When it comes to pod-compatible coffee makers, Keurig and Nespresso are two giants in the business. Chances are, you’ve heard both their names before and have likely even seen one of their machines before. But which of these convenient coffee titans is better for you personally?
In this comparison, we’ll be putting the Keurig K-Supreme vs Nespresso. We’ll dive into the following topics:
- Features shared by the K-Supreme and a popular Nespresso model, the VertuoPlus
- The features that differ between these two coffee makers
- How to decide which one is the best fit for your needs
Let’s get started…
Quick Summary
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Attribute | Keurig K-Supreme | Nespresso VertuoPlus |
|---|---|---|
Image |
|
|
Water Tank Capacity | 66 oz | 40 oz |
Iced Coffee Brew Option | Yes | No |
Back-to-Back Brewing | Yes | No |
One-Touch Operation | No | Yes |
Removable Drip Tray | Yes | Yes |
MultiStream Technology | Yes | No |
Multi-Position Water Tank | Yes | Yes |
Ideal Uses | Home | Home |
Pricing |
Innovation might as well be the name of the Keurig K-Supreme, as it takes many popular Keurig features and upgrades them. It produces an even more flavorful cup of coffee, thanks to its multistream technology and allows you to adjust the position of its water tank. This is the coffee maker for you if you want more control over the development of each drink.
The Nespresso VertuoPlus was clearly designed with cutting edge convenience in mind. Its one-touch operation means that even total coffee novices can brew cups like pros. You should grab this coffee maker if you want the easiest brewing experience possible.
Similarities
Color Options
Is there a particular decorating or color scheme you follow in your home? If so, you’d probably appreciate having a coffee maker that can blend right in.
Since either the Supreme or the VertuoPlus are available in multiple colors, there are greater odds that they can fit in with your home décor. You get more choices with how you want your coffee maker to look.
There is a difference in how many colors either model is sold in, though. The VertuoPlus is sold in gray, black, or red. In comparison, the Supreme is only sold in gray or black.
Single-Serve Brewing
When you think of a coffee maker, you probably imagine a traditional one that brews whole pots of coffee to share. While such a design is great for serving gatherings of people, it tends to be wasteful when only one or two people need some coffee.
The Supreme and VertuoPlus both reduce your waste by only brewing a single cup at a time. This means you get as much coffee as you want when you want it rather than having to deal with the pressure of finishing a whole carafe.
Another benefit to single-serve brewing is that it gives users the flexibility to prepare drinks to their preferences. With a pot, you can only brew one kind of coffee in large amounts, which not everyone in your family or friend group will want. When everyone gets to brew their own cup, they get to choose exactly what they’re in the mood for.
Read Also: Keurig K-Supreme vs K-Classic
Pods Compatibility
The thing that the Keurig and Nespresso are most well-known for is their ability to use convenient pods. Instead of having to grind your own beans and measure out coffee grounds yourself, you’ll use pods, which each contain pre-measured coffee grounds in them.
It’s a simple process. Just choose the flavor of the pod you want, then put it in the Keurig or Nespresso.
There is a difference here in which types of pods are available for either machine. Keurig is only compatible with Keurig’s pods, which are called K-Cups. Nespresso only uses their pods, Nespresso capsules.
Multi-Position Water Tank
One reason we chose to compare these particular coffee makers is that they have one rare feature in common: adjustable water tanks. As you might imagine, either one allows you to adjust the position of the water tank, which is perfect for crowded kitchens.
If you have tons of appliances packed on your counters, you can move the water tanks behind the machines to give them a thinner profile. Then you can just slide them between your other appliances.
Alternatively, those with shallower counters can move the water tanks to the side. That way, the machines aren’t too long.
Read Also: Keurig K-Supreme vs K-Elite
Automatic Shutoff
Do you sometimes struggle to remember to turn an appliance off? Have you ever come home from work, only to find that you’ve left your old coffee maker on?
The Supreme and VertuoPlus have the solution to that problem: an automatic shutoff function. Either one of these coffee makers will automatically turn themselves off after a period of inactivity.
In other words, you’ll never come home at the end of the day to find these coffee makers running. On top of preventing energy waste, this protects your coffee makers from the harm of running for extended periods of time.
Multiple Drink Sizes
Both the Supreme and VertuoPlus can make drinks in multiple sizes. This is a standard feature for many coffee makers, so it’s not all that surprising. However, it’s important to mention because this is why many people like single-serve coffee makers – they can get exactly the right drink size whenever they want it.
There is a distinction that needs to be made here, though: the way you alter the drink sizes on either the Supreme or VertuoPlus are different.
With the Keurig, there are buttons on top that let you choose whether you want a 6, 8, 10, or 12-ounce drink. The VertuoPlus has pods that come in various sizes, so you would need to choose a 1.35, 2.7, 5, 7.7, or 14-ounce pod depending on how much coffee or espresso you want.
Adjustable Drip Tray
Drip trays on either the Keurig or Nespresso models can be adjusted to some degree, allowing you to use cups of various sizes. It’s important to mention that the way in which the drip trays can be adjusted varies between these machines.
The Keurig’s drip tray can simply be removed entirely. This allows you to empty it and clean it in your sink. Additionally, once it’s removed, you can fit a large travel mug beneath the drink dispenser.
On the Nespresso, the drip tray can be moved up and down to accommodate larger and smaller cups. You also have the option of pulling it off if you want to give it a quick rinse in your sink.
Want to see how the Nespresso holds up against other coffee makers? Check out our Keurig K-Café vs Nespresso Vertuo comparison.
Differences
Water Tank Size
There are numerous differences between the Keurig and the Nespresso, but one of the most obvious ones is the size of their water tanks. On the Supreme, there’s a 66-ounce water tank, while the VertuoPlus has a 40-ounce water tank.
Why does this matter? The amount of water your coffee maker has access to directly impact how many cups you can brew in a row before you need to refill the tank.
Because the Nespresso’s water tank is smaller, it will brew fewer cups of coffee before you need to add water to it. The Supreme’s size allows it to brew one large cup or a couple smaller cups extra beyond what the VertuoPlus can do on a full tank.
Keurig K-Supreme Grounds Compatibility
Pods are excellent for beginners. Brewing a cup of your favorite coffee couldn’t get any easier, since all you need to do is choose the pod flavor you want.
But there are a couple downsides to using pods. Beyond being kind of expensive, pods simply aren’t as fresh-tasting as coffee you grind yourself. But if you want to use your own freshly ground coffee, you might be disappointed to learn the Nespresso VertuoPlus isn’t an option for you.
The good news is, the Keurig is compatible with coffee grounds. You’ll just need to purchase the Keurig reusable K-Cup for that purpose.
Nespresso VertuoPlus Complimentary Gift
It’s always nice when you get a little extra for your money. When you purchase the Nespresso VertuoPlus, you’ll receive a complimentary gift of Nespresso capsules.
That means that you can start brewing as soon as you’ve got the coffee maker set up. If you accidentally forget to purchase pods, you’ll have everything you need right away.
Read Also: Keurig K-Elite vs Delonghi Nespresso
Keurig K-Supreme MultiStream Technology
As convenient as Keurigs are, it’s true that the coffee they produce tends to be weaker than something you’d get from a coffee shop. Part of the reason for this comes from the fact that, until now, Keurigs used only a single stream of water to extract their coffee.
To understand what we mean, you’ll need to visualize a small amount of coffee grounds in a K-cup. Past Keurigs would release a single stream of water through a needle that pierces the top of the cup, and that water filters down to your mug.
The problem is, a single stream of water might not reach all the particles of your coffee grounds, resulting in a weaker flavor. With the K-Supreme, this weakness is rectified because of its multistream technology. As you might have guessed from the name, it uses multiple streams of water to ensure a more even and flavorful extraction.
It's a difference you’ll notice every sip you take.
Nespresso VertuoPlus Single-Button Controls
Do you hate when there are numerous buttons to mess with on an appliance? Do you find yourself wishing things could be more straightforward and simple?
Then you’ll love the Nespresso VertuoPlus. Rather than having a whole array of settings to tinker with, it has nothing more than a single button.
Brewing coffee is as simple as choosing the right size and flavor you want as you select your Nespresso pod. Once you’ve chosen what you’re craving, just place it in the Nespresso and push the button on top.
That’s it. We don’t think it could get any more effortless than that.
Keurig K-Supreme Maintenance Alerts
Regular maintenance is a part of owning appliances, including coffee makers. You’ll need to clean and descale your Keurig or Nespresso periodically to keep them in tip-top shape.
The Keurig takes the guesswork out of when you need to perform this maintenance with its maintenance alerts. Whenever you need to descale the machine or add water, lights will come on at the top. This way, you’ll keep up on coffee machine care, increasing the longevity of your Keurig.
Nespresso VertuoPlus Capsule Container
One of the most annoying parts about using a pod-compatible coffee maker is disposing of the pods. The Nespresso has an innovative feature to make this unsavory part of brewing easier: a capsule container.
After brewing a cup, the pod you used will automatically be discarded into an attached container on the VertuoPlus. When it fills up, simply dump out the pods and replace the capsule container. No more having to pluck out still-steaming pods with your hands and toss them out yourself.
Keurig K-Supreme Back-to-Back Brewing
Do you foresee yourself having to brew for gatherings of friends and family often? If so, you’ll want a coffee maker that can keep up with the demand, otherwise you’ll have guests enduring excessively long waits before they get to enjoy their drink with everyone else.
The Keurig K-Supreme has the answer to this problem with its back-to-back brewing design. You don’t need to wait after brewing your first cup before you can brew the second – you’ll be able to brew that second cup right away, saving you a little bit of time.
Which One Should You Buy?
If you’re still unsure whether the Nespresso or Keurig is a better fit for you, there’s no need to worry. We’ll break them down further by describing circumstances in which either one would excel here.
Are you a total beginner when it comes to brewing coffee? In that case, the Nespresso VertuoPlus may be the better fit because of its single-button brewing. To brew a cup, you’ll just need to choose the capsule you want, put it in the machine, and press the button on top.
Coffee afficionados looking for an easy coffee maker may prefer the Keurig K-Supreme, though. It gives you the ability to make adjustments to each drink, including the size and strength of the flavor.
If there’s a specific blend of coffee you want to use that’s not available in pod form, the K-Supreme is also the better pick for you. With the purchase of the reusable K-Cup, you’ll be able to use your own coffee grounds.
Similarly, we’d recommend the K-Supreme to you if you will often need to prepare coffee to serve to guests. Its back-to-back brewing design makes it faster, and its larger tank means you won’t need to stop for water refills as often.
This is our advice:
Get the Keurig K-Supreme if you want more control over each drink you brew or if you need to have a coffee maker that can quickly brew multiple drinks in a row for friends and family.
The Nespresso VertuoPlus is the better pick for you if you want the easiest brewing experience. Its single-button operation is simple for anyone to use and its pod disposal container takes some of the hassle out of the cleanup.
