Keurig 1.0 vs 2.0: K250 vs K-Classic – Which Single-Serve Coffee Machine Should You Buy?

Since 2003, when its first domestic coffee appliances began appearing in home kitchens around the United States, Keurig has become a byword for coffee maker. And it’s easy to see why. They’re constantly innovating, there’s a truly fantastic range of beverages, and their machines have bags of personality.

So congratulations are in order; you’ve decided to treat yourself to a Keurig. And you’ve narrowed it down to the final two. So now all that remains is to work out which one is the best choice for you. To some extent, it comes down to the choice between Keurig 1.0 vs 2.0.

Which Machine Is Better?

Our Winner: Keurig K250 

 

Meet The Keurig 2.0 K250

The Keurig K250  is quirky, cute, colorful, petite, and, as an update to the K200 model, a perfect entry machine to the world of Keurig. It’s super-fast to heat and brew. You’ll have a fresh, delicious cup of coffee in front of you in under a minute.

Unless, of course, you’d rather have a cup of black tea, or herb tea, or cocoa or chocolate instead. In this case, the same applies. (Oh, and did we mention the colors the Keurig K250 comes in?)

 

Keurig K250 

 

Pros & Cons

 

Keurig 1.0 Models: K-Classic Domination

This practical, proven Keurig 1.0 machine is extremely easy to use. For its size, it’s surprisingly sturdy, and of course, you still get the option to use any Keurig K-Cup, K-Carafe, or K-Mug pod in the brewer.

The Keurig K-Classic  is a straightforward model, with 3 choices of brew size. And its sleek black contours mean it will happily snuggle into any kitchen. Single-person households or workplaces might find this model especially appealing.

 

Keurig K-Classic 

 

Pros & Cons

 

Difference Between Keurig 1.0 And 2.0

Okay, so now you’re armed with the basics of the information about these two coffee makers, let’s take a look in a little more detail. So before we look at the differences between the two models, what are the similarities?

Well, both are made by Keurig, so you know you can plug into their great range of beverages in a range of sizes. You can choose from over 500 delicious flavors of coffee, tea, herbal tisanes, and chocolate drinks.

You know you get the reliability of the Keurig name. In both cases, you’ll get a fresh cup of coffee (or any other beverage in the range) in around a minute. The K250 is very slightly faster.

These two Keurig coffee machines take all the guesswork out of brewing your beverage. They adjust the temperature depending on whether you’re using a K-Cup or a K-Carafe pod.

Factory settings are 192 degrees Fahrenheit if you’re using a K-Cup pod, and 197 degrees if you’re using a K-Carafe pod. And yes, in case you’re wondering, those coffee brewing temperatures are recommended by experts.

 

Ease Of Use

Both the Keurig K250  and the K-Classic  are super-easy to use. You’ll be able to take advantage of the full range of Keurig’s K-Cups, K-Mugs, and K-Carafe pods to make a cup, travel mug or carafe of coffee with ease. (That’s assuming you’ve purchased the carafe separately, as it doesn’t ship with the brewers.) The K-Classic water reservoir is 48 ounces.

It couldn’t be simpler. Choose your beverage, make sure there’s enough water in the reservoir and pop the pod into the appropriate slot in the coffee maker. Choose your drinking vessel, and press a button. Hey, presto! Your drink is served.

The K250 does just have the edge on the K-Classic in terms of how easy it is to program though, with its clear black and white LCD screen. On the other hand, the K-Classic is slightly easier if you need to regularly fit a travel mug underneath.

 

Size Wise

So one of the differences between the two Keurig coffee makers is in the dimensions. The K-Classic weighs 10.15 pounds after shipping. It measures 9.8 inches wide x 13.3 inches deep x 13 inches high. You will need an extra couple of inches above that 13 inches of height to allow you to insert, remove and change pods.

The K250 measures 15 inches x 9 x 13.7 inches tall, so you need to allow a little more extra headroom for this machine than the K-Classic. It’s lighter, though, weighing just 7.5 pounds. The water reservoir is smaller, at 40 fluid ounces, and you get five choices of brew size, not three.

 

Cleaning And Maintenance

We know, we know, it’s not the most exciting topic in the world, but it is essential if you want to keep your coffee maker in tip-top condition. And your drinks tasting great. Both machines feature removable water reservoirs. The Keurig K250  typically ships with a cleaning kit and the water filtration system makes it a little easier to clean than the Keurig K-Classic . (Not that there’s much in it.)

If you mainly brew coffee in your Keurig, then a monthly cleaning cycle should be enough. If you use a lot of tea, then running a little clear water through the machine after making a brew will help keep it operating at maximum efficiency. And if you use a lot of cocoa or chocolate, then it’s a good idea to clean the machine more regularly.

Regular descaling is essential to keep either of these Keurig brewers working at their best. Over time, calcium deposits or scale build-up in your coffee machine. This often means it becomes less efficient, doesn’t last as long, and the coffee (or tea) stops tasting quite so good. You can buy special cleaning tablets, or use a gentle solution of 50% water to 50% white vinegar to keep the scale at bay.

 

Other Features

So this is where the differences really come into play. Both machines are well-designed, however, the Keurig K250  has an LCD screen and comes in a wider range of colors. This coffee maker ships with 4 K-Cup pods, two water filters, and a water filter handle. You also get a bottle of descaling solution so you can extend the life of your coffee machine.

We also love the fact that the K250 single-serve K-Cup pod coffee brewer offers strength control and a great, quirky peacock blue color that will bring a hint of vibrancy to your kitchen. (It does come in several other great colors too. We’re just really keen on the peacock blue shade.)

The K250 is a smaller, sleeker-looking model, and you can see at a glance that the technology has been updated somewhat since the time the Keurig K-Classic  was first released. The K250 system does not feature a programmable Auto-On or Auto-Off function, whereas the K-Classic does have an Auto-Off.

If you like a little more kick to your coffee, you can choose to brew a stronger cup using the strength control option, and the black and white touch screen interface means you can be sure of a great-tasting, freshly-brewed cup of coffee in under a minute.

 

Keurig 1.0 vs 2.0: Which One Should You Buy?

Our Winner: Keurig K250 

In the battle for your heart (or at least your tastebuds) between Keurig 2.0 vs 1.0, which one should you choose? Both of these Keurig coffee makers are great buys. And there’s something truly comforting about a nice warm drink to get the day off to a good start, finish the evening on a pleasant note, catch up with friends, or, well, just enjoy a little time out.

Despite the smaller 40 fluid ounce water reservoir and the lack of auto-off/auto-on, we do have a preference for the Keurig K250,  so we’re giving it a 4.5-star rating. The LCD display makes it easier to see your drinks choice; you can alter the strength of the final beverage, and aesthetically the design is more modern and you get more choice of colors.

Having said all that, if you’re looking for a small, sturdy machine for a student dorm, or your home office or holiday cabin, the Keurig K-Classic  will fit into your family and lifestyle just great. As one of the enduring Keurig 1.0 models available, it really is a classic.

We’re therefore giving the K-Classic a very respectable 4 stars. It would also be ideal for a household where only one or two of you drink a lot of coffee, and you can never quite agree on which blends or brews you’d like to buy or you just feel like a change now and then…

 

Keurig K250 

  Last update on 2023-03-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API.