Keurig K-Duo Plus Review

We purchased the Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve & Carafe Coffee Maker so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Whether you have a big family or enjoy hosting, it’s hard to please everyone with a coffee machine that only brews basic black coffee. Tastes have broadened, and people want choices. That’s why some of the latest coffee makers offer extra features such as options for making single and multiple servings, pulling espresso shots, and even steaming milk. One example that has multiple functions is the Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve & Carafe Coffee Maker. We tested its setup, cleanup, coffee quality, and extra features. Keep reading to see what we found. 

Setup Process: Straightforward, but detailed instructions weren’t included

In terms of setup, it took only about 20 minutes to get the K-Duo Plus ready for service. We started by thoroughly cleaning all of the machine’s components with soap and warm water. After installing the water filter per the instructions included with the starter kit, we also cleaned the machine’s interior components by running water through the single-cup brewer and then through the carafe brewer. 

This entire process took about 15 to 20 minutes in total. The dual coffee maker came with a quick-start guide that made the setup easy to understand with included diagrams and easy-to-follow instructions. 

Unfortunately, there was not a detailed manual included with this product. For additional help, troubleshooting, and best cleaning practices, we needed to search for the user manual on the manufacturer’s site.  

Design: Convenient with a reusable mesh filter

The K-Duo Plus Single Serve & Carafe Coffee Maker is aesthetically pleasing, fitting in with the rest of Keurig’s sleek collection of products. This coffee maker is black with silver accents and has a modern look that is sure to fit in with most kitchens. 

We also really loved the convenient design. This coffee maker boasts an adjustable water reservoir. This means that we were able to adjust the base of the water reservoir to either the back, left, or right of the machine to change up where the reservoir would live on the machine. We found this to be quite unique and ingenious because it allowed us to maximize our counter space. We ended up moving our reservoir base to the back of the machine to lessen the width from 8.2 inches to 7.68 inches.

This coffee maker also comes with a gold-tone reusable mesh filter, which is awesome because we weren’t required to buy any paper filters (though you can if you’d like). Simply dump the grounds out and wash the filter after every use to keep it clean. 

Performance: Brews single and multiple servings

What’s great about the K-Duo Plus is that it is simple to use and requires just a few buttons to get started or none at all if using the auto-brew method. 

To brew a pot of coffee (up to 12 cups), fill the water reservoir to the max fill line, added your coffee grounds to the filter basket (located in the filter basket drawer on the top of the machine), close the filter basket drawer, and placed the carafe on the drip tray. Turn the machine on via the “Power” button and select the “Carafe” button followed by the preferred brew size (6, 8, 10, or 12 cups). When the brew indicator light is no longer illuminated, the coffee is done. 

This machine can also brew single cups by inserting K-Cup pods into the pod holder in the machine. Simply place the mug on the drip tray, lift the pod holder door (behind the filter basket drawer), place the K-Cup pod inside, and close the door. Next, select the “Pod” button followed by the brew size (6, 8, 10, or 12-ounces).

Being a house of two people, we loved the ability to make single servings. It gave us the freedom to pick whatever drink we wanted whether that was a chai latte, hot cocoa, or a regular coffee. Besides working well for single servings, this coffee machine also excels at keeping coffee warm in the carafe. Our coffee stayed warm for several hours (up to about four or five hours) when we left the carafe on the drip tray. 

Though this machine is easy to use, what we didn’t like is that there aren’t any customizable settings. There is a “Strong” button if the user wants a bolder coffee, but we didn’t notice much of a difference in taste between this method and the regular brew method.  

Ease of Cleaning: Requires regular cleaning

This coffee machine requires regular cleaning to keep it running smoothly. It’s important to clean the carafe, carafe lid, filter basket, and mesh filter after every use. These parts must be washed by hand using warm and soapy water. Other components, including the brewer exterior, the drip tray, the water reservoir, K-Cup pod holder, and the exit and entrance needles, can all be washed less frequently. None of the parts are dishwasher-friendly. 

There is also a descaling process that should be done every three months. There are detailed instructions for this on the manufacturer’s website. 

Extra Features: Auto-brew comes in handy

This machine comes equipped with a few extra features including Programmable Carafe Auto Brew, which allows the user to set a preferred brew time up to 24 hours in advance (see instructions online and in the quickstart guide). We enjoyed coming downstairs to our kitchen to find our coffee waiting for us instead of having to go through the brewing process in the morning. 

There is also a feature called Pause & Pour, meaning you can pull the carafe out before it’s finished brewing. The machine will pause the brewing process for 20 seconds so that you can pour a hot cup of coffee. We found this to be somewhat unnecessary since brewing a pot of coffee doesn’t take that long, maybe about 10 minutes.

Price: Fair

The K-Duo Plus Single Serve & Carafe Coffee Maker is fairly priced at around $200. The average coffee machine costs around $150, so considering this machine offers several extra features such as auto-brewing, the adjustable water reservoir, and the option for single and multi-cup servings, it’s more than fairly priced. 

Keurig K-Duo Plus vs. Breville Precision Brewer Thermal

The Breville Precision Brewer Thermal is another modern coffee machine we tested that offers a number of extra features and costs a bit more at around $300. This machine can make pots of coffee, single-cup servings, and cold brew coffee. It’s different from the K-Duo Plus in that it has more customization options on the main menu to really tailor users' coffee to their taste preferences. You can adjust bloom time, water temperature, and flow rate. 

If you’re someone who wants those extra customizable features, it’s totally worth the extra money for the Breville coffee maker.