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Keurig K Slim vs K Compact: Which One Should You Buy?

Keurig K-Slim vs K-Compact

Are you trying to find more information on the Keurig K-Slim and K-Compact? You’re in luck because we’ll be analyzing these two Keurigs in a head-to-head comparison here.

Our goal is to provide you thorough information so you know which one is best for you. To that end, we’ll be discussing the following:

  • The features that these Keurigs have in common
  • What the differences are between them
  • Our suggestions on how to decide on one

Let’s take a closer look…

Quick Summary

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Attribute

Keurig K-Slim

Keurig K-Compact

Image

Keurig K- Slim Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, Multistream Technology, Black

Keurig K-Compact Single Serve Coffee Maker

Water Tank Capacity

46 oz

36 oz 

Drink Sizes

8, 10 & 12 oz

6, 8 & 10 oz

Short Brew Time

Yes

Yes

Pods Compatibility

Yes

Yes

Grounds Compatibility

Yes

Yes

Smart Start

No

Yes

Ideal Uses

Home

Home

Pricing

Keurig K- Slim Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, Multistream Technology, Black

When you look at the Keurig K-Slim, it’s obvious what type of setting it was made for. With a width that’s less than five inches, this coffee maker is perfect for sliding in between other appliances on your counter. Despite its diminutive size, though, you’re not sacrificing brewing capacity, as it has a generously sized 46-ounce water tank. This is the best one for you if you need the most compact coffee maker possible.


Keurig K-Compact Single Serve Coffee Maker

Like the K-Slim, the Keurig K-Compact was evidently designed for use on cramped countertops. It’s a bit larger than the K-Slim, but it’s still petite enough to fit into a range of places. One thing that sets it apart is its Smart Start, which allows it to turn on and brew in one step. That’s why this is the coffee maker for you if you need one that can brew single cups quickly.

Similarities

Energy Efficiency

We know we’ve forgotten to turn an appliance off before. To protect you from that possibility, both the Keurigs have an energy efficient feature.

When either one has been left on for too long without brewing a cup, they will turn themselves off. This saves you from any unexpected surprises with your electric bills and also helps preserve the longevity of the Keurig by keeping it from running constantly.

The only real difference here is how long the period of inactivity must be before the machines shut off. The K-Slim will turn off after only five minutes. On the other hand, it will take two hours of inactivity before the K-Compact turns off.

Pods or Grounds

Keurigs are famous for their K-cup compatibility. They use coffee pods, which are capsules filled with coffee grounds, hot chocolate, or tea that has been measured out for a single serving already.

To brew a cup, all you need to do is select the pod for the type of drink you want and pop it into the Keurig. After choosing the size of your drink, you’ll get your beverage within a couple minutes.

However, coffee experts will tell you that pods, although convenient, don’t lead to an authentic and flavorful experience. For the best possible flavor, you should use freshly ground beans. The good news is, both these Keurigs are capable of doing that.

To brew with your own grounds, you’ll just need to purchase the My K-Cup reusable filter. Then you can place it inside the Keurig and fill it with your grounds.

Removable Water Reservoirs

In order to get a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, you’ll need to have a supply of water. To provide the brewer with water, these Keurig machines both have water reservoirs.

What makes them convenient is the fact that the water reservoirs are removable. Because they’re not permanently attached to the machines, refilling and cleaning them is easy.

When it’s time to refill or clean out the reservoir, you can just pull it off and bring it to your sink. This is so much easier than trying to pour in a pitcher of water or scrub out the tank by hand while it’s attached to the machine.

Removable Drip Trays

Further showcasing Keurig’s ability to have multifunctional parts, both these coffee makers have removable drip trays that double as cup stands. Their primary purpose is to protect your counters from messy coffee drips by catching them.

But because the drip trays are also cup stands, they impact the size of the cup you can put under the dispenser. Fortunately, if you’re concerned about the ability to brew into a large travel mug, there’s no need to be.

The drip trays on the K-Slim and the K-Compact can be completely removed. When they’re pulled out, there’s more room beneath the dispenser, so you can fit taller cups underneath it.

Add Water Lights

The design of these Keurigs makes it so you can’t see the water tanks easily. Because the water tanks are on the backs of the coffee makers, chances are, they’ll be pushed up against a wall on your counter.

This means you won’t be able to keep an eye on water levels and know when to refill at a glance. If you think that requires you to flip these Keurigs around constantly, you’d be wrong.

Both have indicators built into the top. When the water levels get too low, lights will come on, telling you with nothing more than a look that you need to add water in. No need to flip the machines around to check out the water levels.

Fast Brewing

Don’t have time to wait several minutes or more for your coffee to brew? You won’t need to wait long with the Keurig K-Slim or K-Compact.

Either coffee maker can completely brew you a cup within a couple minutes. It won’t ever be long before you have a fresh, piping hot mug in your hands.

This is ideal for people who are often in a hurry. A lot of the time, you can set these coffee makers to brew and finish getting ready. When you come back, you’ll find your cup waiting for you, so you can take it and hit the road.

Differences

Water Tank Capacity

The size of the water tank is important on your coffee machine. If you have a larger water tank, you can brew more coffee before you need to refill it.

In this comparison, the size of the K-Slim’s water tank is surprisingly larger. It’s 46 ounces, which is plenty to make a few drinks in a row. The K-Compact’s water tank is 36 ounces.

In other words, the difference in size is about one medium cup of coffee. This could make a difference to you if you’re sharing your coffee maker with other people or you need to prepare a bunch of drinks.

Drink Sizes

Both coffee makers can prepare drinks in three different sizes. The difference here is the exact sizes either one offers.

The Keurig K-Slim can make 8, 10, and 12-ounce drinks. On the other hand, the K-Compact can make 6, 8, and 10-ounce drinks.

If you’re looking for larger cups more often, the K-Slim once again is the better pick for you. But if you’re the kind of person who likes smaller drinks, you may prefer the K-Compact.

Keurig K-Compact Smart Start

Most coffee makers aren’t ready to start brewing the moment you turn them on. Instead, you usually need to wait for them to warm up the water first.

Generally, the wait isn’t going to be a dealbreaker. But for those who are constantly in a hurry, cutting out the wait could make all the difference.

To save you some time, the Keurig K-Compact has a feature called Smart Start. It still has to warm up before brewing, but you can input your drink choice while it’s warming up. Then you can walk away and come back to find your drink ready to sip on minutes later.

On the Keurig K-Slim, it’s a bit different. You will need to wait for it to warm up before choosing your drink settings, including the size. This means you’ll have to turn it on, wait, set up your drink, then wait again while it brews.

Keurig K-Slim Descale Indicator

Learning to maintain a new appliance can be tricky. Many come with lengthy manuals telling you what to do when there’s a problem, but it’s hard to remember all this information when you need it.

The K-Slim makes regular maintenance a bit for easier for you by telling you when it needs descaling. Scale buildup can damage your coffee maker, so descaling it regularly can improve its lifespan.

When it’s time to descale your K-Slim, it will notify you with an indicator light. You won’t ever need to guess when you have to perform this kind of maintenance.

Read Also: Keurig K-Mini vs K-Compact: Which is Better?

Keurig K-Slim Narrow Size

One thing that makes the K-Slim so unique is its remarkably tiny size. Created to be less than five inches wide, this model won’t take up too much room on your counters.

If you’re concerned about space, this could make the K-Slim perfect for you. The K-Compact is also pretty slender, but it’s not quite as petite as the K-Slim.

Is a smaller coffee maker what you need? Try checking out our comparison of the K-Slim and the K-Mini Plus.

Which One Should You Buy?

The important question is how to decide which Keurig is best for you in particular. To answer that, though, you’ll need to determine what your unique needs are in a coffee maker.

As we’ve mentioned before, the Keurig K-Slim is the better choice for those with crammed countertops. Its skinny profile is a match made in heaven for surfaces packed with other appliances, because it can slide right between them.

If you’re a beginner when it comes to Keurigs, you may also prefer the K-Slim. The descale light makes it easy for you to remember when you need to perform routine maintenance rather than needing to remind yourself.

Furthermore, those planning to share their coffee maker or make multiple drinks in a row will likely prefer the K-Slim. Remember, it has a larger water tank, which allows it to essentially make one extra medium drink before it needs a refill.

The main reason you’d pick the K-Compact is its Smart Start feature. Because it warms up and brews in one step, it can save you a little time. This is vital for people who are frequently on the move.

Want to learn more about these Keurigs? Click the links below to get more information on either one:

Keurig K-Slim

Keurig K-Compact

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