Keurig K-Duo Plus Review: Versatile Machine A 'Wise Choice' For Coffee Drinkers -

Variety is the key feature of the Keurig K-Duo. You can use K-Cup pods or ground coffee, and you can also brew a single cup or an entire carafe.

Keurig makes a variety of coffee makers. However, we like the Keurig K-Duo Plus because it offers so many choices. It’s a versatile coffee maker that can brew several coffee sizes ranging from a single cup to an entire carafe. This makes it a great choice for households with several coffee drinkers – or even for a single user who wants to switch it up. And the machine is compact enough that it doesn’t take up much space on the countertop.

For all of this variety, the Keurig K-Duo Plus is remarkably easy to use. I tested it for over a week, and these are my thoughts.

Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Maker (Photo credit: Terri Williams)

Pros

Uses both K-Cup pods and ground coffee
Brews various sizes
Water reservoir position can be changed
Thermal carafe keeps coffee warm
Pause and pour feature
Programmable

Cons

Doesn’t froth milk
No descaling alert

Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Maker Specs:

Brand: Keurig
Product Name: K-Duo Plus
Model Number: 5000204978
Dimensions: 14.19” H x 7.68” W x 15.88 D
Weight: 12.75 pounds
Water Tank Capacity: 60 ounces
Voltage: 120
Warranty: 1 Year

Where to buy:

Amazon
Keurig

Unboxing and Setup

Unboxing the Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Maker — A look at what’s in the Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Maker box (Photo credit: Terri Williams)

The 12.75-pound K-Duo Plus was well-packaged in cardboard and sustainably-molded pulp, so it arrived in good shape. All of the parts were also individually wrapped to prevent scratches and dents during the transport process.

I was immediately intrigued by the adjustable water reservoir. It can be positioned to the right side of the machine, the left side, or even the back. This makes it convenient to use in space-challenged areas, and it’s also just nice to be able to position it according to personal preferences. The 60-ounce water tank is also removable – and has a handle, making it quite easy to take the container to the sink to fill, empty, and clean.

The controls and the time display are on top of the machine. Using the auto brew selection, the machine can be programmed up to 24 hours in advance to start brewing a carafe of coffee. The machine also turns off 5 minutes after the last brew cycle if there’s no activity, so you never have to worry about forgetting to turn it off.

The strong brew button provides a stronger, more intense cup or carafe.

The pause and brew button is for people who don’t want to wait for the carafe to finish brewing. The carafe can be removed for 20 seconds to pour a cup of coffee and then placed back into the machine. However, after 20 seconds, the machine will start brewing again – with or without the carafe being in place.

There’s also another series of buttons in a round formation, for 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces, along with a brew and a carafe button.

The quick-start guide made it easy to set up the machine. Per the instructions, I washed everything in soapy water and then did a single-cup cleansing brew, which consisted of filling the water tank to the max fill line, placing a cup under the brewer, and then pressing the pod button. When the cycle finished, I poured the water into the sink. To cleanse the carafe, I filled the water tank again, ran another cycle, then poured the contents of the carafe into the sink.

Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Maker control panel (Photo credit: Terri Williams)

Using the Keurig K-Duo Plus

After cleaning the appliance, I was ready to start testing it. To brew a single cup of coffee, I filled the water tank, and placed a mug on the drip tray. Next, I lifted the door to the pod holder and inserted a K-Cup pod and closed the door. Then I lowered the handle, pressed the power button, and selected pod and then brew.

On small machines, it’s common to also have a small drip tray, and I always have to make sure the mug is placed just right so the coffee won’t spill. However, the Keurig K-Duo Plus has a generously-sized round drip tray, so I didn’t have to worry about positioning the glass coffee mug just right.

To make a carafe of coffee, I filled the water tank, and added ground coffee to the filter basket drawer. There’s also a gold tone mesh filter included, but paper filters can be used instead. And since the stainless-steel carafe is thermal, it keeps coffee quite warm for several hours – if the lid remains on it. (Thermal carafes also eliminate the need for hot plates.)

Both times, the coffee was delicious. The Keurig K-Duo Plus can brew single cup sizes in 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces. It can brew carafe sizes in 6, 8, 10, and 12 cups. And by removing the drip trip, it can also brew right into a travel mug.

Cleaning the Keurig K-Duo Plus

The coffee maker was easy to clean. After each use, I washed the carafe and carafe lid, and then removed the filter basket and gold tone mesh filter, tossing the ground coffee into the trash, and then washing the filter basket and filter. I used warm soapy water for each.

Every few days, I wiped the Keurig K-Duo Plus exterior with a damp, soapy cloth. Although the drip tray was always clean, I slid it out and cleaned with a damp, soapy cloth as well. The water reservoir and filter basket drawer (which slides out) were also cleaned every few days.

The machine should be descaled every 3 months. This is done to remove calcium deposits that can form on the internal parts and negatively impact performance. The instruction manual provides directions for descaling the brewer.

Should You Buy the Keurig K-Duo Plus?

I would wholeheartedly recommend the Keurig K-Duo Plus Single Serve and Carafe Coffee Maker because it’s versatile enough to be used with K-cups and ground coffee. It can also brew numerous sizes, from a single 6-ounce mug to a 12-cup carafe. And the thermal carafe keeps the coffee warm for hours. The machine is easy to use, and the water tank can be placed on the left, right or back of the machine. The price is competitive for the features, making this a wise choice.

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