How Do Keurigs Heat Water so Quickly? Truth Revealed

How does Keurigs heat water? 

I’m guessing if you landed on this page you’re probably wondering how Keurig coffee machines do this. It’s interesting to know how this happens as it’s going to help you brew better coffee every single time. Stick around, in this article go over all the key details on how Keurigs heat up water and share brew tips along the way. 

Let’s get started.

Key takeaways: 

• The process a Keurig follows to heat water
• How long it takes for water to drip and brew coffee
• The well-kept-secret reason coffee machines warm up water so quickly

How do Keurigs heat water so quickly?

Unlike other coffee makers Keurig machines heat up the water very quickly because apart from the typical water tank all the machines have, they also have a tank where the water is heated constantly. The moment you press the ‘Brew’ button the water is already heated and this speeds up the brewing process. 

How long does it heat water with different coffee brewer types

Let’s go over different brewer types and how long it takes them to heat the water and the process they follow to do so.

How long does it take to heat water with a single-serve coffee brewer?

This is normally the brewer that most of us have at home. 

The brewing time with a single-serve coffee maker is 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

This is pretty much the time you need with an espresso machine. The major difference between an espresso machine and a single-serve is that one uses extraction whereas the other soaking. 

How long does it take to heat water with a Keurig machine?

Keurig machines are becoming popular amongst coffee lovers.

The time of brewing with a Keurig is: 30 seconds to 2 minutes

There are 2 common ways that Keurig machines heat up water:

1. The first is one where water runs through metallic tubes (pretty similar to what other coffee brewers do) and Keurig heats the water in small amounts
2. Some Keurigs have a second water tank and the water in there is heated constantly which is something that makes brewing faster.

Here’s what people say about Keurig’s unique process:

A keurig only heats the amount of water necessary for one brew at a time in a small reservoir that is separate from the main water reservoir. Additionally, most machines keep the water at a warm temperature so it doesn’t take very long to heat it up fully. That’s why it takes longer to heat water between brews than it does the first one of the day.

– J. Reynolds

The Keurig is not like a typical drip machine. Most drip machines START heating water when you pour in water and turn it on. It heats the water you just poured in. A Keurig (and some other machines like a Bunn) keep a tank of water hot ALL THE TIME. So when you pour in cold water, the cold water goes into the bottom of the water tank, and the already hot water that was in the tank gets pushed out the top, through a tube, and over the coffee grounds. You are not drinking the water you just poured in, you’re drinking the water that was already hot. What you just poured in is now getting hot. It’s why after you pour water in, while it’s dripping hot water, you hear the boiler come on. It’s starting to heat the new water.

– Steve Thomas

How long does it take to heat water with a drip coffee machine?

Brewing with a drip coffee machine might take longer (it also depends on the brand). 

The time of brewing with a Keurig is: 2 – 10 minutes

Since they typically brew coffee for more than 1 cup of coffee (some of them brew coffee for 12 cups) it takes longer to brew. The reason is there’s more water to be heated and as you might have guessed this takes time. 

But of course, the benefit of having such a coffee machine is that you brew in the morning and have enough coffee for the rest of the day. And you don’t need to drink lukewarm coffee in the evening, there are coffee drip brewers with thermal carafes or you can simply place a cup of coffee in your microwave for 30 seconds.

How long does it take to heat water with an espresso machine?

Espresso machines are a different animal. 

The time of brewing with a Keurig is: 15 seconds to 2 minutes

Making espresso with an espresso machine is proper science. 

For this reason, espresso machines use 3 different methods to warm up the water: 

• Boilers
• Thermocoils 
• Thermoblocks

This way the water is heated quickly and the machine keeps it at optimum temperature until the brewing starts. 

How long does it take to heat water with a Nespresso machine?

Nespresso machines heat water in a pretty similar way to espresso machines. 

The time of brewing with a Keurig is: 15 seconds to 1 minute

Nespresso machines use the same ways to keep the water at the optimum temperature to make it easy to brew exquisite espresso every single time. 

The real reason why coffee brewers heat water so quickly

Here’s something to ponder:

Coffee isn’t made with boiling water. Instead, the water should just be heated and reach 195-205F (90-96°C). Even if you brew coffee at a higher temperature than this, the odds are that it will lead to over-extraction which makes your coffee bitter.

But why do coffee brewers heat water so quickly? 

One of the main reasons is: 

The way coffee brewers are designed helps: water runs through these narrow tubes so this makes it easy to warm the water quickly as it’s not a massive amount of water. 

The table shows the right temperature of brewing: 

Coffee:	Temperature:
Brewed at	195-205F (90-96°C)

Let’s wrap it up 

So how do Keurigs heat water? By reading this guide I hope it helped you get a better understanding of how a Keurig coffee machine heats water so that you can brew aromatic coffee. So now, it’s time to treat yourself to a nice cup of coffee. Do you know how to descale a Keurig Supreme?