The Mini and the Mini Plus are the smallest and simplest machines Keurig makes.
But which one is better?
Are they really that different?
Let’s get into the Keurig Mini vs Mini Plus debate and declare a winner.
In my opinion, the Mini Plus takes the victory. But I’ll still give each one a fair shake before telling you why I pick the Mini Plus.
Comparison Chart
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Keurig Mini Rundown
Keurig has been around since the early ‘90s.
But they didn’t start making home brewers until 2004. And they didn’t add the Keurig K Mini until 2018.
So, it hasn’t been around all that long. But it is already one of the best sellers.
It really fits a gap in the Keurig lineup: a super small, single-cup brewer. That’s really all it’s meant for.
It has a water tank that needs to be refilled every time you want to brew. It brews a limited size of cups (6-12 oz).
My favorite aspect of the Keurig K Mini?
In an era where companies think more is better, the Keurig K Mini goes the other direction.
The slim design and internal cord storage mean it will fit in even the smallest kitchens. It has a removable drip tray so you can fit a travel mug, perfect for brewing morning cups on the go.
Pros
- 4.4” wide means that it’s super slim and will most likely fit in your kitchen
- Cord storage in the back so you can store your Keurig machine anywhere in your kitchen
- It fits a travel mug, so you can brew straight to your cup
- The auto-off feature saves energy and ensures your machine doesn’t run all day
Cons
- It doesn’t have Keurig K cup storage included, so you’ll need another solution for storing extra pods
- No strength control, your coffee will only brew in one strength
Keurig Mini Plus Rundown
The Keurig Mini Plus was a direct response to customer reviews about the Keurig K Mini.
Keurig’s website even says: “Based on consumer feedback, we have updated the K-Mini Brewer.”
I love that. They listened to us.
But what they didn’t do was overdo all the features. Instead, they added a few that make a whole lot of sense.
The Mini Plus comes with dedicated pod storage. It’s a little container that slides into where your mug goes when brewing and holds up to nine extra pods.
It also has a strength control option so you can brew a slightly weaker cup of coffee or a strong brew.
And the water tank is removable. That makes cleaning so much easier.
On top of all that, it comes in a few different colors.
It still has some downsides. It can get really noisy if not maintained and doesn’t seem to last longer than a couple of years.
And you still have to refill the water tank every time you want to brew a cup.
But it still is a great brewer for someone who just wants one quick cup of coffee.
Pros
- Extra pod storage so you don’t have to worry about what to do with them
- A removable water tank makes cleaning super easy
- It fits a travel mug so you can brew straight to your cup
- Strength control allows you to choose how strong you want your cup of coffee
Cons
- Single-use reservoir, so you have to refill the water tank each time you make coffee
- Can be noisy when brewing, especially as it ages
Keurig Mini vs Keurig Mini Plus: The Similarities & Differences
K Mini and K Mini Plus are two nearly identical machines.
But they do have a few key differences.
In this section, let’s put them head to head and declare a winner.
Design
Okay, I’ll be honest.
K Mini and K Mini Plus are identical in terms of dimensions.
Both are 4.5” wide and about one foot tall. That means they will both fit in almost any kitchen, regardless of size.
Keurig also committed to reducing the amount of virgin plastic they use to make their machines in 2020. And since then have saved 1 million pounds of plastic.
Both the Mini and the Mini Plus are made with some amount of recycled plastic.
Is there anything that separates the Mini and Mini Plus in design?
Really only the color options.
The Mini Plus has seven matte-finished colors to choose from. The Mini has six matte-finished colors.
Winner: It’s hard to pick a winner when they are almost identical. I’ll go with the Mini Plus for the extra color option.
Brew Quality
I’ll be totally honest, Keurig isn’t known for having the best coffee quality.
From talking to Keurig owners and from my personal experience as a barista, Keurig coffee maker doesn’t brew very tasty coffee.
Most people get a Keurig out of convenience. It brews acceptable coffee quickly. That’s Keurig’s whole thing.
Are K Mini and K Mini Plus any different?
No.
They both brew acceptable coffee at the press of a button.
There is one big difference between them, however. This difference might be the biggest separator.
The Mini Plus has a strength button.
It allows you to choose how strong you want your coffee to be.
In my experience, this is the best way to make your Keurig coffee taste better. Choosing a stronger setting makes your cup of coffee bolder.
Winner: Mini Plus. The option to brew stronger coffee is essential for enjoying your morning brew.
Water Reservoir
Okay, here’s the thing about water reservoirs: no matter how big, you always end up refilling them.
The thing about Mini and Mini Plus water reservoirs?
You have to refill them every time you brew a cup of coffee.
If you don’t like the sound of that, then these machines aren’t for you.
However, if you’re looking for a simple coffee machine without any frills or extra features, then these machines are winners.
But what separates them from each other?
I’m glad you asked.
K Mini Plus has a removable water reservoir. The Mini doesn’t.
Does that make a big difference?
It really can. Having a removable water reservoir makes cleaning much, much easier.
Winner: Definitely K Mini Plus. Having a removable water reservoir is huge when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your machine.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Speaking of cleaning and maintaining, these machines are pretty easy to clean.
There isn’t a special program or cleaning cycle in either the Mini or Mini Plus.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clean your machine.
As with any coffee maker, you’ll need to regularly clean and descale.
Descaling is the process of removing mineral buildup in your machine. It’s necessary to keep your machine running smoothly and consistently for a long time.
Not to mention that if you don’t descale, your coffee will start to taste yucky.
Both K Mini and K Mini Plus use the regular brew cycle as the cleaning cycle. Simply add Keurig descaling liquid to the water in your reservoir and run a brew cycle.
Then run 2-3 rinse cycles (brew cycles without a pod), and you’re good to go.
There is one key difference between the Mini and Mini Plus: the Mini Plus has a removable water tank.
That makes cleaning the water tank so much easier in the Mini Plus.
Winner: The Mini Plus takes the win for the removable water tank. It’s so much more convenient and easy to clean.
Ease of Use
There really isn’t anything to separate the Mini from the Mini Plus when it comes to how easy they are to use.
In fact, they are two of the easiest to operate Keurig machines on the market.
All you have to do is add fresh water to the reservoir, turn the machine on, insert a favorite K cup pod, and press brew.
You do have to select the strength option for the Mini Plus, but that’s as easy as one extra press of a button.
The reality is that both of these machines brew in the exact same way.
Winner: It’s a dead heat. A tie. They are two of the simplest machines available, Keurig or not.
Special Features
As with how easy they are to use, there isn’t much to separate the Mini from the Mini Plus in terms of special features.
They both have auto-off features that turn your machine off after 90 seconds. That ensures your machine doesn’t stay on all day. It saves energy.
They also both have internal cord storage. I really like this for tucking the machine into a cabinet when not in use. Storing the cord inside the machine saves space and declutters your kitchen.
K Mini Plus does have one thing that the Mini does not: extra pod storage.
A container comes with K Mini Plus for extra pods. When you’re not brewing, the container slides into where you would put your mug. It holds up to nine extra pods.
Winner: I’m going to go with Keurig K Mini Plus for the pod storage. You don’t have to figure out what to do with extra pods.
Verdict
My personal opinion is that K Mini Plus is the better option. That said, they are so similar that either one is a good choice.
Choose the Mini Plus if:
- You want an easier time cleaning the water reservoir
- You want to choose how strong your coffee brews
- You want extra pod storage
Choose the Mini if:
- You want a simple machine with no frills
- You drink coffee sparingly and don’t want a big machine
- You want a budget-friendly brewer
I’d recommend the Mini Plus to coffee lovers who brew coffee regularly and like the convenience of a single serve coffee maker.
But if you only brew every now and then, or just want the simplest machine possible, I would recommend the Mini.
