Keurig Brewer Basics
Whether you’re just starting to explore the world of Keurig coffee makers or if you’re already a longtime fan, we hope these questions (and answers) will help you understand Keurig’s remarkable one-cup brewing system better.
1: How many different Keurig coffee makers are there?
By our count, Keurig sells ten different coffee makers for use in a variety of coffee drinking situations. Six of the coffee makers are designed for coffee lovers at home and four Keurig brewers are sold for making single cup beverages in commercial locations.
Home Brewers
B30 Mini | B40 Elite | B50 | B60 Special Edition | B70 Platinum | Breville
Commercial Brewers
B130 Hospitality | B140 Small Office | B200 Medium Office | B3000 Large Office
Breville Brewer
Keurig also licenses their patented technology to Breville, a manufacturer of distinctly designed small appliances. Breville offers a stainless steel Keurig machine for sale on its web site and in retail stores where premium appliances are featured. It sells for $299.95.
The other individual Keurig brewers for both home and office use are described in more detail below.
2: Can you briefly describe the range of Keurig coffee makers for home use?
The heart of the Keurig line of home brewers is the B40, B60 and B70.
The B40 Elite is the entry-level Keurig coffee maker and sells in virtually all outlets for $99.95. Priced at $149.95, the B60 Special Edition is Keurig’s most popular home coffee maker. Its step-up features (from the B40) include programmable controls, the capability to brew three different cup sizes/strengths (instead of two) and some added design features. The B70 Platinum ($199.95) has a larger water reservoir and the capability to brew five cup sizes. This simple chart compares different Keurig home coffee makers.
Keurig B40
Keurig B60
Keurig B70
Keurig Mini
The Keurig B30 Mini was designed for use in dorm rooms and vacation houses. It has no water reservoir, so water is added each time a cup of coffee or tea is brewed. It’s the only Keurig coffee maker available in three different colors: black, white and red. The Keurig B50 is similar to the B60 and sold only in warehouse clubs (like Costco).
All Keurig brewers include free K-Cups. Virtually all Web retailers (like GreatCoffee.com) offer free shipping when you buy a Keurig coffee maker over the Internet
3: What about Keurig brewers for offices?
Keurig offers three choices for brewing gourmet coffee or tea at work.
Designed for large offices, the B3000 is plumbed directly to a water line, so there’s no need to refill a water reservoir. This brewer automatically ejects each K-Cup into a waste storage bin after the cup is used. The B3000 has the flexibility to brew four different cup sizes/strengths and has a separate spigot that can be used for dispensing hot water.
The B200 has the flexibility to either be connected directly to a water source or to be used as a “pour over” brewer by simply filling the water reservoir built into the coffee maker. The Keurig B200 features two different cup size/brew strength options (6-oz. and 8-oz.) and, like the B3000, has the option of being used with a separate water filter. Both units are also vending compatible.
The B140 is used in small offices or as an auxiliary coffee maker in larger offices. The Keurig B140 can only be used as a “pour over” brewer; its built-in water reservoir holds 48 ounces, enough water for about six cups of coffee or tea. This coffee maker has four different cup size/brew strength choices.
Here’s a comparison chart for the three office brewers from Keurig.
Keurig B3000
Keurig B200
Keurig B140
Only authorized distributors sell Keurig coffee makers for offices. Most Keurig distributors offer commercial brewers for sale only in their local markets, so the easiest way to find the right distributor for your workplace is to request a free three-day trial directly from Keurig’s website. (Keurig co-ordinates all the requests, but the actual trial is conducted through a Keurig authorized distributor in your local area.)
One distributor (GreatOfficeCoffee.com) does sell the B140 and B200 brewers directly to small and medium sized offices nationwide over the Internet. GreatOfficeCoffee.com does not sell the B3000.
4: What makes Keurig coffee makers unique?
Compared to other one cup brewing systems, we feel the two most unique features of the Keurig system are:
Choice-Keurig sells ten different coffee makers and over 200 different gourmet coffees, teas and hot chocolates from fourteen specialty brands. No other single cup system offers that range of options.
Cup Size Selection-Depending on the brewer, Keurig allows you adjust the strength of your coffee by letting you select from up to five different cup sizes, ranging from 4 to 12 ounces. (Most brewers offer at least three choices: 6 8 & 10 ounces).
5: How many Keurig coffee makers have been sold?
As a public company, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) provides Keurig sales when it reports earnings each quarter. Through September 30, 2008, nearly 2 million Keurig coffee makers have been sold with about 85% of that number purchased by consumers for home use.
