Keurig Basics

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Have you ever tried a cup of coffee from a Keurig coffee maker, and wondered how these machines work?

Maybe your “inner mechanic” is curious about how these extremely popular machines are put together?

Let’s take a look at how does a Keurig work!

Each K-cup is made from durable plastic, and then there is a filter layer. They are wrapped in a foil layer that is moisture proof, so you never have to worry about your coffee not tasting fresh. These pods are inserted into the Keurig coffee maker, and in a few minutes, you get a cup of fresh, steaming hot coffee to enjoy.

One of the best things about these coffee pods is cleanup, of which there is practically none whatsoever. All you have to do is toss the pod into the garbage. If you were to use an espresso machine, you would have to tap on the bin to release the coffee grounds, and then rinse the unit out afterwards, to make sure that the porta-filter is clean. Finally, you need to use a brush to clean the metal screen. That seems like a lot of effort to go through for a cup of espresso, especially when you can do things so much easier with the K-cups.

When it comes time to clean up after using K-cups, there is minimal effort involved. Simply lift the handle on the Keurig machine, remove the K-cup, and toss it into the trash. That’s all there is to it. There is minimal cleaning to do, and even the machine maintenance isn’t that much of a chore. Daily cleaning simply involves putting an empty cup through the machine. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Each brewer has a water reservoir that will hold a fair amount of water, so all you have to do is slip a K-cup in and press a button to prepare your morning Jo. Even if you have brewed a cup already, there will still be plenty of water for more if someone else wants one. You don’t have to keep filling the machine with water every time you want a cup of coffee.

When you want a cup of coffee, all you have to do is take the following steps:

How do Keurig coffee makers know how to make the perfect cup of coffee every time? They use a special interactive technology that ensures a perfect brew ever time, no matter what size is being used. It can read the lid so it knows exactly how much water to use, how long to brew, etc.

Now that there is the Keurig 2.0 coffee maker, you can brew a full carafe to make coffee for the whole family. Because the technology is designed to read Keurig K-Cup packs, it is recommended that for the best performance, and for safety reasons, that you only use packs that are licensed by Keurig.

Now, let’s get down to the fun part: brewing your coffee. When using a Keurig machine, the first step in the process is to place the pod or K-cup into the brew chamber. Once it is in the chamber, pull the handle down to close the chamber.

When you do this, a needle will punch a hole into the foil lid of the pod. This needle is small, but creates just the right size hole for the pressurized water that has been heated to a high temperature to run through the coffee. Next, the coffee filters through the paper. Where does it go from there?

When the first needle punches that hole in the lid of the K-cup, there is another needle at the bottom which punches another hole into the paper filter. The heated, filtered coffee will run down through this hole, and into your coffee cup.

So, how does the water get hot in a Keurig coffee maker? It is forced through very small tubes, so it is heated as it moves through the system. Because smaller amounts of water are being heated than an entire pot all at once, it is going to reach the optimal temperature by the time it gets to your cup.

Even though the Keurig brewer technology is revolutionary, it is pretty simplistic when you sit down and really think about it. Basically, what they have done is created a machine that will brew coffee just as a normal machine would, but instead of an entire pot, it is scaled down to single servings.

This is ideal for the single person who doesn’t need to brew a full pot of coffee every morning. In a nutshell, this is a small version of a drip brewer, with a lot more technology used in its creation. Other manufacturers have attempted to copy this technology, but none have been able to match the quality of the coffee that comes out of a Keurig machine. The genuine K-cups have the best flavor over the copycats, bar none.

If you want to save money with reusable filters, you can use the Keurig 2.0 for brewing your coffee. You can brew it by the cup, or you can use the carafe to brew a pot of coffee that holds 32 ounces, or up to four cups of coffee.

First, remove the lid, and then fill the filter with up to two and a half tablespoons of coffee (depending on how strong you like it). If you use your own coffee beans, use a coarse grind. Do not use tea or cocoa in the filter. Do not compress the coffee grinds, as they should be loose. Replace the lid, place the filter in the brewer, close the lid, select the cup size, and push brew. That’s all there is to it.

See for yourself how easy it is to brew your coffee with the Keurig 2.0 by watching the following YouTube video.

For instance, the in-cup temperature will depend on the temperature of the cup itself, and the material the cup is made from. If you are using a foam or paper cup, you will have a coffee that is about 82° to 85° Celsius (180-185° Fahrenheit). If you are using a ceramic cup, the beverage will be significantly cooler.

One thing to remember is that if the machine has been idle for an extended period of time, it is likely not going to get to the optimal stream temperature the first time it is used again. It is a good idea to run some clear water through the coffee maker prior to brewing your coffee, which will not only warm up the brewer, but also your cup. Then, you can brew your K-Cup and enjoy your coffee.

One thing to remember is that if the machine has been idle for an extended period of time, it is likely not going to get to the optimal stream temperature the first time it is used again. It is a good idea to run some clear water through the coffee maker prior to brewing your coffee, which will not only warm up the brewer, but also your cup. Then, you can brew your K-Cup and enjoy your coffee.

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You don’t necessarily have to stick with the same size beverage all of the time, especially if you want more or less coffee. When you are using the Keurig coffee maker, the technology inside the machine can identify which type of K-Cup has been inserted, so it brews the perfect cup every time.

You can adjust the size depending on what you want. On the upper right-hand corner of the brewer screen, you will see the optimal size. You can adjust this with the arrow keys, scrolling up and down until you find the size range that is for the type of K-Cup you are using. The machine will then brew a cup of this size.

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Once you insert the K-Cup pack into the machine, it will start brewing a cup of coffee of normal strength. If you prefer a stronger brew, it is easy to get. Simply look for the “Strong” option, which is located on the bottom left-hand corner of the brewer screen. Touch the icon to check the empty box and activate the Strong function for a stronger cup of coffee.

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Now you can enjoy cold drinks with the Keurig Kold, which is developed through the Keurig/Coca Cola partnership. You can mix and produce carbonated drinks that are immediately cold, unlike the Soda Stream machines that do not give you cold drinks. Enjoy making your own soda in more than two dozen flavors.

You can also make flavored water, energy drinks, iced tea, and more. Using the Keurig Kold is easy. Simply fill the machine with water, open the machine and insert the Keurig pod of your choice, and press the button to activate. In about 90 seconds, your cold drink will be ready.

You can make more than just coffee in your Keurig coffee maker! How would you like a delicious cup of hot chocolate?

It’s easy to make. Simply insert the K-Cup hot chocolate pack, and then lower the bail. Press the Hot Cocoa/Other option, followed by the ‘brew’ button, which will be flashing. The K-Cup hot chocolate pack contains cocoa powder.

This is dissolved when the piston pump in the machine pushes air into the water throughout the brewing process. Not only does the cocoa dissolve, it also gets that delicious froth on top. You can also use this setting to make tea, and there are a variety of Keurig teas to choose from.

You will need to descale the Keurig coffee maker from time to time. How often you will need to do this will depend on the mineral content in your water. It is recommended that you use bottled or filtered water to descale your coffee maker.

What is descaling? When there is too much mineral content in water, the brewer may end up with calcium deposits inside. This can make the brewer perform poorly. It is a good idea to get into the habit of descaling the Keurig brewer about every three to six months to avoid this problem. If you have a high mineral content in your water, it may be necessary to do it even more often.

Keurig brewers are smart machines, and they will let you know when descaling is necessary. The system tracks how much liquid passes through, and then will let you know when it is time to descale. It will give a reminder, using the prompt, “time to descale the brewer”. If you do not descale, you will get another reminder in six weeks. It will continue to return regularly until you descale the brewer.

Descaling is easy, and you don’t need any special cleaners. Keurig recommends the Keurig Descaling Solution, but there are other descaling products available as well, such as “Dezcal,” which is Keurig-approved, but you can save a lot of money by using something you already have in your kitchen.

All you need is vinegar that has been diluted with water. Run the diluted vinegar through the Keurig coffee maker, so it goes through all of the pipes and gives everything a thorough cleaning.

The better you maintain your Keurig coffee machine, the longer it is going to last, and it is going to continue working properly. It is recommended that you clean the external parts of the machine with a non-abrasive cloth that is damp and soapy. Do not immerse the brewer into water or cleaning solutions.

The K-Cup holder, funnel, drip plate, and drip tray (for the Elite, Classic, Ultra, Special Edition, Ultimate, Platinum, Select, B155, K15, K50, K200, K300, K425, and K525) are all dishwasher safe. The water reservoir and its lid are removable, but they are not dishwasher safe and must be cleaned by hand.

In addition to descaling, the K-Cup holder receptacle needs to be cleaned regularly. When it is time to do this, the process is pretty simple. The first step is to take the assembly out of the brewer, and lift the handle to open the cover.

Next, hold the top of the K-Cup holder, and use your other hand to push the bottom of the assembly upward. Push until the assembly releases. Now you can start cleaning the K-Cup holder (some parts are dishwasher safe) by following these steps:

If you just want a cup of coffee for yourself in the morning, there is no sense in making a full pot in a regular coffee maker. You can save a lot of time, and coffee, by making a single cup in your Keurig coffee maker.

If you do need to make more, there is always the Keurig 2.0, which has a carafe that can hold up to four cups of coffee. It only takes a couple of minutes to make delicious, steaming hot coffee, and you can also make hot chocolate and tea. There are all kinds of coffee flavors to choose from, and you can get the Keurig K-Cup pods in most stores.

There are instructions beneath the lid that tell you how to clean the lid with nothing more than a damp cloth. The reservoir is dishwasher safe. When you take out the water reservoir, be careful to make sure that you don’t lose the O-ring. Without this O-ring, the coffee maker will leak when used after cleaning.

Now you can easily slide out the K-cup holder and the funnel. This is where the needle that punctures the K-cups is located, so be careful not to poke yourself with it.

If your model has the drip tray and cover, it needs to be removed. Again, these parts are dishwasher safe.

Even though some of the parts are labelled as being dishwasher safe, we still recommend that you wash them by hand, as dishwashers can tend to be hard on plastic. The plastic can turn cloudy, and the water can get so hot in a dishwasher that it can warp the reservoir.

Let the parts soak for about 10 minutes or longer in warm, soapy water, wipe clean, rinse with clear water, and towel dry. Never scrub the parts, especially the reservoir, and only use a soft cloth to clean it, as it is made of acrylic and can scratch easily.

Using the paper clip, or the Keurig 2.0 Maintenance Accessory, it is time to clean the K-cup area. If you are using a paper clip, you will need to use the clip to push into the holes that are located in the needles that pierce the K-cups.

These holes get clogged with coffee grounds and mineral buildup, so they need to be cleaned out regularly. Another option is to use a straight pin or a thin needle. If the water line gets clogged during this step, push the paper clip inside to clear the line.

You can also turn the entire machine upside down and tap it lightly on the bottom to knock out debris that is clogging the machine. If you are using the Keurig Maintenance Accessory, the process is slightly different.

Make sure the machine is turned off, and fill the silicone bulb on the accessory with clear water. Place the accessory where you would place the K-cup, and raise and lower the handle four to five times. This will loosen coffee grounds and make them easier to remove.

Now it’s time to clean the water line. Find the water line spout, and attach the straw to it. You may have to hold onto the end of the straw to make sure that it is on tight. Blow some air through the straw, which will remove debris in the water line.

Make sure you blow on the straw good and hard.

The next step is to clean the outside of the machine, using the paper towel or microfiber cloth with some all-purpose cleaner. It is easiest if you spray the cleaning solution directly onto the cloth rather than the machine, and it ensures that there will be no cleaner getting into areas where it shouldn’t.

You can also use soapy water to clean the machine, and a damp cloth for rinsing. You may have to get in and really scrub some parts, and this is often easier to do with a soft toothbrush.

Take out the water reservoir, and empty it completely. If your machine has a water filter, remove it now. Run clear water from the tap over the mesh filter to get rid of any debris.

This is an area where you will find a lot of scaling, which is a white-ish film. Put some white vinegar on a paper towel and wipe the area clean. It may be necessary to soak the area with vinegar for a couple of minutes before wiping it down.

When there is too much scale on the machine, it can affect the temperature of the water. Your coffee will be hot, but not nearly as hot as it should be.

When your coffee is not able to reach the optimal temperature, the full flavor of the coffee beans is not going to be extracted.

If there is a lot of mineral scale in your Keurig, it may result in less coffee coming out, so you get what is referred to as a short cup.

If you do not clean mineral scale buildup, it can clog the machine. Over time, this can cause the coffee maker to stop working all together.

While Keurig recommends that you use their descaling solution, it may not be the best thing to use all of the time. We recommend that you alternate between solution and vinegar cleanings, so you are using vinegar twice, and then the solution the next time, and repeat this pattern.

The problem with the Keurig Descaling Solution is that it is citric acid-based, so it tends to leave behind a chemical taste, even after you have done several water only brews. But, if you have been cleaning your Keurig with vinegar only, and you find it isn’t working to get the clogs out, you may need to use this stronger descaling solution to fix the problem.

There are descaling solutions offered by other brands, but many of these are even more acidic than the Keurig solution. Over time, they can actually end up damaging your Keurig machine by causing damage to the inside parts. Make sure that you follow all of the manufacturer’s directions if you are using a descaling solution instead of vinegar and water.

There are a few different processes for descaling a Keurig coffee maker, depending on whether vinegar or Keurig Descaling Solution is used, and the model of your machine. Let’s take a look at how to descale your machine with the Keurig solution, and two ways to do it with vinegar.

It takes less than a couple of hours to descale your Keurig 2.0, and it is a necessary thing to do regularly, especially if you have hard water. The first step in the process is to turn the power off on the brewer.

Next, take the following steps: