Keurig K-cup coffee machines are convenient and versatile. They’re capable of producing just about any classic flavor of coffee that you can imagine, and all you have to do is pop in a K-cup single-serve pod and let the hot water flow.
Whether you’ve made a full switch to decaffeinated coffee for health reasons or you just prefer a decaf brew in the afternoon, there are tons of options to help you meet your needs.
"The best coffee pod I've ever tasted"
Yes, we mean that. Finally, specialty coffee for your KCup machine, roasted fresh to your order by our friends at Atlas Coffee in Austin, TX! Get 50% OFF to try it with code ROASTYPODS
At a Glance: The Best Decaf K-Cups For Your Keurig Machine
Don’t think that just because you’re using a single-serve type of coffee maker, you can’t get delicious decaf options in all kinds of flavors, roast levels, and varieties.
We’ve put together a list of our best decaf K-cups. Even the most die-hard coffee lovers will appreciate the flavor of these pods, without the post-caffeine jitters of regular coffee.
Quick Summary: The Best Decaf K-Cups For Your Keurig Machine
 | Our Top Pick Lifeboost Decaf Coffee Pods |
| Check Price → |
 | Maud's Dark Roast Tall Dark and Handsome |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | San Francisco Bay Coffee Decaf French Roast |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | Krispy Kreme Classic Medium Roast Decaf K-Cup Pods |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend Decaf Pods |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | The Original Donut Shop Decaf Medium Roast K-Cup Pods |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Dark Magic Decaf Pods |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | McCafe Decaf Premium Medium Roast K-Cup Coffee Pods |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | Dunkin' Decaf Medium Roast K-Cup Pods |
| Check on Amazon → |
Our Top Pick: The 9 Best Decaf K-Cups
Lifeboost Decaf Coffee Pods
Lifeboost Decaf Coffee Pods
The Non-GMO, single-origin, USDA-certified organic Low-Acid Healthy Coffee is shade-grown & sun-dried high in the mountains of Central America, and is delicious, immune-boosting.
If you’re looking for a pure, natural coffee that is guaranteed to be easy on your stomach, you need to try Lifeboost Coffee. This coffee is less acidic than the typical store-bought coffee, so it’s more stomach-friendly.
It’s also tested by a third party to show that it’s free of pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals, and mycotoxins.
Add this to the fact that Lifeboost coffee is single-origin, non-GMO, and certified organic, and this is the ideal choice for someone who is fastidious about what they put in their body.
Things We Like:
- The lower acidity helps prevent the heartburn and indigestion caused by some coffees.
- This coffee is non-GMO and USDA-certified organic.
- The coffee beans are grown sustainably and the farmers are paid a fair-trade wage.
Things We Don’t Like:
- These pods are more expensive than the ones you find on store shelves.
Maud’s Dark Roast Tall Dark and Handsome
If you love a good dark roast blend and don’t want to sacrifice the natural flavors and quality when it comes to decaf coffee, then Maud’s is a sure bet.
This brand is a fantastic example of water-processed decaf done right, with none of the chemicals you’d find in standard decaf.
Things We Like:
- The dark roast coffee offers a deep, rich, and bold flavor – you’ll be surprised at the quality of this coffee pod.
- The coffee is made from 100% arabica Swiss Water Process beans, meaning you’re getting a quality, all-natural, chemical-free cup with every pod.
- The coffee pods are 100% recyclable, which is a huge plus!
Things We Don’t Like:
- There are some quality control problems with the pods, and your Keurig machine may have a hard time piercing through the top foil, causing the pod to “explode” during brewing. It’s a real shame considering the quality of the coffee.
San Francisco Bay Coffee Decaf French Roast
San Francisco Bay’s decaf offering is bold and unique, but the packaging is even more so. With a distinctive eco-friendly pod design and a commitment to only sending out fresh-roasted coffee from Central and South America, you’ll love reaching for these K-cups in the morning.
Things We Like:
- We love that these pods are completely commercially compostable and eco-friendly! Have your coffee and feel guilt-free about the environmental impact of the pods!
- The coffee is roasted and packaged fresh from the manufacturer to ensure a balanced taste.
- The coffee’s rich flavor profile is amazingly strong and bold for a K-cup.
Things We Don’t Like:
- The packaging has some quality control issues: the concave tops are not uniform, so sometimes the Keurig machine has trouble piercing through the foil.
- Since they’re not sealed like standard K-cups, the pods can lose freshness if left out in the open. They should be sealed in an airtight bag to stay fresh.
Krispy Kreme Classic Medium Roast Decaf K-Cup Pods
There’s nothing like a Krispy Kreme donut, except maybe their delicious coffee. The decaf coffee pods from Krispy Kreme deliver a bold, smooth flavor that doesn’t quit; you might not even believe that it’s decaf!
Things We Like:
- These pods pack a smooth, bold taste that pairs amazingly well with donuts! The medium roast coffee is an excellent balance between light roast decaf coffee and dark, without the bitter taste or acidity that you may get from a breakfast blend.
- These pods come from a trusted brand; Krispy Kreme has been around since the 1930s and knows how to make a great, classic cup of coffee.
Things We Don’t Like:
- The decaf pods don’t taste exactly like the standard, store-bought Krispy Kreme decaf, which can be disappointing if that’s what you’re used to.
- The K-cups are not recyclable or eco-friendly.
Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend Decaf Pods
This medium roast high-quality coffee has a robust flavor and syrupy taste without being overpowering and is a great option to reach for during the morning rush. Just pop it into the machine, and you’ve got a delicious brew of creamy coffee in seconds.
Even better, this decaf blend is Swiss Water processed and Rainforest Alliance Certified, so you can feel good about reaching for an organic and environmentally-friendly cup of full-bodied coffee.
Things We Like:
- This decaf coffee is all-natural and chemical-free, so you’ll enjoy a delicious cup without the bitter aftertaste.
- The excellent flavor is bold and rich enough that you can brew a large cup of coffee without the brew becoming too weak!
Things We Don’t Like:
- While the flavor is there, it’s not the same as the drip coffee you can expect in-store at a Caribou location, which is a bit of a bummer.
- These cups come at a higher price point than much of the competition.
The Original Donut Shop Decaf Medium Roast K-Cup Pods
There’s nothing like a no-fuss cup of Donut Shop coffee. This is Keurig’s offering in the K-cup space, and it’s a delicious one.
This classic roast gives off nostalgic diner-coffee notes without bitterness or burnt taste. It’s a safe and versatile option that tastes great on its own or as a customized drink with all the cream, sugar, or syrup your heart desires!
Things We Like:
- The aroma of this coffee is divine and will make your mouth water before you even get a chance to sip it!
- The brew is bold and dark, with no unpleasant aftertaste. It goes down smoothly and can easily be enjoyed plain.
- This coffee is an excellent value and reasonably priced for the number of pods you get in a package. The quality of the coffee is excellent for the price!
Things We Don’t Like:
- You may find grounds in your coffee, which is a disappointment because the issue is not with the coffee itself but with the quality control of the cups.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Dark Magic Decaf Pods
Green Mountain is an unassuming brand that offers a no-fuss cup of coffee, but you may be surprised at just how bold their decaf offering can be!
This brew isn’t for the faint of heart, but those who love a strong coffee (regardless of caffeine content) will jump for joy over these dark roast decaf K-Cups. With all the flavor and none of the bitterness, this coffee is an excellent value for the price!
Things We Like:
- With a deep, intense taste, this coffee is excellent served black and an ideal base for additives.
- The green mountain brand is committed to becoming 100% sustainable, responsibly sourced, and Fair Trade, which is a big plus if you’re environmentally conscious or concerned with labor rights.
- The price is unbeatable for such a bold and flavorful cup of coffee!
Things We Don’t Like:
- There have been some issues with quality control leading to weak seals on the foil top of the K-Cups.
- Coffee grounds have been known to leak from the pods.
McCafe Decaf Premium Medium Roast K-Cup Coffee Pods
By far one of the most popular decaf K-cup options for coffee drinkers, there’s a reason these McCafe Premium medium roast single-serve coffee pods beat out other, more premium brands.
From the value to the strong, balanced, recognizable flavor of a McDonald’s cup of coffee, these pods aren’t fancy, but they’re a warm and comforting option when you reach for that second cup during the workday.
Things We Like:
- The familiar taste of a McDonald’s cup of coffee is still there, and it’s as bold as ever!
- These K-cups are an excellent value at such a low price point per cup! It’s a good low-priced alternative to more expensive house blends from its competitors.
Things We Don’t Like:
- The pods use a paper filter on the inside, but the filter can become faulty and tear, causing grounds to be spilled into your cup.
Dunkin’ Decaf Medium Roast K-Cup Pods
Why should you have to leave the house to get a great cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee? There are so many reasons Dunkin’ has become one of America’s favorite coffee shops, but one of them is their bold, distinct flavors!
These medium decaf K-Cups are about as no-frills as you can get, and the coffee is versatile enough to be enjoyed black or with additives like sugar or syrup!
Things We Like:
- There’s no difference in flavor from the decaf coffee you’d get in-store at a Dunkin’ location!
- These K-cups make a very drinkable coffee without that bitter aftertaste that you may associate with decaf coffee.
Things We Don’t Like:
- You may find coffee grounds in the bottom of your cup with these pods, which is certainly not ideal.
Education
What does it mean if my decaf coffee is “Swiss Water” decaf?
Swiss Water Decaf processing is a natural process by which water is used to remove the caffeine from coffee beans before the roasting process begins.
This method uses no chemicals, is certified organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, and Halal, and is environmentally friendly.
It’s an all-natural alternative to the traditional method of decaffeinating coffee, where chemical solvents such as methylene chloride are used to strip the beans of the caffeine.
This method is safe, but there’s still a chance there will be trace amounts of the chemicals left over in the coffee.
How do I make my Keurig coffee taste the best that it can?
There are several things you can do to help boost the flavor and quality of your Keurig Coffee.
For one, make sure your Keurig K-Cup machine is routinely cleaned and descaled since mineral buildup can cause even the highest-quality coffee to taste bad. You can do this with plain white vinegar or commercially available descalers.
Also, make sure you’re using water that isn’t full of minerals like calcium and lime since that can again affect your coffee taste. Store-bought drinking water is best.
Another tip is to ensure that you’re not brewing with too much water. While we at Roasty Coffee love a good-sized cup, most Keurig K-cups can only handle about 8-12 ounces of water at the most before the coffee begins to weaken.
If you’re looking to fill up your travel mug or carafe, you’ll need to use more than one pod.
I’ve heard some K-cups explode. How do I prevent that?
Unfortunately, no design is perfect, and sometimes there can be issues with the pods properly brewing. This may be due to the manufacturer adding too much air into the pod.
Other times, the coffee maker may not have pierced the foil properly, so the water pools around the pod instead of in it, causing it to “melt” or “burst.”
If there’s too much air in the pod, the best thing you can do is to pierce the foil, then open the machine back up to allow any excess air to escape before closing your machine again and beginning the brew.
If the foil on the top of your pod didn’t pierce correctly, simply take a fork, toothpick, or other small, sharp instrument and poke through the foil where the piercer should go. Then reinsert the pod back into the machine and close the lid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do K-Cups have the same amount of caffeine as normal decaf?
Yes, the K-Cups contain around the same dose of caffeine as you would find in traditional decaf coffee beans, around 1-3% of the original caffeine amount.
When you brew a decaf K-Cup, you’ll only be ingesting trace amounts of caffeine, just like with a regular brew.
Are K-cups cheaper than regular coffee?
There’s a bit of a price spectrum here. K-Cups are cheaper over the long run than a cup of Starbucks, for example, but they’re a bit more expensive than buying your own beans or even pre-ground coffee. But it just depends on how you prefer to get your coffee.
K-Cups can vary in price depending on the brand and whether you buy them in bulk. Still, the average cost per cup seems to hover around $0.65, while regular drip coffee is somewhere around $0.25 per cup. Overall, Keurig K-Cups are about two or three times as expensive as a cup of drip coffee.
However, if you routinely hit the coffee shop on your way to work, K-Cups are an affordable option that will save you a fortune in the long run.
Is decaf coffee better for you than regular coffee?
There’s no reason to think that the decaf version of your favorite basic coffee is any better or worse for you than the caffeinated version, although there are some differences, mainly in how the coffee is made.
For starters, caffeinated coffee can have some health benefits if taken in moderation, which you don’t get if you’re drinking decaf.
There are also a few health risks associated with decaf coffee made using robusta beans, which have been linked to increased cholesterol due to the higher fat content.
So, if you’re drinking decaf coffee and are worried about health risks, we recommend choosing 100% arabica beans.
Conclusion
When choosing the best decaf K-cup pod for your household, make sure you consider the roast level and coffee flavor. You should also consider how eco-friendly the pods are if your environmental footprint is an important factor.
There are many brands out there that offer recyclable or compostable pods.
It’s also important to make sure you know exactly how to work your Keurig K-Cup coffee maker and all the quirks associated with it so that you can brew the best cup possible.
The more water you use, the weaker your cup of coffee will be. For instance, a K-cup will usually only brew a strong cup for 8 to 12 ounces at most. If you want extra coffee, it’s time to add a new pod!
The best part about decaf K-Cups is that it’s easy to experiment with new flavors and brands to find that brew that works perfectly for you without the effects of caffeine! So, dear coffee lover, do your research and be open to trying new things!
Happy Caffeinating!
