Keurig K500 Vs K550: Which One Is Better?
Are you wondering about the differences between the Keurig K500 and K550? It can be hard to distinguish, especially when you’re weighing your choices as a consumer.
This review can serve as your guide. As you glance over the pros, cons, and different features, make the decision that’s best for your caffeine experience.
Let’s get into the more intricate details. We offer a comprehensive review below in the battle between Keurig K500 vs K550!
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What’s a Keurig?
Keurig is a home and commercial brewing system that has taken over many households in the country.
They pioneered K-cups! K-cups are single-serve coffee pods made of plastic, aluminum, and a coffee filter.
A K-cup has the optimum amount of coffee you need for a single serving every day. If you ever want a large serving, there are K-carafe pods available as well. K-carafe pods can provide up to 30 ounces of coffee for large groups.
Some K-cups are only available with few coffee maker models. Of course, most of them are Keurig machines!
We hope that was a comprehensive, brief background of the Keurig brand.
Let’s dive into the specifications of each product today as we consider our options. What do we choose, with the Keurig K500 vs K550?
Keurig K500
Specs:
- Dimensions: 10.43 x 13.63 x 13.45 inches
- Weight: 8.5 pounds
- With voice command
- With nightlight
- With color touch screen featuring different programmable settings
Pros:
- With auto-brew
- Programmable clock and strength control
- With high-altitude settings
- Compact and lightweight
Cons:
- No instant hot water
- Lacks some features of the K550
Keurig K550
Specs:
- Dimensions: 18.3 x 12.7 x 16 inches
- Weight: 13.90 lbs
- With nightlight
- With instant hot water
- With color-touch display featuring different programmable settings
Pros:
- With auto-brew and high-altitude settings
- Programmable clock and strength control
- Comes with a water filter
- Has auto-descaling
Cons:
- Bulky
- Costs more
Facing Off Features: Keurig K500 vs Keurig K550
Design, Operation, and Specs
At first glance, you notice something different right away.
Between the K500 and the K550, the K500 is much more compact. The K550, meanwhile, takes up a lot of counter space at 18 inches wide.
In comparison, the K500 is only 10 inches.
The K550 is also heavier. Between the K500 and the K550, the K550 is five pounds heavier.
Take this into consideration before you buy. Do you have enough counter space? Do you need to transport your coffee machine every now and then?
Otherwise, both coffee machines strike us as very similar. Both the K500 and the K550 have 80-ounce water reservoirs.
If you ever need to fix yourself a cup of coffee at night, you can do so easily with both coffee makers!
They have customizable night light options, so you can see coffee settings in the dim light.
Both coffee makers look sleek and modern with a platinum finish. If we’re talking compact and lightweight design, the Keurig K500 definitely takes the cake. It still has the technology without being bulky.
With the first impressions out of the way, let’s get into the more intricate details!
Keurig 2.0 Technology
Both the K500 and the K550 feature Keurig 2.0 technology! Let’s outline how they stand out for other Keurig brewers.
First, coffee fans can finally brew carafes with their Keurig 2.0 coffee maker. They can brew larger cup sizes, too!
The Keurig 2.0 brewing system product line allows you to brew sizes up to 30 ounces.
Of course, single-serve coffee remains a mainstay. With Keurig 2.0, you can brew up to 10 ounces with your trusty K-cup pods.
Unlike regular coffee brewers, Keurig 2.0 machines boast large displays! You customize a lot more for your coffee experience with temperature, strength, and size control options.
If you fancy a strong cup of coffee, the Keurig K500 and Keurig K550 offer brew strength settings. Taste bolder flavors on slow mornings and get that energy boost you desperately need!
If you’re the impatient coffee drinker frequently burning tongues with boiling water, worry no more.
Both Keurig K500 and Keurig K550 options have temperature control settings, so you can personalize your coffee’s hotness as you wish.
Both machines save energy and come with auto-shutoff and auto-brewing! It also includes a digital clock for your convenience.
Verdict
Both models also come with high-altitude settings. Some machines cease being usable in high altitudes, but not these models. The high altitude setting promises efficient operations no matter how high you are off the earth.
That being said, both machines are perfect if you’re considering the technology for a perfect brew.
The Keurig 2.0 Brewing Capacity and Quality
Both the K500 and K550 machines have an impressive range of brewing capacity.
First, they both have an 80-ounce water reservoir. This reservoir size makes sense when you take into account how much coffee these machines both produce!
You can produce a single-serve cup of coffee – with a minimum of six ounces.
Single-serve K-cups are best for quick caffeinated mornings! Enjoy a cup all to yourself with quality coffee and fast brewing times.
Cup sizes range from 6, 8, and 10 ounces. Choose your cup size and brew accordingly.
All coffee is brewed within 3 to 4 minutes. That means no wait times or being late to any function.
Keurig 2.0 models support carafe brews. You can brew up to 4 cups of coffee, or a whole 30 ounces. Use K-carafe pods for this function.
Carafe brews are perfect for families, friends, and any guests coming over!
If you want to keep a whole carafe to yourself, we don’t judge. We all need a carafe – or several – to get us through the day at times.
You get the exact amount of coffee for your needs. With different brew strengths and safe, sealed K-cup pods, your cup of coffee is a quality one.
Verdict
With this feature, we’re at a draw. Both the Keurig K500 and the Keurig K550 produce quality cups!
K-Cup, K-Mug, and K-Carafe Compatibility
You can use a K-cup, K-mug, and K-carafe for both models.
There are different K-cup pods for every occasion. Make the most out of both models and enjoy over 500 drinks! K-cups aren’t just caffeinated. They include fruit teas and hot chocolate variants, too.
Both models don’t come with a carafe, so if you want to make more beverages, you have to search for one. Get the appropriate K-carafe pods for your needs.
It’s an investment to get a K-carafe if you want one!
A K-carafe doesn’t just create the best beverages for groups. Both models come with sensors that know when your K-carafe is in place for proper brewing.
Both models accept K-mugs as well.
Verdict
Once again, we’re at a stalemate. When we consider the K500 vs K550 dilemma, both come head to head with compatibility, brew sizes, and coffee quality.
Keurig K500 vs K550: Stand-Out Features
If we’re considering unique features with the K500 and K550, the K550 wins. Let’s go through each stand-out feature this single-serve coffee machine offers!
- Instant hot water on demand: Who said a coffee machine just has to be for coffee? If you need boiling water for your tea or hot chocolate, the K550 has you covered.
- Auto-descaling: Keep your coffee maker clean and yourself safe. There’s no need to go through the effort of scaling this handy Keurig! It has an auto-descaling option for your convenience.
- Water Filter Kit: Banish all impurities away from your machine with a water filter kit.
These features might seem minor, but it can create a big change in how you drink your coffee and how you use this machine in daily life.
This change is especially true with the descaling feature. Other models don’t have it, and first-time users and owners aren’t aware of descaling needs.
Descaling is a necessity because of the mineral build-up in your water reservoir. If you live in an area where you know there’s hard water, descaling is a necessity for you.
If you don’t descale your machine, you’re drastically shortening its lifespan. Mineral build-up can clog water flow and affect water temperature.
K-cup pods’ design is for optimal water use. These models feature temperature control, too. But if you don’t descale, then those features and your machine becomes useless!
The mineral build-up also affects your coffee’s taste and aroma.
Thankfully, the K550 does the descaling for you. You must do descaling every three to six months, but the K550 has a time-saving function that allows you to do it quicker!
Another feature is the water filter kits that come with K550 models. While you can buy a water filter for your K500 machine, it may be more costly. The K550 model has a water filter that comes with it!
Use a Keurig K500 If…
- You want to save money
- You want to have all the technology but don’t need any one of the additional features the K550 has
- You want to save space
- You have your own water filter, can buy one, or don’t mind descaling
- You mainly drink coffee and not other beverages
The K500 is a sure budget-saver.
It has everything you can want in a machine for your coffee, plus it’s compact! There’s only a slight difference between the K500 and the K550 if you don’t drink much tea or cocoa.
Plus, you can do the filtering and descaling yourself if needed.
Use a Keurig K550 If…
- You have limited time to clean and descale your machine
- You enjoy a variety of beverages – not just coffee – to make use of the instant boiling water
- You want a water filtration system
- You have enough counter space
The only drawback of this machine is it’s bulkiness and price tag. We can argue for the latter as it contains a major difference when compared to the K500.
It may not seem like much, but filtering, descaling, and boiling hot water takes a lot of time and money.
If you have a machine that handles all of it for you with a programmable touch screen, who wouldn’t jump at that chance?
We recommend the Keurig K550 for its value. However, if you think you can do without one of the features, then it’s fine. Stick to the K500.
We hope you enjoyed this review! Both machines have their place in our hearts – or rather, our countertops. Choose what’s best for you and your unique needs!
