By now, we’ve probably all used a Keurig. These popular single-serve coffee makers are found everywhere from hotels to office break rooms to my grandma’s counter.
These brewers are prized for their ease of use, speed, and convenience. Over the years, though, Keurig has put out over 80 different models!
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Even the simplest operations can get tricky when there are so many different variations floating around.
To help you out, we’ve put together a rundown of the buttons on the most popular in-production Keurig models.
Keurig K-Elite
The Keurig K-Elite is a powerful brewer with a variety of settings. It’s a far cry from the basic Keurig machine that was originally introduced, but luckily it’s no less intuitive to use.
Power Button
The power button is located at the top center of the control cluster, which is positioned on the lid of the K-Cup housing.
This small round button has the classic “power” symbol and should light up green when the brewer is on.
Size Buttons
At the bottom of the cluster of buttons, you’ll see five buttons with different-sized cups on them. Use these to select how many ounces of coffee you’d like to brew.
From smallest to largest, these icons represent 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, and 12 oz.
Strong Brew Button
This is an oblong button labeled “strong” that is located above the cup-size buttons. Press this button and then select your cup size for a stronger, bolder cup of coffee.
Hot Water Button
Beside the Strong brew button is a button labeled “hot water.” Select this button and then choose your cup size to dispense hot water for tea or as a cleansing brew.
Iced Coffee Button
Press the small round button labeled “iced” to brew full-flavored coffee over ice.
Settings Button and Arrow Buttons
To the left and right of the clock display, you’ll see a button with gears on it on one side and a set of up and down arrows on the other.
Use these to adjust the clock, the temperature control, the auto-on, and auto-off features, and to turn high altitude mode on or off.
Keurig K-Supreme Plus SMART
This is Keurig’s top-of-the-line brewer and it has the most features of any coffee-only Keurig model. Don’t worry, it’s still intuitive to use and operated by just a handful of easy-to-understand buttons.
Size Buttons
On top of the lid where you load your pods, you’ll notice a round “K” button surrounded by several other buttons.
Below the K, the buttons labeled 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12oz are for selecting what size cup of coffee you want to brew. After loading your K-Cup, you can just press the one you want.
Strength Selector
Above the “K” button and to the left is a button labeled “strength” with a plus and a minus sign on either end. Simply press the plus sign to increase the strength of your coffee or the minus sign to decrease it.
There are five possible strength settings to choose from.
Temperature Selector
Above the “K” button and to the right is a button labeled “temp” with a plus and minus sign on either end. Press the plus sign to increase the brew temperature and the minus sign to decrease the brew temperature.
There are 6 possible brew temperatures from which you can choose.
The Brew Button
The big round button with a “K” on it is the brew button. Once you’ve loaded your pod and selected the size, brew strength, and temperature you want, press the K button and watch that sweet, sweet java come pouring out.
Favorite Button
The button with a heart on it located right below the display screen allows you to set your favorites. Choose your preferred settings, then hold the heart button to set it as a favorite.
Use the arrow buttons located to the left and right of the favorite button to navigate between up to three saved favorites.
Brew Over Ice Button
To the right of the favorite button is a button with a glass full of ice on it. Use this button to use the brew over ice feature.
Recommended Brew Button
To the left of the favorite button is a button that shows a cup with a star on it. This is the recommended brew button.
The K-Supreme Plus SMART is equipped with Brew ID, which allows the brewer to scan the pod and recommend the optimal brewing settings for that particular coffee.
Select the recommended brew button to use the optimized brew settings that Keurig has identified for your coffee.
Keurig K-Supreme Plus
The K-Supreme Plus is very similar to the K-Supreme Plus SMART. The main difference is that the K-Supreme Plus doesn’t have pod-scanning technology. As a result, many of the buttons are the same.
Power Button
The power button is located next to the display screen and has the power symbol on it.
The Brew Button
Just as on its SMART cousin, the big round button with a K on it is the brew button for this machine
Load your pod, make your size, strength, and temperature selections, and press this button to brew.
Size Buttons
Below the brew button, there are buttons labeled 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12 oz. Use these to select your coffee size.
Strength Selector
Above the “K” button and to the left is a button labeled “strength” with a plus and a minus sign on either end. Simply press the plus sign to increase the strength of your coffee or the minus sign to decrease it.
There are 3 possible strength settings to choose from.
Temperature Selector
Above the “K” button and to the right is a button labeled “temp” with a plus and minus sign on either end. Press the plus sign to increase the brew temperature and the minus sign to decrease the brew temperature.
There are 3 possible brew temperatures from which you can choose.
Brew Over Ice Button
Select the small oblong button labeled “brew over ice” to dispense coffee over a tumbler filled with ice.
User Profile Buttons
Save up to 3 sets of preferred settings using the user profiles buttons, which show little people with the numbers 1, 2, and 3 next to them.
Once you’ve selected the size, temperature, and strength that you want to set as a favorite, press and hold one of these buttons to assign your settings to that profile.
After that, you can press the profile you want followed by the brew button.
Keurig K-Supreme
The Keurig K-Supreme has scaled-down features compared to the K-Supreme Plus and the K-Supreme Plus SMART, so there are just a few buttons to understand.
Power Button
The power button is located toward the top right of the lid to the pod housing and has the power symbol on it.
The Brew Button
The big round “K” button is the brew button for this machine as well. Insert your pod, choose your size, and press the brew button to fill your cup.
Size Buttons
Below the brew button, there are buttons labeled 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12 oz. Use these to select your coffee size.
Strong Brew Button
If you want a bolder, stronger brew, press the button conveniently labeled “strong” before brewing your java.
Brew Over Ice Button
To brew a cup of iced coffee that still has a full, robust flavor and isn’t diluted by a tumbler full of ice, press the “over ice” button before brewing.
Keurig K-Duo and K-Duo Plus
The Keurig K-Duo and K-Duo Plus have the ability to brew both single-servings from pods or a full carafe using a filter basket. Don’t worry, it’s still a piece of cake to operate these brewers!
Power Button
The circular power button is located to the right of the clock display and is easily recognizable by the power symbol.
Pod and Carafe Buttons
Since the K-Duo can brew either single servings from a pod or a full pot of coffee, you’ll need to make this selection first after turning the brewer on.
The two buttons, one with a coffee carafe symbol and one with a small pod symbol, will flash when you turn the Keurig on. Choose which one you want to use this time.
Size Buttons
The buttons labeled 6, 8, 10, and 12 are size selection buttons. On this model, they do double duty.
When you’re brewing a K-Cup, they stand for the number of ounces to be brewed.
When you’re brewing a full carafe, they represent the number of cups to be made.
The Brew Button
The large round “K” button is the brew button. Once you’ve made your other selections, you’ll press this button to get the coffee flowing.
Hour and Minute Buttons
To the left of the clock display you’ll see two small buttons labeled “H” and “M.” Use these to set the time on the clock.
Note that you need to have the clock set in order to use the auto brew function.
Auto Brew Function
Use the button labeled “auto” to program your Keurig to brew a fresh pot of coffee for you to wake up to.
Press the “Auto” button, then use the “H” and “M” buttons to select the time you’d like your coffee to brew. Press the “brew” button, and you’re all set!
Strong Brew Button
This particular Keurig model doesn’t offer multiple strength control options, but you can press the button labeled “strong” for a bolder cup of joe.
Keurig K-Select
The Keurig K-Select is a snap to use! We’re confident the intuitive controls on this brewer won’t give you any trouble, but here is a rundown just in case.
Power Button
The power button is located on the top right of the machine. The power symbol should light up green when the brewer is on.
Strong Brew Button
For a stronger and bolder brew, you can press the round button labeled “strong” before selecting your brew size.
Size Buttons
You’ll see a string of four round buttons showing cups that decrease gradually in size. These represent the four possible brew sizes- 12 oz, 10 oz, 8 oz, and 6 oz.
Press the size that you want and your coffee will brew immediately.
Keurig K-Mini and K-Mini Plus
The Keurig K-Mini and K-Mini Plus are compact, simple brewers that are perfect for small spaces. They also have just a couple of buttons to understand.
Power Button
The small, round power button is located at the top of each of these brewers and should illuminate when the Keurig is turned on.
Brew Button
We promised you simplicity! The only other button on the Keurig K-Mini is the brew button, which is round and labeled with a “K.” Press this once you’ve loaded your pod and are ready to caffeinate.
Strong Brew Button
The Keurig K-Mini Plus has one more button, which will serve up a stronger cup of coffee. Press this button, labeled “strong,” before pressing the brew button if you’re looking for that extra kick.
Keurig K-Slim
The K-Slim is a narrow Keurig brewer that offers a larger water reservoir, so it might be a great choice for those who are short on space but don’t want a fill-as-you-go model.
Just like the other compact brewers, you’ll find this one easy to operate with just a few buttons to understand.
Power Button
To turn on your K-Slim, press the small round power button located on the top of the brewer.
Size Buttons
Use the three buttons labeled 8 oz, 10 oz, and 12 oz to select how much coffee you’d like to brew.
Brew Button
After selecting your brew size, press the large round “K” button to brew your coffee.
Keurig K-Express
The Keurig K-Express is a cheap, basic, and slim brewer that works well for those who use travel mugs often.
Power Button
You’ll find the power button, as well as other necessary buttons for this brewer, on the lower righthand side of the machine. It’s a bit different from most Keurigs but easy enough to find.
Strong Brew Button
Press the “strong” button, located right over the power button, to brew a stronger cup of coffee. You can also press and hold this button for 3 seconds to keep the Strong feature on for every brew.
Size Buttons
Use the buttons labeled 8, 10, and 12 to choose the amount of coffee in ounces you’d like to brew.
Brew Button
After making your size selection, press the round “K” button at the top of the brewer to make your coffee.
Keurig K-Classic and K-Compact
The Keurig K-Classic is the original Keurig brewer, and it’s very simple to use. The K-Compact has the same buttons.
Power Button
Turn on your K-Classic or K-Compact using the small round power button located near the top right of this Keurig.
Size Buttons
The K-Classic and K-Compact can brew a 6 oz, 8 oz, or 10 oz cup of coffee. After loading your K-Cup, press one of the three size buttons to select your size. The coffee will then immediately brew.
That’s it! It’s a classic for a reason – these coffee makers could not be easier to use.
Keurig K-Cafe
If you love milk-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, the K-Cafe is a great entry-level way to try making them at home.
You’ll notice that most of the buttons used to operate this machine are quite familiar, with a couple of extras to allow for the addition of frothed milk beverages.
Power Button
You’ll notice that most of the buttons for this Keurig are located on the lid of the pod compartment. That’s where you’ll find the power button too – it’s round and has the power symbol on it.
Coffee and Latte & Capp Buttons
Right below the power button are two more buttons labeled “coffee” and “latte & capp.”
Once you’ve turned the brewer on, these two buttons will flash, indicating that you should press one to choose whether you’re brewing a coffee or a shot of espresso for a latte or cappuccino.
Strong Brew Button
Just as on many other Keurig models, there is a round button labeled “strong” that you can press before making your size selection if you want a stronger brew.
This can be used for either the coffee or the espresso shot function.
Size Selection Buttons
Arranged around the “K” button you’ll see buttons that say “6 oz,” “8 oz,” “10 oz,” “12 oz,” and “shot.” These are the size selection buttons.
After inserting your pod and choosing the type of beverage you’re brewing, choose a size. If you’ve chosen coffee, the numerical size values will be flashing and you should choose one of those.
If you’ve chosen to brew a latte or cappuccino, you’ll have to press the “shot” button. The larger sizes won’t work for this function.
Brew Button
After making your other selections, press the big round “K” button to brew.
Milk Frother Buttons
On the front right side of the brewer, under the milk frother, you’ll see three round buttons labeled “latte,” “capp,” and “cold.” To froth milk for your latte or cappuccino, press either the “latte” or the “capp” button.
To make an iced latte or cappuccino, press the “cold” button first, followed by either the “latte” or “capp” button.
We’re sure this goes without saying, but just in case you haven’t had your coffee yet, “capp” stands for “cappuccino” in this instance.
Keurig K-Latte
The Keurig K-Latte is another Keurig model that will serve up a milky beverage, but this one only makes lattes.
The operations on this machine more closely match the Keurig K-Classic, so this might be a good choice if you’re used to using an original Keurig.
Brewer Power Button
The power button for the brewer is round and located on the top right of the Keurig. Don’t confuse this with the frother power button, which is on the front of the milk frother.
Size Selection Buttons
Right below the power button is a series of buttons that say “10 oz,” “8 oz,” “6 oz,” and “shot.” After loading your pod, press the size that you want, and the coffee or shot will brew immediately.
Milk Frother Power Button
To make the frothed milk component of your latte, fill the milk frothing container with milk and press the power button on the front of the container. The button will illuminate while heating and will flash then turn off once it’s done.
Happy Caffeinating!
