Keurig Not Brewing A Full Cup? Try These 3 Simple Solutions

If your Keurig is not brewing a full cup of coffee, there is likely a blockage somewhere in the brewer that is interfering with machine performance. There are a few common problems that can prevent a Keurig from making a full cup. Keep reading to learn what they are and how to solve them. You’ll want to have a glass measuring cup handy.

Solution 1: Clear Buildup Around The Water Tank Valve

Water has to be able to freely flow from your tank into the machine. If there is any mineral buildup around the exit valve, the machine may not be able to pull the amount of water needed to brew a full cup. Here’s how to assess this issue and fix it:

1. Empty the water tank. Remove the water filter holder.
2. Flip the the reservoir over. Locate the nozzle with the spring. Take something dull like a the eraser end of a pencil and try pushing the spring down a few times. If it moves with ease, you can rule out any issues with that piece.
3. Put the tank back on the machine. Fill it with about two to three inches of water.
4. Grab a turkey baster. Suck up a little of the water from the tank.
5. Squirt the baster directly into that top side of the black nozzle where the water should exit the tank. Repeat this several times, working all the way around the nozzle two or three times.

If you start to see particles floating up from the nozzle, this is calcium buildup that was causing the block. Run an 8 oz hot water cycle into a measuring cup. If the water volume measures 8 oz, you’ve solved the problem.

Solution 2: Descale To Remove Internal Blocks

If you found calcium buildup in your water tank, it is likely inside your machine too. As the water used to brew your K-cups travels through your brewer, it leaves minerals behind that cause limescale to buildup inside your machine. Eventually this buildup can get big enough to cause blockages that result in your Keurig not making a full cup.

You should descale every 3 to 6 months, even if you are using a water filter. If your tap has “hard water,” meaning it contains a high level of minerals, then you should descale your brewer more often. If you are unsure if you have hard water, you can get a low-cost testing kit.

Keurig makes its own descaling solution that works with all models. The safe formula has no odor and acts fast to remove mineral buildup with gentle citric acid. You can buy the solution alone or as part of a bundle with rinse pods and filters that will also help you keep your machine clean.

Once you have the descaling solution, follow these instructions to descale your Keurig. If you’ve had your machine for more than 6 months and never descaled, or if you have very hard water, you may need to run this process at least 2 times.

When you have descaled, run an 8 oz hot water cycle into a measuring cup. If the water volume measures 8 oz, you’ve figured out why your Keurig was not brewing a full cup.

Solution 3: Unclog The Needles

When you brew a K-cup, there are needles inside your coffee maker that make two holes in the pod. This allows hot water to pass through the capsule. The coffee grounds can get stuck around the needle and eventually become dry and hard. This is especially likely to happen if you don’t discard your pods soon after brewing. As a result, the ground coffee build up starts to block the water flow inside your Keurig, potentially resulting in the Keurig not brewing a full cup of coffee.

If you have a Keurig 2.0, you can use the orange cleaning tool that came with your brewer. If you lost it or if you have a different model, you can use this paper clip method:

1. Straighten one end of a paper clip.
2. Turn off the brewer and unplug it and remove the water reservoir.
3. Grab the sides of the pod holder and remove it from the brewer by gently pulling away.
4. Press the button on both sides to separate the holder from the housing. Push the lever to show the exit needle, then hold it down while flipping the holder over.
5. Insert the straight end of the needle and then move it around in a circle a few times. Rinse the pod holder with water and set it aside.
6. Open the handle and look underneath to see the top entrance and exit needles. Insert the paper clip in each and move it around to clean.

Run an 8 oz hot water cycle into a measuring cup. If the water volume measures 8 oz, you’ve figured out why your Keurig was not making a full cup of coffee.