Keurig Cup Sizes Simplified: A Beginner’s Guide (+ Chart Included)

Only coffee snobs like me understand how big of a blessing Keurig coffee makers are in our lives. If you also rely heavily on coffee, you have come to the right place because I want you to utilize your Keurig to its utmost capacity.

I spend hours at my desk, working on the computer. My fresh and strong coffee supply keeps me going through long working hours.

Do you drink a small, strong cup of coffee or like to gulp a large mug of hot coffee? No matter how you prefer it, using the correct brew size is as important as using your favorite K-cup for the perfect brew.

Keurig coffee makers have a variety of cup sizes to cater to your coffee demands. Its cup size determines the quantity and quality of coffee it will brew. A mug full to its brim means thinner (weaker) coffee, and a shorter cup means thicker (stronger) coffee.

Keurig has five cup sizes:

• 4 ounces
• 6 ounces
• 8 ounces
• 10 ounces
• 12 ounces

Most Keurig brewers have 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, and 12 oz brew sizes except K-slim and K-classic. The K-Classic doesn’t offer the 12 oz brew size, and the 6 oz option is unavailable in K-slim.

The 4-ounce cup size is exclusively available in K-Supreme, K-Mini, and K-Elite.

If you can’t do without a large mug of coffee, go for a Keurig with an 8 or 10-oz cup size. However, if you are more of a strong coffee fan who likes several small cups throughout the day, any Keurig machine with a 6 oz brew size is ideal for you.

This guide will take you through all the details about Keurig cup sizes and K-cups.

What is a Keurig K-Cup?

A K-cup is a small plastic cartridge containing coffee grounds. It is a plastic container with an aluminum seal that protects the ground coffee from heat and moisture.

K-cups contain varying amounts of coffee, but most contain between 9 and 12 grams (0.4 to 0.6 ounces).

There are multiple flavors and strengths of K-Cups (dark roast, light roast, flavored, or decaf), allowing you to prepare everything from black coffee to sweet iced tea.

All K-cups have the same dimensions and can work in any Keurig coffee maker. Each pod weighs between 12 to 16 grams. K-cups measure 1.5 inches tall and have a 2-inch diameter.

Popular brands such as Starbucks, Green Mountain, Lavazza, and Dunkin’ Donuts also manufacture K-cups.

You can use any K-cup to brew the desired volume of coffee. Once you select the brew size, the coffee machine will use the required water from the reservoir and start the brewing process.

Depending on your Keurig model, you can easily brew between 4 to 6 cups of coffee before the water reservoir requires a refill. Some Keurig devices come with two reservoirs, while others feature only one large reservoir.

You can brew four cups using a model with two reservoirs. If your Keurig model has only one large reservoir, you can only make three cups at a time.

How do Keurig’s K-cups Work?

K-cups provide the most convenient and simple way of making coffee in under a minute. It gives you a fresh cup of coffee without leaving any mess behind for you to clean.

All you got to do is insert a K-cup in your Keurig and fill the water reservoir. Then you choose your desired brew size and press the brew button.

And there you have it, freshly brewed coffee. But how does the K-cup work?

Keurig coffee maker consists of two puncturing needles; the entrance and exit needles. The entrance needle is in the machine head, and the exit needle is in the pod holder.

When you insert a pod and close the machine head, the entrance needle pierces the top seal of the K-cup to let water pass through it. On the other hand, the exit needle punctures the K-cup from the bottom to allow the coffee to flow out.

During the brewing process, Keurig forces hot water through the K-cup, extracting all its flavors and strengths. The brewed coffee starts dispensing from the coffee spout and into your cup.

How Do I Know What Cup Size My Keurig is?

Every Keurig model has slightly different cup sizes. Your Keurig might have different brew options than mine. But how do you figure that out? Keurig has cup-size buttons for this purpose.

The cup-size buttons are on the top or front of Keurig coffee makers so that you can select the size of your drink. Keurig cup-size buttons have coffee mugs illustrations depicting small, medium, or large sizes.

Some Keurig machines, like the K-Supreme Plus, have numbers to indicate the cup size in ounces, so you can easily select the right one.

Some Keurig brewers, like the K-mini and the K-mini Plus, don’t have cup-size buttons. These machines prepare a cup depending on the water available in the reservoir.

Cup Sizes of All Keurig Makers

Keurig has versatile coffee makers; each can accommodate different coffee preferences. But all Keurig makers have different brew sizes. Some brewers can create large-sized coffees, while some can only brew tiny cups.

The following table presents Keurig brewers and the cup sizes they offer.

Keurig model	4 oz	6 oz	8 oz	10 Oz	12 oz
Keurig K-Elite (75 oz)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keurig K-Cafe (60 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
K-Cafe Special Edition (60 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keurig K-Classic (48 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Keurig K-Slim (46 oz)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keurig K-Select (52 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
K-Express Essentials (36 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Keurig K Express (42 oz)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keurig Duo (60 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
K-Duo Plus (60 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
K-Duo Essentials (60 oz)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keurig Mini Plus (6-12 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
K-Supreme Plus (78 oz)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keurig Mini (6-12 oz)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Do Keurig Cup Sizes Affect Coffee Strength?

Yes! The cup size you choose for your coffee determines the amount of water the brewer uses to prepare the coffee.

Using more water will result in a fuller cup but weaker coffee. Similarly, if you choose a smaller cup, you will get a smaller and stronger brew because the brewer will use less water.

All Keurig machines have the same strength settings. However, In some Keurig models, there is a ‘Strong’ button. You can use this button to extract the coffee for longer to produce a more robust flavor.

To put it another way, press the strong button if you want a little extra oomph in your cup.

How to Select Coffee Cup Size on Keurig?

You can adjust the cup size of your Keurig anytime you feel like it. I use a Keurig K-Supreme, so you can follow these steps if you have a similar brewer.

However, if your brewer has a digital display, I will help with that, too.

1. Turn on the brewer.
2. Insert a pod and close the machine head.
3. The buttons on the machine will start illuminating.
4. Press the button with your preferred cup size.
5. Press the brew button.
6. Your coffee maker will start brewing coffee according to the new cup size settings. 

For Keurig with a Digital Display:

1. Turn on the coffee maker.
2. Press the center button to open the menu.
3. Your brew will show a menu on the display screen.
4. Keep pressing the center button till you select the brew size option.
5. It will show you small, medium, and large brew sizes.
6. Use the side buttons to choose the preferred size.
7. Press the center button to confirm the new setting.
8. Press the brew button to start the brewing process.

How to Fix the Keurig Coffee Maker Not Making a Full Cup?

If your Keurig is dispensing less coffee, there can be several reasons behind it. I will address the most common reasons and their easy fixes.

Reason 1: Your Keurig has a Blockage

If you don’t pay attention to your brewer’s maintenance and cleanliness, it gets prone to a blockage. The coffee residue and debris can accumulate in the coffee maker, hindering the brewing process.

Solution: Descale your Coffee Machine

Descaling removes gunk and build-up from the internal parts of the brewer. You must descale your coffee machine once every three months to keep it functioning properly.

Watch this video to learn the proper way of descaling a Keurig coffee machine.

Reason 2: Clogged Puncture Needles

If you don’t clean your Keurig regularly, there is a high chance of its exit and entrance needles getting clogged. When coffee residue and dirt dry up around the needles, it affects the water flow through the K-cup.

Solution: Clean the Puncture Needles

Cleaning the puncturing needles is an essential part of your brewer’s maintenance. You can use either a paper clip or a Keurig cleaning tool. Make sure you handle the needles carefully; they can give you a nasty poke.

Here is an easy tutorial on cleaning Keurig needles.

Reason 3: Your Keurig Brewer Needs a Reset

It needs a reset if you clean your brewer regularly, and it still doesn’t brew a full cup. The change in brewing settings can be causing this problem.

Solution: Reset your Coffee Maker

Before you contact a technician to disassemble your brewer to fix the issue, try resetting it. Resetting the coffee machine will restore its default settings and start brewing normally.

If it doesn’t work, you must contact Keurig customer service.

Conclusion

The cup size affects the flavor and strength of the coffee. If coffee is an integral part of your life, you must experiment with different Keurig cup sizes to take your coffee to the next level.

Trying out different cup sizes can help you determine what type of coffee suits your preferences the best.

Hopefully, this article was helpful for you in deciding which model will fulfill your requirements for brewing the perfect cup.

FAQs

What is the difference between a K-cup and a coffee pod?

A K-cup is Keurig’s product, especially for its coffee makers. All K-cups have the same dimensions and are compatible with every Keurig coffee maker. K-cup is a plastic container containing 10 grams of coffee. A Coffee pod contains coffee grounds in a flat paper pouch. It contains 7 to 12 grams of coffee and a filter.

Does Keurig make 16 oz cups?

Keurig coffee makers do not have a 16-oz cup size. However, you can use K-Mug and K-Carafe pods to prepare a 16oz drink. The sizes of these pods are between 12 and 16 ounces.

How many cups are in a K-cup pack for Keurig?

K-cups come in various packs. The 12ct, 24ct, 72ct, and 96ct packs contain 12, 24, 72, and 96 pods, respectively.

How many times can you use a K-cup?

You must use a K-cup once and discard it. When you brew a K-cup, you get all its flavors and strength in your coffee. If you reuse the K-cup, it will produce tasteless coffee that tastes more like water.

Which Keurig takes all the pods?

Keurig 1.0 is versatile as it allows you to use any K-cups from any brand. Keurig 1.0 coffee brewers are compatible with most brands producing Keurig pods.

Why do some K-Cups not work?

If a K-cup doesn’t work, it can have these reasons behind it.

• You didn’t insert the K-cup correctly.
• The K-cup is leaking in the brewer.
• You removed the foil sealing before using it.