If you plan on purchasing a coffee maker, you most likely are familiar with the available options on the market. Among them, Keurig probably stood out from the rest due to its affordability and ease of use. However, you must remember that these factors should not be your primary concern. Rather, what you should be focusing on is the machine’s lifespan.
Keurig coffee makers have an average lifespan of four years. But then again, this number ultimately depends on whether you can properly take care of the machine or not.
In that regard, this article will go over five things you should know about Keurig coffee makers that may help you prolong their lifespan and make the most out of your investment.
1. Keurig’s Lifespan Is Comparatively Higher Than Other Brands
As stated earlier, Keurig coffee makers can last an average of four years, with an exact timeframe of three to five years. That may not sound like a lot, but that number is actually comparatively higher than other brands. For your reference, here’s a look at coffee maker brands and their expected lifespan:
- Cuisinart: Two to five years
- Ninja: One to two years
- Mr. Coffee: Two to three years
Compared to these timeframes, three to five years is considerably high. This would explain why Keurig coffee makers are slightly more expensive than other brands. However, take note that this is just a rough estimate. It’s not an accurate representation of the machine’s longevity, and it may vary considerably according to several factors.
2. A Keurig Coffee Maker’s Lifespan May Vary Considerably
If you look into Keurig’s official website, you won’t find any information concerning the lifespan of their products. But the majority of their consumers claim that Keurig coffee makers usually last for four years.
There are even a few cases where the product lasted for up to ten years, while others break down after only one to two years. This goes to show that their lifespan may vary considerably.
Experts suggest this may have something to do with the following factors:
Frequency Of Use
Naturally, the more you use the machine, the faster it’ll wear out. That’s precisely why coffee makers tend to last longer at home than in offices or work environments.
It’s worth noting that owners of Keurig coffee makers that lasted for four years typically use the machine to make three to five cups of coffee a day. If you make more than that, you may have to replace your coffee maker sooner than everyone else, although the opposite also applies.
Model
Keurig is one of the most popular coffee maker brands. And as you might imagine, they have a wide range of models available to consumers.
While their lifespan may be roughly the same, some have a slight edge. The K-Elite machines, for example, are more durable and long-lasting than other models due to their manufacturing materials and methods.
Features
If your Keurig coffee maker’s water reservoir isn’t removable, there’s a good chance it’ll wear out sooner than other models since issues like leakage and scaling are more likely to occur in these types of models.
3. Keurig Coffee Maker May Stop Working For Several Reasons
It’s a common misconception that coffee makers will only stop working once they have gone through their entire life cycle. But in reality, there are a variety of reasons why a Keurig coffee maker may stop working.
With that said, below are four of the most common reasons why Keurig coffee makers stop working:
Improper Use
Many coffee maker users tend to try everything they can with their machines, like substituting water with milk or introducing additives into the water. However, it’s important to note that the water reservoir is explicitly designed to store water. If you’re one of the individuals that try these experiments out, there’s a good chance the machine will suffer from busted pipes or a cracked container.
Manufacturing Defects
If your machine stopped working a couple of weeks after you bought it, it’s likely due to a manufacturing defect. This is a fairly common occurrence among automatic coffee makers like Keurig’s products.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to deal with this issue. On the bright side, you should be able to get a replacement from the company as they most likely offer a limited warranty for the products.
We’ll get into more detail about this in the succeeding sections.
Poor Maintenance
Keurig suggests doing regular maintenance to coffee makers to minimize the likelihood of issues. If you’ve been slacking in this regard, it’s no mystery why your Keurig coffee maker has stopped working.
Wear And Tear
Even with proper maintenance, Keurig coffee makers cannot escape entropy. This is perhaps the most common reason why these machines stop working, and there’s usually nothing you can do to prevent wear and tear. You can, however, slow down this natural phenomenon with a few tips and tricks.
4. You Can Prolong The Lifespan Of A Keurig Coffee Maker
While Keurig coffee makers are indeed fated to succumb to wear and tear, it’s possible to prolong the lifespan of these machines with a few preventative tricks, such as the following:
Use Distilled Water
One of the leading causes of wear and tear in Keurig coffee makers is the buildup of minerals, which then leads to scaling or limescale. While they may seem harmless at first, a considerable amount of these chalk-like substances can slowly damage your appliances. So, how does distilled water relate to this?
To start with, distilled water does not contain calcium and magnesium, which is what makes up limescale. By using distilled water, you can slow down the scaling in your machine, which in turn prolongs its lifespan.
Of course, this doesn’t stop the scaling completely, which is why you must also descale the machine.
Descale The Coffee Maker Regularly
Descaling is the process of removing the mineral buildup in your coffee maker. And yes, it’s still crucial even if you’re using distilled water. Here’s how you can descale a coffee maker:
- Empty the machine by discarding the paper filter and removing the coffee grounds.
- Put together a cleaning solution using one part vinegar and one part water.
- Pour the solution into the water reservoir until it’s all the way to the top.
- Run the machine by pressing the Brew butting.
- Let it sit for 30 minutes to one hour.
- Throw out the water-vinegar solution and replace it with fresh water.
- Run the machine again through a brewing cycle. Do this two to three times. This should remove the vinegar smell and taste from the machine.
Generally, you’d want to descale your coffee maker every two to three months or until the limescale becomes visible in the machine. Doing so should considerably prolong your coffee maker’s lifespan.
Only Use Keurig-Approved Products
Another mistake consumers often make when handling Keurig coffee makers is using cups other than the ones manufactured by the brand (K-cups). Not only will this void the one-year warranty provided to you, but it may also harm the machine as it’s specifically designed to only handle Keurig-approved products.
Don’t Let The Water Sit For Too Long
Whenever you use the machine, it’s advisable to throw out the water from the reservoir immediately after the cycle. This is also to slow down the buildup of minerals in the coffee maker.
Replace Your Charcoal Filter Regularly
Some Keurig coffee makers consist of a charcoal filter which does a better job at absorbing unwanted minerals like calcium and magnesium than the regular paper filter. If your machine is one of them, make sure you replace the charcoal filter every 60 refills, as it may already have a lot of buildup at that point.
With these preventative measures, it shouldn’t be impossible for your coffee maker to last up to ten years.
5. Not All Keurig Coffee Makers Are Repairable
Another misconception about Keurig coffee makers is that they’re entirely repairable. While some models are, the majority of Keurig’s offerings aren’t designed to be serviced or repaired.
To further clarify, let’s take a look at two different types of Keurig coffee makers:
Commercial Models
Commercial models are those that you typically find in workplaces. Since these models are used very frequently, replacement parts and components are available for them. These may include filter kits and water reservoirs that you can easily hook up into the machine if the previous ones fail. Keurig K-3500 and Keurig K-2500, in particular, have several replacement parts available on the market.
Home Models
Keurig home models, on the other hand, are irreparable. Components aren’t made to be removed and attached willy-nilly, as doing so will likely lead to further issues.
Final Thoughts
Keurig is known for its fast-brewing and affordable coffee machine, but not many people realize that their offerings are also among the most long-lasting coffee makers on the market.
If longevity is one of your primary considerations. Keurig coffee makers should definitely be one of your main options. But remember, the lifespan of an appliance ultimately depends on you, its user, and your ability to properly take care of the device. Fortunately, with this guide, that should no longer be much of an issue
