Some People Are Too Sleepy to Make Fancy Coffee. For Them, There’s the Keurig K-Cafe

Coffee is the original biohack and the nation’s most popular productivity tool. As we adjust to the changeover to daylight saving time, the caffeine-addicted WIRED Reviews team is writing about our favorite coffee brewing routines and devices. Today, reviewer Louryn Strampe explains why she keeps life simple with a Keurig. Look out for other Java.Base stories about other WIRED writers’ favorite brewing methods.

My colleagues have extolled the virtues of various coffee-making methods over the past few days, and I can’t fault them for having elaborate rituals around caffeination. I, too, appreciate the slow-and-steady movements of a French press or the delightful bubbling of a percolator. But they are not for me—not on a weekday, given how much of a menace I can be in the mornings. Since I was a little girl, I have woken up on the wrong side of the bed more often than not, with bedhead that matches my attitude problem. There’s no time for boiling water in an aesthetically pleasing gooseneck kettle. There’s no patience for a sweet little moment with my fancy burr grinder and my portafilter. From the moment I open my eyes, it’s a race to caffeinate my brain as quickly as possible.

I’m a Keurig girlie, through and through.

And while I’ve tested many pod makers that I like for various reasons, the Keurig K-Cafe Smart Brewer is the one I reach for every morning. It beckons from the moment I pop open my eyes. It’s not quite as convenient as an energy drink or coffee concentrate, but it comes darn close. It takes out all the guesswork and required brain cells and gets me going no matter how sleepy or grumpy I may be.

The simple appearance of the K-Cafe is elevated compared to other Kuerigs I’ve tested. It has a large water reservoir and that signature user-friendly interface that makes pod coffee makers so effortless. It has BrewID, which means it’ll intelligently recognize whatever K-Cup you’re using, and suggest settings. You can also use the app to concoct different recipes based on the K-Cup you’re brewing. (I am not a fan of this app, which seems to be a fancy way of encouraging you to buy more K-Cups and is riddled with push notifications that serve no purpose other than to irritate me. But you don’t need to install the app to use the machine.)

With six brew sizes, five strength settings, and six temperatures to choose from, it’s easy to dial in my perfect cup of coffee. Whether I need a little espresso-like shot for the afternoon or a giant iced tumbler of caffeine for a long morning drive, this machine has me covered. The resulting brews are as strong as you’d like, and with the myriad of flavor options available in K-Cup format, I can make a little cup of tea just as easily as I can make a caramel macchiato.

It also has a built-in milk frother that can steam and whip your chosen creamer, which makes specialty beverages like lattes or cappuccinos feel more attainable to people who are not aspiring baristas, or even particularly happy to be awake at all. No, it won’t be the same quality as an espresso machine would create, but you also only need to press a few buttons to come relatively close to the real deal. The frother can’t run simultaneously with the brewer, but it froths milk quickly, and I like that it’s stored right on the gadget.

I understand the penchant for an analog, tender, special coffee routine. I really do. But some of us simply don’t have the time or the patience or the brain capacity first thing in the morning. And if you’re one of those people, this Keurig is the best pod coffee maker I’ve tested.