Keurig K50 vs K55: Which One To Choose

With over 80 machines, Keurig is a tricky company to keep up with, so don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed.

If you’re new to the world of Keurigs, you’re reading the right article. These two entry-level coffee machines K50 and K55 are perfect for getting your foot in the Keurig door. 

Enhanced features on both demonstrate quintessential Keurig ingenious. They both have easy-to-use brew button controls and make your favorite coffee in a single-serve coffee brewer. But one of these is harder to get since Keurig doesn’t make it anymore. And one of these machines makes a stronger coffee than the other. 

Only a coffee dork like myself would do this much research on two similar coffee machines, but that’s why I love my job so much. Let’s get down to business.  

K50 vs K55 At A Glance

The K50 was released before the K55. Its simplistic design and easy one-touch brewing button made it instantly famous, and even average coffee drinkers were shelling out hundreds to get their hands on one.

While you might think, “Don’t fix what’s not broken,” may apply here. Keurig disagrees.

With a few tweaks, they were able to improve upon the K50 and promptly released the K55. Appearance-wise, you won’t notice much difference, but once we lift the hood, we can really see what separates these two marvels in brewing technology. 

If you’re short on time, skip this article and get the K55 which is now called the K-Classic. It has everything you need in a Keurig, and you can start enjoying those delicious single-serve coffee pods quickly. 

If you want to join the league of coffee dorks, follow along as I break down each noticeable difference, from their sleek design to the removable tray and all the additional features in between. 

Comprehensive Comparison

Here is every aspect to consider between the K50 and the K55. They are very similar, so I had to do some extra digging to determine precisely how these two machines differ. 

Brewing

Starting with the most essential aspect of them all!

The brewing features of these two coffee makers are quite similar. However, the K50 stands out the most with an enhanced feature. The K50 has a button that will create a stronger cup of coffee. While this is not espresso, it does provide a nice kick for those mornings when you need a little extra pep in your step. 

You can make a bold coffee with the K55 by eliminating excess water. With less water, your brew will have a stronger taste and be a bit smaller with the same length brewing process.   

The brewing speed is a different story. The K55 makes a cup of coffee in under a minute. While the K50 is still faster than other drip-style machines, it’s not as fast as the K55. As brewing speed is an important factor for many, we’ll have to give the medal to the K55.

Durability

In this case, durability goes hand in hand with longevity. We don’t expect your coffee brewer to move a whole lot from the countertop, so keeping it there as long as possible is the ultimate goal. The best way to do that is to keep your coffee machine clean. 

This is much easier to do on the K55 than the K50 for two reasons. First, an indicator lets you know when descaling needs to be done and aids you in the process. Second, it uses charcoal filters which make the water much less intrusive to the inner workings of coffee makers. 

This one-two punch makes it last much longer than the K50. 

Design

These two single-serve coffee makers hit the bullseye in terms of functional design. They both have a removable drip tray so that you can use cups with a significant difference in size, including travel mugs. They also each have a visible water reservoir to easily see when you’re running low. 

What separates these two is the slight difference in aesthetic design. The K55 has more curved edges and looks more compact, even though it’s not. This looks just as comfortable in a condo as it is in the conference room of a high-class lawyer’s office. There’s nothing wrong with the K50 as it’s very similar but not quite as cool-looking.

Cleaning

The cleaning features on both amazing coffee machines are fast and straightforward. They each have a removable tray that catches most of the mess in the first place but makes it easy for deep cleans as well. The water reservoir is also easy to remove to get into all the nooks and crannies. 

However, you’ll find cleaning on the K55 much easier and less often. As far as additional features are concerned, the descaling feature is the most underrated. Seemingly a boring feature, the K55 alerts you when this needs to be done and prompts you through the process. 

This keeps your K55 pouring the freshest tasting cups of coffee more often than the K50 with less effort.

Special Features

The special features have been stripped away on these two entry-level model Keurig machines. That is a central selling point since you don’t have to be a barista to know how to work these. Instructions are included, and we recommend giving them a read; however, you will probably be able to get this going right away due to its simplicity. 

The “special features” are embedded in the technology and intellectual property of being able to brew one cup of coffee fast. So in that regard, these two machines have amazing special features even though they are pretty simple in reality. 

Price

The price difference is slight. But probably not weighted the way your thinking. The extra price tag goes to the K50.  So even though you get advanced features on the K55, in most cases, it costs less than the older K50. I think this is because the K55 is meant to replace the K50, so Keurig wants everyone to get on board with the K55s swiftly.  

Either way, the price is fair. You will have these machines for a long time. The price is worth it for longevity and convenience. The time and coffee you save by brewing one cup at a time are compounded over years of ownership. 

Reviews

The customer reviews seemed to agree that the K55 is a superior coffee brewer for the most part. They recognize the advantages of the extra features and differences in brewing options. The charcoal water filter came up a lot which indicates that people appreciate a fresher cup of coffee due to a cleaner flow of water. 

The one exciting performance note that came up was that the K50 has fewer issues with functioning. These might be from die-hard K50 lovers, but they suggested that if you have a K50 and it works great, don’t switch. The K55 may be made with lower quality materials even though it has the added descaling detection feature. 

FAQs

Which is the better coffee machine, K50 or the K55?

I found the K55 to be the better machine for its self-cleaning and filtration aspects. These are two things nobody wants to think about or do, so the more this is taken care of by the machine, the better. The K55 also has a more modern look to it. Albeit not that much different, it’s enough if you want to achieve maximum feng shui in your household. 

Which brews faster, the K50 or the K55?

The K55 brews faster than the K50. Although not mentioned very much by Keruig, this is a noticeable difference. The K55 consistently churned out cups of coffee in less than a minute from start to finish. The K50 was always over a minute and sometimes closer to two minutes which may only matter to some. 

Which machine is louder, the K50 or the K55?

The K50 is a little bit louder, but both machines are louder than your average coffee maker. This has to do with the mechanisms needed to brew so quickly. So what you gain in speed, you lose in quiet comfort. They are not as loud as a blender, but if you need to make a cup while someone is sleeping nearby, you might wake them up. 

Is The K50 Better Than The K55?

Looking at all the special features the K55 has, it’s apparent that the K55 is a better coffee brewer once you peel back all the layers. 

Coffee dorks like me love the new charcoal filters and the convenient descaling feature. This gives a coffee lover the chance to really taste a difference in coffee quality. The difference in appearance is slight but may make a difference if you’re going for a specific look. The K55 will be right at home in a modern townhome. 

The people have recognized the K50 as the more reliable of these two durable coffee makers. But there is not much evidence to go on, and I did not experience any performance issues with either.   

The K55 or K-Classic is a more-than-suitable replacement for the K50 and an excellent single-serve coffee maker. It brews coffee fast, is easy to use, and takes care of itself in some regards. 

Bye K50! Best of luck in the future, but we’re embracing the K55.