Consumer Reports' Highest-Rated Keurig Coffee Maker Brews Quick, Consistent Cups

If you want the best-tasting cup of coffee, you can argue about pour-over or French press, but if you want the quickest cup of coffee, Consumer Reports would direct you to Keurig coffee makers. Not every model of pod coffee maker is an actual Keurig, of course, but like Kleenex, the brand is so ubiquitous that it has become shorthand for the whole category — and for good reason. Against the many brands and models of pod coffee makers, Consumer Reports says the Keurig K-Café Smart is top of the pack.

The publication did what it does best and tested out almost three dozen big-name pod coffee makers from not just Keurig but also Nespresso coffee machines (which we've also ranked), Lavazza, Cuisinart, and more, and Keurig still came out on top. The competition was close, with Nespresso's CitiZ and Lavazza's Classy Plus Espresso and Coffee coming in at second and third, but in testing, Keurig's performance outdid them both across the board.

Consumer Reports looked at six different categories for pod coffee machines, with an emphasis on speed, convenience, and consistency, and the Keurig K-Café Smart scored very-good to excellent in all six. Only one other brand, Bruvi, produced a model that could perform that well, though it costs twice as much and had no data on reliability and customer satisfaction in the rankings. Beyond that, the only coffee makers that matched the K-Café Smart were other Keurig models.

Consumer Reports' six testing categories include: the speed it takes to make the first cup of coffee (including warm-up time), the speed for follow-up brews, temperature consistency, size consistency, brewing range, and convenience. The K-Café Smart ranked highest for consistency and speed, warming up quickly and making the same amount of coffee each time. However, other top brands scored well in those categories too. What makes the K-Café Smart really stand out are the brewing options and price.

Keurig's top model scored well above other brands in ease of use and convenience, and it offers a wide range of brewing options to make your ideal cup. The coffee maker includes six temperature settings and five strength options, with Wi-Fi-enabled control and programmable settings. It even includes a built-in milk frother that can be run hot or cold. Even with all these features, the K-Café Smart was still nearly $200 cheaper than the second-place Nespresso model. Though the third-ranked Lavazza espresso maker is priced similarly to the Keurig model, the Lavazza has a far more limited range of brewing options.

The one area where Keurig struggles is reliability. One of the things Consumer Reports tracks in their surveys is how long the products remain functional, and one common complaint consumers have about Keurig coffee machines is their short lifespans and poor-quality construction. Though a Keurig coffee maker will brew you a great cup, the machine may need to be replaced more often. However, not all Keurig owners have this problem, and though the second-place Nespresso model ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction, the Keurig K-Café Smart wasn't far behind. For a combination of performance and price, Keurig has earned its reputation as number one.