Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Savor your brew: The best K-Cup coffees for all tastes

K-Cup coffee for any occasion

Cup of coffee
Hans Vivek / Unsplash

Since 2004, when Keurig decided to expand its single-serving coffee brewing system to the home market, K-Cups have remained a staple of many households. Simple and easy, you can’t beat the convenience of K-Cup coffee, which features pre-ground coffee contained within a small capsule. Ideal for the solo coffee drinker or a quick cup of coffee, K-Cup coffee makes brewing a cup of coffee as simple as possible. With no clean-up and no need to buy coffee filters, it’s easy to see why nearly 40 million households use them.

The widespread popularity of K-Cup coffee also means there are endless varieties to choose from, with new brands frequently emerging. Which brand delivers the best brew for your personal coffee preferences? Below, we’ve narrowed down the best K-Cup of coffee available for every coffee preference. Here are a few of the best K-Cup coffees worth trying.

Recommended Videos

Best K-Cup coffee

Holding a cup of coffee
Kristina Paukshtite / Pexels

From classic K-Cups to flavored varieties to USDA-organic varieties, there’s a brand for everyone to try with these best K-Cup coffee brands. Check out three of our favorites.

Kahawa 1983 K-Cups: Best all-around classic K-Cup

Kahawa 1893
Kahawa 1893

Kahawa 1893 is a specialty coffee company founded and run by Margaret Nyamumbo, a third-generation coffee farmer from Kenya. Kahawa means “coffee” in Swahili, the primary language spoken there. You may have seen this brand on Shark Tank or in stores, as it has recently launched in Target. If you’re looking for an all-around solid cup of classic coffee, you cannot go wrong with any of Kahawa 1893’s roasts.

One of the brand’s most popular roasts, the Safari Roast, is the ideal balanced medium-roast coffee for almost any coffee lover. This classic coffee features an intrinsic sweetness and lively fruit flavors that characterize African coffees. Made from 100% Arabica coffee beans, the notes of milk chocolate and caramel in this blend are simply perfect for a quick cup of K-Cup coffee.

However, if you prefer a bolder coffee roast, look to the darker Kahawa 1983 Serengeti blend. This full-bodied, dark-roast coffee is bold without bitterness and tastes great either on its own or with a touch of milk or coffee creamer. This blend gets its name thanks to the world-famous Serengeti grasslands in East Africa.

Pros Cons
Classic, non-flavored coffee blends to keep it simple No light roast is available

Keurig K-Cup Pods Safari Blend

Keurig K-Cup Pods Serengeti Blend

Death Wish Coffee K-Cups: Best organic

Death Wish Triple Threat
Death Wish Coffee

When shopping for USDA-certified organic K-Cups, options are a bit more limited than non-organic options. Death Wish Coffee offers several roasts that are certified organic, producing a delicious and rich brew every time. While the brand does offer some flavors that are not organic, the selection of organic K-Cups is impressive. While there’s not currently a light roast available in K-Cups, the brand just launched its light roast coffee, which is available in bagged coffee, so the light roast may be available in K-Cups soon, too.

Some examples include the medium roast, the espresso roast, and the dark roast. If you want to try all these coffee roasts, the brand also features the “Triple Threat Single-Serve Bundle,” where you can try all three organic varieties.  Regardless of which variety you select, each Death Wish Coffee K-Cup pod features a bold, smooth taste worth the extra spend. It’s clear that the quality is there when you brew these K-Cups, and if you’re seeking a coffee grown without fertilizers and chemicals, Death Wish is a great choice.

Pros Cons
Rich, bold coffees, USDA-organic Cost higher than non-organic K-Cups, no light roast available

Green Mountain K-Cups: Best flavored

Green Mountain Coffee Chocolate Dipped Pistacho
Green Mountain Coffee

Green Mountain K-Cups are certainly the brand for you if you want to try new coffee flavors, including seasonal ones. Known as one of the first K-Cup coffee manufacturers, you can always count on Green Mountain to keep things interesting. With flavors like Cinnamon Sugar Cookie and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut, these K-Cups are the best option for variety. Other fun flavors include Chocolate Dipped Pistachio and Caramel Vanilla Cream.

Even though these coffee flavors sound super sweet, each K-Cup features just the essence of the flavor. As soon as you brew one of Green Mountain Coffee’s flavored K-Cups, your whole kitchen will have a perfectly roasted aroma. These K-Cups are available online but are also easy to find at plenty of retailers, such as Target.

Pros Cons
Fun, unique, and exciting seasonal coffee flavors, widely available Contains artificial flavorings

Emily Caldwell
Emily is an accomplished freelance journalist with over seven years of experience in food, beverage, health, fitness, and…
Whole bean vs. ground coffee: Which is the better option?
Which type of coffee should you buy?
Whole beans and ground coffee

Coffee drinkers who use whole bean coffee proclaim it is superior to ground coffee, offering a fresher, more robust flavor. On the other hand, many who strictly use ground coffee tout its ease of use and convenience. I've concluded that the debate between whole bean vs. ground coffee will likely never end, as each has a time and use depending on what type of coffee drinker you are.

There are many pros and cons when comparing whole bean vs. ground coffee, making it difficult to pick a true "winner." Let's dive in to compare whole bean and ground coffee side by side.
Understanding whole bean and ground coffee

Read more
Where did coffee originate? The unlikely discovery of coffee
Exploring the beginnings of coffee
Coffee beans

Many things we take for granted in our daily lives, such as a delicious cup of coffee, have a long history to uncover that dates back way before our time. As a coffee lover, learning about the origins of coffee has brought me closer to it and allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for that "hits-the-spot" cup of Joe. Like many tales in ancient history, several stories are floating around about when and who first discovered coffee. While the origins of coffee are not exactly known, it's safe to say today's coffee drinkers are surely thankful for this discovery.

Several legends differ on the answer to "where did coffee originate?" with the most popular legend tracing the history of coffee back to a story about a goat herder, Kaldi. This story suggests coffee was first found in the ancient forests on the Ethiopian plateau. How did our society become hooked on coffee?

Read more
Klatch Coffee’s Red Envelope Celebration Trio Gift Set celebrates the culture of the Lunar New Year
Klatch Coffee Trio Set

Southern California coffee roaster Klatch Coffee has launched a limited-time-only gift set designed to celebrate the culture around the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. This limited-time coffee trio launched today and will be available for purchase until February 14, 2025, in celebration of this year's Lunar New Year, which starts on January 29th. Packaged in a handsome box with traditional red and gold colors, the Red Envelope Celebration Trio Gift Set is themed for the "red envelope" tradition of gifting. Inside this coffee trio, you'll find a sampling of three exclusive Klatch Coffee roasts, each packaged in 113-gram bags:

Eureka: Be one of the first to try our new soon-to-be-released Eureka blend, and indulge in smooth milk chocolatey vibes, caramelized sugar, and creamy vanilla.
Mocha Java: Made from various beans from the Java, Indonesia region, this blend boasts flavor notes of brandy-toned chocolate, nutty almonds, and hints of blueberry top notes.
Organic Sumatra: Experience the delightful notes of baker's chocolate, graham cracker, and a cedar finish in every cup of this coffee from Sumatra, Indonesia.

Read more