Keurig K55/K-Classic Coffee Maker, K-Cup Pod, Single Serve, Programmable, Black

***Updates are located at the bottom of this review.***

***Original Review***
Up until recently, I had never been much of a coffee drinker except for the occasional seasonal flavored latte drinks but I was having trouble keeping up with my very active twin toddlers. We already had a standard coffee maker but I didn’t want to brew a whole pot of coffee at once and single-serve coffee makers seem to be very popular so I figured it couldn’t hurt to give it a try. I had seen several different Keurigs from the basic ones to very fancy ones but wanted to purchase one that both fulfilled my needs to brew a single cup of coffee and wasn’t too expensive so I opted to buy the Keurig K55 Coffee Maker in black.

When the Keurig arrived, I eagerly opened up the box to get it set up and start using it! I found it fairly simple to set up since there is a Use and Care Guide included and it’s easy to follow the step-by-step instructions. I’d say the setup only takes a few minutes and then you are ready to brew your first cup of coffee. There are lights on the brewer that illuminate and walk you through the brewing process but once you are used to it, it becomes second nature and now, I don’t even have to think about it, which is good in the early morning when I’m not thinking straight and need my coffee!

Brewing: To brew a cup of coffee is very simple. You’ll need to turn on the brewer by pushing the power button. The power button and heating lights will illuminate and the Keurig will make some noises while it heats up. When the three cup sizes illuminate in blue, you know it’s time to brew your coffee. Set your coffee mug on top of the drip tray and lift the handle for the K-cup pod holder. Place a K-cup pod in the holder and lower the handle completely until the three cup sizes are blinking. The three sizes are: small cup (5.25 ounces), small mug (7.25 ounces) and large mug (9.25 ounces). Select your size and the coffee will be ready in about a minute. If the water reservoir is low on water, the “add water” light will illuminate and the process won’t continue until you’ve filled the reservoir. Once it’s stopped dripping, you may remove your mug and enjoy your coffee! If someone else wants to brew a cup of coffee right after yours is done, all they have to do is remove your K-cup pod since they are single-use pods, add theirs and repeat the process.

Water Reservoir: The reservoir holds 48 ounces of water so you don’t have to fill it up every time you want to brew a new cup of coffee, which is one of the reasons I selected this model. I make about two cups of coffee every day so I end up refilling the reservoir every few days. There are filters to use with the water but I purchase bottled water so I haven’t used the filters at this point. When the reservoir needs to be filled, I remove the reservoir, take off the lid, fill it up with water, place the reservoir back in the Keurig and replace the top.

Cleaning: I feel this Keurig is fairly simple to clean. The drip tray is removable and I usually wipe it down with a damp paper towel a couple times a week and wash it in water, soapy water occasionally. I also like to wipe down the exterior since the front part of the Keurig gets splatters of coffee on it. You can also clean the pod holder, funnel, needles and water reservoir and lid. Be careful as the two needles used to puncture holes in the K-cup pods are very sharp.

Coffee Pods (the best part!): The Keurig K55 Coffee Maker uses the K-cup pods, which you can purchase nearly everywhere and there are many brands and flavors to choose from. You don’t need to buy any specific brand with this coffee maker. As long as they are K-cups, they should work and I haven’t come across any pods that don’t work. I’ve been having a lot of fun purchasing different flavors and brands since I have several friends and family members who also have Keurigs so it’s a lot of fun to swap coffees! I prefer flavored coffees and there are so many out there to try but my favorites are the Green Mountain flavors in Caramel Vanilla Creme and Wild Mountain Blueberry. There are K-cup pods in different price ranges and it’s nice to have that option since everyone has a different budget. The nice thing with this brewer is that the flavors don’t tend to blend from one cup to the next. For instance, my mom and I have brewed cups of coffee one right after the other (different flavors) and neither of us have noticed the other flavor in our respective cups. I’ve only brewed one cup of apple cider with this and haven’t noticed the previous coffee flavor in the apple cider or the apple cider in my next cup of coffee. In this brewer, you can use all kinds of coffee flavors from flavored to medium and dark roasts to hot chocolate to apple cider. I typically choose the small mug (7.25 ounces) setting since I like the flavor. It isn’t too strong or too watered-down for me but others may prefer other settings.

Programmable Auto Off Timer: You can set the brewer to turn off two hours after the last cup of coffee has brewed (included in the instructions). I just turn the Keurig on and off as I need it but it’s nice to have that option.

Noise: Some people have stated that this brewer is noisy. I’ve found it’s the noisiest when it’s taking water from the reservoir and it sounds like a loud hum. It’s not too loud when it’s brewing the cup of coffee. I occasionally get up earlier than my husband and kids and brew a cup of coffee and no one has woken up (I’d say there is about 30 feet between the kitchen and bedrooms with the doors closed). When we have guests and they brew coffee before I wake up, I can’t hear it at all.

This Keurig is made in China and mine had a packaging date of August 2016, a month before I purchased it. I’ve been using it for two months and haven’t had any problems with it at all. It measures about 12 inches deep (from front to back), nine inches wide (side to side) and 13 1/2 inches tall. I’ve had several family members use it and my parents and in-laws have found it fairly simple to use after I show them how to brew the coffee since we all have different models. Ever since I started drinking coffee, I’ve had better success with staying more alert and awake to take care of my twins and buying this Keurig has been well-worth every penny we spent on it! I have no regrets buying it and have been having a lot of fun finding different flavors to try. As with all of my reviews and especially any appliances and electronics reviews, I will periodically update this review, add in any new information I discover and adjust my thoughts and star rating, if needed. If you, or someone you know, is interested in a Keurig, I highly recommend this one. It’s a great model that is nice on your wallet and will brew a great cup of coffee as often as you’d like!

***Update 04/25/2017 – I’ve had this Keurig now for almost eight months and it’s still working great for us! I typically brew four cups of coffee a day now to keep up with my kids and I’ve had no trouble with using this Keurig. When we have guests and are switching pods a lot, I never notice a strange taste at all (since we all like different flavors). I clean out the drip tray and wipe the whole machine down at least once a week to keep it looking nice. We only use bottled water in it so I’ve never had to use the filter. When we go away for a few days, I always wipe everything down and empty the water reservoir so it can air out and dry. I still highly recommend this Keurig if you want a good single-cup brewer that isn’t incredibly expensive!

This is what made me a fan of coffee. Perfect one-cup for when you need it instead of a pot you’ll end of wasting. In the long run, you’ll save money, so this is an investment. I use the re-usable cups, not the Keurig brand but a compatible one. Got a 4 pack for around 10 bucks on Amazon.

I own 3 Keurigs: (1) this commercial one: KEURIG K155 COMMERICAL BREWING SYSTEM with Bonus K-Cup Portion Trial Pack (2) the K575 with the screen: Keurig K575 Coffee Maker Single Serve 2.0 Brewing System with Top Needle Cleaning Maintenance Accessory and My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter, Platinum and (3) this K55.

To simplify my feelings and help clarify your decision on purchasing one, take my advice: if you WANT and can afford to upgrade, by all means do so. BUT a basic model such as this K55 is the ideal model that you’d want because it meets all of your requirements. Be it your home or workplace, this basic version serves a piping hot cup of coffee without all of the frills. While the K575 is aesthetically pleasing with its monitor, it does the EXACT same thing as this one but at the fraction of the price. No matter what model you choose, you will always have to wait for it to heat up and dispense. It’s inevitable and no way around that regardless of machine. With my other Keurigs, I’ve noticed that lagging is common, especially when handling the screens. Considering that you have to touch and maneuver your selections instead of manually pressing buttons, you waste time waiting for it as it stalls. Be it to a few seconds to a several minutes, it’s frustrating to deal with something that’s SUPPOSED to be more efficient and time-saving when in actuality it isn’t. With my K55, I don’t have to worry about that. A simple press of a button and it’s ready to go! A huge plus is the rhubarb color it comes in—-absolutely beautiful!

So far it has been working well without any hiccups. If there’s any issue, I will update my review.

My first time using this type of coffee maker, and am I happy! It makes delicious coffee, is easy to program and operate, and it is very attractive on the kitchen counter. It comes securely packaged with a user manual that is easy to understand and set up, and very reasonably priced for the excellent quality. You have a choice of three different cup size servings: small, medium, and large. Great products, and I highly recommend!

Haven’t used it yet, but came in a nice, undamaged package promptly. Protective packaging inside, also included was unsweetened iced tea (3pack) and coffee and hot cocoa (4pack) the product itself has no scratches or esthetic issues. Tape was even folded over for easy removal from product . Overall satisfied for a first time Keurig buyer 🙂

I’ve had three Keurigs over the years. This one is better than the other two (both were the original, I don’t know the model number), in that it’s quieter. Noticeable quieter. Brewing is about the same (which I like).

BUT, about 20% of the time, this doesn’t work at all. The pump (I guess) makes noise and either doesn’t do anything or brews a few drops only. The problem didn’t start until after a few months, but I wish I still had my old one.

Truth is, I’d seen other reviewers saying the same thing, but I hoped for the best – wish I’d listened. Not happy.

Purchased this appliance in August 2017. Have cleaned descaled the unit twice during that time. We make 1 cup of coffee and 1 cup of tea with k cups every day. It is now early January and it is not working. The problem is that the unit seems to be clogged and 1/2 cup of beverage is dispensed. Following a plethora of possible remedies on You Tube and a lot of vinegar, it still doesn’t work. Talking to friends/family, I find that the reliability of the Keurig coffee makers is terrible. One friend has purchased at least four in the past couple of years. Another didn’t have hers for more than 6 months. These units are not cheap, and the Keurig corporation should take heed.