Keurig K-Café Smart vs Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker with Built-In Frother
Buy the K-Café Smart if you want app control, pod recognition, and the widest brew range. Buy the K-Café Essentials if you mainly want a latte or cappuccino for the lowest price. The Smart's lowest recent price was $134.00 on November 2, against $35.99 on November 2 for the Essentials. Both are Keurig pod machines with a built-in frother, so the gap is features, not coffee style.
Ask our shopping agent
Keurig K-Café Smart
4.4Choose the K-Café Smart if you want WiFi brewing, BrewID pod recognition, five strength and six temperature settings, and 2 to 12 oz brew sizes.
Pros
- BrewID tunes settings to each pod and suggests Signature Brew recipes
- App lets you brew remotely, schedule a brew and save favorites
- Five strength and six temperature settings give fine control
- Hot and cold frother with three speeds handles iced drinks
- Brews 2 oz shots up to 12 oz cups
Cons
- Costs far more than the Essentials
- WiFi setup and app are required for the smart features
What separates them
| Keurig K-Café Smart | Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker with Built-In Frother | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $134.00 lowest recent daily price (November 2) | $35.99 lowest recent daily price (November 2) |
| Brew sizes | 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 oz | 8, 10 and 12 oz plus a 2 oz shot |
| Strength and temperature control | Five strength settings, six temperature settings | One STRONG button |
| App and WiFi | WiFi with app brewing, scheduling and saved favorites | None |
| Pod recognition | BrewID reads the pod and recommends brew settings | None |
| Milk frother | Hot and cold frothing, three speeds | Built-in frother, no cold setting listed |
| Water reservoir | Not listed in the given specs | 42 oz, removable |
Price history
$170.00$35.99
- Keurig K-Café Smart: lowest $134.00 on Nov 2 at Mercari.
- Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker with Built-In Frother: lowest $35.99 on Nov 2 at Swede Things in America.
Prices at every store
Keurig K-Café Smart
- eBayCheck price at eBay
- Home DepotCheck price at Home Depot
- KeurigCheck price at Keurig
Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker with Built-In Frother
- eBayCheck price at eBay
- Swede Things in AmericaCheck price at Swede Things in America
- WalmartCheck price at Walmart
Specs compared
| Spec | Keurig K-Café Smart | Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker with Built-In Frother |
|---|---|---|
| Pod Compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Automation | Automatic | Automatic |
| Style | K-Café | — |
| Fat Free/Skim Milk | Easy to froth, it creates a light, airy foam. | — |
| Whole Milk | Higher fat content creates the richest-tasting … | — |
| Nut Milk | Will froth like dairy milk, but loses its bubbl… | — |
| Lactose-Free Milk | Less reliable, due to its different properties. | — |
| color | — | Black |
| Pod Style | — | Yes |
| With Auto Shutoff | — | Yes |
Questions and answers
- Which makes better lattes?
- Both use a 2 oz concentrated shot and a built-in frother, so the drink quality is close. The Smart adds a cold froth setting and three frother speeds, which helps for iced lattes.
- Is the K-Café Smart worth the extra money?
- Only if you will use app brewing, BrewID and the strength and temperature settings. If you just want coffee plus frothed milk, the Essentials does that for far less.
- Which is better for iced coffee?
- The Smart. It has a dedicated brew-over-ice setting and a cold froth mode. The Essentials lists no cold frothing.
- Which has a bigger water reservoir?
- The Essentials has a 42 oz removable reservoir. The Smart's reservoir size is not stated in the specs, so check it before buying if capacity matters.
- Do both take any K-Cup pod?
- Yes. Both are pod-compatible Keurig brewers and work with standard K-Cup pods.
- Which is more reliable?
- There is no failure-rate data here. The Essentials has far more ratings (5,396 at 4.2) than the Smart (136 at 4.4), so its track record is better documented.
More comparisons
- Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker with Built-In Frother vs Keurig K-Cafe Barista Bar Single Serve Coffee Maker and Frother
- Keurig K-Café Smart vs Keurig K-Cafe Barista Bar Single Serve Coffee Maker and Frother
- Keurig K-Cafe Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker with Built-In Frother vs Keurig K-Café Smart
