Demystifying Mysterious Things

Single Serving Coffee Machines

Keurig machines brew K-Cup beverages by piercing a foil seal on the top of the cup with a spray nozzle. The machine also pierces the bottom of the plastic pod so the liquid can leave the cup. Coffee grounds that are contained inside the K-Cup pod are in a paper filter. Hot water is then forced under pressure through the K-Cup pod, passing through the grounds and through the filter.

John Sylvan

The inventor of the Keurig coffee-in-a-pod system. The original patent expired in 1992, but additional followup patents have since been granted.

Environmental Impact

Keurig has been publicly criticized by environmental advocates and journalists for the billions of non-recyclable and non-biodegradable K-Cups consumers purchase and dispose of every year, which end up in landfills. In fact, the inventor has expressed remorse in his invention for this reason.

10x Earth

If all the K-cups that were sold in 2014 were laid end to end, it would be enough to circle the Earth more than 10 times.

Fun facts

Facts about connected coffee machines.

192 °F

The default brewing temperature of a Keurig coffee machine.

400

As of 2015, there are over 400 beverages varieties for use within the Keurig K-Cups system.

$4.7B

Revenue generated by Keurig in 2014.

11.6M

Number of pod machines sold in the United States in 2013. 1 in 3 Americans are said to have a single-serve coffeemaker at home or at work.

"I feel bad sometimes that I ever [invented the K-Cup],"

John Sylvan, K-Cup inventor

More Resources

Learn more

More than Coffee

Here's a few other things you can make with a Keurig

Not just HOT!

  • tea
  • hot chocolate
  • dairy-based beverages
  • lemonades
  • cider
  • fruit-based drinks
  • soups

Flavors

Take a look at the brands partnering with Keurig, some of them will surprise you.

60 Brands, Including...

  • Coca-Cola
  • Cinnabon
  • The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
  • Dr Pepper Snapple Group
  • Dunkin' Donughts
  • Folgers
  • Honest Tea
  • Krispy Kreme
  • Snapple
  • Starbucks