There’s nothing quite like waking up in the morning and having a delicious cup of coffee. While most days, I opt for a traditional cup of joe, it’s always nice to have other options to choose from, like a latte or cappuccino. That said, you can find these more deluxe beverages at a coffee shop, but usually at a distance and at an added cost. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a Starbucks drink every once in a while as a treat, but to save some money and energy, you can make a coffee-shop quality beverage at home using the K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker.
The Keurig K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker is on Keurig’s website and on Amazon for $200 — and it has nearly 4.7 stars on Amazon and over 7,000 five-star ratings.
Keep on reading to see our full review of the Keurig K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker. From the settings to overall taste, we’ve analyzed each feature of this special coffee machine to determine whether or not it’s worth the price tag and one of the best coffee makers on the market.
Keurig K-Café Special Edition: Key specs
| Type | Single-serve |
| Type of coffee needed | K-Cups |
| Power | 120V |
| Settings | Coffee button, latte/capp button, strong button, size and brew buttons and milk frother (capp, latte, and cold), auto-off, descale, add water indication |
| Heating time | 3 minutes |
| Cord (in) | 30in |
| Dimensions | 12.5 x 15.3 x 11.7in (h x w x d) |
| Weight (lbs) | 10.2 (lbs) |
Casey Clark is a freelance writer from NYC who covers shopping, food, and lifestyle content. She has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, Huff Post, INSIDER, TIME, and more. She’s tested many products, from coffee machines to mattresses, and loves giving readers the inside scoop on what’s worth the purchase.
I drink coffee nearly every day and prefer it dark and more earthy. I tested the K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker for two weeks and am able to keep it for ongoing use for all my morning beverage needs.
Keurig K-Café Special Edition: Price & availability
The K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker is available on the brand’s website and on Amazon for $200.
Score: 5/5
Keurig K-Café Special Edition: First impressions
Upon opening the box from the packaging, I noticed that it was a bit bigger than the Keurig K-Duo I reviewed a few weeks back. It wasn’t massive by any means, but it was just not as sleek — I had to make a bit more room on our countertop to have it fit comfortably.
It’s not the fanciest coffee machine out there. However, it’s definitely more elevated than my K-Duo. In terms of size, it is a bit larger than a standard Keurig because of the milk frother component, but nothing that my small but mighty apartment can’t handle.
Each part of the K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker was individually wrapped, including the machine itself and the milk frother. It came with a machine, a water reservoir, and a milk frother.
It didn’t come with K-Cups, more specifically espresso or milk, so I had to supply that myself. Initially, I went through the process of setting it up, which involved rinsing each of the components (milk frother, whisk, lid, reservoir) and doing a “cleansing brew.”
The cleansing brew involved running water through the filter as if you were making a cup of coffee. I filled up the 60 oz reservoir to the MAX fill line, waited for the water to heat up, and then selected the six-ounce button as instructed in the directions.
What really left an impression on me was the lack of an LCD screen. It’s not a good or bad thing, just something I noticed since other coffee machines I’ve used in the past had that feature. In the same vein, I appreciated the buttons lit up for easy indication to let you know what was selected, from the type of brew to the size.
It’s worth noting it’s only available in one color, but silver is always a solid choice for a kitchen appliance as it blends right into any kitchen interior.
Keurig K-Café Special Edition: Design
The Keurig K-Café Special Edition has a 60-ounce reservoir to hold water, a milk frother, and a drip tray. Its modern design makes it suitable for any kitchen while remaining functional.
That said, it’s a bit large, so if you don’t have that much counter space, then you’ll want to take that into consideration. As for the buttons, they are large and illuminate with light when selected.
Score: 4.5/5
Keurig K-Café Special Edition: Performance
Unlike other Keurig machines I’ve used in the past, I’ve found the K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker to be a bit more difficult to use. It’s a bit more complicated since there’s the added step of using the milk frother for more intricate beverages (cappuccinos, lattes, etc.,) but at the end of the day, that just gives you more delicious options to choose from.
To begin the testing process, I started off by making the foam for a cappuccino and latte. I put milk in the frother to the designated line, selected cappuccino and let it whip up. At the same time, I put the coffee pod in and made two shots of espresso. I followed the same process to make a latte but clicked the designated buttons, including the center ‘K’ button to brew. I also made regular coffee in different sizes and strengths without foam over the course of the week. It was a pretty seamless experience. My only note is that I needed to use a bit of force to get out the foam. It didn’t come out as smoothly as my local barista does, however, at the end of the day it’s not really about how it looks but more so how it tastes.
As someone who doesn’t always remember to pull out the plug, I appreciated the Auto-Off button since it let me leave the house worry-free in the morning without second guessing whether or not I turned it off. There was a bit of excess dripping after the brew (1-3 drops max), but nothing too noticeable. This went away after my first use — looking back, it was likely because I was over-eager to drink my beverage.
The reservoir was large, and I didn’t find myself having to refill it constantly, even after consistent use. I was able to get a solid 2-3 days' worth of coffee out of it before needing to refill it.
I loved how the coffee machine didn’t make any sort of noise when heating up. I only knew it was finished with the rhythmic beeps when it went off.
In terms of day-to-day maintenance, I found cleaning the Keurig pretty easy. I’d put the reservoir in the washing machine and then would do a hot water brew to clean out the inside of the pod. It was also easy to clean the drip tray with a damp cloth. As for the frother, I placed it in the dishwasher and washed the whisk and lid by hand. You’ll, of course, want to do this after the machine has cooled down a bit, so don’t injure yourself.
Score: 5/5
Keurig K-Café Special Edition: Taste test
Now that you know how to use the K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker and all of its features, let’s discuss taste.
As I mentioned above, I like my coffee dark and earthy. This machine was able to brew me a cup that was up to par and nearly coffee shop quality. I will say that I preferred the cappuccinos and lattes over plain coffee, but I think that’s to be expected with the extra creaminess and sweetness from the milk.
If you like a stronger cup like myself, then I’d definitely select the ‘strong’ button before brewing. This will give you a more earthy and strong taste than a regular brew, which is a bit more watered down.
Should you buy the Keurig K-Café Special Edition?
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Price & availability | It’s a great value considering you can choose from three preparation methods that are coffee-shop quality. In terms of availability, it’s only available on Amazon and the brand’s website. | 5/5 |
| Design | I gave this coffee machine a 4 / 5 rating because it has an intuitive design, but It’s a bit on the bulky side which is not suitable for tiny spaces. Also, the reservoir lid is a little loose so it can easily flip off with the slightest amount of pressure. | 4.5/5 |
| Performance | From its quick heating time to delivering rich, flavorful coffee, this coffee machine checks all the boxes Although it may initially leave a drop or two behind, that easily falls into the drop tray for a mess-free experience that’s complete in less than three minutes — that includes lattes and cappuccinos too. | 5/5 |
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How does the Keurig K-Café Special Edition compare?
I’ve tried the Keurig K-Duo, and I appreciate its simple yet versatile design. However, it’s not as advanced as the K-Café Special Edition. The latter is definitely a step up from the former with the addition of the milk frother and the exclusion of a glass carafe. In terms of taste, both machines make a high-quality, tasty cup of coffee in less than five minutes. That said, the K-Café Special Edition is a bit more expensive, but that makes sense, given its size and advanced functions.
If you’re looking for an even more elevated version without a carafe, you’ll want to check out the Keurig K-Supreme Smart Coffee Maker.
How I tested the Keurig K-Café Special Edition
- Used the machine to make a cup of coffee (or two) every day for two weeks
- Brewed cups using the milk frother
- Followed the instruction manual for set up and assembly
I reviewed the Keurig K-Café Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Latte & Cappuccino Maker at my apartment in Florida. I also had other people (friends and family) taste the coffee to see what they thought about third-party credibility.
Read more about how we test.
First reviewed: November 2023
