Nothing wakes you up to alert mode every morning other than a flavorful cup of coffee from your Keurig machine. However, sometimes the coffee may start to taste watered down. The Keurig machine has been a popular single-serve brewer in the USA since its invention in the 1990s by Massachusetts entrepreneur John Sylvan. In this article, let us explore the reasons why Keurig coffee may taste bland and watery.
Why does Keurig coffee taste watered down?
Your Keurig coffee may taste watered down because of the following reasons:
Your machine could be dirty.
The buildup of dirt and minerals in the machine could attribute to the bland and watered-down taste of your coffee. Make sure to clean the machine at least every three to six months to prevent scale buildup and calcium deposits.
Here are the procedures on how to clean your Keurig machine:
- First, turn off the power.
- Next, start by cleaning the tank or water reservoir with a soft cloth.
- Proceed with the descaling process. Use the Keurig descaling solution or distilled white vinegar.
- Descale the machine entirely.
- Run the machine a few times with fresh, filtered water and without any K-cups to eliminate any undesirable smell.
- Finally, check that all went well by making some coffee and doing a taste test. If the watered-down taste remains after doing a thorough cleaning, the issue may be a mechanical one.
It may have to do with the needles that puncture the K-cups.
Keurig coffee machines have two separate needles to puncture the cup, one at the upper side and the other at the bottom of the K-cups. The upper one is for entry and the bottom one for the exit. Water first goes through the upper needed and into the K-cup. However, if this needle has a blockage, the water could leak out of the needle and will not run through the K-cup to brew coffee.
What happens is that the water drips out and flows around instead of through the K-cup. The result, coffee that tastes bad and watered down. To fix the problem, remove the upper needle and clear the blockage. This commonly resolves the issue.
Here are two easy steps on how to clean and remove the blockage from the needles:
- Step one – Get a toothpick or a slender sewing needle.
- Step two – With the above item, dislodge the obstructions in the K-needle.
Other ways to resolve the issue of watered-down coffee taste
Here are some other tips how to solve the problem of a watered-down coffee taste:
1. Use darker roasts.
If you are not a fan of lighter roasts, opt for stronger coffee and darker roasts.
2. Consider brewing two K-cups for maximum strength.
If you prefer stronger coffee and you feel that your coffee is watered down, try to brew two K-cups at the same time instead. Use one cup after the other and experiment with the resulting brew.
3. Pull out the coffee just before the last water drops get in the cup.
If your Keurig coffee tastes watered down, try this technique. Pull out the coffee without waiting for the last few drops. This is because it usually just consists of hot water because the K-cup has already been used.
4. Push the “strong” button.
You could also try pushing the “strong” button to fix the weak coffee taste issue. This will prompt the machine to brew a super-strong blend.
Should I only use a K-cup once?
Yes, you should only use a K-cup once. They are meant for only one cup since they are measured to only make a cup of six to eight ounces of coffee.
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