Over the years, home coffee brewing machines and pods have gained immense popularity. Among so many new brands in the market today, few brands have retained their popularity – Keurig being one of them.
Without a doubt, Keurig is an industry favorite brand. However, like with any other machine, Keurig coffee brewers do act up from time to time.
In this guide, we will cover the most common Keurig coffee maker problems that you might come across.
Common Keurig Problems
From Keurig older models to Keurig 2.0, here are some of the common issues reported by Keurig users:
- Keurig isn’t turning on
- Keurig isn’t heating water properly
- Keurig is not dispensing water properly
- Keurig pumping too much water
- Keurig is making the cup to overflow
- Keurig is spilling water
- Keurig gives ‘Prime’ Error
- Keurig is leaving coffee grounds in the coffee cup
- Coffee brewed by Keurig gives a bitter taste
- Keurig randomly shuts off while brewing the coffee
- Keurig isn’t working at all
All or any of these problems, not only disrupt your mood but also waste your time and money if you don’t know how to fix them. The good news is that most of these issues have easy fixes.
Keurig Machine Troubleshooting
At times the machine is not plugged in, the reservoir isn’t properly filled or the K-cup isn’t rightly positioned.
If all this is checked and you’re still facing issues, then try the troubleshooting methods below:
Problem: Keurig Won’t Turn on
Having to deal with a machine that just won’t turn on, right after you wake up is definitely a mood killer. If this happens try these simple solutions to see if they get your machine back to working or not.
Keurig Needs Restarting
How to fix this: Unplug the Keurig machine and plug it back in.
Keurig is Not Turning On
How to fix this: Press the power button and keep pressing it until the light on the Keurig screen lights up.
Water Reservoir is Not Positioned Properly
The water reservoir has water magnets that are supposed to be in contact with other magnets, in order for the machine to work properly.
How to fix this: Make sure the reservoir is in contact with the magnets in the machine. Remove the reservoir and place it back again carefully.
Air Bubbles in the Tubes
At times the bubbles get trapped inside the tubes when you turn off the machine. As a result, the coffee brewer gets clogged.
How to fix this: The simple solution to get rid of the bubbles is to fill the reservoir with water and shake the machine gently, to get water flowing.
Problem: Keurig Isn’t Heating Water Properly
Well, coffee is supposed to be served hot – period! If your brewer is not doing that, you need to get this resolved right away.
Following could be the possible reasons why your Keurig is not heating water the way it should:
Water Pump Issue
Depending on your usage, your Keurig water pump might act up after some time. This could affect the machine’s ability to heat water properly.
Clogging Due to Deposits or Debris
When mineral deposits get settled in various parts of your coffee maker over the time, it might eventually impact your brewer’s heating efficiency.
How to fix this: The best way to avoid this is by cleaning your coffee maker on a regular basis. After each clean cycle, press the brew button on your Keurig coffee machine for a few seconds to make the water pump run at full capacity.
Problem: Keurig Not Dispensing Water
Sometimes you might experience that your Keurig machine isn’t dispensing water the way it should.
In this case, check if you have positioned the water reservoir properly. There is a possibility that the Keurig machine was bumped while brewing and hence the machine is not dispensing water.
If that doesn’t resolve the issue, then there is a possibility that the Keurig is clogged and you need to unclog it.
Unidentified Clog in the Machine
How to fix this: Pour water into the reservoir and turn on the machine to unclog it.
The Exit Needle is Clogged
How to fix this: First of all clean the exit needle. If you have the special plastic tool to clean the needle, use that. Some Keurig machines do not come with the needle cleaning tool, in that case, use a straightened out paperclip or a toothpick, but do it very gently.
(Keurig recommends to clean needle with a cleaning tool only to make sure it doesn’t affect warranty.)
Once you feel that the clogs are cleared, turn on the machine with water and run the cycle. Do not use K-cup during this process.
Machine Needs a Deep Cleansing through Descaling
How to fix this: Most Keurig machines notify you when they require descaling. You can find more details on descaling your Keurig properly here.
Problem: Keurig Pumping Too Much Water
At times you might observe that your Keurig coffee brewer is pumping too much water, causing a mess in your kitchen counter or floor.
How to fix this: Usually, this issue is caused by scaling. To resolve this, unplug your Keurig brewer and allow it to cool for a while. Remove the reservoir and clean it using a piece of cloth.
Remove the pod, get rid of the needle and clean it using a cleaning tool. After this, get rid of the liquid and descale your coffee brewer.
Problem: Keurig Turns On or Off On Its Own
Is your Keurig coffee brewer turning on or off on its own? Let’s see what causes this to happen and how to fix it.
Auto Off function Has Been Left On
How to fix this: For Keurig Elite owners, there is an option for Auto-off. Look for a green light and if it is on, it means that the machine will switch off itself, two hours after the coffee brewing. To disable this, press the Auto-off button and you are good to go.
Keurig Mini powers off on its own after 90 seconds of inactivity. It is a built-in feature so you cannot change it. Use the power button each time you want to turn on the machine.
For the Keurig Platinum Edition and Keurig Special Edition, there is an Auto-Off function as well. However, these machines come with different selections. In order to turn off the Auto-Off option, you will have to go through these selections and find the Auto-off selection to disable it.
Keurig Stops Working while Brewing the Coffee
How to fix this: This is not a very commonly reported issue. However, if does occur, check the water reservoir and make sure it is not bumped.
The water reservoir should be in perfect contact with the machine’s magnets. If it isn’t, the machine will stop working. Position it properly to fix this.
Problem: Water Leakage in Keurig Machine
Over the years, Keurig users have reported leakage issues. Let us have a look what might be causing it:
Gasket Not Installed Correctly
How to fix this: The gasket is around the puncture needle on the Keurig machine. If you experience a leakage issue, check the gasket and make sure it is properly placed. Move it a bit until a good seal is created between the puncture needle and the K-cup.
Overfilled Water Reservoir
How to fix this: If the water reservoir is overfilled, the machine will not function properly. Additionally, there will be a mess on your kitchen counter.
Problem: Keurig Coffee Maker Isn’t Producing Strong Coffee
K-cups have different strengths when it comes to brewing. Sometimes the coffee brewed does not give a great kick and isn’t strong enough. This happens if there is something wrong with the machine or a faulty K-cup.
Light Roast K-Cups Do Not Produce a Strong Coffee
As per the machine’s functionality, the coffee grounds and coffee are not in contact for a longer period because the water passes through the K-cup. This results in a weak coffee.
How to fix this: To address this problem, use K-cups with a stronger brew and enjoy your cup of Joe.
Another solution is that you can try brewing a double cup without using water. If your Keurig machine has an option to choose the cup size, use the smaller cup.
For example, brew from the 6-ounce selection for an 8 oz. cup. Take two K-cup pods and brew them for a flavorful coffee cup.
Weak Coffee when Reusing the Pod
How to fix this: In this case, using a darker roast or a fine ground coffee should help.
Weak Coffee even with Strong Brew and Bigger Cup
How to fix this: This happens when your machine needs a thorough cleaning. Follow the cleaning guidelines mentioned here.
Problem: Coffee Grounds Present In The Cup
If you find grains in your coffee, this clearly indicates that your machine is releasing ground coffee into your cup, from the K-cup. This destroys your coffee drinking experience.
Dirty Puncture or Exit Needle
The Keurig machine normally functions using two needles. One for puncturing the top of the K-cup and the other puncturing the bottom of the K-cup. With the passage of time, these needles get mineral deposits around them.
How to fix this: A small plastic tool is provided to clean the needles. Use this tool very gently to clean them. If you do not have the plastic needle, use a toothpick or a paper click for cleaning.
Problem: Coffee Tastes Bland
If you feel that your coffee tastes bland after a while, this is because your coffee maker is dirty. This happens due to the presence of mineral deposits in the reservoir, brew basket, water lines, or in the exit or puncture needles.
How to fix this: To avoid this issue, clean your machine regularly. Descaling your Keurig brewer after recommended intervals also helps to give you the same flavorful coffee, months after you purchased your brewer.
Problem: Keurig says ‘Prime’
You will see this message when the water isn’t coming out of the reservoir. This could be due to wrong alignment or clogging.
Fortunately, this is relatively an easy fix. Try the options given below:
1: Clean the dirty reservoir, using the steps mentioned above in the article.
2: After placing the water reservoir, run a water-only cycle, and see if this helps.
3: When removing and replacing the water reservoir, just be sure that there aren’t any air bubbles trapped inside, and all parts of the machine are aligned correctly.
4: Fill the reservoir with water till the marked line and place an empty mug to fill in the water.
5: When you run the brew cycle, the machine will be flushed and it will start working properly.
A Universal Fix For Most Keurig Problems
One of the solutions that mostly works for gadgets is a system reset. If you are facing any of the issues mentioned in the list below, try resetting your coffee maker.
- The display doesn’t change from “not ready” to “ready”
- The machine doesn’t turn on
- The machine doesn’t heat
- Display doesn’t work
- The machine loses power before completing the brew cycle
- Water leakage issue when heating
If resetting the machine doesn’t help, you might want to replace or repair the device via Keurig customer care.
Though Keurig 2.0 reset is somewhat different, hence, it requires a few steps. If you own Keurig 2.0 version, here is how to do it:
How to Reset Keurig 2.0
- Press the “small” and “medium” cups button and release both at the same time.
- Next, press the “Menu” button thrice, right after the first step.
- The clock will display “6:09” if the steps are performed correctly.
- Press the “Menu” button again, right after you see “6:09” on the display.
- When the display button goes to “Brew 0:00″ press the “Medium Mug” button and then press and release “Menu”, while still pressing the “Medium Mug” button.
- Press the small mug button again, while holding the medium mug button, simultaneously.
- Unplug the machine several times and keep plugging it again.
When Should You Contact Keurig Customer Service
Just like any other electrical appliance, there might come a time when your Keurig coffee brewer has a serious malfunction and none of the aforementioned troubleshooting tips might work.
In that case, it is recommended to contact Keurig’s customer care instead of disassembling the machine by yourself or getting it checked by an uncertified electrician.
To contact Keurig’s customer care department, you can call on the helpline number: 1-866-901-BREW (2739), or contact directly on the website https://support.keurig.com/
Serial number is important when contacting customer care. It can be found right behind the water reservoir.
Wrapping Up Our Keurig Troubleshooting Guide
Keurig is the pioneer of single-serve coffee brewers in American households. However, an electrical device will sooner or later act up, same is the case with Keurig coffee brewers too.
If you are aware of the DIY techniques and Keurig troubleshooting tips that we discussed in this read, you will be in a position to resolve much of the coffee brewer issues by yourself.
Even if you have to contact customer care, Keurig after sales support is one of the best as compared to other coffee brands. Without giving you much of a run around or costing you a lot, they will resolve your coffee brewer problems right away.
Enjoy your cup of Joe with your Keurig!
