Can I Fix my Keurig? A Realistic Guide

Hey there! I’m glad you made your way here to COFFEE GRUMP.  Full disclaimer – I am a tech guy, not a sales guy.  I love coffee and I service the equipment that grinds and brews it for you.  If you are looking for the right fix, not a quick fix this is the post for you.  So, grab your cuppa’ and read on…Cheers!

This article is a bit of a “reality check” on Keurig and what is possible when it comes to servicing Keurig machines. There are a few things you can do to clear some blockages. However, if these do not work, then you need to be realistic about the lifespan of your Keurig.

Let me give you some of my background and perspective on my Keurig experience before you read on. I worked for hundreds of Keurig machines for over 15-years. Now I fix all sorts of coffee and espresso machines for a living so this is my personal view on the Keurig equipment not a comparison to other equipment suppliers. I also own and use my Keurig K-select 3-4 times daily. 

So, let’s clear some air about Keurig. 

There are 2 equipment category streams Keurig uses.

1. Commercial Keurigs – Used commonly for workplaces. Sensible and cost-effective to purchase for a company breakroom.
2. Keurig’s Home models – Great for your home kitchen counter. 

The home line of Keurig machines (and there are a lot of different variations) is more affordable, so if your unit gives up on you and a fix is not possible. Because the cheaper Keurig machines arent designed to be repaired or serviced (instead, designed to be disposable), it will result in you having to purchase another brand new one. The unfortunate reality is thousands of single-flawed machines go to the grave because of this reason.

The home line of Keurig machines cannot be repaired as parts are not available, aside from the drip tray, the k-cup holder and sometimes the water tank. The home line of Keurig is really designed to be throw away and they do not last forever.

However, the commercial Keurig is fixable with parts and components available. The commercial units are usually plumbed into a water source with a filter kit and extremely easy to hook up. 

The repairable Commercial Keurig’s are:

1. K3500 – (plumbed)
2. K2500
3. K2500 – (with plumb kit)

There are still a few other commercial units in the market that are being phased out right now. I would absolutely steer clear of these units as they are only repairable until the parts are sold out. (Which will be 2021) These versions are the K3000, K155, and K155p.

Is my Keurig worth fixing? 

There is not a lot you can do to repair the home Keurig, but you can try a few things to get a little more life out of your unit. When it comes to Keurig, repair is sometimes easier said than done. Like many companies, Keurig does not sell replacement parts. So with only a few limited possible ways to fix your machine, it’s a hit or miss to know if it will survive. However these fixing either come cheap or at no cost at all, so it would be worth trying to fix it.

What can I do to fix my Keurig?

The service items you can do at home are:

1. Descale the unit using Keurig approved descale liquid (found cheap on Amazon)
2. Clean the entrance needle (makes the hole on the top of the K-Cup)
3. Clean the exit needle (this is the needle that makes the hole in the bottom of the K-Cup)
4. And lastly, one fancy trick can be to intermittently seal the overflow while brewing (this is the tube that dumps water back into the reservoir)

If those maintenance items/fixes don’t work, I am afraid to tell you that your Keurig is dead weight.

Where can I get my Keurig repaired?

There are coffee equipment repair shops in most major cities, or you can call Keurig at 1-866-669-8922.

How often should a Keurig be replaced?

Keurig states “On average, a Keurig coffee maker that is used daily has a lifespan of approximately 5 years.”

Unfortunately, I have not found this to be the case and I have serviced and assessed a lot of Keurig.  I personally have found it to be in the 2–3-year range, but I have heard a few success stories of 5 plus years.

What is the warranty on Keurig?

Keurig gives a 1-year warranty on the new equipment and 90 days on a certified refurbished Keurig. Make sure you register your purchase for ease of warranty. If your Keurig breaks down for any reason in under 1 year from purchase Keurig has been a 5-star example on dealing with warranty and in almost all cases will send you a new replacement.

Have your purchase receipt ready and write down the serial number then call Keurig to confirm the warranty at 1-866-669-8922.

What can void Keurig warranty?

Buyer beware!  Read your warranty to know what you can and cannot do to your machine: 

1. Use only Keurig-approved K-cups. 
2. The home Keurig warranty will be void if you are using the machine in a commercial setting. 
3. If you attempt to repair the unit, the warranty will be void.

How to make your Keurig last longer 

• Stay with mainstream K-Cups.  Don’t buy weird machines or weird capsules.
• Keurig invented this technology so weird machines can give you weird results stick with the Keurig brand.
• Sugar-based products can clog up the exit needle if you do not clean the K-Cup holder frequently.
• If you are going to purchase a Keurig, I would urge you to stick with the Keurig brand. Buying a capsule machine that in not the Keurig.
• Use the Keurig daily, if you only use it 3-5 times a week, this might not be the machine for you if you expect it to last a long life. The more frequent the water flows in and out the less likely it will have a chance to calcify the inner workings. 
• Use the best water available. Filtered or Reverse Osmosis works great. 
• The water from the large 5-gallon watercoolers is a Keurig killer. That water is processed for cold or ambient drinking water and not meant for water that is going to be heated. Once you heat the water it will start calcifying the inside of the unit and has a great chance to clog up the inside parts.

I cannot stress enough that the better the water going in the Keurig, the longer life the machine will have.

The is the end of your Keurig education session, I hope it has been helpful. Clients say all the time that they think their machine should last forever. The truth is, Keurig makes a large variety of machines, and they are inexpensive to purchase. The right care of your Keurig can get you your money’s worth.  But once it breaks, please just buy a new one.    

So my Keurigs dead – What one should I buy?

I do want to give you some guidance on your next Keurig purchase as there are a lot of excellent Keurig in the market right now. 

Keurig has some great products available now.  Again…not a sales guy…but any of these units will give you cup after cup of great coffee.  Here are some of my favourite Keurig for purchase:

K-Select

This has multi color versions and is the model I have had on my counter for the last 3 years

K-Elite

Overall decent machine, and an upgrades version of the K-Select.

K1500

Exceptionally good unit, with an easily removable large reservoir

K-Mini

This one has multiple colour versions like pink, black, blue, red, and gray.

K-Duo

The best of Keurig Pods + A 12-Cup Carafe Drip Coffee Brewer

Stay away from these ones!

There are a couple of Keurig I would tend to stay away from. The price is attractive, but the user experience is flat.

1. K130 – This machine is a hotel brewer and I find it to be cumbersome when I want to make a coffee. It will take 2.5 minutes to heat up before your brew starts for another 50 seconds. Not a favourable machine.
2. K15 – Just like the previous K130 this unit works the same way. 

I hope this post has taught you something about Keurig or has helped you in some way!