How To Use Small Keurig – How To Use Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker

When you learn how to use small Keurig single serve coffee maker properly, it will help you to brew perfect coffee, tea, hot chocolate and soup every time that you use it.

This article is a small instructional guide to help you use your Keurig Mini or Mini Plus from unboxing to brewing with some maintenance tips thrown in.

Keep reading to find out how to use your Keurig mini!

How To Use Small Keurig – How To Use Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker

Learning how to use small Keurig, and enjoying the convenience of having gourmet quality coffee at the push of a button is one of the principal reasons why you bought a Keurig Mini or K-Mini Plus instead of an automatic drip coffee maker.

Keep reading this article for full instructions on how to use a Keurig simple serve coffee maker.

Let’s talk about setting it up, brewing a cup of coffee and taking care of your machine. Keep your eyes open for the recycling section.

Read: Keurig one cup instruction

How To Use Small Keurig – Unboxing And Setting Up Your Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker

Be careful when you are removing your Keurig Mini coffee maker from the box. With care and attention, remove any packaging tape that there is on the coffee maker pieces and locate the orange needle cleaning device and for a matter of good practice tape it to the rear of your machine.

You will need that needle cleaner to ensure that your needles stay clean, clear and unblocked. I’ll talk about how to use it a little later.

Place your Keurig near to a power outlet and locate the power cord storage at the rear of the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus, use it and place your coffee machine near to a power outlet.

Preparing The Water Tank – Where To Put Water In Keurig Mini

If you have bought the regular Keurig K-Mini you have a fixed water tank. It is not a removable water tank like other models. Fill a cup or measuring jug with 8 Oz (240 ml) of fresh clean water.

It is better that you use bottled water or filtered water. Never fill your machine above the maximum fill line marked on the water reservoir, never fill below the minimum line either. Close the lid.

When you lift the lid, you will see where to put the water in a Keurig Mini.

What Type Of Water Should You Use In Your Keurig?

Let’s get the water sorted.

You have three options when it comes to choosing what type of water you can use in your coffee maker, bottled water, tap water or filtered water.

In reality, you really only have two choices, bottled water or filtered water.

The better the water you use, the better your coffee will be. There is a nice additional benefit of using bottled water and filtered water, it will help to prevent the build up of mineral deposits and limescale in your coffee machine.

I like to think of it as a little preventative maintenance.

Read: How does the strong button work on a Keurig?

A Special Note About The K-Mini Plus

If it is the K-Mini Plus that you have purchased, there is one key important difference to be aware of.

It has a removable water reservoir. All you need to do is to lift it vertically to remove it. When you are first using your machine, it is a good idea to give it a good cleaning with soap and some warm water.

Give it a clean and let it air dry. When dry, put it back in your coffee maker by lifting the water tank lid and putting it back in place. Fill the water reservoir to the maximum fill line.

A Milk Warning!

Since we are on the topic of the water tank, never ever put milk in it. Don’t even think about putting milk in your Keurig or any other coffee machine.

It will just damage your machine to a point where you really cannot repair it or need to replace all the internal pipes. Milk will stick to the internal parts and be difficult to clean.

By difficult I mean impossible!

If you need hot milk, use your stovetop.

Run Full And Proper Cleansing Brew

The power button is found on the top of your Keurig K-Mini. Press it, it will light up when pressed. Your machine will switch on and start warming up.

Before you even think of brewing your first coffee, run a water-only cleansing brew. During the manufacture and storage process, dust and dirt can make their way into the machine and its internal workings.

With clean water in your machine, simply lift and then lower the handle without putting a K-Cup inside and have a mug below the coffee outlet and press the brew button to start brewing.

The brew indicator light will illuminate and pulsate as the water is heating. When the light stops flashing, hot water will start to flow from the coffee outlet. When your cleansing brew is finished, simply discard the water.

Don’t skip the cleansing brew…unless you want dirt and dust from the factory in your coffee.

Read: How does a Keurig work?

How To Use Small Keurig To Brew A Great K-Cup Coffee

The starting point here is the most fun part, selecting a K-Cup to brew. You truly have an abundance of choices.

There are over 60 different companies that make K-cups of various types for you to enjoy. In total there are more than 600 different K-Cups that you can make, and it is not only coffee that can be enjoyed.

• Coffee.
• Tea.
• Hot Chocolate.
• Hot Soup.
• Fruit refreshments.

You can easily find your favorite Starbucks cup of coffee in the list of beverages that you can make. Cold brew, iced coffee, Macchiato, Latte and more. I’ll be surprised if you can’t find your favorite gourmet coffee.

You can even use a reusable K-Cup and use your own ground coffee.

Pick one, and make it a good one, get ready to brew your maiden cup of coffee.

Add Water To The Water Reservoir

Add only the amount of water that you need to the water reservoir. Never pour less than the 6 ounce (180 ml) minimum or more than the 12 ounce (360 ml) maximum.

Use the best quality water that you can.

Brewing A K-Cup

Put your coffee cup under the coffee spout and lift the hand at the front. When the brewing chamber is open, insert a K-cup in the holder and lower the handle and close the lid.

It is very important that you don’t remove the foil seal. There are needles inside that will pierce the foil and inject hot water into your coffee pod.

When the lid is closed, the brew light will begin to flash. This is an indication to you that all is good, and the water is heating up.

Push the brew button. The brew light will flash for approximately 2 minutes. When it stops flashing, coffee will start to come out of the coffee spout and into your cup below.

Your machine will stop pouring automatically and switch off on its own.

The Strong Button On A K-Mini Plus

If it is the K-Mini Plus model that you have, you will see a button marked STRONG. What happens when you press this button is pretty obvious – you get a stronger and bolder tasting cup of coffee.

This is ideal when making an iced coffee.

Taking Care Of Your Keurig Mini Coffee Maker – Basic Maintenance Tips

Taking care of your Keurig single serve coffee maker will help you to prolong its life and serve you great coffee.

Let’s talk about an aspect of Keurig maintenance that is often overlooked.

Basic Needle Maintenance

The needles need to be well maintained and cleaned just as frequently as any other part of your coffee maker to prevent them from becoming blocked.

Your machine comes with a needle cleaning tool. Fill it with hot water and put it in the K-Cup holder and open and close the the lid of your Keurig 5 times. Take out the needle cleaning tool and repeat this process 3 times.

That is all that is needed. So easy!

Cleaning And Descaling

It is important to run a cleaning and descaling cycle on your coffee maker every other week. This will keep your Keurig Mini clean and clear of any mineral build up and the pipes and tubing free from mold and bacteria.

A nice step to keep your machine clean, remove the empty used K-Cup as soon as it has been used. This will help to prevent your needles from becoming blocked.

Simply fill your water reservoir with a 50% distilled white vinegar solution and 50% water and press the brew button.

Discard the water-vinegar solution that comes out. Run several, 3 to 5 or more flushing cycles with clean water to flush traces and the scent of the vinegar from your machine.

A good descaling program will also help to keep your needles clean, clear and unclogged.

Recycle Your K-Cups

Since 2020 all K-Cup (and Nespresso for that matter) and fully recyclable. In the EU and UK there are recycling programs at all major supermarkets where you can take your coffee pods for recycling. In North America there are curbside programs everywhere.

Simply save the pod and take them to your nearest recycling center.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Use Small Keurig

What Is The Difference Between A Mini Keurig And A Regular Keurig?

The difference between a regular Keurig and Mini Keurig is the Mini Keurig has no water reservoir. You need to add water each time you want to make a cup of coffee. A regular Keurig has a water reservoir and is a little bigger in size.

Do You Need Special K Cups for Keurig Mini?

No, no special K Cups are needed for a Keurig Mini or Keurig Mini Plus. Any K-Cup will do from any brand. You can use the coffee, chocolate, tea, soup and refreshing drink K-cups in a Keurig Mini.

Can You Put Milk In A K Mini?

Putting milk in your Keurig mini might sound like a great idea, but trust me, it is not.

It’s a bad idea, a very idea!

Never put milk in your Keurig Mini or any other Keurig coffee maker or drip coffee maker. You will only make it impossible to clean and leave traces of milk which will collect bacteria and mold. If you must add hot milk to your hot chocolate, heat the milk in a saucepan.

How Long Does It Take A Keurig Mini To Brew?

It should take about 2 minutes approximately for your Keurig mini to brew a cup of coffee or tea.

Put water in your Keurig Mini and a coffee mug below the coffee spout to catch the brew as it pours. 

Your brew indicator light will light up and then flash while the coffee maker heats the water. After two minutes, the brew indicator light will stop flashing and start to pour your beverage. Brewing has finished when your brew indicator light is no longer on.

Can A Mini Keurig Just Make Hot Water?

Yes, your Keurig can make hot water only if that is all you need. It comes in handy for cups of instant soup, ramen, pasta and so on.

Switch on and power up your Keurig K-Mini put water into the machine and close the cover of the water tank. Put your cup below the spout on your drip tray.

Press the brew button.

Is It Okay To Use Tap Water In A Keurig?

Yes, it is perfectly okay for you to use tap water in your Keurig. Water is 98% of the coffee  that you are making and thus the better the quality of your water, the better your coffee will be. This is why I strongly encourage you to use bottled water or at the very minimum use filtered water.

Final Thoughts – How To Use Small Keurig

Now that you know how to use small Keurig the best way I sincerely hope that you follow my tips and keep your machine well maintained and don’t skip the cleansing brew or regular needle maintenance and descaling.

Do that your Keurig Mini will last you for 5 years or more.

Do you love coffee? Love Keurig coffee?

Join our fun, active and fantastic online coffee community on Facebook/Meta and share your coffee quotes, memes and jokes with us all. Or better still share some of your great Keurig creations!

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location