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The Spruce Eats / Amelia Manley
The Original Donut Shop K-Cups earn our best overall spot because they have a bold flavor but are easy to drink and appeal to all manner of coffee lovers. They're also easy to find and are reasonably priced, offering a lot of bang for the buck. For a budget-friendly option, try the Victor Allen Coffee Pods, which come in several different flavors that can be purchased in bulk.
For many households, mornings begin the moment a K-Cup is popped into the coffee maker. The simplicity and convenience have made pod-based brewing devices one of the most popular coffee products of the 21st century. Countless brands manufacture K-Cup coffee today, from well-known names like Starbucks and Folgers to small boutique roasters. We researched a wide array of top options to help you on your way to the best cup.
To have delicious coffee (or tea) at the touch of a button, here are the best K-Cups.
Best Overall
The Original Donut Shop Coffee Regular K-Cup Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Strong yet easy-to-drink flavor
Multiple box sizes available
Easy to find in stores
Flavor isn't especially unique
The Original Donut Shop has long been a go-to K-Cup for coffee lovers, known for its tasty blend of chocolatey and nutty. This medium roast is the type of coffee you can drink every day, cup after cup, and never tire of. The Original Donut Shop brand is owned by Keurig and makes several other varieties worth checking out—including a dark roast, a decaf roast, and even a coconut mocha blend—but regular is our favorite. It’s easy to find at a number of big-name retailers, both in-store and online. Boxes are sold in counts starting at 12 pods and working all the way up to 100.
Price at time of publish: $33
Roast: Medium | Count: 12, 18, 32, 48, 72, 96, 100 pods | Available In: K-Cups
"Every time I use my Keurig, I reach for one of these. I may have originally purchased a box because the packaging is so nostalgic, but the end result has proven bright, smooth, and flavorful time after time." — Taylor Rock, Associate Editor
Best Budget
Victor Allen Coffee Single Serve Coffee Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Affordable
Bulk options available
Brand offers unique flavors and blends
Caffeine content varies
To ensure value for your money when purchasing K-Cups, check the price per pod instead of the flat cost of a box. This will help you distinguish the true bargain brands. While prices vary depending on the retailer, Victor Allen’s Coffee is generally an excellent budget pick. The brand manufactures dozens of varieties, from familiar flavors like this French roast to more adventurous picks like peppermint bark and white chocolate caramel. And since buying in bulk is another tried-and-true method for saving money, customers will be pleased to know that Victor Allen’s sells many of its coffees in cost-effective 200-count boxes.
Price at time of publish: $23
Roast: Dark | Count: 42, 80, and 200 pods | Available In: K-Cups
Best Dark Roast
Peet's Coffee Major Dickason's Blend K-Cup Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Multiple box sizes available
Will please fans of whole-bean version
Slightly pricier than other K-Cups
Many are already familiar with this delicious dark roast. After all, Peet’s is one of the most trusted brands in the coffee world, and Major Dickason’s is perhaps its most popular blend. It has long been available as a whole-bean coffee, but luckily it’s available in K-Cup form, too. The combination of chocolate and smoky notes is precisely what dark-roast drinkers adore. While the Major Dickason’s blend is on the pricier side for K-Cups, it can be purchased in a variety of sizes, including a cost-effective 96-count box. Peet’s also makes other dark roast coffees, like its French roast and single-origin Sumatra.
Price at time of publish: $24
Roast: Dark | Count: 10, 16, 22, 24, 32, 40, 60, 66, and 70 pods | Available In: Whole bean, ground, and K-Cup
Best Flavored
SF Bay Coffee French Vanilla OneCUP Coffee Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Sweet yet balanced flavor
Compostable pods
Brand offers many other flavored pods
Flavor only sold in one box size
The coffee world is teeming with different flavors, from sweet to smoky. The right one for you comes down to personal preference, of course, but you can’t go wrong with SF Bay Coffee’s French vanilla blend. Categorized as a medium-light roast, this coffee will delight the palate with tasting notes of toasted almond, cocoa, and sweet vanilla bean. Customers say the coffee is extremely aromatic, which makes the flavors feel even more alive. French vanilla is a widely popular flavored coffee because it’s so palatable, especially compared to more niche options like pumpkin spice latte or caramel.
As an added bonus, SF Bay Coffee manufactures its pods from plant-based materials, which makes them entirely compostable. This may occasionally lead to grounds spilling inside your machine, but the majority of users say the pods work great and taste even better.
Price at time of publish: $44
Roast: Medium-light | Count: 80 pods | Available In: Whole bean and pod
Best Variety Pack
Crazy Cups Custom Variety Pack
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Courtesy of Amazon
Great gift option
Helps customers figure out preferences
Includes many popular brands
Slightly pricier than average
One advantage K-Cups have over whole bean coffee is that they can be purchased in variety packs. This is a terrific way to sample an array of flavors and brands, especially for coffee newbies trying to figure out what they like best. Crazy Cups sells many different variety packs, each with its own specific focus. This 40-count custom variety pack features 20 different brands, including Starbucks, Harry & David, Perk City, and more. The flavors range from bold French and Italian roasts to sweet dessert-like treats, like The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Roll. The variety pack is also available in an 80-count version with even more brands and flavors. With so much great coffee out there, why drink the same kind every day?
Price at time of publish: $28
Roast: Includes light, medium, and dark | Count: 20, 30, 40, and 50 pods | Available In: K-Cups
Best Light Roast
Caribou Coffee Daybreak Morning Blend K-Cup Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Easy to drink in the morning
Naturally sweet undertones
In-store availability varies by region
Thanks to its smooth and gentle flavor, light roast coffee is a wonderful way to get your day started. That’s why Caribou Coffee’s Daybreak Morning Blend is so aptly named. It’s bright, fruity, and has subtle undertones of sweet caramel to wake you up right. Those who drink darker coffee may worry that light roasts don’t offer enough flavor, but that’s not the case here. With beans sourced from the Americas and East Africa, the daybreak morning blend packs a hearty punch into each sip. You can find boxes that contain anywhere from 12 to 96 K-Cups. Caribou is a Minnesota-born brand with brick-and-mortar locations in 19 states. The company also sells its Daybreak Morning Blend in whole bean and ground coffee varieties.
Price at time of publish: $42
Roast: Light | Count: 12, 24, 72, 96 pods | Available In: Whole bean, ground, and K-Cup
Best Decaf
Newman's Own Organics Special Decaf K-Cups
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Courtesy of Amazon
Decaffeinated via water process
Smooth and easy to drink
Flavor isn't especially unique
Unfortunately, the decaffeination process saps coffee beans of flavor. This has forced decaf drinkers to tolerate weak coffee all too often. But the highly-rated Newman’s Own special decaf blend packs in flavor while keeping out the jitters. Many reviewers praise the coffee’s balanced taste and easiness to drink, which are hallmarks of a solid medium roast.
Newman’s Own is known for selling everything from popcorn to salad dressing, but the company has carved out its place in the coffee game with a select line of K-Cups, including a caffeinated version of this same coffee. Newman’s Own Special Decaf Blend is also available in ground coffee form for those who have an alternative home-brewing device.
Price at time of publish: $66
Roast: Medium | Count: 12, 24, 72, and 96 pods | Available In: Ground and K-Cup
Best Espresso
Café Bustelo Espresso-Syle Dark Roast Coffee K-Cup Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Bold and a little smoky
Multiple box sizes available
Can use for regular or concentrated coffee
May taste too roasted for some people
Even though Keurig coffee makers can’t brew genuine espresso, many machines have a setting for bold coffee or coffee concentrate. This feature can mean a few different things, says Patrick Cotter, the Content Marketing Specialist for Seattle Coffee Gear. "Some machines might use less water for bold coffee," he says, "some might brew at a different temperature, and some might pump at a lower pressure to increase extraction time."
This espresso substitute tastes great on its own, and it can also be used to make lattes and cappuccinos as long as you have a milk frother at your disposal. The best K-Cup for bold, espresso-like coffee comes from a trusted century-old name: Café Bustelo. The brand’s espresso-style dark roast has glowing online reviews, with customers praising everything from the coffee’s richness and body to its value for money. Just look for Café Bustelo's signature yellow cans and boxes when you're in the grocery store.
Price at time of publish: $49
Roast: Dark | Count: 12, 24, 32, 48, 80, 96 and 128 pods | Available In: Ground and K-Cup
Best Iced Coffee
Java House Cold Brew Liquid Coffee Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Unique and versatile
True cold-brewed coffee
Pairs well with milk
Expensive
Every season is iced-coffee season, especially with these two-in-one pods from Java House. Instead of using coffee grounds, they contain liquid coffee concentrate. So when you want a refreshing treat, simply peel off the lid, pour over ice, and add water for instant cold brew. When you’re in the mood for hot coffee, pop them into your machine like a normal K-Cup. The pods are available in several flavors, including Colombian, Sumatran, and vanilla macadamia nut. Since they don’t require hot water or electricity, you can even take them traveling, camping, and hiking. They cost more than normal K-Cups, but the added price is worth it for these wondrous dual-capable gems.
Price at time of publish: $44
Roast: Medium | Count: 6, 12, 36 or 48 pods | Available In: Pod and cold brew
Best Single Origin
Atlas Coffee Club Ethiopia Single Origin K-Cups
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Amazon
Multiple single-origin options
Contains more coffee than average pods
Strong, intricate flavor
Only available online
Atlas Coffee Club has a line of K-Cups that span the globe, offering single-origin options from eight different countries. We received a few samples to try firsthand and particularly recommend the brand's Ethiopia Single Origin K-Cups. It's a light roast brimming with complex flavors, like undertones of fruit and citrus, which elevate the traditional roasted taste of pod-based coffee.
The term "single origin" has a broad definition in the coffee world. It can indicate that the beans come from the same country, same general region, or same farm. Generally, the more localized the area, the better the coffee. Atlas Coffee Club sources the beans for these K-Cups from the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia, which is one of the most popular and abundant areas for coffee in the world. While the amount of coffee grounds in a K-Cup varies widely by roaster, Atlas Coffee Club packs 11 grams of coffee into each pod, more than the average figure of 9 grams.
Boxes are available in counts of 24, 48, and 72 pods. If the Ethiopia variety doesn't suit your taste, the brand offers darker single-origin roasts as well.
Price at time of publish: $30
Roast: Light | Count: 24, 48, or 72 pods | Available In: Pod
Best Hot Chocolate
Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa K-Cup Pods
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Courtesy of Best Buy
Rich texture, sweet flavor
Brand offers other hot chocolate flavors
Multiple box sizes available
Contains dairy
Few things in life are cozier than a blanket, a fire, and a mug of hot chocolate. Many K-Cups offer this simple luxury, but the best among them comes, naturally, from Swiss Miss. These K-Cups capture the brand’s signature creaminess and sweet chocolatey flavor—all whipped up in seconds with your Keurig. You can find pods in three flavors: Milk Chocolate, Peppermint, and Reduced Calorie. Some customers mention that the powder inside the K-Cups can clump at times, leading to slight inconsistencies in the hot chocolate, but the vast majority give it positive reviews.
Price at time of publish: $19
Count: 10, 22, 28, 44, 66, and 88 pods | Available In: K-Cup and powdered mix
Best Tea
Bigelow Tea Company English Breakfast K-Cup Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Bold and malty
Multiple box sizes available
Only ingredient is black tea
More expensive than tea bags
While Keurigs are primarily associated with coffee, many K-Cups are specifically made for tea. It’s a nice convenience when you’re in a rush or don’t feel like waiting for the kettle to boil. Bigelow Tea Company’s English breakfast is a terrific all-around option. It’s a robust black tea that has enough flavor to drink with or without milk and sugar. Plus, the moderate caffeine content
Price at time of publish: $52
Count: 12, 18, 24, 48, 72, and 96 pods | Available In: K-Cup and tea bag
Best Green Tea
Twinings of London Green Tea K-Cup Pods
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Courtesy of Amazon
Smooth and aromatic
Multiple box sizes available
Only ingredient is green tea
More expensive than tea bags
While black tea is the most popular variety, many prefer green tea for its gentler and sweeter taste. Green tea leaves are also a popular ingredient in everything from cakes to ice cream to smoothies. This green tea from Twinings of London is deliciously light, earthy, and smooth, and several reviewers also comment on the tea’s strong aroma. Twinings offers these K-Cups in counts ranging from 12 to 96 pods. The British brand sells a number of its teas in K-Cup form, including a decaf green tea for those who want to avoid the jitters.
Price at time of publish: $15
Count: 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 pods | Available In: K-Cup and tea bag
There's no shortage of tasty K-Cups out there, but The Original Donut Shop makes our downright favorite variety. What separates the pods is their balance of chocolaty and nutty flavor, along with how you can enjoy them at any time of day, Another option worth looking into is Victor Allen Coffee's array of affordable K-Cups.
What to Look for in K-Cups
Flavor
Identifying the type of roast you like—light, medium, or dark—is a great place to start when trying a new K-Cup. But it can get even trickier than that. Keep an eye out for a coffee's tasting notes, which may be written on the item's box or online in the product details. With a dark roast, for instance, you might like one that has notes of chocolate but not notes of smokiness, or vice versa.
Price
The cost of K-Cups can add up over time, especially since they're more expensive per serving than regular coffee. Prices vary depending on the brand you buy and the retailer you buy from, but like most non-perishables it can save money to buy in bulk. Plus, K-Cups can go months in your cupboard without losing freshness and flavor.
Variety
K-Cups aren't just for coffee. There are myriad options for tea drinkers, hot chocolate lovers, and even those who enjoy hot apple cider. Just like with coffee K-Cups, however, the taste might not be quite as good as the real thing. But nothing beats the speed and convenience with which Keurig machines make your favorite hot (and even cold) beverages.
FAQs
Are K-Cups recyclable?
Yes, K-Cups can be recycled. There are just a few steps first. Once your coffee is done brewing and the K-Cup is cool to touch, remove it from the machine and take off the EASY-PEEL lid. Then compost the coffee grounds or empty them into the trash. After that, you can recycle the foil lid and the #5 plastic basket.
How much coffee is in a K-Cup?
K-Cups contain around 10 grams of coffee grounds on average and can range from 8 to 12 grams. The amount of caffeine in a K-Cup, aside from decaf options, ranges anywhere from 75 to 150 milligrams, according to Keurig.
"Coffee pods use pre-ground coffee, and it's hard to know how fresh it is. As such, they will usually have a little less flavor than a pot brewed from freshly ground coffee in a high-quality drip brewer. The number one benefit of using a pod coffee maker is convenience." — Patrick Cotter, Content Marketing Specialist for Seattle Coffee Gear
Are all K-Cups the same size?
Yes, K-Cups have standardized dimensions to ensure they fit inside every Keurig device. This differs from Keurig's competitor, Nespresso, which manufactures coffee capsules in different sizes that are compatible with specific devices. Even though K-Cups are all the same size, most Keurig coffee makers have buttons to brew cups in different sizes—6, 8, and 10 ounces are common options, for example.
Can you use K-Cups in a Nespresso machine?
No, K-Cups are not compatible with Nespresso machines. Likewise, Nespresso capsules are not compatible with Keurig coffee makers.
Can you make iced coffee with K-Cups?
Absolutely! Iced coffee lovers have a few options when it comes to K-Cups. Some Keurig machines have a special function to brew iced coffee. All you have to do is fill a glass with ice, pop in your favorite K-Cup, and the device will produce a concentrated brew that's proportioned to taste good with ice. There are also K-Cups specifically made for iced coffee. You can put them in any Keurig device and brew normally over a glass filled with ice. Finally, any standard K-Cup can be brewed over ice in a pinch; the flavor may be noticeably diluted, however.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ease of use, material, or price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
This piece was written by Derek Rose, the coffee and tea expert for The Spruce Eats. He researches a variety of coffee products, from measuring scoops to commercial espresso machines, and interviews field experts for their insight. At home, he typically makes coffee with the Bodum Brazil French Press—a great budget option, especially for those who prefer non-electric brewers. To make these K-Cup selections, he read customer reviews, third-party articles, and consulted brand information on coffee bean sourcing and tasting notes.
Sources
Patrick Cotter is the Content Marketing Specialist for Seattle Coffee Gear. He manages the company's blog, social media, and content pages. Founded in 2005, Seattle Coffee Gear is a retailer that focuses on coffee education.
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