Best K Cup Coffee Pods
If you own a Keurig, you understand the dilemma that comes with selecting the best K cup pods for the perfect coffee cup each morning. Granted, you may opt for the mainstream varieties. But we all need a little change now and then and what better way to do so than by switching up your natural flavor of joe for a new burst of flavor.
While the market may be flooded with hundreds of K cup knock offs, only a few can live up to their promises. Some of them may not even fit in your Keurig machine. Keep reading to find out the list of the best K cup coffee pods in the market.
Top 6 K Cup Coffee Pods in 2020
| Name | Roast | Coffee Type | Additional Flavors | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peet's Coffee French Roast | Dark Roast | Arabica | None | |
| Caribou Coffee Daybreak Morning Blend | Light Roast | Caribou | Cheery floral overtones, sweet caramel and nut finish | |
| Dunkin' Original Blend Medium Roast Coffee | Medium Roast | Arabica | None | |
| SF Bay Coffee DECAF French Roast | Dark Roast | Arabica | None | |
| Death Wish Coffee Single Serve Capsules | Dark Roast | Arabica and Robusta | Subtle chocolate and cherry | |
| The Original Donut Shop Keurig Single-Serve K-Cup Pods | Medium Roast | Arabica | None |
Peet’s Coffee French Roast
This is undoubtedly one of the best K cups in the market. It features a more prolonged and hotter roast that preserves the coffee beans’ oils for a more intense, unmatched flavor.
Flavor: French Roast house blend: – Coffee-forward, wood smoke, and burnt caramel
- Coffee type: Arabica
- Coffee origin: Latin America
- Roast Type: Dark Roast
- Additional flavors: None
- Average Amazon review score: 4.8/5
Caribou Coffee Daybreak Morning Blend
The Caribou Keurig cups have a subtle fruit sweetness that coffee starts sweetly and quietly in the mouth and leaves you with fruity, nutty hints after each sip. The coffee used is Rainforest Alliance Certified, and its dominant notes are tangy citrus and floral.
- Flavor: Cheery floral overtones, sweet caramel and nut finish
- Coffee type: Coffee beans blend
- Coffee origin: the Americas and East Africa
- Roast Type: Light roast
- Average Amazon review score: 4.7/5
Dunkin’ Original Blend Medium Roast Coffee
These are some of the cheapest good quality k-cups you can get in the market. They feature a rich, smooth taste. This original Dunkin donut original blend imparts your favorite Dunkin’ donuts euphoria from the comfort of home.
- Flavor: Full-bodied original blend
- Coffee type: Arabica beans
- Coffee origin: Central and South America
- Roast type: Medium roast
- Additional flavors: None
- Average Amazon review score: 4.7/5
SF Bay Coffee DECAF French Roast
This is one of the few premium decaf coffees in K-cups. It features a bold, full-bodied decaf coffee flavor that is water processed.
- Flavor: Decaf French roast
- Coffee type: Arabica
- Coffee origin: Central and South America
- Roast Type: Dark roast
- Additional flavors: None
- Average Amazon review score: 4.5/5
Death Wish Coffee Single Serve Capsules
This signature dark-roasted Death Wish Coffee promises to wake you up, keep you focused, and ready to go. They feature subtle flavor notes of chocolate and cherry that result in a smooth, bold, never-bitter taste that’s low in acidity.
- Additional Flavor: Subtle chocolate and cherry
- Coffee type: a combination of premium Arabica and Robusta beans
- Coffee origin: Not indicated
- Roast Type: Dark roast
- Average Amazon review score: 4.6/5
The Original Donut Shop Keurig Single-Serve K-Cup Pods
The original Donut shop K-cup mega pack delivers medium roast extra bold coffee that is not too harsh or bitter.
- Flavor: Extra bold
- Coffee type: Arabica beans
- Coffee origin: Not indicated
- Roast type: Medium roast
- Additional flavors: None
- Average Amazon review score: 4.7/5
Things to Consider When Choosing Keurig Coffee Cups
Not all K cups are made equally. There are several factors you need to consider when picking the best type of K cups to use in your Keurig machine. This will go along way in ensuring you enjoy your coffee every morning.
Keurig Machine compatibility
Not all K cups in the market can work with the newer Keurig 2.0 coffee makers. To negate any inconvenience of having K cups that will not fit in your Keurig machine. Ensure they are approved by Keurig and have the official Keurig seal.
Coffee Roast
What is your favorite roast type? Ensure you buy dark roast if that is your type. Or the medium or light roast if that is your preference. To ensure you get the correct roast type, look at the coffee roast indicated on the packaging if shopping in-store. Or look at the roast specification when shopping online.
Coffee Flavor
Different coffee blends vary from brand to brand. This is based on the ratio of different coffee beans used in their coffee blend. Some may have a nuttier taste, while some may have a blunt bitter taste. This is as important as the roast type when shopping for K cups.
Coffee Origin
A seasoned coffee drinker knows that coffee beans sourced from Brazil do not taste like coffee sourced from Vietnam or Africa. Make sure you find out the origin of the coffee beans used. This will inform your choice, especially if you prefer the coffee flavor from beans sourced from a particular country.
Coffee Bean Type
Over time coffee farmers have crossbred their coffee plants in different parts of the world and come up with distinctive coffee tasting beans. The growing region also affects the coffee beans uniquely. For instance, coffee grown on mountains tastes different from coffee grown in other geological areas. This is a preference based on trial or error.
Added Flavors
If you are a fan of coffee infused with flavors, look for a brand that has finessed the art of mixing coffee with subtle but decadent flavors that do not compete with the taste of the coffee. Ensure it is the correct roast mixed with quality flavors that will not degrade the coffee oils.
For your convenience, fond a few options that meet your specifications for a great cup of K cup coffee. This will ensure that you have a replacement when your favorite brand is unavailable or if you feel like shaping things up.
What is the Difference Between Coffee Pods and K Cups
Coffee pods are precursors of K cups. This is any coffee sealed in a filter paper that can be used in any coffee maker brand or directly in a pour-over coffee cone. Some may need to be used with a recyclable coffee pod capsule to fit in your coffee maker.
On the other hand, a K cup is a coffee cartridge made explicitly for a Keurig coffee maker. They may be used in other coffee maker brands. But some brand name coffee makers also create their versions of coffee cups to be used in their coffee makers.
Do All K Cups Work in Keurig?
If you buy original Keurig K cups, they will work in your Keurig. However, not all off-brand K cup pods will work with your Keurig machine. The reason being some of them are not manufactured as per Keurig standards.
Some of the Keurig approved off-brand K cups may not work with newer models of Keurig machines. To ensure your K cups can work in your Keurig, look for the official “Keurig Brewed “seal on the lid.
This indicates that they are compatible with Keurig coffee makers. The box containing the K cups should also state that all Keurig machines can use them.
Which is Cheaper: K Cups or Ground Coffee?
Ground coffee is cheaper in terms of the product cost. With K cups, you have to take into account the value of the individualized coffee cartridges. However, when you factor in the perfect brewed cup of coffee, you stand to make every day when using K cups, as well as the time saved; K cups offer higher value for money.
With K cups, you do not have to spend time roasting and grinding the beans every morning. Not to mention getting the measurement wrong from time to time. As per the whole ground coffee is a better argument, K cups come in individually sealed bags that do not let in air, which prevents the pre-ground coffee from oxidizing.
Conclusion:
The best K cup coffee pods are the ones that satisfy your coffee cravings every morning. Once you find K cups that do not taste awful on days when you need a coffee boost, you are officially sorted. Look for K cups that are consistent when it comes to roast type and flavor intensity.