You’ve done all your research and have learned about which Keurig is the best model for you and your family, but now there’s one more thing to think about – the coffee pods.
After all, the draw of getting a Keurig is the ease of use. You simply place a pod into the machine, and you have a nice, hot cup of coffee at the touch of a button.
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You also don’t have to worry about getting bored with the same cup of coffee every day because there are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of different K-Cup pods on the market.
But is each K-Cup created equal? Or are there certain Keurig machines that only accept specific K-Cups? Exactly which coffee pods are compatible with Keurig?
If you’ve been asking yourself these questions, you’re in the right place. This article will answer all your Keurig K-Cup pod questions.
Are Keurig K-Cup Pods Universal?
Some K-Cup pods are universal, and some are not.
Traditional K-Cup pods are universally compatible with all Keurig 1.0 coffee machines. The K-Cups are 1.5 inches tall with a diameter of 2 inches, making them universal among Keurigs from the 1.0 line.
These pods are filled with about two tablespoons of ground coffee and are designed to be thrown away after each use. Most Keurig K-Cups can be recycled after removing the foil seal.
On the other hand, the Keurig 2.0 K-Cups are not universal because Keurig 2.0 brewers feature Keurig 2.0 Brewing Technology, meaning they read each pod to calculate the correct amount of hot water to use to create the perfect cup of coffee.
These K-Cups are designed with a white, gray, or lavender outer ring.
The final form of Keurig K-Cups is the carafe pod. The Keurig K-Carafe pack is a larger pod that holds about 30 ounces of ground coffee and is designed to brew a large pot of coffee instead of Keurig’s typical single cup.
Since these pods hold a significantly larger amount of coffee than typical K-Cups, they are much larger and cannot fit in a Keurig 1.0 machine. They are only compatible with Keurig 2.0 carafe machines and are designated by a green dot on top of the pod.
If you’re not sure that the pods you’re picking up at the grocery store are compatible with your current machine, check the box for a checkmark.
Keurig K-Cups that are compatible with all machines will have this listed on the outside of the box with a checkmark.
Which Keurig Uses All K-Cup Pods?
If you’re in the market for a new Keurig, you don’t have to worry about making sure your brand-new machine uses all K-Cup Pods.
All brewers from the Keurig 2.0 line are compatible with all K-Cups, but the 2.0 brewers and 2.0 K-Cups were discontinued in 2019 due to consumer backlash.
This means that while technically, older Keurigs from the 1.0 line are not compatible with 2.0 K-Cups or K-Carafe packs, these pods are no longer on the market.
Currently, all Keurig machines available for purchase are compatible with all Keurig K-Cup pods on the market.
If you were excited about the prospect of making a carafe with your Keurig and are sad to find out they’re no longer in production, there are other options to meet your coffee needs.
The Keurig K-Duo Plus, K-Duo Special Edition, and K-Duo Single Serve & Carafe Coffee Maker allow you to brew a large pot of hot coffee. Instead of using a larger carafe pod as you would with the 2.0 machines, simply fill the machine with the desired amount of your favorite coffee grounds.
Even better, if you love using your own coffee grounds but only want one cup of coffee, Keurig sells a reusable K-Cup, the My K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter, that gives you the convenience of a K-Cup without sacrificing your favorite coffee beans.
What Coffee Pods Are Compatible With Keurig?
To avoid damaging your Keurig machine or creating a gross cup of coffee, it’s best to only use Keurig K-Cups in your Keurig machine.
Keurig uses a specific brewing mechanism when creating your cup of coffee, which is different from how non-Keurig machines use coffee pods.
Forcing a pod that doesn’t fit into your machine puts you at risk of damaging your machine and voiding your warranty.
There is also no way to guarantee that the Keurig machine will brew the coffee pod the way it was designed to be brewed, leaving you with a weak and bad-tasting cup of coffee.
Do Verismo Pods Fit In A Keurig?
No. Verismo pods are not designed to fit inside a Keurig machine. But there is a way to get around this if you can’t live without your Verismo coffee.
Carefully cut the seal off the top of your Verismo coffee pod and transfer the coffee grounds into the K-Cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter. This will give you that perfect cup of Verismo coffee you’ve been craving.
Do Nespresso Pods Fit In A Keurig?
No. Nespresso pods do not fit in a Keurig.
Nespresso has two different kinds of pods on the market, Vertuo, and Original. The Original Espresso pods look similar to a K-Cup, and you may be tempted to use them in your Keurig machine.
However, they are much smaller than a K-Cup, and while they may fit inside your Keurig’s pod basket, they will not sit snuggly. Forcing the Nespresso pod to sit nicely in the Keurig pod basket might result in an accidental puncture on one of the brewing needles.
As with Verismo pods, you technically could transfer the grounds from the Nespresso pod into the reusable K-Cup, but I’m not sure I’d recommend that.
Nespresso pods all have different brewing instructions that the machine is able to read directly from the pod. Since Keurig doesn’t have the same centrifuge technology, there is no way to guarantee your coffee is being brewed the way it was intended.
Do Great Value Pods Fit In A Keurig?
Yes, all Great Value pods are compatible with all Keurigs currently on the market.
Great Value is a brand of K-Cups sold at Walmart for an affordable price.
Do Good & Gather Pods Fit In A Keurig?
Yes, all Good & Gather pods are compatible with all Keurigs currently on the market.
Good & Gather is a brand of K-Cups sold at Target for an affordable price.
Keurig is all about being easy consumer use, and deciding which K-Cups you can use in your machine only got easier once the 2.0 line was discontinued.
Since the 2.0 line and related K-Cups have been discontinued, all K-Cups are now compatible with all Keurig machines. Just be sure that whatever K-Cups you’re picking up are verified K-Cups and have the checkmark of approval on the outside of the box.
Happy Caffeinating!
