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Savor your brew: The best K-Cup coffees for all tastes

K-Cup coffee for any occasion

Cup of coffee
Hans Vivek / Unsplash

Since 2004, when Keurig decided to expand its single-serving coffee brewing system to the home market, K-Cups have remained a staple of many households. Simple and easy, you can’t beat the convenience of K-Cup coffee, which features pre-ground coffee contained within a small capsule. Ideal for the solo coffee drinker or a quick cup of coffee, K-Cup coffee makes brewing a cup of coffee as simple as possible. With no clean-up and no need to buy coffee filters, it’s easy to see why nearly 40 million households use them.

The widespread popularity of K-Cup coffee also means there are endless varieties to choose from, with new brands frequently emerging. Which brand delivers the best brew for your personal coffee preferences? Below, we’ve narrowed down the best K-Cup of coffee available for every coffee preference. Here are a few of the best K-Cup coffees worth trying.

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Best K-Cup coffee

Holding a cup of coffee
Kristina Paukshtite / Pexels

From classic K-Cups to flavored varieties to USDA-organic varieties, there’s a brand for everyone to try with these best K-Cup coffee brands. Check out three of our favorites.

Kahawa 1983 K-Cups: Best all-around classic K-Cup

Kahawa 1893
Kahawa 1893

Kahawa 1893 is a specialty coffee company founded and run by Margaret Nyamumbo, a third-generation coffee farmer from Kenya. Kahawa means “coffee” in Swahili, the primary language spoken there. You may have seen this brand on Shark Tank or in stores, as it has recently launched in Target. If you’re looking for an all-around solid cup of classic coffee, you cannot go wrong with any of Kahawa 1893’s roasts.

One of the brand’s most popular roasts, the Safari Roast, is the ideal balanced medium-roast coffee for almost any coffee lover. This classic coffee features an intrinsic sweetness and lively fruit flavors that characterize African coffees. Made from 100% Arabica coffee beans, the notes of milk chocolate and caramel in this blend are simply perfect for a quick cup of K-Cup coffee.

However, if you prefer a bolder coffee roast, look to the darker Kahawa 1983 Serengeti blend. This full-bodied, dark-roast coffee is bold without bitterness and tastes great either on its own or with a touch of milk or coffee creamer. This blend gets its name thanks to the world-famous Serengeti grasslands in East Africa.

Pros Cons
Classic, non-flavored coffee blends to keep it simple No light roast is available

Keurig K-Cup Pods Safari Blend

Keurig K-Cup Pods Serengeti Blend

Death Wish Coffee K-Cups: Best organic

Death Wish Triple Threat
Death Wish Coffee

When shopping for USDA-certified organic K-Cups, options are a bit more limited than non-organic options. Death Wish Coffee offers several roasts that are certified organic, producing a delicious and rich brew every time. While the brand does offer some flavors that are not organic, the selection of organic K-Cups is impressive. While there’s not currently a light roast available in K-Cups, the brand just launched its light roast coffee, which is available in bagged coffee, so the light roast may be available in K-Cups soon, too.

Some examples include the medium roast, the espresso roast, and the dark roast. If you want to try all these coffee roasts, the brand also features the “Triple Threat Single-Serve Bundle,” where you can try all three organic varieties.  Regardless of which variety you select, each Death Wish Coffee K-Cup pod features a bold, smooth taste worth the extra spend. It’s clear that the quality is there when you brew these K-Cups, and if you’re seeking a coffee grown without fertilizers and chemicals, Death Wish is a great choice.

Pros Cons
Rich, bold coffees, USDA-organic Cost higher than non-organic K-Cups, no light roast available

Green Mountain K-Cups: Best flavored

Green Mountain Coffee Chocolate Dipped Pistacho
Green Mountain Coffee

Green Mountain K-Cups are certainly the brand for you if you want to try new coffee flavors, including seasonal ones. Known as one of the first K-Cup coffee manufacturers, you can always count on Green Mountain to keep things interesting. With flavors like Cinnamon Sugar Cookie and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut, these K-Cups are the best option for variety. Other fun flavors include Chocolate Dipped Pistachio and Caramel Vanilla Cream.

Even though these coffee flavors sound super sweet, each K-Cup features just the essence of the flavor. As soon as you brew one of Green Mountain Coffee’s flavored K-Cups, your whole kitchen will have a perfectly roasted aroma. These K-Cups are available online but are also easy to find at plenty of retailers, such as Target.

Pros Cons
Fun, unique, and exciting seasonal coffee flavors, widely available Contains artificial flavorings

Emily Caldwell
Emily is an accomplished freelance journalist focusing on food, beverage, health, fitness, and travel content. She loves to…
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