Q&A for How to Use a Keurig Machine

Most Keurig models can't be drained completely. You can drain some models, such as the K15 and Mini Plus, by pressing and holding the brew button while the Keurig is plugged in but powered off.

It sounds like it could be an issue with your wiring. You may need to talk to an electrician.

You may need to empty the internal hot water tank. Try powering the Keurig brewer off but keeping it plugged in. Close the lid of the cold water reservoir and put a cup on the drip tray. Press and hold the brew button to empty the hot water tank completely (there will be a delay of 3 to 5 seconds before the tank begins to drain). Then, turn your brewer back on and refill the cold water reservoir. If the Keurig still won't heat, contact their customer service at 1-866-901-BREW(2739).

Keurig does not recommend using soft water in their machines. Bottled or spring water is the best option.

Yes, you can leave your Keurig on as long as you are using it. It will be ready to brew again within about a minute after your last brew. You can also set your Keurig to power off automatically after 2 hours without use.

That probably means that your machine needs maintenance. Try rinsing the water reservoir and running 3 cleaning cycles. If that doesn't work, take out the K-Cup holder and clean the holder and needles. You can also try wiping the filter screen underneath the reservoir.

You may just need to give your machine a little more time to work. The K-Mini takes about 2 minutes to heat up and start brewing. After you hit the brew button, the light on the button will pulse for a couple minutes to indicate that the water is heating. Once the water is hot, the button should light up solid and the coffee will begin to drip out.

Although it's your own personal decision whether how fresh you'd want your water to be, you can either empty out the water at the end of the day or leave it in for a few days. Try not to let it go beyond three consecutive days of non-use, otherwise the machine parts will get grimy and become unclean, the water will become stale to the taste buds when finally used. Some owners' manuals even say not to let it go any more than 24 hours, but that's up to your own personal taste how long the taste of clean water will last if unbrewed.

If your machine is an older one, you will need to lift the handle where you put the kcup. This will let the water drain down.

This depends on the model you own. Most of the time, you can just plug it in. Some will require you to press a switch found on the back or side; others will require you to press a button near all the other buttons on the device.

Make sure that you don't close the top until it's done heating. When you close it, the button should blink; then you can click it.

Yes, you will need to reset the time. On a 2.0 model K525, press the settings button, which is the "I," Press "CLOCK," Press "TIME," and then select the time. When you're done, press "SAVE."

You should unplug it after using. You can always let it warm up 20 minutes before you think you will use it.

No, it will not go bad.

Not all one-cup coffee makers use K-cup pods. Perhaps you have one that doesn't. The K-cup types punch holes into the top and bottom of the plastic K-cup pod when you shut the lid. You usually add water, then pop open the front lid, drop in the K-cup, then close the lid over the K-cup. Set a cup below the spout and press "Brew." If the K-cup fits but no holes are punched and no coffee is brewed, your machine must not be the K-cup type. You may have to measure the coffee and put it in the filter for brewing, similar to a normal "drip-type" coffee maker, though it may brew only one cup at a time. Try to search for the brand name online to find instructions for use.

Try to descale with white vinegar. Pour vinegar into water reservoir and brew until all of the liquid is gone. Then fill the reservoir with clean water and cycle through.

You can do either. But I would recommend closing it because of the sharp needles located inside.

You can buy pods that you can put regular coffee in. They fit right in the Keurig and work just like the pre-filled ones.

It means that you need to clean your machine. First, clean your reservoir. Then, run plain hot water through the machine for a couple of cups. Otherwise, your needle and cup holder may be dirty. You can clean out the exit hole in the cup (where the coffee comes out of) with a paperclip, and you can do the same with the needle.

This would mean that your K-cup or the attachment isn't in properly. Try out some different angles; that should fix it. If it doesn't, try making sure that the reservoir is in all the way.

If the Keurig is dispensing back into the reservoir, there is a backflow or blockage, and it probably needs to be looked at.

You can, but it doesn't matter because it will warm the water anyway.

Maybe you just got bad coffee. Try different brands until you find one you like. You can also try using a smaller cup setting on the machine so the coffee comes out stronger.

I have a Keurig and with the K cup that mine came with I do put regular coffee in the cup and it brews just fine.

Auto off automatically turns your brewer off 2 hours after the last brew, for energy savings.

In most Keurig models, the water reservoir is located on the left-hand side of the machine. So you will need to remove the reservoir to access the filter. The handle portion of the upper filter holder will be sticking up in the water reservoir. Grasp the handle firmly, and pull it out of the reservoir. The bottom of the filter-holder unit will be locked into plastic grooves on the bottom of the water reservoir. You may need to rock the filter-holder unit back in place or give it a sharp tug to remove it.

This just means that you don't have enough water in the reservoir. All K-Cup models need a minimum amount of water to begin brewing, so just add more water up until the fill line, and the blinking light should go away.

This might be due to the water reservoir becoming dislodged during the brewing process. Simply take your water reservoir out and reattach it. There's a magnet on the water reservoir that keeps it in place, and this might become dislodged because of the vibrations from the machine.

Keurig recommends that you change the filter every 2 months. You'll need to purchase Keurig-specific filter packages that are for your model of coffee maker.