Best Keurig: Keurig K Elite vs Classic vs Select

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Today we’re pitting three of the most popular Keurig single serve coffee makers against each other. It’s Keurig K-Elite vs Keurig K-Classic vs Keurig K-Select. All three of these are incredible coffee makers with unique features and sizes, so which is right for you? You might find that they all work for you, but one might be better for your home and another great for the office.

We’re going to cover all the major features and factors to consider when buying a Keurig model, so you should have no problem finding the right one for your needs.

Premium Keurig
Best Value Keurig
Affordable Keurig
Keurig K-Elite
Keurig K-Select
Keurig K-Classic

Keurig Elite vs Classic vs Select: Brew Size

Keurig is known for allowing you to choose from different brew sizes, but which one has the most? Let’s compare these three models and see which is best.

Model
Brew Size
Keurig K-Elite
4, 6, 8, 10, 12oz
Keurig K-Select
6, 8, 10, 12oz
Keurig K-Classic
6, 8, 10oz
Keurig brew sizes

What about fitting a travel mug? Don’t worry, this is a standard Keurig feature and you’ll find it with all three of these single-serve coffee makers.

If we’re talking about the most sizes possible, then the Keurig K-Elite single serve coffee maker wins hands down. However, I think this is more of a tie between the Elite and Select because the 4oz size is fairly uncommon. While the Keurig K-Classic has the least available brew sizes, all three are quite common and will likely work for your needs.

Our top pick here is K-Elite, but the other two will work quite well for most people.

Keurig Elite

Keurig Select vs Classic vs Elite:Water Capacity

Let’s be honest: refilling your coffee maker is boring. No one wants to sit there and wait as the reservoir slowly fills from your sink. It’s even worse when you need that pick-me-up and you’re staring, bleary eyed, as the water slowly fills.

So it goes without saying that a higher water capacity is better. You’ll be able to make more cups without having to refill in between. Here’s how our three models stack up in terms of water capacity:

Model
Water Capacity
Keurig K-Elite
75oz
Keurig K-Select
52oz
Keurig K-Classic
48oz
Keurig water capacity

The Elite wins again, but by a much larger margin this time. While the Keurig Select and Classic aren’t bad, the Elite lets you fill cup after cup without having to refill nearly as often. Once again, all three work perfectly fine, but the win goes to the Elite.

Keurig Select

Keurig Elite vs Select vs Classic: Types of Drinks

Obviously all three make coffee, tea, hot chocolate and any other K-cup you have. However, they do have some differences when it comes to controlling the drink. Unfortunately K-Classic falls in this category. It can only make standard coffee. You can change the brew size, but nothing else.

When it comes to Keurig Elite vs Select, both of these have strength control. Just push the “Strong” button and the brew time will slow down so you can get more caffeine and flavor from the pod.

However, there’s one feature the Elite has that none of the others do. It has temperature control and you can make iced drinks. Just drop the temperature down and you’ll get a tasty cup of iced coffee in less than a minute. It’s wonderful and ideal for those hot days where you need a caffeine boost.

Keurig Classic

Features

What else can these Keurig coffee makers do aside from make coffee? Let’s go through all the major features and show you exactly what you can expect from them. We’ll be going in price order from the Classic to the Elite.

Our Keurig K-Classic review found that while this unit is fairly basic, it does have a few extra features. It has an auto-off that will turn the machine off if it isn’t being used. You can get a hot cup of coffee in less than a minute. This fits most mugs and the bottom is removable to fit travel mugs. Again, it’s a basic unit, but it gets the job done.

Moving up, our Keurig K-Select review found that this is a mid-tier model with some great features. You get all the same K-Classic features like the auto off, travel mug, and brewing in less than a minute. You also get the strong setting. It takes a bit longer, but it deeply steeps the coffee grounds for a stronger flavor. Plus, it brews very quietly, so you won’t have to worry about waking everyone up in the morning.

Lastly we have our Keurig K-Elite review and this has the best features of the three. You get all the same features as the K-Select (auto off, travel mug, strong setting, quiet brewing) along with temperature control for Keurig iced coffee or iced tea and a high altitude setting. You can also get hot water in seconds for oatmeal, tea, or anything else.

We suggest the Classic if you just want a basic model that’s affordable, the Elite if you don’t mind spending more and want all the best features, or the Select if you want more features than the Classic but don’t need the iced feature with the Elite.

Control Panel

All three of these Keurig coffee makers use physical buttons, but which one is the best? They are pretty similar here, but there are some differences. First of all, the brew size buttons don’t have numbers. Instead they all show different coffee cup sizes from small to big. I’m personally not a huge fan of this, I’d prefer a number, but you should have no problem choosing the right one.

Both the Select and Elite have a “Strong” button that is clearly labeled. The Elite also has a digital clock, the temperature setting that you select with arrow buttons, and a “Hot Water” button if you don’t need to brew any coffee or tea.

All three are fairly identical and reflect the features they come with. The Keurig Elite has the most buttons and best layout, but that’s mostly because it has more features to work with. In general, Keurig is easy to use and no one should have a problem with any of these coffee makers.

What’s the Difference?

Here we’ll give you a rundown of how each model compares so you know which is best for your needs.

Keurig K-Classic

  • Keurig Classic vs Select: more affordable and comes with nearly all the same features
  • Keurig Classic vs Elite: more affordable and covers the basics

Keurig K-Select

  • Keurig Select vs Classic: comes with more brew sizes, more water capacity, and the strong setting
  • Keurig Select vs Elite: has nearly all the same features, but more affordable

Keurig K-Elite

  • Keurig Elite vs Classic: more brew sizes, larger water capacity, strong setting, temperature control
  • Keurig Elite vs Select: more brew sizes, larger water capacity, temperature control
Premium Keurig
Best Value Keurig
Affordable Keurig
Keurig K-Elite
Keurig K-Select
Keurig K-Classic

Final Thoughts

Keurig makes the best single serve coffee makers, that much is certain. All three of these models are fantastic and it largely depends on your needs. If you just want a hot cup of coffee and don’t want to spend much, then the Keurig Classic is right for you.

If you don’t mind spending a little more and want to make the coffee stronger and have more cup sizes, then the Keurig Select is a good option. If you want even more brew sizes, a large water reservoir, temperature settings, and strong settings, then splurge a little and get the Keurig Elite.