The Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System is a mid-range coffee maker that also makes tea and hot chocolate (as well as cold drinks) in a choice of three cup sizes. With Keurig, of course, you’re in safe hands. Their products are used by such names as Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts, and their coffee makers are sold under licence by Cuisinart, Breville and Mr Coffee.
Keurig, of course, are famous for their K-cup packs, and make a wide range of coffee brewers for both the commercial and the domestic market, having done so since being founded in 1990. And they don’t just assemble parts made elsewhere – they make their own, from the filters to the alternative to K-cups – the Vue packs.
Great credentials, but how does their K45 Elite measure up?
Economic and Adaptable
This highly popular coffee maker can be set to auto on/off so that it switches itself off if not used for two hours, saving on the power bill. Unfortunately you can’t vary the two-hour period, but then not many users seem to mind that, and at least it has this feature, which not all coffee makers in this price range do.
You can choose from three cup sizes – 6oz, 8oz, and 10oz. This covers the coffee needs of nearly everyone. And you can remove the drip tray not only for cleaning but also to allow you to use a travel mug when the occasion arises.
Value for Money
At no more than a third of the price of some of the most expensive coffee makers on the market, the Keurig K45 Elite is capable of producing a wide variety of hot and cold drinks of an astonishingly high quality, and in as little as 30 seconds when the power is on.
Considering that it weighs only 12 pounds when empty, uses only 1500 watts, and has an extremely easy to operate control panel, this little machine manages to satisfy the often very demanding requirements of nearly all who use it.
Features and Specifications:
- Product Dimensions: 13.0″H x 9.8″W x 13.3″D
- Weight Empty: 12 pounds
- Shipping Weight: 14 pounds
- Power: 1500 Watts
- Voltage: 120VAC/60HZ
- Cup-size options: 6oz, 8oz, and 10oz
- Reservoir: 48-ounce removable
- Removable drip tray
- Travel mugs accommodated
- Auto On/Off (fixed 2 hour setting)
Customer Reviews and Scores
The Keurig K45 scores an average 4.5 out of 5 in 244 reviews on Amazon at the time of writing, and around 4 stars out of 5 in 1,264 reviews on the Keurig web site.
Most reviewers like the fact that it is fast, durable, and easy to operate. Style, versatility, and just simply good coffee feature strongly as well.
As with almost any product, there are some reviewers who failed to be impressed, citing fragility, length of time to brew, and poor value for money.
The fragility issue has been answered in one or two responses to the reviews, by users pointing out that the lid is not meant to be washed in a dish washer as the high temperature of the water can cause damage.
Keurig itself has had to place a notice on their site to remind users that a small, domestic coffee maker like this is not suitable for heavy use in an office. So when reading negative reviews, bear in mind that some people will unintentionally place quite intolerable strains on a machine intended for domestic use, and then post an unfavorable review when the inevitable happens.
Conclusion
All in all, the Keurig K45 has a whole army of fans, as any look through the reviews will confirm, and they can’t all be wrong. It’s not completely invincible, but it is an extremely versatile and reliable coffee maker that you can buy with a fair degree of confidence.
