I love coffee as much as anyone – admittedly, I probably love the brewed beverage more than the average person. But as much as I love it, I’m sitting here writing this article with a half-drank mug of delicious coffee on my desk that I brewed earlier this morning. And like any coffee drinker will tell you, rewarming my remaining coffee in the microwave is just not an option.
Every afternoon, like clockwork, I head back into the kitchen to brew a second cup of fresh coffee and pour the cold one down the drain. I’ve had my Keurig for years, but I never paid much attention to the different brewing sizes on the machine.
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So, if you’re like me and find yourself brewing cups that are too large and wasting half your mug, you’re in the right place. Alternatively, if you have the opposite problem and find yourself in your kitchen brewing multiple small cups of coffee a day, you’ll find something here for you, too.
What are the Keurig cup sizes?
In general, Keurig cup sizes are:
- 4 ounces
- 6 ounces
- 8 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 12 ounces
The actual Keurig cup sizes available to you depend on your Keurig single-serve coffee maker. For the most part, all machines offer 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-ounce cup sizes, except for the K-Slim machine, which does not offer a 6-ounce cup, and the K-Classic Machine, which does not offer a 12-ounce cup.
Additionally, only the K-Supreme, K-Elite, and K-Mini offer a 4-ounce cup.
Keurig Cup Size Buttons
Most Keurig machines will let you select the size of the cup you want to brew with the push of a button. The actual buttons you see on your coffee maker will vary by the specific model you have. Newer machines like the K-Supreme Plus have buttons with the ounce sizes on them, while other machines simply have a silhouette of a coffee mug in varying sizes.
Smaller machines, like the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus, do not have button options like the larger machines. Instead, these machines will decide the size of your coffee based on the amount of water you put in the water reservoir.
Cup Sizes of All Keurig Coffee Makers
As I mentioned before, your cup size options are dependent on the model of Keurig you have. Below, you can find a list of the most popular Keurig machines still in production and the cup sizes they offer.
Keurig K Classic
6, 8, and 10 ounces
Keurig K-Mini & Keurig K-Mini Plus
6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Express
8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Express Essentials
6, 8, and 10 ounces
Keurig K-Elite
4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Slim
8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Select
6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Supreme
6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Supreme Plus & K-Supreme Plus Smart
4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Duo & K-Duo Plus
6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
Keurig K-Cafe
6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces
Which Keurig has the most cup sizes?
The Keurig machines with the greatest range of sizes are the Keurig K-Elite, Keurig K-Supreme Plus, and Keurig K-Supreme Plus Smart. These three machines offer the full range of cup sizes: 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces. If it’s important to you that your coffee machine offers a variety of different coffee sizes, consider one of these models over other Keurig machines.
Which Keurig setting is 8 ounces?
Keurig considers an 8-ounce cup of coffee to be a fully satisfying cup – it’s not too small, and it’s not too big. An 8-ounce cup was actually the original Keurig size and was the only option when the machines were first created and is still considered the default size.
If your specific Keurig machine does not have labels on the buttons and instead only has pictures of coffee mugs in varying sizes, it can be confusing at first to determine which size cup each button will brew.
If your Keurig machine only offers 6-, 8-, and 10-ounce options (like the Keurig Classic), the button in the middle will give you an 8-ounce cup. Alternatively, if your machine offers 8-, 10-, and 12-ounce cup options (like the Keurig K-Slim), the button with the smallest cup of coffee will give you an 8-ounce brew.
Does Keurig make 12-ounce cups? 14 ounces? 16 ounces? Larger?
The initial selling point of the Keurig single-serve coffee machine was to create individual coffee cups instead of brewing a large pot of regular coffee. At this time, the largest cup size you can brew is 12 ounces.
There was a time when Keurig released a line of 2.0 models that brewed larger cups of quality coffee and offered a carafe system to brew pots of coffee. Keurig 2.0 machines were not compatible with typical K-Cups and instead needed specially marked Keurig Carafe pods. Keurig has since discontinued the 2.0 line, and the carafe pods are no longer available for purchase.
If you’re considering getting a Keurig 2.0 from a third-party seller, it’s important to note that the machines are incompatible with third-party coffee pods. Since the Keurig 2.0 machines are incompatible with third-party coffee pods and Keurig is no longer producing them, the 2.0 line might be one you can skip.
What is the tallest cup that can fit under a Keurig?
Just like everything else in this article, the size of the mug that fits under a Keurig really depends on the model you have. Generally, a 5-inch tall standard coffee mug is the largest size that will fit under each machine. Older machines are not as large and might require a shorter cup.
If you’re having trouble fitting your favorite mug under your Keurig machine, you always have the option to remove the drip trap at the bottom of the coffee maker, allowing about an extra inch of room for your mug to fit under your machine.
Do Keurig Cup Sizes Affect Coffee Strength?
While my primary motivation for exploring the different cup sizes my Keurig offers is to brew smaller cups so I don’t waste so much coffee, you might want to explore different sizes to brew stronger or weaker cups.
We all know the basics of how coffee is brewed. We place a pod of coffee grounds in the machine, and then hot water is pumped through the pod of grounds to create coffee. To make a more robust cup, we want less water pumped through the grounds to create a more concentrated coffee. For a weaker cup, we want more water pumped through the ground coffee beans to dilute the cup.
How much coffee is in a K-Cup Pod?
Keurig K-cup classic coffee pods generally hold 9-12 grams of coffee grounds. This translates to 0.3 to 0.4 ounces of ground coffee.
It’s important to remember the amount of coffee in the K-cup pod does not equate to the amount of caffeine that will be in your coffee. Caffeine is dependent on the specific K-cup pod you choose to brew and the size of coffee you make.
Additionally, it might be beneficial to check the box on your favorite Keurig K-cup pods to see if the manufacturer recommends a specific brew size for their coffee. While you can make your coffee however you like, choosing a brew size outside the recommendation might affect the taste and strength of the coffee you make. It might be worth trying out the manufacturer’s recommendation – even if it’s just once!
How do I know what cup size my Keurig is?
To determine what cup sizes your Keurig machine offers, you need to know the specific model you have. You can check the serial number if you’re unsure and the owner’s manual is long gone.
Your Keurig’s serial number will be located behind the removable water reservoir (remove the reservoir before looking for it), on the bottom of the machine, or behind the removable drip tray. If the serial number does not tell you which model you have, a quick google search will tell you.
Once you’ve determined the model, you can scroll up to the middle of this article, where we’ve listed out each model and the cup sizes it offers. You can also google your specific Keurig model, and it should come right up.
How do I choose a Keurig cup size?
The Keurig cup size you choose depends on what you want out of your cup of coffee.
I’ve mentioned throughout this article my motivation behind choosing which Keurig cup size I brew is my inability to finish a large cup of coffee while it’s still hot. For this reason, I’ll be choosing a smaller Keurig cup size when I make my coffee tomorrow.
On the other hand, you might want stronger coffee. I mentioned earlier that the amount of water you use when you brew your coffee will affect how strong it is.
Choose a small Keurig cup size if you want a stronger brew. This will prompt your machine to use less water while brewing, creating a small but concentrated cup of coffee.
Choose a larger Keurig cup size if you’re in the mood for a weaker cup of coffee. This will prompt your machine to use more water while brewing, creating a large, diluted cup of coffee.
While it’s important to consider coffee strength when deciding on your Keurig cup size, the taste can also be decided by size. If you love the bitter taste of coffee, you’ll like a smaller cup size. If you hate the taste of coffee but still need that jolt of caffeine in the morning, you’ll love a larger, more diluted cup of coffee.
Additionally, you might have a milk frother at home (whether that be a Keurig frother or not) and like to create your own milky coffee drinks. If you’re using your Keurig to make drinks like cappuccinos and lattes, you’ll want to choose the smallest Keurig coffee size.
Keurig also sells K-cups specifically for brewing over ice. If you’re making yourself an iced coffee, make sure you choose the 6-ounce coffee size option. In general, 6-ounce brews are thought to be the optimal size for iced coffee drinks.
Final Thoughts
The Keurig cup size guide we’ve provided can help you determine the best coffee size for your needs. Whether you like a small cup of coffee or a large mug, there is a perfect Keurig size for you.
Happy Caffeinating!
