Coffee Facts

Keurig 2.0: Brew Settings 1-6 Explained


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Keurig coffee machines have undergone various design changes over the years. Initially, the limited features only allowed you to make a hot coffee cup with one press of a button. Now, you can adjust settings and use a touch screen to get the perfect coffee mug.

The Keurig 2.0 has six settings that help you adjust the temperature, amount of water, and coffee. Unfortunately, there is no specific information about the Keurig 2.0 coffee maker on the user website, which leads to a lot of guessing.

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This guide will help you to adjust the brew settings on your Keurig 2.0 coffee machine.

Keurig 2.0 Brew Settings

The Keurig 2.0 has six preferred brew settings, which you can use with your K-carafe or other coffee cups.

Setting 1: Purple

This brew setting displays a purple color on the screen and is for brewing a batch of coffee using K-Carafe coffee pods. You can get up to 30 ounces of coffee, which can serve 4-5 mug-sized coffees.

Setting 2: Yellow

This dedicated setting appears yellow and gives the option of brewing 14 and 16 ounces of strong coffee. It’s great for single cups and strong enough to deliver a punch.

Setting 3: Green

This setting appears green on the screen and brews 12 and 14 ounces of coffee. It’s great for single-cup brewing.

Setting 4: Brown

Setting 4 appears brown and brews various coffee sizes from 4 to 10 ounces. It’s great for a small cup of coffee. This setting is excellent for espressos.

Setting 5: Froth

This unique setting produces froth in coffee and other brews. It appears cyan and is excellent for frothy drinks such as cafe lattes and cappuccinos.

Setting 6: Orange

This orange setting allows you to brew 6, 8, or 10 ounces of hot brew. You can use this setting for a mochaccino or hot cocoa.

How To Access Keurig 2.0 Brew Settings

If you have a Keurig 2.0 coffee machine, the chances are that you’ve identified the “preferred brew settings.” However, these settings may be unavailable to you, especially if you’re not using Keurig cups.

The cup covers have an outer lavender, white, or gray ring with the Keurig seal. The machine has an optical sensor that reads these symbols and unlocks the menus.

The system displays an error when you use alternative cups–this is limiting and frustrating. You need to unlock the settings to enjoy your preferred brew.

  • The Keurig 2.0 standard menu is easy to use. Usually, you open up your machine and place your K-cup in the receptacle. The machine then punches a hole at the top and bottom of the cup.
  •  Once you close the machine, you get the standard menu, allowing you to brew up to 10 ounces of coffee. However, you can unlock the settings by changing the position of the pin.
  • To do this, open the machine and take out your K-cup.
  • Then, pull the lever down towards you so that the needle is out of the way. The lever is an adjustable part below the cupholder. You’ll notice it has two holes on either side.
  • Put your K-cup back in and allow the needle to rest against the cup. Shut the machine, and the six settings automatically open up.

However, if you don’t want to fiddle with the lever, you can try another  Keurig 2.0 hack.

Disclaimer: The method described in the link above will void your warranty. Follow the instructions at your own risk.

How To Set and Save Your Favorite Brew Settings

The following is a step-by-step guide for adjusting your settings and saving your favorite settings for future coffee brewing.

  •  First, bring out your K-cup pack and locate the number on the pack
  • Insert the pack inside the machine
  • Make sure the number of the K-cup pack matches the number on the Keurig 2.0 screen 
  •  Select your brew settings. For example, for a strong cup of fresh coffee, select the “2-3 cups” setting
  • Press the favorites button and watch the screen. Three hearts will appear. Select one of the hearts, and the screen will bring a pop-up question, “Add favorite?”. Press yes to confirm and save your choice.
  • You can save up to three favorites. To use them, insert a K-cup as required, and then press the favorites icon. Then select the setting you wish to use.

However, if you try to use a non-approved K-cup, the system fails to recognize the cup and displays an “Oops!” message.

You can also brew K-Carafe with settings 1 and 4 and use the rest of the settings for fancier coffee cups and additional beverage types such as hot cocoa.

Conclusion

You can make temporary and permanent adjustments to your Keurig 2.0 to access additional settings 1-6. However, be careful and use videos to help you adjust your coffee machine safely. Alternatively, you can get your favorite  Keurig cups and enjoy your coffee. 

Happy Caffeinating! 

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