Even if you never touch the scheduled brew, however, a trove of other tools waits, the most significant of which being Café Creations and Brew ID. If you’re the only person in your household who drinks coffee, or you’re only an occasional coffee drinker, then yes, owning a Keurig is worth it. However, if you’re really picky about your beans or need to brew a big batch of coffee for tired keurig latte maker family members or roommates, you’re probably better off with a traditional drip coffee machine. You can use any milk you choose in your milk frother, but some milk works better than others. The best milk to use is fresh whole milk because it creates the richest and most consistent foam. Fat-free, skim, and 2% milk all froth easily, but they create lighter and less sturdy foam.
You cannot brew an authentic espresso shot with a Keurig, but you can brew a concentrated shot that emulates an espresso shot. You’ll then prepare your milk the same way you would for an iced latte. Pour chilled milk into your milk frother up to the LATTE line and press the cold button before pressing start. Once your milk is frothed, pour it into a cup filled with ice. Pour your coffee shot over the top, and you have an iced latte. I mentioned above a Keurig is not an espresso coffee maker.
It can’t create an authentic espresso shot, but it can still make a concentrated shot of regular coffee. Homemade lattes are also incredibly easy to make once you have the shot of espresso. While a Keurig isn’t an espresso machine and is not capable of making an authentic espresso shot, you can still use your Keurig coffee machine to make a latte. Use any K-Cup®pod to brew coffee, or make delicious lattes and cappuccinos. Prepare your favorite K-Cup® pod, a dark or espresso roast will provide the best results. Choose the latte or cappuccino button on the machine to assure the correct size and brew method.
If your Keurig doesn’t have a milk frother built into the machine, you can buy one separately. Choose between hot frothing for hot cappuccinos and lattes, or cold frothing for iced beverages. Press one of the two buttons and within two to three minutes, regular milk will transform into a creamy, frothy consistency. Customers give this frother high marks and say that it lives up to the brand’s promise that it works equally well with dairy and non-dairy milk alike.
So, how do they make ‘shots’ for your cappuccino and latte? What K-Cafe and K-Latte do is brew a really strong concentrate of coffee that resembles a shot of espresso. Instead of brewing an 8 or 10 oz of coffee out of the K-Cup pod, it will brew a 2 oz coffee concentrate that you use as the base of the cappuccino or latte. This Keurig is nearly identical to our budget pick, just with a few nifty upgrades—namely, built-in storage that holds up to nine used pods. (It also features built-in cord storage to keep electrical components out of sight).
Steamed milk is less voluminous but has a thicker mouthfeel. Frothing, on the other hand, creates a more cloud-like foam that, while light and airy, dissipates quicker. Frothing works for cappuccinos, but steaming is considered best for lattes. While we did get that pillowy layer of foam on the lattes we made, the milk incorporated into the drink was noticeably different texture-wise than a true barista-made latte. But water moves through pods in a hurry, so what about the weight-to-water ratio issue, and over- or under-saturation? Keurig states that the new brewer continues on the five-needle entry points into the pods — many older and/or smaller machines have just one, but the K-Supreme Plus SMART has five.
To brew anything in a Keurig, start by turning the machine on to heat up the water. Within 30 seconds to a minute, the water will be hot enough to brew. Insert a K-Cup into the machine, press the brew button and choose from a range of customizable options, including the strength and size of your cup. Once you’ve made your selections, the machine punctures a hole into the top of the vacuum-sealed K-Cup. Hot water is forced into the K-Cup and filters through the pod, finally distributing a delicious beverage into your mug in one smooth stream. And it does it quickly, making café drinks from start to finish in about 3 minutes.