During the warmer months of the year, cold coffee beverages are what fuel me through my day. I've also always been a big fan of the convenience of single-serve coffee machines that serve me up a boost of caffeine, fast, and in an amount I know I'll be able to drink. I've used a Keurig coffee maker regularly for well over a decade, does that make me a loyal fan or what?
I've been tinkering around with the K-Slim for a bit now and I'm ready to share my thoughts on where it stacks when it comes to the best coffee makers overall. I'll be evaluating its ease of use, value for money, and overall coffee drinking experience, to find out if this single-serve coffee maker ticks all the right boxes.
The Keurig K-Slim + Iced Coffee is that happy medium, with a convenient ability to brew iced and hot coffee – all in a compact footprint. Yes, it's rated one of our best small coffee makers, too. So give that a read if you're tight on countertop space (college students, we're mostly talking to you).
It's worth me nothing that I also adore a cold brew coffee maker, but the process of brewing literally takes all day, even longer... and I don't always have time for that.
Keurig K-Slim + Iced Single Serve Coffee Maker: Specifications
- Dimensions (Overall): 12.14” H x 4.76” W x 15.2"D
- Weight: 4.5 lbs
- Capacity (Volume): 46 oz.
- Cup Capacity: 6 oz. (iced), 8 oz., 10 oz., 12 oz.
- Coffee Filter Type: Optional
- Coffee Type Used: K-Cups
- Material: Plastic
- Power Source: Electric
- Warranty: 1 Year
Keurig K-Slim + Iced: features and functions
The features on the Keurig K-Slim + Iced Single Serve Coffee Maker have a simple interface and it takes just two button presses to initiate a brew. The machine knows to turn on once you've inserted and shut the K-cup, and the interface at the top of the machine will light up. Simply select desired cup size followed by the large center K button to initiate a brew. The coffee machine uses Keurig's signature traditional brewing method, with the singular puncture in the top and bottom of the K-Cup. The machine automatically shuts off after five minutes of inactivity.
Side view of the machine
In addition to the button and selections to choose cup size (8 oz, 10 oz, or 12 oz), there is a Brew Over Ice selection that makes 6 oz of coffee with an emphasis on retaining flavor. The feature brews the coffee at a hotter temperature to extract the full flavor before gradually cooling down meaning less ice melt, and a vibrant flavor that's not watered down.
The removable 46 oz water tank is located in the rear and can brew up to five consecutive pours of 8 oz coffee, or four cups of 10 oz coffee.
The K-Slim+Iced is also notable for its compact footprint, hence the name Slim. It's low enough to sit under cabinets, but that could make it difficult to reach the water tank at the back of the machine, or fully lift the K-Cup opening. I had to pull the machine forward slightly to place the pod. The Iced model is currently only available in a gray color with a plastic body and is exclusive to Target (opens in new tab).
My experience with the Keurig K-Slim + Iced Single Serve Coffee Maker
We've touched on what this coffee machine can do, but let's get into how it performed.
Ease of use
The Keurig K-Slim + Iced truly couldn't be easier to use. From pulling it out of the box to brewing my first cup took less than five minutes. That's one of my favorite things about Keurig, it's essentially fool-proof to get consistent-tasting coffee.
Clean up is so easy too, literally just pop out your K-cup. And it's smart in that it will remind you to descale after every 250 brews. A descale button makes that process super easy too, though if you need to, we have a complete how-to on descaling your Keurig machine.
How does it taste?
While this could depend on the coffee you choose to brew, I typically follow this rule of thumb, in which I think of strong, stronger, and strongest, with a smaller cup meaning bolder coffee.
For iced coffee, the ice cubes did melt enough that it diluted the final product a little bit, and necessitated adding in more ice to get my desired chill. However, this brewing method feels very standard for iced coffee – quite literally the definition of adding ice to coffee that was once hot. The advantage here is the special feature that cools down the coffee during brewing so your coffee can get the heat it needs for a swift extraction without coming out too hot. This is opposed to cold brew when the brewing process is chilled the entire time.
Keurig also makes K-cups designed to work in conjunction with its Over Ice function, as a growing feature across its lineup, or you could simply just add ice and brew as normal. I tried both the Caramel Vanilla and Classic Black flavors from Green Mountain. I was most excited to try the Caramel Vanilla, but I thought that the coffee came out weaker, and had more ice dilute than the Classic Black. You can also opt to use your existing K-Cups with the Over Ice Feature as well.
How does the Keurig K-Slim + Iced Single Coffee Maker compare to other Keurig coffee makers?
The Keurig K-Slim sits solidly in the middle of the Keurig range.
For my personal favorite: the K-Supreme line sparked my excitement for Keurig again (which includes the K-Supreme, K-Supreme Plus, and K-Supreme Smart) for its Multi-Stream brewing technology (more extraction points for smoother, richer results), the ability to make adjustments to strength and temperature, and the same Over Ice function.
If you're trying to spend as little as possible, the Keurig K-Express Essentials Single Serve Coffee Maker with a 36 oz tank and the ability to brew three cup sizes cost under $60. However, it's exclusive to Walmart (opens in new tab), and its availability is in-flux. It's typically excluded from Keurig promotions where you can sometimes score a machine for even less.
Comparing size, the Keurig K-mini is another budget-friendly choice coming in at $79.99 but you'll have to refill the water reservoir each time. The K-Essential is slightly larger, but not by much, and has a 42 oz reservoir and a bold coffee option.
This is where it differentiates itself from the K-Slim and K-Slim+ Iced, which has its 46 oz reservoir and can brew 8 oz, 10 oz, or 12 oz portions. The K-Slim and K-Slim + Iced both cost $129.99 respectively, so at this point choosing the extra iced coffee feature is a no-brainer.
However, on Keurig's website, it hasn't seemed to trickle over to retailers just yet, it looks like the existing K-Slim is being phased out and upgraded with the Multi-Stream Brewing feature, meaning you'll be choosing between better brewing or iced coffee for roughly the same price. Additionally, if you're after flair and looks, it's also noteworthy that the K-Slim can be customized in the color and design of your choice.
Keurig K-Slim + Iced Single Serve Coffee Maker: Our verdict
For those after fuss-free coffee with a dose of iced coffee when the mood strikes, we can find no fault with the K-Slim+ Iced. It's slim design is also great for small spaces, coffee stations, dorm rooms and the like, with an amply sized water reservoir that won't leave you scrambling to refill after every brew.
Choosing the best Keurig for you becomes a game of comparing features, and noting the subtle differences that matter most to you. If an easy iced coffee button is what you prefer over a more sophisticated extraction (some may not notice the difference) or a stronger brew, you'll be content. If you want all those features together, you'll find yourself paying more.
Keurig K-Slim + Iced Single Serve Coffee Maker: Where to buy
About this review and reviewer
Jaclyn is the sleep editor across the home titles at Future, including Real Homes, where she specializes in helping you find your best mattress so you can sleep better, but also has tested countless appliances. Her penchant for coffee goes hand in hand with maximizing your sleep for the perfect start to the day.
She spends her days tracking the latest buzzworthy releases and testing a variety of products to determine whether they are good enough to bring into your home. The real fun is in coffee makers, where those around her get to partake in taste testing. And if you're wondering about her preferred coffee house order, she's currently loving cold brew with oat milk and caramel, and will never say no to a mocha.
All our reviews, as in the case of the Keurig K-Slim + Iced Coffee Maker, are based on the real-life experience of using these products at home. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before sending them back to the brand unless we are able to keep them, as we are with this coffee maker. This means that we can continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.