Keurig Coffee Maker Problems: Quick Fixes & How to Clean Your Keurig

What brand name comes to mind when you hear the word ‘coffee’ and ‘convenience’? If you’re like most people, the first thing to cross your mind is the brand name ‘Keurig’. Many common problems with Keurig coffee makers can be fixed in just a few minutes. Use the quick troubleshooting table below to identify the issue and try the fastest solution.

Quick Fixes for Common Keurig Coffee Machine Problems

Keurig Display Not Working or Not Responding

These days, Keurig coffee makers come with fancy touch screens that are meant to simplify the process of using them. While this shouldn’t happen at all, there is a possibility that you may find that display not working at all.

Before you call for help, there are a few steps that you can take to troubleshoot the problem a little further.

First steps: First, shut off the Keurig coffee maker at the power source and unplug it for about a minute.

If you’d like to be thorough, take that machine and plug it into a different wall outlet. That way, you can rule out that there’s a problem with the power source.

Once you’ve reconnected the machine, the image of a power button should appear on the screen. Suppose that happens, then all you’d need to do is set the clock and preferences again and continue making your cup of coffee. Perhaps the display just needed a reset.

It could be that the connectors (i.e. the wiring to the touchscreen inside the machine) is faulty or has come undone. Or, moisture and/or heat could have found its way into where the touchscreen is located. If that’s the case, then the affected parts may need to be replaced.

What you can do: If your Keurig machine is still under warranty, you should bring it to them so they can restore the machine or get you a replacement. It’s always best to get a professional to look at it for you.

However, if you’re the DIY type, you could buy the replacement parts online and fix it yourself with a spudger and a screwdriver. Assuming you’re familiar with appliance repair, the process may take anywhere from 15-20 minutes. Remember: always disconnect the power supply before opening any parts of the machine.

Keurig Won’t Heat Up or Brew Coffee

First steps: Firstly, you’ll want to make sure that you’re giving your Keurig coffee maker enough time to heat up in the first place. We might be impatient waiting for our coffee in the morning, but it does take several minutes to heat the water. You will hear noises from the machine during this part of the process.

Once you’ve done that and the machine still won’t make your coffee, then it’s time to consider that you may have some kind of a clog or blockage in the machine, and water just can’t flow to where it needs to be.

Why this happens: Clogs in your Keurig coffee maker are typically caused by one of two things: a buildup of either debris or calcium.

If your machine is still new, then the higher likelihood is that you’ve got some dirt or coffee grounds clogging up the machine. However, machines that have seen a lot of use will usually suffer from a calcium buildup.

What you can do: To give your Keurig coffee maker a good flush, fill up the water reservoir and let the machine run a few coffee-making cycles (without giving it any actual coffee to brew!).

You’ll want to do this so that the machine will heat up the water, flush it through the entire system, and hopefully push the clog through with it.

Now, if calcium deposits are your problem, you’ll need to do what’s called ‘descaling’. You can do this the home-made way using water and vinegar to dilute any buildups.

Or, you can purchase a descaling solution specially tailored to coffee makers like yours. Keurig makes their own brewer cleaner, though you can also go for products from other manufacturers. 

These products will help you flush your entire machine through and through, making it like it’s brand new!

Keurig Shuts Off On Its Own (During Brewing or When Idle)

First steps: To troubleshoot this problem, it’s essential to be clear about when the machine shuts itself off.

Suppose you’ve left the machine on and it shuts off after a few minutes. If that’s the case, then it could just be the machine’s auto-off function. The machine shuts itself off automatically as a way to conserve energy.

However, if the machine shuts off mid-brew and shows you the ‘Brew Interrupted’ message, then that’s a different story.

Why this happens: Why does the ‘Brew Interrupted’ message suddenly appear on the display while the machine stops making coffee?

Well, it’s usually because there’s a blockage at the point where the coffee leaves the machine. That part is known as the ‘needle’.

When that point is clogged, and coffee can’t come out, the machine senses that there’s too much pressure and stops working immediately. Solving this issue is pretty straightforward, as it requires you to clean that clogged needle.

What you can do: Keurig machines usually come with the Keurig Brewer Maintenance Accessory. That accessory will help you to flush out any clogs in the needle and get things running smoothly again.

Besides that, you can and should also flush out the entire system by running a few cycles without using any pods. That will allow the machine to heat up water and push it through the whole system, diluting and removing anything debris or coffee along the way.

Keurig Not Dispensing the Full Cup? Here’s the Fix

Brewing less than the amount selected is a symptom that the machine isn’t getting enough water for the brew, possibly due to a blockage somewhere. (Always make sure the water reservoir is full!)

First steps: First things first, you may want to give the Keurig coffee maker a simple reset.

Shut off the power supply and wait for about a minute before turning it back on. You may need to reset the clock and any other machine preferences you may have had before.

You can then try to run a brewing cycle either with or without coffee to see if the machine dispenses the correct amount of water. If the coffee maker still doesn’t dispense the correct amount of hot water, you’ve got a blockage somewhere along the way inside the machine. 

When the water or coffee can’t flow freely, the machine may sense that there’s too much pressure building up and cut the brewing process sooner than it should.

As you’ve seen with previous issues on this list, blockages are caused by buildups of calcium or scale, debris, or coffee. 

This problem can be quite tricky, as it would be hard to pinpoint the clog’s precise location. That blockage could be anywhere along the line between the reservoir and the needle where the coffee comes out.

What you can do: Just like any other kind of blockage, you’ll need to flush out the entire system. If you can’t figure out the clog’s cause, you may want to start by descaling the machine using the Keurig Brewer Cleaner (or something similar).

You can then run a few cycles (without coffee in the machine) to make sure that water can flow from the reservoir through the tubes and out the needle without any restrictions.

How do you clean a Keurig Coffee Machine?

Step 1: Wipe The Exterior

When cleaning your Keurig coffee machine, it’s best to start from the outside and work your way inwards. Grab a microfibre cloth and dampen it with water. Wipe the exterior of your Keurig coffee machine, especially any coffee or water stains you might find.

Step 2: Empty And Wash The Drip Tray And Plate

Remove the drip tray and plate from your Keurig coffee machine and take it straight to your kitchen sink. Be careful not to spill any hot liquids that might be inside that drip tray and plate. Rinse them with water or use a little dish washing soap to remove stubborn stains and odors from the drip tray.

Step 3: Clean The Water Reservoir

Remove the reservoir and rinse it in your sink. Don’t forget its cover and the valve at the bottom. Dirt, mold, and other impurities can build up around the cover and valve. If these parts don’t get clean, they could cause problems like mold accumulation and a stuck water valve.

You can use dishwashing soap to clean the water reservoir, especially if there are any stains in or around it.

Air drying is the best way to dry the reservoir to prevent lint or other fibers from getting into your coffee.

Step 4: Run A Cleaning Brew 

What you’ll need: Water only. You can also use a Keurig rinse pod if you have one.

Firstly, you must run a cleaning brew. Essentially, you’re flushing the coffee machine’s hoses and other parts with clean and hot water. That will wash away any impurities stuck inside the machine’s hoses and components, including coffee grounds.

So, select the largest brew size available on your machine and the hottest water temperature. If you feel it’s necessary, you can run this cleaning brew more than once until you’re confident that your Keurig machine is clean.

Remember: Do not use any coffee pods as you do this, except for a Keurig rinse pod, if you have one. The goal here is to flush the coffee machine from the inside.

Step 5: Perform Descaling

What you’ll need: You’ll need a coffee machine descaling solution for this final step. You can use a descaling solution bottle or pouch made by Keurig or a similar product from a different brand.

What to do: The purpose of descaling is to remove any buildups of limescale inside your Keurig coffee machine. That’s because a severe buildup can prevent water from flowing smoothly and prevent the machine from brewing coffee successfully.

The descaling process is typically done every 3-6 months. So, you can skip this step if you’re performing a regular weekly cleaning procedure for your Keurig coffee machine.

Here’s what the descaling process looks like:

Firstly, pour the descaling solution into an empty water reservoir. Then, run a cleansing brew as you did in Step 4 earlier.

To recap, here’s how you run a cleansing brew with the descaling solution:

• Place a mug on the drip tray
• Select the largest cup size available on your Keurig model
• Repeat the clean brew at least 12 times, refilling the water reservoir as needed

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Keurig Rinse Pods Necessary?

No, you don’t necessarily need to use rinse pods to clean your Keurig coffee machine. However, coffee pods can help remove odors and leftover flavors from your coffee machine.

What Happens If You Don’t Descale Your Keurig?

The limescale buildup will worsen when you fail to descale your Keurig coffee machine regularly. That buildup will focus on hot parts like the machine’s heating element. After an extended period, that buildup will prevent water from flowing through your coffee machine and prevent it from brewing coffee.

Can You Use A Keurig Just To Boil Water?

Yes, you can use Keurig to dispense boiled water straight to your mug. That makes the Keurig coffee machine useful for brewing tea or other hot beverages. To do that, just run the coffee machine without loading any coffee pods.

Should I Run Vinegar Through My Keurig Coffee Maker?

Running vinegar through your Keurig coffee machine is a useful alternative for removing limescale build-ups inside its hoses. Be sure to use white distilled vinegar in your Keurig for the best results.

Do Keurigs Get Moldy Inside?

Yes, Keurigs can get moldy inside, especially if you leave them unused for extended periods. However, you can prevent that from happening by cleaning your Keurig machine regularly. If you don’t plan on using the machine soon, drain the water reservoir and open the cover so it can stay dry. That will prevent mold from growing.

Related Read: Coffee Not Hot Enough