14 Keurig K-Cups Ranked from Worst to Best

Staring at a wall of Keurig K-cups at the grocery store can be a bit scary. While we don’t have the iron stomach to do a taste test of all of the K-cup options out there, we did do a really solid sampling. Now presenting: the definitive Keurig cup ranking of the worst to the best cups that you never knew you needed

Only sacrifice we had to make is that now our body’s water content is 90 percent coffee. Worth it.

We started with the Keurig Coffee Lovers’ Collection Variety Pack, which you can buy directly from the brand. It gives you a smattering of options, which is helpful if you’re indecisive. Then we added in a few staples from other popular brands, and picks from our local grocery stores.

Ahead, find our ranking of some of the best Keurig K-cup options so you know which coffees are the best way to start your day. And which ones should be left behind on that overwhelming grocery store shelf to perish.

14 Popular Keurig K-Cups Ranked From Worst to Best

14. Krispy Kreme — Classic Medium Roast Coffee

We say this with love and kindness: Krispy Kreme should stick to making donuts.

These K-cups have a bitter flavor, and yet they were still watery. How the flavor managed to be both strong and watery is a bit of a mystery. Oh, we just solved it: it’s a skip.
Available on Amazon

13. Laughing Man — Dukale’s Blend

Dukale’s Blend does not leave us laughing, man. It is bitter and strong. And yes, we know coffee is bitter. It’s the nature of the beast. But this one feels like it has teeth sliding down your throat.

Maybe it’s what you need on a rough winter morning, but we’re leaving it behind.
Available on Amazon

12. Joe Knows Coffee — Wake Up Joe

Breathing in the fumes of this cup of coffee was like inhaling perfume. That doesn’t make sense, and yet that’s exactly what happened. It’s perfumey.

Taste-wise, this brew is strong and bitter, which might be good for some of you, but even with three Sweet’N Lows, we were still scrunching up our faces in pain. We don’t mind a bitter brew, but we want to taste the coffee bean at least a little bit.
Available on Amazon

11. Tully’s Coffee — Hawaiian Blend

One may think a Hawaiian blend would transport you to a sunny paradise. And perhaps if you like a strong, bitter coffee, this will transport you to a brighter, sunnier place.

However, this coffee is just a bit too strong for our liking and not in the right way. The bitterness feels off balance and there’s not enough sugar to fix it. We’ll stick with our piña colada.
Available on Amazon

10. Gloria Jean’s Coffees — Butter Toffee

We feel catfished by Miss Gloria Jean. Her butter toffee brew smelled divine, but when we took that first sip, we were met with a lot of coffee and very little butter.

And you know what? We wanted so much more butter. Oh, uh, the coffee was fine. But it didn’t deliver on the butter, so we’re not sold.
Available on Amazon

9. Kahlúa — Original Light Roast Coffee

This coffee has a delicious, caramely smell that made us so excited while it was brewing. However, after the first sip, we were completely let down.

The flavor is a bit thin and sad, and it doesn’t match the rich smell. A bit of a bait and switch, if you will.
Available on Amazon

8. Newman’s Own — Organic French Roast

You know those mornings after you’ve slept like trash because you stayed up too late binge-watching 10 episodes of The Great British Bake-Off? You know those mornings. At least, we do.

Those mornings were made for Newman’s Own French Roast. It’s strong as can be. It’s bitter with a bite. In a good way.
Available on Amazon

7. Revv — No Surrender Dark Roast Coffee

Revv’s No Surrender K-cup has a certain zing to it. It’s not too strong, not too weak. It’s basically Goldilocks’ Baby Bear of the coffee world — it’s just right.

It’s smooth and strong, but not bitter. That’s how we like our coffee and our boyfriends, in fact.
Available on Amazon

6. Cinnabon — Classic Cinnamon Roll

One of only two flavored options we included in this list (call us purists if you must), the Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll variety actually makes us a little bit giddy. We feel like we’re having something illegal for breakfast.

Unlike some dessert-like coffees (we won’t point fingers), you still taste the coffee in this, but you also get the cinnamon. Almost like a snickerdoodle in a cup, and we aren’t mad at that.
Available on Amazon

5. The Original Donut Shop — Regular Medium Roast Coffee

For those of us who don’t want our coffee to burn through our intestines, Donut Shop’s Regular brew is a little bit lighter. It’s a more neutral flavor for everyday sipping, and if you dunk your donuts in it, you’ll have your balanced breakfast.

We just uncovered why Dunkin’ is so-named.
Available on Amazon

4. Green Mountain — Dark Magic

Without even realizing we were drinking Green Mountain brand coffee, we wrote down that this coffee tasted “earthy.” What is this dark magic?

This brew is full-bodied and neutral, despite being a dark roast.
Available on Amazon

3. McCafe — Colombian Roast

Listen, McDonald’s may specialize in burgers and fries and Sprite that just won’t quit, but the coffee is also spot on. Krispy Kreme, take notes.

The flavor translates well from the restaurant to the K-cups, so you get the at-home experience when you brew your morning cup. It’s a robust, strong brew, and we wish had a donut to pair with each cup.
Available on Amazon

2. Dunkin’ Donuts — Original Blend Coffee

A+. No notes.

Oh, you want notes? Okay, well Dunkin’ K-cups have a full-bodied, rich flavor. When you think of coffee, this is it. It’s almost like Dunkin’ specializes in coffee. Who would have thought?
Available on Amazon

1. Starbucks — Pike Place Roast

Starbucks has plenty of different brews to choose from, but if you want a classic start to your day, pick the Pike Place roast. For millennials who are trying to save the world by making coffee at home instead of buying $8 lattes every day, this is the cup we’re making. Now about recycling these…
Available on Amazon

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Hedy Phillips

Hedy is a writer with bylines at POPSUGAR, Cosmo, InStyle, Brit + Co, and more. She devotes 99% of her time to snuggling with her cats and 100% of her money to following Harry Styles around on tour. She's always on the lookout for another slice of New York pizza and she's never met a Starbucks drink she doesn't like. Follow her on Twitter.