Solving Your Keurig® K-Cup® Leaking Problems
NOTE: It is good to experiment with an empty K-Cup® and Kap. That makes any messes that might occur much cleaner.
One of the pesky little problems that is reported to us is that of leaks while brewing a cup of coffee using the Kap. We understand how frustrating this can be and have done extensive research into what can cause this problem.
The K-Cups only over flow for one reason, the water can get out around the top. The water is forced through under pressure, so any little crack or opening will be a place for water to come through. There are only two places that can happen.
- The first is around the edges where the kap is wedged into the K-Cup. Leaks occur around the edge when there is not a good clean seal. In other words there are crevices where water and coffee can escape. The Keurig K-Cups are not consistently made. Some of them have the paper glued nicely to the edges and others the paper is flopping around the top. When this happens it is harder to get the seal around the top such that there are no gaps where the water can be forced out. You have to look at it and make sure there is a good seal.
- The second place is at the top in the middle of the kap. That really only happens if the kaps is pushed to far down and the gasket does not make a seal around the top so the water can not come out the middle. Try leaving the kap a little higher in the K-Cup when you push it down. Experiment a little.
Another trick some people have mentioned is to use the Keurig My-K-Cup base that comes with some machines instead of the black base that has the lower pucture pin it. This will not always be an option with some machines. Again, experiment a little.
Here are the top reasons for leaks and how to avoid them:
Clogged Lower Pucture Pin -
It is possible that the lower puncture pin that makes the hole in the bottom of the cup has gotten clogged with a coffee ground and is causing troubles. It will cause even a new K-Cup to not brew right if that is happening. This problem stops the coffee from leaving the cup easily and can cause it to overflow at the top. This is easy to fix, just push a needle or something small through it.
Upper Gasket Missing -
Keurig knew leaks could be a problem and designed a rubber gasket that fits around the top puncture pin. This is the way the water is injected into the K-cup. If this gasket is missing, water can spray back up from the top of the k-cup and cause leaks and grounds to come out the top of the cup. Check to make sure that you have a gasket around the top puncture pin. If one is not there it will not make a seal around the top and cause it to leak all over. (Mine was missing and a call to Keurig got me a new one in the mail in just a few days. )
Kap pushed too far down -
Another cause of leaking in the middle is that the kap is pushed too far down into the K-Cup. Again, the issues is that it is not making a seal with the gasket in the middle of the K-Cup and the water and coffee grounds leak out. The simple fix for this is to let the kap ride a little higher on the K-Cup. This can also happen if your used K-cup has been used a number of times and the opening has stretched out a bit. A new K-cup may help in this matter as well.
Improper Seal around the Kap -
Most importantly, make sure you have a smooth seal under pressure around the edges where the Kap meets the K-Cup. If there are any crevices where the paper is between the kap and K-Cup this could be a place where water can leak out. You have to pay attention to getting the paper filter all of the way around the Kap or not around the Kap at all.
Using the original Filter in the K-Cup -
If you are getting coffee grounds in the cup, and the top gasket is in place, then there must be a hole in the filter. Check to make sure the filter has not broken. Otherwise, the coffee grounds have to be coming out the top and this should be pretty obvious since it will leave a mess around the K-Cup. If that is happening, then there has to be a sealing problem at the top. Most probably the gasket is missing or is not making contact with the kap.
Using a New Folded Filter in the K-Cup -
If you are getting coffee grounds in the cup, then it is possible that the folded filter folds are blowing out. The single fold along the edge should work pretty well and not blow out if done properly. I find that when you put it in the cup, the fold should actually be flat against the side of the K-Cup. The top of the kap holds the top together and the large fold up holds the bottom of the fold together and the filter fold being against the K-Cup holds it the rest of the way together. It really does work well on the units I have been experimenting with and the feedback I have been getting from customers.
Keurig® and K-Cup® are registered trademarks of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. My-Kap is not Affiliated with GMCR or Keurig.
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