Traversing through the affordable coffee maker world can be challenging, especially if you haven’t been here before. And with intellectualized jargon from coffee lovers, it’s easy to feel lost.
Today, we’re here to compare two Keurig Mini machines against each other, in layman’s terms: the K-Mini vs K-Mini Plus. Both are compact coffee pod machines designed to give you a crisp cup of coffee at the push of a button.
But which maker will give you the best result and add the most convenient, optimized, and tailored experience for the user? Let’s find out.
 | Our Pick  |
Pros:
| Pros:
|
Description: Very lightweight and compact, the K-Mini is perfect for the coffee drinker who wants a brewer without all the extra features. It is priced slightly cheaper than K-Mini Plus. | Description: Almost identical from the outside, The K-Mini Plus has some extra features; a strong brew function, removable water tank and a pod storage for up to 9 K-Cups. Still very affordable, the K-Mini Plus offers better value. |
- Convenient and fast coffee
- User-friendly with basic functions
- Compact, portable brewer
- Very affordable
Very lightweight and compact, the K-Mini is perfect for the coffee drinker who wants a brewer without all the extra features. It is priced slightly cheaper than K-Mini Plus.
- Similar to K-Mini with extra features
- Strong brew function
- Removable water reservoir
- Better brewer at a slightly higher price point
Almost identical from the outside, The K-Mini Plus has some extra features; a strong brew function, removable water tank and a pod storage for up to 9 K-Cups. Still very affordable, the K-Mini Plus offers better value.
At A Glance
The K-Mini and the K-Mini Plus, at a glance, almost look like twins. Still, there are differences between the two.
When a product has ‘plus’ in its branding, I think of something new and improved. The manufacturers must have added value and improved functioning to improve the product, right?
That’s exactly the case for the K-Mini and the K-Mini Plus. Let’s take a look.
Key Differences
- Strong brew function — The K-Mini Plus has a strong brew button to kickstart your morning with a stronger, intense cup of joe.
- Removable water reservoir — The Mini Plus’ reservoir can be easily detached, which makes it a lot easier to clean. The Mini’s reservoir, on the other hand, is fixed in its place.
- Pod storage — Keep your pods organized with the integrated pod storage container at the back of the Plus machine.
- Build Quality — The Keurig K-Mini Plus has chrome accents, whereas the K-Mini is made completely of plastic. In general, the Plus feels more solid.
Key Similarities
- Convenience and Speed — As with all Keurig brewers, the two machines focus on brewing a cup of coffee fast and without hassle.
- Design — Both brewers have a very lightweight and slim design with identical dimensions. They both come in several color options.
- Brew sizes — Both the Mini and the Mini Plus brew sizes ranging from 6 – 12 oz. The exact amount depends on how much water you top up before brewing.
- Add fresh water each time — The water tanks of these Keurigs have to be refilled every time before brewing; a disadvantage of brewers that compact.
- Affordability — The two brewers come at a very affordable price point. The additional features of the K-Mini Plus justify its slightly higher price.
| K-Mini | K-Mini Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Product Line | K-Mini Line | K-Mini Line |
| Weight | 4.6 lbs. | 4.6 lbs. |
| Dimensions | 12.1″ H x 4.5″ W x 11.3″ D | 12.1″ H x 4.5″ W x 11.3″ D |
| Brew Size | 6-12 ounces | 6-12 ounces |
| Strong Button Feature | No | Yes |
| Removable Water Reservoir | No | Yes |
| Pod Storage | N/A | 9 K-Cups |
| Water Reservoir | Add water each time | Add water each time |
| Display | Buttons with LED indicators | Buttons with LED indicators |
| Auto-Off Feature | Yes | Yes |
Mini vs Mini Plus Side-by-Side
Brewing
The brewers have identical brew processes where the needle pierces the K-cup and injects hot water into the grounds, giving you a fully automated drip coffee. Keurig takes the work out of brewing a cup of coffee and is easily the most user-friendly maker on the market.
The simple, one-button brew process reduces your brewing time and makes your mornings uncomplicated. Say goodbye to hit-or-miss coffee and dense coffee rituals; the K Mini and the K Mini Plus give you your coffee effortlessly while not compromising on that exquisite taste.
Both brewers are compatible with regularly sized K-Cups, or if you prefer to source your own coffee beans, you can use a reusable pod or My K-Cup.
Keurig pods come in a wide variety of flavors, meaning you can find your favorites and have your coffee your way. Not just coffee, the Keurig Mini and Mini Plus also support tea, cocoa, and other savory drink options.
The K-Mini Plus has a brew strength option
My favorite thing about the Mini Plus is the stronger brew strength option. As someone who drinks a lot of espressos, I want my Java to have a stronger kick. With the push of a button, I can have my coffee exactly the way I like it.
The K-Mini Plus gives you a slower flow rate with higher extraction when making strong coffee. That ‘slow’ flow rate isn’t at a snail’s pace; you can still get a fresh cup of coffee in 2 minutes. Even without the slow flow rate, the K Mini can take up to 5 minutes to brew.
If you’re someone who likes their coffee on the milder side, no problem! You can always reduce the strength of your coffee by sticking to the original brewing process of either Mini brewer or by filtering more water when in use.
The K-Mini, unfortunately, doesn’t have an automated strength control setting, meaning you’ll have to do the legwork and add a bit of trial-and-error before you get your coffee strong enough.
Winner: Mini Plus
Design and Build Quality
While the K-Mini and the K-Mini Plus share many similarities in their design, there are some key differences between these two popular models.
Both brewers, measuring less than 5 inches in width, are the slimmest makers to date. You’re going to make your kitchen countertops very happy compared to bigger, more cumbersome Keurig models.
Both accommodate larger sizes of mugs and can even fit 7-inch travel mugs. Yet, you can consider either brewer to be on the go with you at such a compact size. Both the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus have built-in cord storage to make traveling easier.
A valuable new addition to the Mini Plus is the pod storage feature, where you can store up to 9 K-Cup pods in the brewer. No more fumbling through drawers to find your pods; keep them nice and organized right where you brew your cups of coffee or bring your favorite Keurig coffee flavor on the road.
The K-Mini Plus feels sturdier
Although the two coffee makers almost look identical, their build quality isn’t. The Mini Plus features chrome accents on the drip tray, whereas the Mini is entirely made of plastic. In general, the Mini Plus feels sturdier. It seems that Keurig has invested in build quality in their successor model and wants you to keep it for a longer time.
Each model is available in six colors, but I found the Mini Plus’ color options better for elevating your space. The evening teal and studio gray palettes give the maker a more trendy, polished look than the K-Mini. The K-Mini’s ‘oasis’ and poppy red colors are shiny and vibrant but make the brewer look a little cheap paired with the totally plastic design. But hey, that’s just my opinion…
Winner: Mini Plus
Water Reservoir
For each of the Minis, a water reservoir that can hold up to 12 ounces is built into the maker. Only the K-Mini Plus’ can be detached, making cleaning your brewer much easier.
You can remove the water reservoir effortlessly, rinse and clean it to remove bacteria, fasten it back to the brewer, and enjoy. By ensuring the cleanest water for brewing, you can be sure you’ll have a better-tasting coffee—bonus points for the Plus.
You can still clean the K-Mini’s water reservoir, though. It’ll be a little trickier to get into the nooks and crannies without the removable parts.
Both Mini’s require a regular top-up of the water reservoir each time you brew and therefore need a bit more work than other Keurig makers. That said, it’s a welcomed trade-off as both brewers are small and easily portable. No more lunch coffee runs.
Winner: Mini Plus
Maintenance & Support
Like all Keurig brewers, the Mini’s don’t require a lot of detailed, demanding maintenance. There are no filters, no spillage, and no messy coffee grounds to clean up. All you have to do is pop your K-cup coffee pod in and pop it out when done.
Keurig also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a limited-time one-year warranty on all brewers. They have a toll-free customer service number that operates from 7 am-12 am, 7 days a week if you have any questions.
Winner: Tie
An Alternative: The Keurig K-Slim
If you like the idea of an automated, portable, and easy-to-use coffee maker but aren’t sold on the Mini-Series, there are other options in the Keurig family for you.
The K-Slim gives you a few additional features at your fingertips and ties up some of the loose ends that could leave you hesitant to buy from the Mini Line.
Coming in at a slightly bigger size than the Minis, the biggest difference is that this brewer has an enormous 46-ounce water reservoir. This means you won’t have to refill it after every use like the Mini or Mini Plus. One less thing to think about in the morning.
The K-Slim also features five-needle multi-stream technology extraction. More flavor and aromas are extracted in your brews compared to the single-needle use of the Mini product line.
A good alternative to the the Mini and Mini Plus, the K-Slim is almost as compact and portable. It comes with 46 oz. water tank, meaning you can brew multiple cups before refilling. The multistream technology guarantees optimal extraction.
The Verdict
In the end, I have to say that the K-Mini Plus has the better technology and is taking home the gold medal. The value is fantastic, with only a slight price difference from the Keurig K-Mini.
The K-Mini Plus gives you more out of your brewer with its removable 12-ounce water tank and pod storage, polished, trendy design, and customizable brew strength selector.
The Mini, while just as reliable as the Mini Plus, ultimately offers you no customizable strength settings, is more difficult to clean, and looks slightly cheap.
A very compact and easy-to-use coffee maker, the K-Mini Plus offers some great features; a strong brew function, a removable water tank, and a pod storage for up to 9 K-Cups. It offers much better value compared to the K-Mini.
