College is a social place.
And one of the best places in college to socialise is a local coffee shop.
But college is also a time of real financial hardship.
And one of the best places in college to wreck your finances are frequent visits to your local coffee shop!
Do yourself a favor and buy yourself a coffee machine.
Keurig are a very well respected brand and in this post I look at six of the best Keurig coffee machines for your college dorm.
Take a look at them in the chart below.
Still not convinced?
Recent surveys have shown that young people are spending more money on coffee than they are on their retirement plans and that the average American is spending over $1000 per year (or $3 per day) on “take out” coffee.
Most Wanted Features
As I see it, there are eight features that you will want to consider most.
Good Value– As a student you are on a tight budget and one thing you cannot afford is to hang out at your local coffee shop.
Great Taste– You don’t want a cheap coffee maker but you do want to be able to make great tasting coffee.
Personal– Buy a coffee maker that makes your favorite coffee. It is pointless buying a machine that only makes espresso, if you are addicted to lattes.
Quick & Easy– Coffee machines are used most often first thing in the morning when we are not at our most alert…
Safe– Any coffee maker needs an “auto off” function. How many times will it be accidentally left on…
Robust and Reliable– What young person takes good care of their possessions?!
Easy to Clean– Most of us learn how to keep things clean and tidy after we have left college
Small– most dormitories are quite small and so space is at a premium. Even if you want to keep it in a kitchen, most often they are shared.
Keurig K-15
Best option for the space restricted, lone coffee addict
Features
- Dimensions: 11.1” (H) 7.5” (W) x 10.5” (D)
- Pod Compatibility: K Cup
- Brew Size (oz.): 6 | 8 | 10
- Reservoir: Single Cup
- Auto Shut Off: Yes
- Strength Control: No
- Temperature Control: No
- Controls: Buttons
- Interested? Check Price
Who Should Buy This?
The K-15 is perfect for a student who lives alone in a single dorm room (where space is at a premium) and who tends to drink coffee alone.
As a single serve coffee maker, with its rapid brew time and travel mug friendly design, the K-15 is very well suited to making a quick and tasty cup of coffee that you can take into lectures with you.
And if you are in such a rush that you forget to turn it off, the K-15 has an auto shut off feature…
Pros
- Price
- Size
- Auto Shut Off
Cons
- No water reservoir
- Limited number of brew sizes.
For more information and reviews, click here.
Keurig K-250
Best choice for the space restricted social butterfly…
Features
- Dimensions: 13.6” (H) 8.9” (W) x 15” (D)
- Pod Compatibility: K Cup | K Carafe
- Brew Size (oz.): 4 | 6 | 8 | 10
- Reservoir: 40
- Auto Shut Off: Yes
- Strength Control: Yes
- Temperature Control: No
- Controls: Touch Screen
- Interested? Check Price
Who Should Buy This?
This machine is compatible with K carafe pods, making it an ideal choice for a group of college students who will mostly make carafes of coffee and not single cups and for whom space is a real issue.
The K- 250 is super slim and is only 8.9″ wide.
It will be a perfect fit in a dorm or shared kitchen that is short on space.
And its final “stand-out” feature is the touch screen control- the perfect interface for the tech savvy young people.
Pros
- Very slim, only 8.9″ wide
- Makes single cups and carafes of coffee.
- Easy- to- use touch screen
Cons
- Relatively expensive
For more information and reviews, click here.
Keurig K- Cafe
Best Coffee Maker for Lattes
Features
- Dimensions: 12.5” (H) 15.3” (W) x 11.7” (D)
- Pod Compatibility: K Cup
- Brew Size (oz.): 6 | 8 | 10 | 12
- Reservoir (oz): 60
- Auto Shut Off: Yes
- Strength Control: Yes
- Temperature Control: No
- Controls: Buttons
- Interested? Check Price
Who Should Buy This?
The K Cafe I think caters for one type of coffee drinkers- those that like making milk based coffees such as lattes and cappuccinos.
You can froth fresh milk, soy milk or almond milk in order to add that special touch to your coffee.
Pros
- Perfect for latte and cappuccino lovers
- Large number of brew sizes
- Large reservoir
Cons
- Relatively expensive
For more information and reviews, click here.
Keurig K- Elite
Best Coffee Maker for Iced Coffee Fanatics
Features
- Dimensions: 14.1” (H) 16.2” (W) x 14” (D)
- Pod Compatibility: K Cup
- Brew Size (oz.): 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12
- Reservoir (oz): 75
- Auto Shut Off: Yes
- Strength Control: No
- Temperature Control: No
- Controls: Buttons
- Interested? Check Price
Who Should Buy This?
This is the perfect coffee machine for iced coffee lovers.
The Iced Button starts a unique brewing process that will create the perfect shot of coffee to pour over ice- a shot of coffee that is full of flavour and that won’t disintegrate as it is poured over the ice.
Pros
- Stylish and beautiful design
- Makes delicious iced coffees
- Large number of brew sizes
Cons
- No strength control
For more information and reviews, click here.
K- Select
Great choice for a lover of strong coffee
Features
- Dimensions: 12.5” (H) 9.2” (W) x 11.6” (D)
- Pod Compatibility: K Cup
- Brew Size (oz.): 6 | 8 | 10 | 12
- Reservoir (oz): 52
- Auto Shut Off: Yes
- Strength Control: Yes
- Temperature Control: No
- Controls: Buttons
- Interested? Check Price
Who Should Buy This?
The K Select is the Keurig of choice for a student who likes strong coffee.
At the press of the “strong brew” button, your coffee will become stronger and more intense.
A light on the top of the machine will remind you when it is time to descale your machine as well.
Perfect for those of you who need a bit of prompting now and then.
Pros
- Strength control button
- Auto Off
- Descaling indicator
Cons
- Relatively expensive
For more information and reviews, click here.
Keurig K575
Best option for the social animal
Features
- Dimensions: 13.6” (H) 8.9” (W) x 15” (D)
- Pod Compatibility: K Cup | K Carafe
- Brew Size (oz.): | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10
- Reservoir (oz): 40
- Auto Shut Off: Yes
- Strength Control: Yes
- Temperature Control: Yes
- Controls: Touch Screen
- Interested? Check Price
Who Should Buy This?
The Keurig K575 has a range of powerful features that can be used in different ways.
A unique feature of this machine in my comparison is that it allows you to select from a range of five different temperatures.
It is a brilliant option for a student who wants to make a quick and easy coffee just for themselves but who also wants to be able to make a jug of coffee for friends- perhaps when they get together in a study group…
And if you like to drink coffees of different strengths and temperatures, then the K575 will be your best friend.
Pros
- Large water reservoir
- Strength Control
- Temperature Control
- Touch screen
Cons
- Expensive
- It is a relatively large machine
For more information and reviews, click here.
Verdict
And so after looking at all the different models, which one is the best Keurig for a College Dorm?
For me, the model that will be the most attractive to the most people is the Keurig K Mini.
