Are you wondering if the Keurig K-Supreme or K-Elite would be a better coffee maker for your home? Both are excellent coffee makers, with the K-Elite being a Keurig classic and the K-Supreme being one of Keurig’s newer models.
In this guide, we’ll be comparing both these coffee makers in detail. We’ll dissect both of them in the following areas:
- Similar features shared by both Keurigs.
- Which features are unique to either model and how it affects you.
- Considerations you should make before choosing the K-Supreme or K-Elite.
Quick Summary
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Attribute | Keurig K-Supreme | Keurig K-Elite |
|---|---|---|
Image |
|
|
Water Tank Capacity | 66 oz | 75 oz |
Iced Coffee Brew Option | Yes | Yes |
Strong Brew Option | Yes | Yes |
Available Colors | Black & Gray | Brushed Gold, Silver & Slate |
Drink Sizes | 6, 8, 10, & 12 oz | 4, 6, 8, 10, & 12 oz |
Multi-Position Water Tank | Yes | No |
Ideal Uses | Yes | No |
Pricing |
The Keurig K-Supreme might honestly look like any other Keurig, but it has two features that set it apart from its siblings. Its multi-position water reservoir can be moved into two different positions and it has multistream technology that brews an even more well-rounded cup. This is the Keurig for you if you want easy, bold cups of coffee and a versatile coffee maker that can fit anywhere.
In terms of flexibility, the Keurig K-Elite is unmatched. A large 75-ounce water reservoir with numerous drink sizes and settings allows it to brew something for anyone. We’d recommend you grab the K-Elite if you will be sharing the coffee maker frequently with friends and family.
Similarities
Pod Compatibility
What Keurigs are most well-known for is their convenience. They allow you to brew coffee with K-Cups, which are pods consisting of pre-measured portions of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
If you were using a traditional coffee maker, you’d need to buy ground coffee or grind your own beans. Once that’s done, you then need to measure out exactly how much grounds you need, which has the potential to lead to waste if you use too much.
The K-Supreme’s and K-Elite’s ability to use K-Cups eliminates that possibility. You’ll get exactly as much as you need to brew cups in a range of sizes. Plus, you’ll have tons of flavors to choose from, enabling you to satisfy just about any kind of craving you could have.
Read Also: Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini
Grounds Compatibility
Pods may be convenient, but coffee experts and enthusiasts don’t necessarily want to use them all the time. This is because as soon as coffee is ground, it starts to go through a process called oxidation, which leaves it tasting stale.
As we mentioned previously, pods are pre-ground coffee capsules. They may be easy to use, but you’re sacrificing freshness when you choose to use them.
Fortunately, the K-Supreme and the K-Elite don’t necessarily require you to make that sacrifice. With the purchase of their reusable filter, you can brew cups of coffee from fresh grounds of your choosing.
User Friendliness
Coffee makers with lots of settings can be difficult for beginners to control. The more buttons and functions there are, the more confusing it is to figure them all out.
Keurigs, however, are legendarily easy to use – and that includes the K-Supreme and K-Elite. They only have a few clearly labeled buttons on the top. All you need to do is put in your K-Cup or coffee grounds, press a couple buttons, and wait a few minutes.
Did you know you can use Keurigs to make lattes and cappuccinos? In this Keurig K-Café vs Special Edition comparison, we discuss two Keurigs with milk frothers.
Brew Strength Adjustability
Have you ever had a cup of coffee that felt weak and watery? It’s disappointing, failing to meet the expectations you have for a drink when you brew yourself a cup.
To prevent this from happening to you, the K-Supreme and Elite both have brew strength settings. In the mood for a stronger cup of java? Before brewing, just press the “strong” button on either coffee maker, and they’ll prepare a cup for you that has a more robust flavor.
Iced Brew Setting
Iced coffee is a trendy drink that’s more likely than not here to stay. It takes the traditionally warming beverage and turns it into something you can drink on a hot day for a quick refreshment.
Most people associate iced coffees with something expensive you can get from your local coffee shops. This doesn’t have to be the case, though, especially when you have the K-Supreme and K-Elite.
Either one of these coffee makers has an iced setting. To brew your iced coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, just put some ice cubes in the bottom of your cup prior to brewing. Select the iced button on your Keurig, and it will brew just enough to go with your ice.
Color Options
Coffee makers can become an integral part of your kitchen. Because you’ve probably worked to decorate your kitchen, you may want your coffee maker to fit in with the décor you’ve chosen.
Luckily, both these Keurigs are available in multiple colors. The difference in this regard is that each one is available in a different number of colors, with the K-Elite offering one option more than the K-Supreme.
The color is nothing more than a superficial trait. But if it’s important to you that your coffee maker matches in your kitchen, it could be important to you.
Read Also: Best Kitchen Coffee Signs
Removable Water Reservoir
Either of these Keurigs have water reservoirs built onto them. This is a must-have feature for coffee makers in general, as water is crucial to brewing coffee.
What we like about the water tanks on the Keurigs is that they’re removable. Rather than having to struggle to pour water in them where they stand on your counter, you can just slide the tank out and bring it to your sink.
When it’s time to clean out the water tank, this makes washing them easier, too. You don’t have to try and scrub them out by hand on your counter when you can just remove them for an easier clean.
Energy Efficiency
When you’re in a rush or you’re tired, it’s easy to forget to turn off some of your appliances. It happens to everyone at least once.
The problem with leaving your appliances on is that you risk damaging them and driving up your utility bills. With the energy-efficient auto-off feature on both the Keurig K-Supreme and K-Elite, you’re safeguarded from this possibility – at least when it comes to your coffee maker.
After you’ve brewed yourself a cup of coffee, if you leave the Keurigs on long enough without using them, they will automatically shut themselves off. No more wondering if you left your coffee maker on while you go about your day.
Removable Drip Tray
Just like the water tanks, the drip trays on the K-Supreme and K-Elite are removable. The movement is easy: just slide them off and carry them to your sink for cleaning or emptying.
Another benefit to removable drip trays is that they make more room beneath the coffee dispenser on the Keurigs. When you want to fit a taller cup onto your Keurig, such as a travel mug, you can pull off the drip tray and set your mug in its place.
Read Also: Best Keurig Coffee Maker for Travel Mugs
Differences
Number of Drink Sizes
If all your coffee maker could do was brew cups of coffee that are the same size, you might find yourself dumping out leftovers. You might even find yourself wishing you could have more without having to brew multiple batches.
To ensure you get exactly as much as you need, these Keurigs have multiple cup sizes they can brew. However, if you’re looking for more size options, the K-Elite is the winner.
The K-Elite can brew one extra size that the K-Supreme cannot: 4 ounces. Otherwise, they can both brew the same sizes for the most part: 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces.
The 4-ounce size may not seem useful initially, but it’s great for when you want to add milk or half and half to your coffee. Four ounces won’t overfill your cup so you still have plenty of room.
Water Reservoir Capacity
The size of the water tank is another difference between the K-Elite and K-Supreme. This is another aspect where the K-Elite wins, given its slightly larger 75-ounce water tank.
In comparison, the K-Supreme’s water tank is 66 ounces. Neither size is exactly small, but if you’re sharing the coffee maker with a group of people, every ounce can matter.
That 9-ounce difference in the K-Elite could allow you to brew one extra cup. This leads to slightly less time spent having to stop for water refills.
Keurig K-Elite Temperature Control
For some people, coffee is almost sacred. These people like to exercise the utmost control over their coffee to be sure it is exactly to their specifications.
This can include the temperature. Some prefer their coffee to be as hot as possible, while others may want a slightly cooler cup that doesn’t scald their mouth.
Are you someone who prefers a specific temperature for your coffee? If so, you’ll love the Keurig K-Elite’s temperature controls, which let you brew a cup ranging from 187-192 degrees. The K-Supreme does not give you any control over the temperature of the drinks.
Keurig K-Supreme Multi-Position Water Reservoir
The Keurig K-Supreme has something that makes it unique when compared to other Keurigs: its adjustable water tank. Its reservoir can be swiveled around the coffee maker into two different positions. One position is nestled right to the side of the brewer and the other is at the back of the machine.
This gives the K-Supreme a lot of flexibility. If your counters aren’t very wide, you might want the water tank on the side. On the other hand, moving it to the back is perfect for situations where your counters are crowded with other appliances and your coffee maker needs to fit between them.
Read Also: Best Keurig Coffee Maker for College Students
Keurig K-Elite Programmable Auto-On
On some traditional drip coffee makers, you have programmable clocks that allow you to set up the coffee maker to brew a batch for you in advance. Programmability like that can be hugely important if you’re not a morning person, because you can basically tell the coffee maker to make a pot for you to wake up to.
While you can’t necessarily set the K-Elite up to brew a cup for you hours in advance, you can program it to turn on by itself at a particular time. This means you can skip the warm-up time that Keurigs usually need to go through before they can brew because your coffee maker will have turned on and warmed up by itself.
Keurig K-Supreme MultiStream Technology
High-end espresso machines have features that allow them to evenly extract the espresso, ensuring that the resulting shot is full-bodied. The Keurig K-Supreme offers a new technology to achieve a similar effect called multistream technology.
Rather than using only one needle that dispenses water through the cup, there are several that pierce the top of the K-Cup. Multiple streams of water allow the brewer to reach all the grounds in the cup, leading to a more flavorful and aromatic experience than you might get from more traditional Keurigs like the K-Elite.
Which One is Right for You?
So, which of these Keurigs is right for you? You might have gotten an idea from all the features we discussed already, but you may also still be confused.
It’s okay if you’re feeling unsure. We’ll look at some considerations for choosing the right Keurig here.
One of the first things you should think about is how many people will be using your coffee maker on average. There’s a difference between using it as a personal coffee maker for yourself and sharing it with a handful of people regularly.
If you’re going to use the coffee maker to entertain guests or as a family coffee maker, then you’ll want a larger water tank and more drink sizes to choose from. These are qualities the K-Elite has. It can brew more cups in a row before needing a refill, and it has the extra-small 4-ounce size for anyone who doesn’t want to fill a mug.
What about those who are short on space? Those with cramped kitchen counters would do well with the K-Supreme, thanks to its multi-position water tank. You can essentially change the shape of the coffee maker to fit in wherever you need it to.
Do you want a coffee maker that produces stronger flavors and aromas? Once again, the K-Supreme is the better pick because of its multistream technology. It’s able to extract in a much more balanced way than the K-Elite can, since it uses multiple streams of water.
Here’s the bottom line:
Buy the Keurig K-Supreme if you need a compact coffee maker or you’re looking for one that can produce especially bold flavors. Its multistream technology will produce an intensely aromatic cup time after time.
Alternatively, we’d recommend the Keurig K-Elite for anyone who wants more control over the brewing options. It gives you more options for temperature and size, and its water tank can brew more cups in a row than the K-Supreme can.
