Nespresso Researched
Essenza Mini
The smallest, cheapest way into Original-line espresso — barely bigger than a mug.
Tiny kitchensBudget pods
$179.95Read review →Buy
Keurig Researched
K-Café SMART
The K-Cup machine for households that also want lattes — a built-in frother handles the milk the rest of the Keurig line ignores.
Lattes from K-CupsHouseholds split between coffee and milk drinksIced coffee
7.7
BrewSift Score
Good
$199.99
Approximate — verify the latest price
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Should you buy it?
Buy it if
- Lattes from K-Cups
- Households split between coffee and milk drinks
- Iced coffee
- Built-in hot and cold milk frother
Skip it if
- K-Cup coffee is not espresso, so lattes taste milder than Nespresso-based ones
- Frother is a separate part to wash
- App and WiFi add features most owners will not use
Not for you? Consider the Nespresso Essenza Mini — or see all pod & capsule machines .
The verdict
This is the K-Elite's answer to milk drinks. Alongside six brew sizes from a 2oz shot to a 12oz mug, it adds a frother with three hot settings and a cold one, so a K-Cup shot plus frothed milk becomes a passable latte or cappuccino without a second appliance. WiFi and the Keurig app add per-capsule brew settings and scheduling, which is convenience rather than flavour. It is still K-Cup coffee, so the espresso-style intensity of a Nespresso shot is not on the menu.
BrewSift Score breakdown
Scored across the dimensions that matter for pods. The overall is a weighted average — see the formula.
Drink quality7.0
Convenience9.0
Drink variety8.6
Pod cost & value6.6
Build quality7.4
Pros & cons
What we like
- Built-in hot and cold milk frother
- Six sizes from a 2oz shot to 12oz
- Huge K-Cup range plus reusable-filter support
Watch-outs
- K-Cup coffee is not espresso, so lattes taste milder than Nespresso-based ones
- Frother is a separate part to wash
- App and WiFi add features most owners will not use
Specifications
- System
- K-Cup
- Sizes
- 2oz and 4oz shots, plus 6, 8, 10, 12oz
- Milk
- Built-in frother, 3 hot settings and 1 cold
- Tank
- 60oz removable
- Reusable pod
- My K-Cup filter, sold separately
What owners say
Owner reviews sit at 4.5 stars across nearly 25,000 ratings, the strongest review base of any machine on this page.
From the journal
Where the K-Café SMART comes up in our guides.
Complete your setup
The gear that pairs with the K-Café SMART to make a complete, working setup.
Pick the pods
Solimo (Amazon)
Solimo Colombian Medium Roast, 100 ct
The box you re-order is the real running cost of a Keurig — per-pod prices run from about 39 cents to nearly a dollar.
$33.08Buy
Froth the milk
Nespresso
Aeroccino4
A standalone frother adds café-style milk foam for lattes and cappuccinos without a steam wand.
$74.99Buy
Take it with you
Zojirushi
Stainless Steel Mug 16oz
A vacuum-insulated mug keeps your coffee hot for hours and doesn't leak in a bag.
$37Buy
Alternatives to consider
All pod & capsule machines
Nespresso Researched
CitiZ
Original-line espresso with a thick crema and the widest third-party pod ecosystem.
True espresso shotsThird-party pods
$297.49Read review →Buy
Nespresso Researched
Vertuo Plus Deluxe
The pick for mug drinkers, not espresso: barcoded pods auto-brew everything up to a 14oz cup — priced into Vertuo's costlier capsule system.
Crema & cup-size varietyNo-fuss mornings
$199.49Read review →Buy
Keurig Researched
K-Elite
The premium K-cup machine: strong-brew mode, iced setting, big sizes, and a large reservoir.
K-cup householdsBig mugs & iced
$149.99Read review →Buy
Nespresso Researched
Vertuo Pop+ Deluxe
The cheapest current route into Vertuo — five cup sizes, a side-mounted tank, and a footprint built for a small counter.
Cheapest way into VertuoSmall counters
$159.95Read review →Buy