Keurig 2.0 Brewing System Review: Pros & Cons

One of the gifts I received for my birthday recently was the new Keurig 2.0 Brewing system – K200. Admittedly I am not a big coffee drinker or one of those people who wake up every morning and “put on a pot” to start the day off right but I do love specialty coffee. My sister has a small single cup Keurig (the older model) and it has served its purpose well making delicious flavored coffees like French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Belgian Chocolate, Colombian, Dark Roast, Cinnabon, Starbucks and many more delectable brews. I wanted a system with more beverage options so I could make a few cups a week and mix it up with hot chocolate or cappuccino.

K-Cups

Flavors: Island Coconut, Chai Late, Kahlua, Winter Carnival, Caramel Cappuccino, Jamaican Me Crazy, Colombian, Belgian Chocolate, Mocha Nut Fudge, Creamy Hot Chocolate & Vanilla Hazelnut.

Although I have never seen the multi-colored machines in any stores nearby there is the option of color coordinating with your kitchen or decor and the design is sleek and quite stylish.

I was excited to try the new machine because it offers more brewing sizes, a user friendly digital touch screen and the option of making 1 cup of joe or a full steaming pot. The new system also comes with a larger water reservoir, a water filter (if you use tap water) and a coffee filter if you prefer to use grounds. The LCD screen allows you to select the brew size from K Cups (4 oz-10 oz), or the number of cups (4-5) if you’d like to brew using the carafe (sold separately with some devices). When you get the cup size to water ratio down (depending on the mug you use) the rest is pretty straight forward and you can also choose to brew your coffee stronger which is a nice touch.

The first slight drawback I found was the larger water reservoir. Not only does it take up a bit more counter space but when I want to brew just one cup for myself I still have to fill it with more than one cup of water. When I don’t add enough the machine prompts me to add more before it will do anything and after the coffee has brewed there is quite a bit of water left behind which just sits there. In my house we buy Reverse Osmosis Water from a special store. This may seem strange to some but this water tastes amazing, very clean and refreshing! Since my water is top notch I don’t need to use the water filter included and I don’t like wasting water when I have to over-fill the coffee maker for a single serving.

Another thing that annoys me is that some of the K Cups designed for older models don't work in this one. I have purchased delicious specialty coffees, popped them into the machine and received an alert informing me that the cup was incompatible with this model. The brand should have made this machine able to read all K Cups if they still plan to sell the old ones.

One of the selling points for me was that the Keurig is able to whip up a steaming mug of flavored coffee quickly and make the task more convenient. In reality I have to wait for the machine to pre-heat and prepare so it wasn’t a huge improvement on my old coffee maker or instant coffee in terms of the time it takes to warm up and get started. Overall I do enjoy the taste of the specialty coffees a lot more so a little waiting isn't a deal breaker.

When I first opened the box and read the instruction manuals there was a section that said “warning this product contains chemicals, including lead which is known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.” I have seen this warning before on a few nail polish bottles and I know that California has strict rules about informing the public of these risks but this concerned me. I did some research on the internet and found a few forums suggesting that the chemicals or lead is contained within the machine’s wiring and does not actually come in contact with your drinks. I can’t confirm these findings however as I have not been in touch with the customer service department myself.

After trying the device a few times I decided to keep it because: 1. it was a gift, 2. I still want all the yummy flavor options even though I'm not quite satisfied with its ability to make a single serving and 3. it is great for parties and get-togethers. In Canada the machine retails for about $100.00 depending on special promotions or location of purchase.

Have you tried the 2.0 Brewing System? What do you think of it?