A Keurig is a little coffee machine found in offices and lounges to provide an individual cup of coffee of choice or tea to the avid coffee drinker. Not only is a Keurig more sanitary than your average drip coffee maker, but also it continuously provides hot water. Due to its easy and quick brewing abilities, it has become very popular.
All Keurig water filters are universal except for Rivo brewing systems and the Keurig Mini plus. These Keurig water filters resemble small packets made with charcoal that need to be soaked in bottled water before directly putting them in the water reservoir.
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Keurig Components
The Keurig water filter has either a rear reservoir or a side reservoir. The side reservoir contains two different usable containers, namely a side reservoir and a K-classic water filter, while the rear reservoir has only one container.
Both reservoirs (side reservoir and rear reservoir) are very similar from a distance but different when you see them up close. In comparison, the rear reservoir is shorter than the side reservoir.
Also, the reservoirs are both white and almost transparent in color, and the coffee maker water filter is at the bottom. However, the K-classic water filter is black and the same size as the side water filter cartridge. The K-Classic has a charcoal filter at the bottom of the coffee maker housing while the dial is at the top.
Filter Placement in the Keurig
The water filter is at the bottom of the Keurig inside the water reservoir. Remove the lid that connects to the water reservoir and pull up the plastic handle. You will see the carbon water filter at the bottom end of the Keurig, and you can remove it to insert a replacement filter by pressing the clips.
Types of Keurigs
Below are some types of Keurigs that you can consider buying;
Keurig K-Select
The Keurig K-Select is usually the simplest Keurig that many coffee drinkers own. The alternative model of Keurig K-Select is K-Compact, which is the other version of K-Select that is smaller. The location of the reservoirs in these two models differs.
The K-Compact uses a rear reservoir, while the K-Select has a side water reservoir. Comparing the two Keurig models, the K-Compact reservoir can hold a large amount of tap water (52 ounces), while the K-select has a single-serve reservoir.
Keurig Duo
The Keurig Duo is capable of holding 60 ounces of water. This model offers flexibility for coffee lovers. You can brew single-serve cups of coffee or an entire coffee pot.
Since the water filter for the Keurig Duo is simple, you only need to remove the reservoir and ensure that all the parts are clean. You will notice that the numbers on the filter are facing away from you.
There is a black dot in the reservoir at the bottom after the water filter is ready; click down on the container to secure it.
Keurig K-Mini
The Keurig K-Mini is the perfect coffee maker for small households. However, the K-Mini Keurig requires regular refilling after every use since it holds a small amount of water for coffee (12 ounces). In the K-Mini, the reservoir is permanent. However, it is okay since it does not have a water filter.
Can a Keurig Work Without a Water Filter?
The water filter removes impurities such as magnesium from the water. The Keurig can work completely fine without the use of charcoal water filters. However, when the level of mineral content accumulates, it can block the Keurig and eventually degrade its effectiveness in brewing coffee over time with calcium deposits.
Descaling helps with this problem, but the frequency of descaling depends on the level of mineral content in your water.
Keurig can make your favorite hot beverage, such as coffee, tea, and cocoa, in the same machine without a single spill.
Therefore, it is not essential to use a water filter in running the machine. However, the use of a purifying filter enhances the taste of the coffee.
For those using water from wells, use either resin or carbon to remove impurities from the water and brew better-tasting coffee. Resin filters can remove the chlorine impurities and improve the quality of the taste. Resin filters can also eliminate water odors and sulfur impurities in the water.
In addition, resin filters can also act as a water softening agent. They will remove the water hardness, which is beneficial to people living around a well.
Replacement charcoal water filters may seem to be the best option for people living in cities with water treatment. It is because charcoal filters eliminate toxins from the water.
Therefore, charcoal filters generally improve the taste of the water by removing impurities such as chlorine odor which can affect the taste of your pot of daily coffee.
Final Thought
The Keurig design doesn’t last forever. So, if you trust your coffee maker, replace it when you’re ready. But if your choice is to use effective water filters, ensure that you change them frequently.
Happy Caffeinating!
