Keurig K545 Review

Keurig K545
Overall Rating
88
Coffee Quality (40%)
85
Design & Features (20%)
95
Durability (20%)
85
Ease of Use (10%)
95
Brand Reputation (10%)
85
The Bottom Line
The crown jewel of the Keurig 2.0 pod-scanning system, feature-rich K500 series brewers offer 11 brew sizes (up to 30 oz) and massive 80 oz reservoir. Now discontinued, we recommend the Keurig K-Duo Plus instead.
The Coffee Maven's editors select and review products independently. We may receive a commission if you purchase through one of our links at no additional cost to you.

Key Features of the Keurig K545

Key Features of Keurig K545

  • Product Line/System: Keurig 2.0 Plus
  • K-Cup Compatibility: Keurig 2.0 K-Cup, K-Mug, and K-Carafe pods, and ground coffee with the Keurig 2.0 My K-Cup
  • Brew Sizes: 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, 16 oz, 18 oz, 22 oz, 26 oz, 30 oz
  • Water Reservoir: 80 oz
  • Water Filter: Compatible but not included
  • Display: 2.8" XL color touch display
  • Temp Control: Yes
  • Strength Control: Yes
  • Dimensions: 10.4"W x 13.4"D x 13.6"H
  • Weight: 11.9 lbs
  • Other Features: Auto-On/Off, removable drip tray, high altitude setting, customizable clock, favorites settings, customizable wall paper, hot water on demand, iced beverages, nightlight

Keurig K545 Overview

In August 2014, Keurig unveiled their 2.0 brewing system, which added 2 new (big) features:

  • Pod-scanning system to lock out unlicensed pods
  • Larger K-Carafe pods for up to 30 oz pots

The Keurig 2.0 brewers came in 4 different series — K200, K300, K400, and K500 — with each series progressively adding more features.

Within each series, Keurig released multiple different models. For example, the K500 series includes the K500, K525, K545, K550, and K575.

Here's the important part: All brewers in each series are exactly the same. That's right, the K545 and and all other K500 brewers are the same machine. The only difference is what's included when you buy the brewer.

Specifically, each model number includes (or doesn't include) these accessories:

  • K-Carafe (the actual carafe, not the pods)
  • Charcoal water filter starter kit
  • Pod variety pack
  • Keurig 2.0 My K-Cup

Our Buyer's Guide section below covers the differences between all 4 series (plus this K545 model versus other K500 brewers).

In this section, let's look at the entire Keurig 2.0 system.

First, all Keurig 2.0 models brew 10 different sizes from 4-30 oz using one of four different types of pods:

  • K-Cup: 4-10 oz
  • K-Mug: 10-18 oz
  • K-Carafe: 22-30 oz

Unfortunately, K-Mug and K-Carafe pods have since been discontinued, which eliminates the major selling point of these brewers.

Second, all Keurig 2.0 models have some type of digital touchscreen interface, Keurig's new Quiet Brew Technology, which actually is less noisy than their original brewers, Strength Control for a stronger cup, and a High Altitude setting.

Pros
  • Capable of brewing both single-serve coffee and carafes up to 30 oz
  • Brews wide range of sizes from 4 oz cup to 30 oz carafe
  • Most advanced model in the Keurig 2.0 series with an 80 oz reservoir, 2.8" XL color display, hot water on demand, and a nightlight
  • Comes with a reusable Keurig 2.0 My K-Cup
Cons
  • Discontinued model
  • Part of the Keurig 2.0 series, which has pod-scanning system to lock out unlicensed K-Cup pods
  • Compatible with K-Mug and K-Carafe pods, which Keurig no longer produces, so why get a pod-based carafe brewer when you can only use K-Cup pods?
  • Doesn't come with the carafe, K-Cup/K-Carafe variety pack, or water filter kit

Is the Keurig K545 for you?

Are Keurig K545 for you?

As a discontinued series, it's our duty to provide you with alternatives currently in production. If you're looking at getting a Keurig 2.0 brewer (models K200-K575), take a look at these brewers instead:

  • K-Duo: Keurig's replacement for their 2.0 brewers, the K-Duo brews both single-serve K-Cup coffee up to 12 oz and full carafes up to 60 oz (double the volume of Keurig 2.0 brewers). What the K-Duo loses from 2.0 brewers are the 14-18 oz "large cup" brew sizes and the K-Carafe pod. Instead, you brew carafes by dosing ground coffee into the reusable Gold Tone mesh filter.
  • K-Elite: Keurig's high-end home coffee maker, the K-Elite maxes out at 12 oz (so no full pots) but it has every other premium feature: 75 oz reservoir, Hot Water and Iced brew modes, Strength and Temp Control, a High Altitude setting, and a durable, brushed metal exterior that looks better than any Keurig brewer to date.

As promised above, let's take a deeper look at the differences between the 4 Keurig 2.0 series:

FeatureK200K300K400K500
Reservoir40 oz60 oz70 oz80 oz
Display2.4" b+w touch2.4" b+w touch2.4" color touch2.8" XL color touch
Max K-Cup Brew Size16 oz16 oz16 oz18 oz
Strength ControlYesYesYesYes
Temp ControlNoYesYesYes
Customizable ClockNoYesYesYes
Customizable WallpaperNoYesYesYes
Set FavoritesNoYesYesYes
Hot Water ModeNoNoNoYes
Iced ModeNoNoNoYes
Water Tank NightlightNoNoNoYes

As for the K500-series brewers (this is a Keurig K545 review, after all) here are the differences:

  • K500: Comes with carafe and K-Cup/K-Carafe variety pack
  • K525: Comes with Keurig 2.0 My K-Cup
  • K545: Comes with Keurig 2.0 My K-Cup
  • K550: Comes with carafe, K-Cup/K-Carafe variety pack, and water filter starter kit
  • K560: Comes with K-Cup/K-Carafe variety pack and water filter starter kit
  • K575: Comes with K-Cup/K-Carafe variety pack and water filter starter kit

Bottom Line: If you're seriously considering the K545 (or any other Keurig 2.0 brewer), just get the K-Duo. It's the same type of brewer, only better. But if you're dead-set on getting the K545, well, just click the button below.

Keurig K545 Review: An In-Depth Look

Check out the Keurig K545!

Check out Keurig K545!

Keurig K545
The crown jewel of the Keurig 2.0 pod-scanning system, feature-rich K500 series brewers offer 11 brew sizes (up to 30 oz) and massive 80 oz reservoir. Now discontinued, we recommend the Keurig K-Duo Plus instead.

More Keurig Reviews From The Coffee Maven

Keurig K-Mini

Keurig K-Mini
Overall Rating: 84
The super-slim successor to the K10/K15, the Keurig K-Mini is just 4.5" wide and brews 6-10 oz with its "fill before each use" reservoir. If you want fancy features, look elsewhere. If you want compact coffee, look here.

Keurig K155

Keurig K155
Overall Rating: 83
A sleek, UL Commercial listed brewer with a 90 oz reservoir and color touch LCD display, the K155 is designed for office use but is nearly identical to the customer-minded K150 (or K150P for direct water line compatibility).

Keurig K475

Keurig K475
Overall Rating: 87
With 10 different brew sizes up to 30 oz, a sizable 70 oz reservoir, and an intuitive color touch display, K400 series brewers made K-Cup coffee easy. Now discontinued, we recommend the Keurig K-Duo Plus instead.
About The Coffee Maven
bryan de luca
Bryan De Luca

I'm Bryan but most people know me as The Coffee Maven. I grew up outside Boston, Massachusetts and received my Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Providence College. My first introduction to coffee was during my college days, when I used it as a source of caffeine to fuel late-night study sessions, but soon I became obsessed with the chemistry of coffee. How did changes to water temperature or contact time affect its taste? Why do beans from Africa taste fruity while beans from Indonesia taste spicy? I launched The Coffee Maven in February 2017 to explore these questions and help others brew their perfect cup. Welcome to my site, and thanks for reading!

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