Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini (Plus)

This is our comparison of Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini coffee makers.

At The Coffee Arsenal, we put an incredible amount of effort into our guides. In this article, we have spent more than 20 hours researching and structuring this information in order to create the best comparative guide on these two coffee makers.

In this guide, we will compare brew sizes, water reservoirs, dimensions, available colors, and more. Also, keep in mind that we will not only include the K-Mini but the K-Mini Plus too.

These coffee makers are quite similar in terms of features, but they have a couple of differences that are key to consider when buying.

In summary, the K-Slim is the most convenient coffee maker in most situations, while the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus are excellent for traveling.

Keep reading to learn more.

Overview: Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini

As we said earlier, these coffee makers are pretty similar in terms of features.

The Keurig K-Slim has 3 brew sizes available, 8, 10, and 12oz. A water reservoir of 46oz that is also removable and compatible with charcoal filters.

This coffee maker, as the name suggests, is slim (less than 5” wide) and it is available in 3 colors.

On the other hand, the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus are Single Serve coffee makers with a water tank capacity of 12oz.

While the water reservoir on the K-Mini Plus is removable, the one in the K-Mini is not. Keep in mind that these coffee makers are not compatible with water filters.

Both coffee makers are less than 5” wide, which makes them very thin too, and they are available in more than 5 colors.

The main differences between the K-Mini and the K-Mini Plus are the additional features they come included with.

The K-Mini Plus comes with a strong mode, and a pod storage. (You will learn more about these features in the Additional Features section).

Keep reading if you want to go into details.

Here’s an introductory video of the Keurig K-Slim.

Here’s an introductory video of the Keurig K-Mini.

Here’s an introductory video of the Keurig K-Mini Plus.

Comparison Table

Specifications	Keurig K-Slim	Keurig K-Mini	Keurig K-Mini Plus
Brew Sizes	8oz, 10oz, 12oz	6oz to 12oz	6oz to 12oz
Water Tank Capacity	46oz	12oz	12oz
Removable Water Reservoir	✔️	❌	✔️
Charcoal Filter Compatibility	✔️	❌	❌
Product Dimensions	12.1″ (16.7″ when open) H x 4.7″ W x 15.2″ D	12.1″ (16.8″ when open) H x 4.5″ W x 11.3″ D	12.1″ (16.8″ when open) H x 4.5″ W x 11.3″ D
Weight	6.2lbs	4.6lbs	4.6lbs
Colors	Black, Scarlet Red, White	Black, Dusty Rose, Evergreen, Oasis, Poppy Red, Studio Gray	Cardinal Red, Cool Aqua, Evening Teal, Matte Black, Misty Green, Studio Gray, White
Strength Controls	❌	❌	✔️
MultiStream Technology	✔️	❌	❌
Descale Light	✔️	✔️	✔️
Add Water Light	✔️	❌	❌
Auto-Off	✔️	✔️	✔️
High Altitude Settings	✔️	✔️	✔️
Hot Water On Demand	✔️	✔️	✔️
Quick Brew	✔️	✔️	✔️
Pod Storage	❌	❌	✔️
Cord Storage	❌	✔️	✔️

Key Features: Keurig K-Mini vs K-Slim

In the next paragraphs, we are going to talk about the key differences between the Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini. We are going to talk about water reservoirs, brew sizes, design, dimensions, and more.

Brew Sizes

These coffee makers are pretty similar in terms of brew sizes.

The K-Slim is able to brew 8oz, 10oz, and 12oz.

On the other hand, both the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus can brew from 6oz to 12oz.

They do not offer a specific range of options because they are Single Serve coffee makers, but we are going to go into more detail about this in the next section.

Having different brew sizes to choose from is very important for a modern coffee maker since by having more than one brew size you can have more flexibility. Sometimes you would want to drink a full cup of black coffee or sometimes a latte.

Water Reservoir

The water reservoir is a key factor when deciding between the Keurig K-Mini vs K-Slim. By having a reservoir that meets your personal needs you can save yourself a lot of frustration, and you can have even more possibilities when brewing coffee.

The Keurig K-Slim has a large 46oz removable reservoir. It allows you to brew up to 5 cups of coffee when using the 8oz size before having to refill the reservoir again. This reservoir is compatible with Keurig’s water filters.

Also, this reservoir has a handle that you can use to make it easier to pull it out, and it has a line that indicates the maximum water capacity.

These two features will improve your experience with this coffee maker during daily use.

However, this water reservoir is located in an uncomfortable spot (on the back of the coffee maker), and depending on the spot where you place this coffee maker, it will be impossible for you to remove the water reservoir to add water. Keep this factor in mind.

Note: When the water light is on in the Keurig K-Slim, it won’t let you use any function until you have filled the water tank.

Now, let’s talk about the water reservoir of the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus.

They both have a 12oz water reservoir, which is considerably small because this machine was designed to work as a single-serve coffee maker.

The main difference between the reservoir of the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus is that the one in the Mini Plus is removable. Which is extremely convenient.

Since the water reservoir on the K-Mini is not removable, it can be a little bit more difficult to refill and clean, in fact, this is one of the reasons why most people choose the K-Mini Plus.

So, deciding which is best in terms of water reservoir will depend on your personal needs. Do you want a large water tank or a small one that is ideal for Single Serve?

Ease of Use

These coffee makers, the K-Slim, K-Mini, and K-Mini plus are extremely easy to use.

The major difference between them is that the K-Slim comes with an additional step.

To use the K-Mini and K-Mini plus you have to fill the water tank, press the power button, open the lid and insert a coffee pod, close the lid and press the big K button.

The K-Slim is exactly the same with the difference that you have to choose a brew size before pressing the K button.

Also, these coffee makers come with flashing lights that indicate how to use your coffee maker properly.

The K-Slim is a little bit more advanced in this aspect, it comes with “add water” and “descale lights” and the buttons will light so you can know which brew size you’ve chosen.

On the other hand, the K-Mini models do not have the “water light” but have a bar that lights up when the machine needs descaling.

Since these coffee makers are so easy to use, we believe that neither is better than the other in this aspect.

However, if you value the indicator lights on the K-Slim, this definitely should be a factor to consider.

You can check the user manuals of these machines below.

• Keurig K-Slim User Manual
• Keurig K-Mini User Manual
• Keurig K-Mini Plus User Manual

Brew Quality and Performance

For many people, this section of our Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini comparison review is one of the most important.

Let’s talk about the Keurig K-Slim first.

It takes around 1 minute and 20 seconds to brew an 8oz cup of coffee and the temperature of the cup after being brewed is about 163°F which is a really hot cup of coffee.

On the other hand, the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus are pretty much the same. They also brew a cup of coffee in less than 1 minute and 30 seconds and the temperature of the coffee they produce is about 160°F.

The major difference between them is that the K-Mini Plus comes with a Strong button which makes the machine take a little bit more time to brew, so the coffee is a little bit stronger.

When using this mode the K-Mini Plus will take around 20 seconds more to brew.

Regarding noise, they are all really silent, so they won’t make a lot of noise when brewing coffee.

Now, in terms of flavor, which one is better?

Honestly, if you are not a coffee aficionado, you won’t tell the difference, the major change in flavor will come depending on the K-Cup you use.

However, the strong mode on the K-Mini Plus does make a difference and the coffee tastes a little bit stronger but is not a huge difference.

Which one is the winner?

As these coffee machines brew coffee at almost the same speed, and at the same temperature, they do not make much noise and there are practically no differences in taste, we could say that they are tied in terms of coffee quality and performance.

But if you value the strong mode of the K-Mini Plus, it should be a factor to consider.

Capsule Compatibility

These coffee makers are compatible with any K-Cup coffee capsule. So you have a huge variety of pods to try.

Also, they are compatible with reusable K-Cups. This is great because you can use your own grounds.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The cleaning and maintenance procedure is extremely simple, and it is the same for these coffee makers.

General Cleaning

1. Clean the exterior with a damp, soapy, lint-free, non-abrasive cloth
2. Wipe the inside of the water reservoir and underside with a damp, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth (Do not dry the inside with a cloth)
3. Rinse and clean the drip tray with a damp, soapy, lint-free, non-abrasive cloth occasionally

K-Cup Holder and Needles

1. Remove the K-Cup Pod holder
2. Clean the exit and entrance needles
3. Clean the funnel
4. Insert the K-Cup Pod holder into the machine again

Descaling

You should descale your brewer every 3 – 6 months to keep your coffee maker working perfectly.

In the following video, you will learn how to descale the Keurig K-Slim, this process is very similar to the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus.

If you want to know how to descale the K-Mini and Mini Plus check the official Keurig YouTube channel.

Design, Dimensions, and Weight

These coffee makers are also really similar in terms of design, size, and weight.

Dimensions and weight of the Keurig K-Slim:

• Height: 12.1″ (16.7″ when open) 
• Width: 4.7″
• Depth: 15.2″
• Weight: 6.2lbs

Dimensions and weight of the Keurig K-Mini:

• Height: 12.1″ (16.8″ when open)
• Width: 4.5″
• Depth: 11.3″
• Weight: 4.6 lbs

Dimensions and weight of the Keurig K-Mini Plus:

• Height: 12.1″ (16.8″ when open)
• Width: 4.5″
• Depth: 11.3″
• Weight: 4.6lbs

According to this data, the K-Slim is a little bit bigger and heavier than the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus. This is most probably because the K-Mini models were designed with traveling in mind, so they are easy to transport.

In terms of design, the Keurig K-Mini and The K-Mini Plus look almost identical. They just have a couple of differences in design like rounded borders and a couple of parts with different colors.

These are the colors available for the K-Mini:

• Black
• Dusty Rose
• Evergreen
• Oasis
• Poppy Red
• Studio Gray

These are the colors available for the K-Mini Plus:

• Cardinal Red
• Cool Aqua
• Evening Teal
• Matte Black
• Misty Green
• Studio Gray
• White

As I said before, the major difference between the K-Slim and the K-Mini models is just the size and weight. They look almost identical.

These are the colors available for the K-Slim:

• Black
• Scarlet Red
• White

It is difficult to say which one is better as they are very similar to each other. We’d say the winners are the K-Mini models just because of the greater variety of colors.

Additional Features

Apart from the normal features of each coffee maker, they come with some additional features that are worth mentioning in our Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini review.

Auto Off

All three machines come with the Auto Off feature, which allows each coffee maker to turn off automatically after a few minutes.

These are the timers by default for each coffee maker.

• Keurig K-Slim: 5 minutes after the last brew
• Keurig K-Mini and K-Mini Plus: 90 seconds after the last brew

Cord Storage

The Keurig K-Mini models come with a small space at the back that you can use to store the cords. Very convenient for moving your coffee maker around.

The K-Slim doesn’t come with this feature.

Pod Storage

The Pod Storage is a compartment that comes included with the K-Mini Plus, you can attach this compartment to the front of the machine so you can move it around easier.

This feature is exclusive to the K-Mini Plus.

Travel Mug Friendly

You can fit a 7-inch tall travel mug on these coffee makers if you remove the drip tray on them.

MultiStream Technology

MultiStream Technology is a system included in the Keurig K-Slim to improve the saturation of the coffee grounds during the brewing process. This extracts the flavor and aroma of the grounds better.

In short, coffee brewers with this technology produce a more flavorful coffee.

Remember that MultiStream Technology is not included in the Keurig K-Mini models.

Hot Water on Demand

These brewers have the Hot Water on Demand feature by default. This means that if you brew a cup without inserting a K-Cup coffee pod the coffee maker will eject hot water only.

You can use this feature to make other hot brews like tea or even prepare oatmeal.

Which Coffee Maker Has the Best Additional Features?

So, which coffee maker has the best additional features? To answer this question, let’s quickly summarize the available features of these brewers.

• All brewers have the automatic turn-off function.
• Only K-Mini Plus comes with pod storage
• Only the K-Mini models come with cord storage
• All brewers are suitable for travel mugs
• Only the K-Slim comes with MultiStream Technology
• All brewers have hot water on-demand function

Based on this summary, we can conclude that the K-Mini models come with more features that can make your life easier. However, keep in mind that the MultiStream Technology from the K-Slim is nice to have due to the benefits it provides.

Pros and Cons

Let’s quickly compare the pros and cons of the Keurig K-Mini vs K-Slim.

Keurig K-Slim

These are some pros and cons of the Keurig K-Slim.

Pros

• Large water reservoir
• MultiStream Technology to improve coffee flavor and aroma
• Brews and heats water at the same time
• Less than 5” wide

Cons

• Only 3 brew sizes
• The water tank is located in an awkward position if the brewer is placed in a narrow place

Keurig K-Mini

These are some pros and cons of the Keurig K-Mini and K-Mini Plus.

Pros

• Less than 5” wide (K-Mini and K-Mini Plus)
• Brews and heats water at the same time (K-Mini and K-Mini Plus)
• Cord storage (K-Mini and K-Mini Plus)
• Pod storage (K-Mini Plus)
• Strength controls (K-Mini Plus)
• Removable water tank (K-Mini Plus)

Cons

• Only 3 brew sizes (K-Mini and K-Mini Plus)
• Water tank is not removable (K-Mini)
• The water tank is located in an awkward position (K-Mini and K-Mini Plus)
• Limited water tank capacity (K-Mini and K-Mini Plus)

Customer Reviews

We’ve just shown you the good and bad about these coffee makers, but what do people think of them? Well, read on to find some real customer reviews.

Note: We have focused our attention on honest 3-star reviews as most of the time they highlight not only the good but the bad of each product.

Keurig K-Slim Reviews

Most of the reviews for the Keurig K-Slim (80%) are positive, however, there are some reviews that highlight the cons.

Like every coffee maker, there are people that like the flavor and temperature of the coffee brewed by the K-Slim, but at the same time, there are people that don’t like it.

Most people like this coffee maker because of the features it has, brew sizes, and large water reservoir.

One particular review stated this about the K-Slim.

It’s slim design let’s it fit in some tight spaces in your counter but doesn’t allow for easy task refill. This is the second Keurig we’ve had and this one seems to fill slower. It’s less expensive compared to other models. All in all it’s fine, but that’s it, just fine.

You can read more reviews about the Keurig K-Slim on Amazon.

Keurig K-Mini Reviews

Since we are mentioning both Keurig K-Mini and K-Mini Plus, we are going to show you a review for each machine.

Most of the reviews on both machines were positive (+70%) which is pretty impressive.

Keurig K-Mini Reviews

In this particular case, the customer says that the K-Mini does some splatter when brewing, which is a little bit uncomfortable.

“This is a really nice, straight forward product to use. The construction is reasonable. I’ve been using this for about two months now and there’s no noticeable weakness, materials-wise.

A couple of concerns I have include how the spout is so far from an average cup’s opening. As a result, you get some little coffee splatter points on the surface of where you rest the machine. Additionally, I worry when I pour water into the top reservoir because the reservoir opening design lends itself to potential overspill. Granted, it’s a significant improvement over the style from my old one purchased back in 2008 (which still works exceptionally well). You just have to be careful how you pour water from your cup into the water reservoir so that water doesn’t spill out and behind the machine by the electric plug. I might consider switching to using a small pitcher with a protruding lip with which to pour water into the machine.

You might also want to gently pre-heat your water in the mug you intend to use so that the mug is warm in advance to the coffee being poured in.“

You can read more reviews about the Keurig K-Mini on Amazon.

Keurig K-Mini Plus Reviews

This customer thinks that the coffee maker comes with convenient features, the major issue, similar to the K-Mini, is that it splatters when brewing.

“Love it so far. Very compact! Cord even stays hidden inside. The little pod storage container is nice, but it doesn’t hold too much (9 pods 3/3). Will be useful when traveling. Love the color. Can fit travel mug although I guess that would take two pods and two refills of water. You have to add water for every use even with standard cup size. That could get annoying as it does drip when you pick up the square container and fill it with water from sink. I’ll probably ghave to get a little jar or cup and fill that way. It does get hot, but it definitely could be hotter. All in all, it works for my use to have quick coffee when I work from home, and I’m in love the way it looks on the counter.

Update: Taking 1 more star off. Few weeks of use and one annoying thing is that it splatters ALOT. I typically use a reg mug size, and I have to clean my counter and the fridge next to where I have it set. Taller travel mug of course no splatter. But any normal mug, coffee cup, lots of splatter. Oh well…I still find it handy. Just have to clean after.“

You can read more reviews about the Keurig K-Mini Plus on Amazon.

Alternatives

At this point in our Keurig K-Mini vs K-Slim review, you should have a pretty good idea of which one best suits your own needs.

However, in case you don’t like either of them, here are some good alternatives.

Keurig K-Compact

The Keurig K-Compact is a basic coffee maker that works exceptionally well despite its very basic features.

It comes with 3 brew sizes, 3, 8, and 10 ounces, and a large 36-ounce water reservoir. These brew sizes and water tank capacity give you enough flexibility to brew several cups of coffee in a row and to select which size you prefer.

It comes with auto shut-off, which means it will automatically shut off 2 hours after the last brew.

These are its dimensions:

• Height:12.5” (16.2” when open)
• Width: 8.2”
• Depth: 13.2”
• Weight: 6.9lbs

Also, you have a wide variety of colors available: black, turquoise, gray, red, and white.

Keurig K-Express

The Keurig K-Express is another basic coffee maker, a bit more modern than the K-Compact.

With 3 brew sizes (3, 10, and 12oz) and a large 42oz water reservoir, you have everything you need to brew a good cup of coffee in the morning.

The design of this coffee maker is quite nice, and it’s quite slim, which makes it perfect for small countertops.

It also comes with a strong button so you can brew a stronger cup of coffee, and it has two lights, “descaling” and “add water”, so you don’t have to manually check when to add water or descaling.

These are its dimensions:

• Height: 12.6” (17.2” when open)
• Width: 5.1”
• Depth: 12.8”
• Weight: 4.1lbs

It is only available in black.

If you want to know more about the differences between the K-Express and the other machines mentioned previously, check the resources below.

• K-Express vs K-Slim
• K-Express vs K-Mini

The Bottom Line: Keurig K-Slim vs K-Mini

This Keurig K-Mini vs K-Slim review demonstrates that the coffee maker with more flexibility and use cases is the Keurig K-Slim.

The K-Slim has 3 brew sizes to choose from, and a large water reservoir of 46oz.

However, if you need a single-serve coffee maker that you can use for traveling, the K-Mini and K-Mini Plus are really good options too.

F.A.Q – Keurig K-Mini vs K-Slim

Still have questions? Check our Frequently Asked Questions section below.