Keurig is a friendly beverage brewing system for both household and business purposes. The American company Keurig Dr. Pepper is the institution that manufactures machines. Keurig products specialize in K-cup pods, which are single-serve coffee containers, other drink pods; and the exclusive machines making beverages by these pods.
One of the in-demand products of this brand is the drink brewer, which promises to help customers save time in making drinks and improve the taste of cups.
A Keurig brewer might wake you from a sleepy state every morning by the smell of coffee. But here comes a question “How often do you change the Keurig filter?”
For those people who have a Keurig machine in the kitchen, it needs to be taken care of to continue serving you. You should regularly replace the water filter, which is one of the most essential parts of a Keurig machine contributing to maintaining the lifetime of the machine.
Within this article, you will know exactly when you should change the Keurig water filter.
How often should you change the Keurig water filter?
The water filter of the Keurig machine is made of charcoal, it eradicates toxins from water while leaving behind salts and vital minerals. Therefore, it turns dark-colored after a while.
Since impurities are retained in the filter, it’s crucial to replace your water filter once every 2 months or after 60 tank refills to make sure it keeps functioning properly and is chlorine-free. Additionally, when the drink tastes different, you should consider changing the water filter as it is a signal of degradation. The more you use a Keurig brewer, the more you need to replace the water filter.
Some newest models like Keurig 2.0 coffee makers even have a reminder system reminding you to replace the water filter. It is said to be very useful for those people who cannot remember the last time brewing drinks by Keurig machine.
What happens if you do not change your Keurig filter?
Some people wonder if they need to change the filter of a Keurig brewer. Are there any consequences in case of not changing the filter?
If you leave the Keurig drink maker for a long time without having a new filter, the old one will become dirty as time passes. A cup of coffee is brewed mainly with water, therefore the quality of the water must be good enough. The water filter is the factor that decides whether the result released is good tasting or not.
Moreover, it can affect your health once the filter wears off. If the filter cartridges aren’t changed as needed, the system may stop working properly and may even turn into a major source of bacteria, mold, and other hazardous pollutants. As a sponge that gathers potential contaminants in your drinking water, picture your filter cartridge.
Thus, water filter replacement is very important not only for the life of the machine but also for the taste of the drink produced and your health.
How often should you drain your Keurig?
Refilling water in a Keurig machine brings irritation for some people when they have to make a cup of coffee every morning. That’s why they often fill the tank up in advance so that they can have coffee brewed next time. Then all they need to do is press the button and activate the machine.
However, this is harmful to your Keurig machine. Water is a flourishing environment for bacteria because they prefer to live and grow up with a huge number. If it is dark and humid enough, the bacteria will even spread more quicker than ever.
Of course, this is not the only consequence of not draining water in the Keurig machine. Every electric household appliance will suffer the same situation.
As a result, it is much safer once you usually drain your Keurig machine. To be more specific, it is said that Keurig users should not leave water for more than 12 hours before the next time brewing. Even though it might be more convenient and less time-consuming, you do not know what your water contained in the tank would be after half of a day at room temperature.
Keurig believes that the optimal temperature for brewing coffee, tea, and hot cocoa is 192 degrees Fahrenheit, which is also 88 degrees Celsius. Many kinds of bacteria are deceased at high temperatures which means when Keurig brewer gets hotter by being heated, the number of these bacteria might reduce. When the temperature rises to between 60-80 degrees Celsius (140-176 degrees Fahrenheit), bacteria die off due to the denaturation of enzymes. Furthermore, they are not able to perform metabolic processes outside the cell which will lead to infection in the water.
Besides, you should descale the water reservoir every week to ensure that the drinks produced would be pure and safe enough to enjoy.
Bottom lines
A Keurig machine is such an efficient household appliance to help your drinking coffee hobby easier anytime. As it brings you convenience and good-tasting cups of coffee, you need to keep it in good repair and get it maintained. Check up and change your water filter regularly to avoid bacteria and other pollutants sticking outside and inside the filter.
Not leaving water in a Keurig machine for too long and draining it before you make a new cup is strongly advised. After 12 hours, the water in the reservoir should be drained as it will be safe for the machine’s working system as well as your health.