most high-end in its design. The brightly colored exterior and all the major components are made from plastic; even the “metal” accents are made from silver plastic, not true stainless steel. It would fit in well if you have a youthful and/or colorful design style, but it’s not necessarily an elegant appliance. 

Still, despite being mostly plastic, the Keurig feels sturdy and well-made. The K-cup storage container was the only component I wasn’t entirely sold on. It feels somewhat flimsy, and there’s just one tiny bump that holds it in place under the spout. It’s very easy to accidentally knock it out of place, and overall, it feels like the design of it was a bit of an afterthought. 

Score: 3 out of 5

Keuig K-Mini Plus: Performance

I’ve used Keurigs before, so I had an idea of what to expect from the K-Mini Plus. However, a few things made this model different from larger single-serve coffee makers. 

One of the biggest things I noticed is that the reservoir only holds enough water for one cup of coffee and uses all the water when brewing. So, if you want a 10-ounce drink, you must fill the reservoir to the 10-ounce line. I found it slightly annoying that I had to refill the water tank every time I made a drink - I much prefer Keurigs with large water tanks that allow you to select a beverage size via the control panel. 

When making a drink with this machine, all you have to do is insert a K-cup, then press the large circular silver button on top of the unit to start brewing. If you want a stronger brew, be sure to press the “Strong” button, too, which will light up to let you know it’s selected. This unit takes quite a while to make a drink—generally upward of two minutes while it heats the water. On more than one occasion, I returned to check if I pressed the start button because it took so long. 

After it heats the water, the machine will dispense the drink directly into your cup. I quickly found that it’s best to use taller mugs with this coffee maker—with short cups, it splatters water all over the counter around it. If you pull out the removable drip tray, you can also brew into a travel mug.

Overall, this single-serve coffee maker isn’t the most convenient to use. Its design has several quirks that I had to work around while using it, but it did get the job done at the end of the day. 

Score: 3 out of 5

Keuig K-Mini Plus: Taste test

There’s no shortage of K-cup flavors available today, and I tried several different options while testing the K-Mini Plus. I usually opt for Green Mountain Breakfast Blend for my morning coffee, a light roast brew. I made it using the machine’s regular setting, and the resulting drink was quite good. It wasn’t quite as flavorful as coffee from my drip machine, but it tasted good and wasn’t bitter or acidic. 

I also tried the Green Mountain Dark Magic, a dark roast. I wanted to see if the machine’s “Strong” setting made a difference, so I brewed two cups of this coffee—one on the regular setting and one on strong. I could tell the difference between them; the strong option was noticeably bolder in flavor. This isn’t a coffee I would make regularly, as it’s too strong for my tastes, but it might be a good choice for those who like dark roast brews. 

Finally, I tested the Cafe Escapes Chai Latte and Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa K-cups. They were both delicious, but they get watered if you put too much water in the reservoir. Instead, I like to use just 8 ounces of water to brew the drink, then stir in a little milk to give it a rich, creamy flavor. So good! 

Should you buy the Keurig K-Mini Plus?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How does the Keurig K-Mini Plus compare?

If you like the compact design of the K-Mini Plus but want a bigger water reservoir, the Keurig K-Slim has a similar design. It’s roughly the same size and price as the K-Mini Plus, but the K-Slim can hold up to 46 ounces of water, enough to brew around four cups. It offers three brew sizes and has an indicator light that lets you know when it needs to be descaled. 

I’ve also tried out the K-Supreme Plus SMART for a more high-tech Keurig model. This model is slightly more expensive but gives you much more granular control over your brew, offering five strength settings, six temperature options, five drink sizes, and a brew-over-ice option. 

How I tested the Keurig K-Mini Plus

• Made at least two hot drinks per day with the coffee machine  
• Tested a variety of K-cups, including coffee and other specialty drinks 

I tested the Keurig K-Mini Plus over two weeks, using it as the primary coffee maker in my kitchen. I made at least two daily drinks with the appliance, typically a coffee in the morning and a specialty drink like hot chocolate or chai latte in the afternoon. I also taste-tested the regular and strong brew settings to see if there was a discernible difference. 

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed: October 2023