Keurig K60/K65 Special Edition Brewer Review

Keurig K60/65 Special Edition Review

Reviewed by: Jennifer

Rating: 4.5 Stars

In my Keurig K60/65 review I’ll explain why this brewer is a great option if you really prefer the “classic” styling reminiscent of the earlier, mid-2000s editions.  While doing my research there was a little confusion at first as the listing shows 2 model numbers – 60 and 65 as well as two different names “Special Edition” and “Signature Brewer”.

It is an excellent option to consider and is considered one of the more “high end” Keurigs. Fortunately, I’ve got the full scoop-a special thanks to my first cousin who owns this model, and loves it. And after I was given permission to test it out, I do too! (Thank you hun…) So if you want to go back to basics with an “old school” Keurig, look no further. This is it! Can you believe this baby has been around since 2001 and is still going strong?

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Dimensions

Approximate measurements:

14.9″ (height) x 14.2″ (depth) x 12.2″ (width)

Weight: 13.3 lbs

So basically, it’s pretty much mid-sized. When the handle is raised,  it puts the height close to 18″. As for the dispensing area clearance, the maximum height of the cup you can use is 5.25″, if you pull out the drip tray, it gives you a little more leeway and a cup with a max height of 7″ will fit easily. If you leave the tray in place it’s about 6″.

What’s Included?

In addition to the unit itself, a user guide, a sampler bonus pack of 12 K-Cup coffee pods and a water filter kit comes in tow (I elaborate more on this in the section Are the K60 and K65 the Same?) Both have a manufacturer’s stated one year warranty.

At first, I wasn’t able to locate the user manual on Amazon (that tends to be the case more so for older models like this one) Update: Both are included now. You can also check out a site called Cross Country Cafe. That’s a good place to find the older Keurig manuals, if you happen to be missing the guide with your brewer (as can happen from time to time).

Features

• One-touch operation with 3 brew sizes, 6, 8, and 10 oz.
• The water reservoir is backlit and removable for easy refilling
• Chrome-accented control panel is  backlit
• The brew temperature is adjustable
• Auto shutoff
• Removable drip tray
• Comes in Black or Brown 
• Accommodates different k-cup pods and reusable kcups

Buttons and Controls

First off, LOVE  the chrome accents. The handle you raise to open the brew head has it. The newer Keurigs just don’t have these…The control panel is situated to the right .

On the front you’ll see the panel with a backlit window and three brew size buttons, above them is the Menu button and above the window is the power button. The control panel has great  breadth of options like being able to adjust the temperature, clock and brew size by means of the menu button.

The small (6 oz) and large (10 oz) brew buttons, respectively, are pushed in order to change your settings, whether time, temperature, or to program auto-on/off. You would also push them to scroll through your options until you find the preferred settings.

One thing to note is that the brew sizes differ from what I read on the sales page. If you take a look at the manual, you’ll see they are indicated a little differently – 5.25, 7.25, and 9.25, respectively. Why it uses decimals, I don’t know, but for the sake of argument they can be rounded up to the nearest even number.

Setting the clock and time

You can set the clock just as you would any digital standalone clock; it will not lose the time display unless you unplug the unit, and you can also program the auto shutoff time through the control panel as well.

👉 Only if you are going to program the auto shutoff feature, does the clock needs to be set.

You can also program your K65 to turn on at a certain time – let’s say, hypothetically, 7am on a weekday  – but, as some other consumers mistakenly thought, it does not actually brew your cup at that time – it will just power it on and activate preheat mode… which is normally 4 minutes long. From there you’ll just choose the brew size setting and  you’ll still be in a great position to have a quick cup of joe before you get your busy day started.

Just FYI – the controls work independently of each other. You can set the clock and the time for the Auto-Off to kick in and they will both function simultaneously.

Other programming options

This Keurig model is one in which the temperature can be adjusted: the factory default setting is at 192 degrees F (the highest temp) but there is a five-degree window that can be adjusted via the control panel. The lowest setting is 187 degrees. The desired temp setting should be visible on the front window.

Yes, you can pause a brew cycle; you’d do this by mashing the power button. It may truncate the flow for the next cycle and produce a smaller amount next go-around, so it’s not always encouraged…but did want to mention you have the option.

As far as does it have a High Altitude setting? I’ve gone through both user guides and still cannot find anything on this one. Can’t believe you can program the temp but nothing on HA…So I’ve taken to inquiring about it in the open Q and A section. I will let you know and update if I find out anything.

Reservoir

The water reservoir, which is side-mounted, holds 60 oz which is a little bigger on average and should last through up to 10 brewings, give or take. It is very user-friendly; has a max fill line to prevent overfilling. It’s not only removable, but can also be filled or refilled when stationary through the lid on top, and the blue backlight will blink when it needs refilling.

If you decide to use the water filter kit, it’ll help keep impurities down. If yours doesn’t include it, the one to get is the Keurig Water Filter Kit for 1.0 models – it’s made to fit all the older models well (see the “Compatible Accessories” section)

It is important to “purge†this type of brewer if it has exceeded a week of inactivity as water can build up in the internal tank (separate from the reservoir – the user guide clarifies this well)

Drip Tray

The drip tray is removable to accommodate taller mugs and it holds up to 8 oz of overflow. Remove the drip tray assembly first and then the metal plate, then empty out any overflow from the drip tray. Both the plate and tray are dishwasher safe (top rack only).

Are the K60 and the K65 the Same?

Did you get confused by the ambiguity of this model name? I did too – and so did a few other inquiring shoppers. I know that Keurig nomenclature is not always a walk in the park to grasp.

I was confused, too, as the description for one said the water reservoir was 48 oz and the other was 60. ..Huh??

One thing I’ve learned having been in this niche for almost five years  – one industry secret  is that model numbers within the same decade number just have the addition of a few bonus accessories.

The K60 model comes with a bonus of 6 k-cup sampler and no water filter kit…the K65 contains  a 12-pack bonus k-cup sampler as well as the water filter kit. Yes, you read that right…and since the use of the water filter does make a difference, that may be the one to spring for.

I mention this because one consumer chose a K65 but received a K60 and felt compelled to inquire. Fortunately, the water filter kit that is sold separately, is pretty easy to acquire.

Compatible Accessories

If anything happens to be missing from the box due to oversight (it could also happen if you purchase a preowned model)  or you’re looking to enhance the use further, all of these items below will work well in tandem:

• Keurig 1.0 Water filter kit
• Replacement water reservoir
• My K-Cup Reusable filter
• All proprietary and non-proprietary pod brands
• Solofill K3 Gold Cup

Keurig K60/65 Consumer Reviews

Well, my cousin’s testimonial is mostly all positive, with about 3 years of ownership.  Now she uses distilled water and descales it semi-regularly; many owners report that distilled water makes descaling minimal if not a non-issue altogether. We got to talking about water chemistry and she admits that she doesn’t think distilled water tastes “flat†or anything (To each his own as they say 😊.)

Of course, I sought out other opinions too, I was glad to discover a great many positive reviews from users. Some people compared the K65 to another older model in terms of features; mostly their beef was that the predecessor had additional brew sizes.

Apparently there is a trick to getting a >10 oz cup and that is to push the 6 oz button twice, once before starting to brew and then again after opening the chamber and closing it. It tripped them up at first, but when they made this discovery it got easy.

The most satisfied users went with a combo of bottled/filtered water. Although this unit comes with a water filter that is not hard to install (which requires periodic replacement) these are the best types to use for the best taste and the least amount of maintenance.

Also a number of users really like the lit-up touchscreen and the reservoir light; in a dimly lit kitchen and with some of us having a tendency to be, well, a little uh, groggy in the morning it’s a big help 😊. One reviewer in particular thought it was “really bright”.

In general, being able to “intercept” a brew cycle won the Special Edition the most brownie points. It really helps when you’re trying to balance the strength/weakness and water/brew strength ratio issues because try as we might, it’s still guesswork.

With regard to the color – some have said that the black and brown are almost indistinguishable.

Pros

• You can adjust the brewing temperature within a 5-degree threshold
• You can use non-proprietary brand pods
• Attractive backlit touchscreen
• User-friendly water reservoir with blinking feature
• It will read “Not Ready/Add Water†in the control panel window if it is not secure in the base.
• Easy to program clock and auto-shutoff

Cons

• A little harder to find in new condition
• Screen display can be a tad ambiguous
• A little more expensive than some of the other Keurig 1.0 models

Price

I have good news and bad here – The bad first: It may be harder to find since it’s a little more “old school”; this model is no longer carried by the “big box” retailers   (well it’s definitely not one I see when I visit Walmart or Krogers…) So your best bet is probably going to be online.

The good news – the price has come down a bit from when I first started this review  – it’s still more than what my cousin paid for hers, but you know how that goes…supply,  demand, scarcity.  It may depend on whether or not you might be willing to agree to a pre-owned model.

No difference in whether or not you chose a brown or black version, I’m afraid that’s the breaks….You do get the nice bonuses, however.

Conclusion

My overall rating: 4.5 Stars

Overall this is a very nice, intermediate level brewer with a few more additional features than the Elite series, rated high in terms of usability, ease of cleaning, durability and overall quality of coffee, and longevity. Versatile in that it will accommodate pretty much each and all 1.0 K-cup coffee brands as well as many of the refillable K-Cups available in said 1.0 version.

I also think it’s a little more sturdy than some of the newer models.

I really like it; I do wish this model were easier to find, and more prevalent.  This design is exactly what made the Keurig great and really put it on the map.

There you have it, a Keurig that’s been on the market for 20 years and still has loyal fans. Would I buy this one? You bet.