The Type Of Water For Keurig Machines (Quick Guide)

Last Updated on October 2, 2021 by John Moretti

A superb cup of joe only has two ingredients: water and coffee. I used to spend all of my time researching where the coffee beans came from and wondering if I would enjoy this and that flavor, and so on. But I spent none of my time wondering about the water I use to make my perfect cup of coffee.

Since water adds up to 98% of every delicious brew, I finally decided to look into the matter. My aim was to discover the best type of water to use, not only because I wanted to make a better cup of coffee, but I also wanted to ensure the longevity of my Keurig machine.

Tap water that is not filtered should be avoided for the Keurig machines. Filtered or distilled bottled water, instead of spring or mineral water, will produce the optimal results. Filtered or distilled water will not only improve the taste of coffee but will also increase the life of the Keurig machine.

Why You Should Care About The Kind of Water You Use In Your Keurig

Hardness is usually the problem that comes with tap water. Hard water is defined as water with a high concentration of natural minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, sodium, and chloride. 

As many of you know, these minerals can deposit scales or lime in your drainage, laundry, and other things, eventually wreaking havoc on your machines. Your Keurig brewer is also susceptible to damage from mineral deposits. These minerals will flow through your brewer, leaving a trail of scale and lime deposits that will reduce the efficiency of your unit as well as alter the flavor of your coffee.

Most individuals use salt to make the water soft to avoid this. The minerals are removed by salt, and the resulting soft water is easier on plumbing systems and even more compatible with soap, allowing for more efficient cleaning. 

When it comes to your Keurig, however, this is not the case. Soft water contains elements that form a protective layer over your ingredients and tea leaves, making them less permeable. This can increase the time for the extraction process, resulting in bad-tasting coffee and tea as well as obstructions in the brewer, which will cause performance issues.

Here’s Why You Should Avoid Unfiltered Tap Water

If you reside in a major city, you should be aware that the water is treated before it reaches you. It is never, however, ultra-purified. Also, keep in mind that the mineral composition of tap water varies from city to city. As a result, coffee prepared in a Keurig machine in New York will not taste the same as coffee brewed in a Keurig machine in California. 

Tap water, believe it or not, is not good for everything you put it in. Tap water is hard, and this is due to the high mineral concentrations in the water, which may cause havoc with everything you put in. Washing machines, dishwashers, ice machines in refrigerators, and other appliances can all be clogged by tap water.

When you use tap water in your Keurig machine, mineral deposits build up over time, causing the moving parts to become stuck or clogged. This requires you to descale your machine frequently, which can be a hassle. Descaling is the process of eliminating the clogged minerals from your coffee machine’s interior.

If you have no choice but to use tap water, make sure to descale your machine regularly. Scales and lime begin to build on the interior of the vessel when we utilize hard water. This is why it’s critical to clean your Keurig machine according to the manufacturer’s directions on a regular basis.

Your Keurig will last much longer if you take good care of it and clean it before any mineral deposits form. If you routinely use tap water and never clean the machine, it will break down faster, and your coffee will taste worse.

So, What’s The Best Water For Keurig?

At home, you might not know how to give your coffee that richness and flavor that is the same as that coffee you buy around the block, especially if you aren’t used to making your own. 

Well, it’s not as difficult as you might think to make a superior cup at home. Here are my top suggestions for the best water to use for your coffee and Keurig machine:

Filtered Water

filtered water

We all now know how bad tap water is for brewing coffee. I will discuss more of this in a later section, but you should also know that Keurig 2.0 does not operate well with pure water. I would recommend that you use a water filter.

Luckily, some Keurig coffee makers come with built-in water filters. Every one to two months, you must replace the filters. However, you can filter your tap water before pouring it into your machine with an additional filter.

Your Keurig will last longer and your coffee will taste better if you filter all your tap water before using it.

Overall, using filtered water is the best option if you want delicious coffee while also prolonging the life of your Keurig. This is primarily true for classic Keurig coffee machines.

Many refrigerators now have built-in filters; you may even add one to your sink faucet, and some even go as far as a whole-house filter. I strongly advise checking with local water professionals to ensure that you buy a reliable filter that will deliver your desired results.

Chlorine, sulfur, iron, and certain minerals, as well as their odors and tastes, will be removed by filters. The filter can be placed on your refrigerator, in your sink, or free-standing. 

The excellent thing is that you have a few more options for making a nice cup of coffee while also extending the lifespan of your coffee maker for less money and with less environmental impact by using bottled and distilled water. 

Bottled Water 

bottled water

If you want a good coffee cup and long-term Keurig durability, I recommend bottled water. However, this type of water is only suitable for basic Keurig machines, not the higher-end models.

If you own the 2.0 version, I recommend that you use bottled water. However, you must choose filtered water because bottled spring water has the same problems as tap water. It’s also worth noting that if you’re only making one cup per day or using the tiny Keurig, you should use individual bottled water packs.

You won’t get nearly as much limescale build-up if you use bottled water, so you’ll have to clean your coffee machine much less frequently.

Use bottled water instead of tap water if you want your coffee to taste better and spend less time cleaning your coffee machine.

However, bottled water has the disadvantages of being expensive and posing environmental risks due to the usage of plastic bottles. This takes me to a better option of what water to use in your Keurig – distilled water. 

Distilled Water

distilled water

Because this type of water is mineral-free, there’s virtually no need for the machine to be descaled. 

Distilled water is beneficial because it keeps the coffee’s great flavor and comes in useful if the tap water in your neighborhood has a funny taste. Also, distilled water is a fantastic alternative if your home’s running water is hard and difficult to soften. It’s also worth mentioning that it’s the finest choice for coffee-brewing equipment.

Since minerals in tap water can cause problems for the machine, distilled water, which has had all contaminants and minerals removed, may be the best option for a Keurig. 

However, keep in mind that in other primary brewers, distilled water can be used, but not in a Keurig 2.0 machine. That’s because these Keurig machines are equipped with sensors that detect the mineral content in your water. The machine’s sensors will not function if you use distilled water. You’ll get an error warning if there are no minerals in the water, which is the situation with distilled water.